How I Met Your Mother "The Ducky Tie" Review

Last season's "Bad News" had a careful, well-thought out story designed to take the audience by surprise in the end. "The Ducky Tie" was similarly structured. The story of Ted's reunion with Victoria was frequently interrupted by a bet between Marshall, Lily, and Barney that involved her breasts. There were long stretches in which the action centered on the bet only to return to Ted's story as an after-thought. Ah, gosh darn it, it worked. Though I've developed the habit of heavily criticizing each episode of HIMYM since I started writing about, I'll happily acknowledge the series' strengths.

Victoria and Ted's romantic arc largely eluded me. I watched a couple of episodes involving the two as a couple but not much more. I'm not someone who will offer verbose paragraphs about my feelings on their coupling. From what I've read, and from how Ted was written tonight, Victoria seemed like one of the best women in Ted's life. Ted cheated on her with Robin when she went abroad to study the culinary arts. The infidelity derailed the relationship. Both moved on. Their reunion at the Architect's Ball was awkward and loaded with unspoken feelings for the other.

The first act was about Ted's regret for ever cheating on her with Robin. Ted offered to clean the dishes in an effort to clear his conscious. He hoped that something would spark between them again, and that they'd be together one more time; however, Victoria's going to be engaged on the morrow. The proverbial ship sailed. Ted wondered 'what if' and reluctantly admitted the hope he had when he saw her across the room. His earnestness evoked dormant emotions from within Victoria, though.

The second revolved around their memory of each other and their time together. Ted and Victoria kissed. Ted learned about her own affair with Klaus from class i.e. her future husband, which affected his feelings of guilt. Ted wondered whether Victoria felt the same love for him. Victoria swore she did and spoke with such love and affection that one wondered whether those feelings ever left her. In the third act, the former couple departed, content to not indulge in the game of 'what if.' Victoria offered a piece of advice, though--Ted, Barney, and Robin shouldn't hang out because the dynamic isn't natural. Future Ted closed the episode by stating how Victoria was right--the trio just didn't realize it yet.

I didn't foresee another love triangle between Ted, Robin, and Barney emerging in the seventh season. Ted moved on. Robin moved on. The pilot concluded with the revelation that he just told the story of how he met their Aunt Robin. There are various possibilities for the upcoming triangle between these three characters. It's worth the show's time to re-visit a romantic relationship, or the possibility of one, between Ted and Robin because Ted needs something profound to happen before he meets his wife. The character's had few significant relationships. He drifts in and out of meaningless ones. Victoria attempted to open her former boyfriend's eyes to the Robin of it all--how her presence influences his life as well as his relationships. Victoria suggested that his feelings for Robin never disappeared, which is why his relationships with other women haven't lasted.

The suggestion's somewhat plausible but it's inconsistent with what we've watched over the seasons. The Stella situation collapsed because of her own baggage. Zoey wasn't a compatible woman for Ted. He hasn't felt jealous of Robin's love life since the origin of her and Barney; however, Ted and Robin shared a scene last week that focused on what they mean to one another. He brought her to the Architect’s Ball because she met the qualifications of the kind of girl he wanted to spend his time with--as a friend, we thought, or something more within his brain.

The impending arc should be thee arc that leads to the wedding and the mother. Presumably, whatever happens leads to a wedding between Robin and Barney. The situation no doubt brings Ted and Barney closer together as Ted will be the best man. Ted's words of encouragement and affirmation of the bride suggests it's Robin. Josh Radnor delivered the words in an odd way last week. The words carried more meaning than a simple 'you chose the perfect woman because she's my friend.' The words had the weight of someone who, despite losing to someone else, didn't feel anger or resentment--just love for his friends. Whatever happens between the three should no doubt lead Ted towards the woman at the wedding because it's too important an arc for it not to matter in Ted's overall arc.

I'm interested in the series again. I hope the execution of the arc isn't infuriating or irritating. I thought Victoria and Ted's reunion was well-written and well-acted. I'm invested in the soon-to-be triangle. I didn't like the silly B story with Barney, Marshall, Lilly, and her breasts. I mostly wondered how Alyson Hanigan became such a terrible actress when she used to portray Willow so well for so many years. Overall, though, "The Ducky Tie" is a good episode.