How I Met Your Mother "The Broath" Review

"The Broath" tells the story of how the gang met Quinn--no more and no less is told than that. Of course, there are subplots involving the other members of the gang. Ted and Robin haven't figured out their dynamic-post "I Love You," and Marshall feels embarrassed about Lily being his lone sexual partner. But, really, it's the story of how the gang met Quinn within the frame of the HIMYM morality tale--the message is don't meddle or judge or throw interventions.

A period of time has passed since the last episode. Barney disappeared for a couple of days and re-surfaced to introduce the broath to Ted Eveleyn Mosby. The impetus of the broath is the impending introduction of Quinn to the group at large. Barney suspects his friends will judge Quinn and her intentions because of her stripper profession, which is what the friends do. They scrutinize her like she's a piece of classic literature and they're a bunch of professors in pursuit of scholarship. None of the gang likes her because of her abrasive attitude and insulting comments towards Barney. To use her words, she's a 'bitch' and Barney's the submissive boyfriend whose will has been completely broken by the promise of regular sex. The gang stages an intervention (Quinntervention is the preference of Marshall) to tell Barney he's in the process of making a massive mistake by not only being with her but by deciding to move in with her and share his income with a woman who earns much, much less. The intervention becomes dramatic when Quinn shows up, hears the truth of the situation, and then dumps Barney with a slap to the face.

The gang feels contrite; this isn't the first instance in which they've meddled into affairs. Barney, in fact, anticipated such meddlesome behavior from his friends. The MacLarens gang is incestuous and insular, like all fictional groups in any show, because hiring actors to create a more dynamic social circle is expensive. Thus there are stories in which this quality of the group is displayed. Bays and Thomas acknowledge this quality and comment on it. Barney is used by the writers to illustrate their awareness of this trait in a Meta way. Barney and Quinn planned everything out beforehand to help bring awareness to the others of their behavioral tendencies when someone new is introduced. The new couple essentially tells the other four to settle down with their interventions and meddlesome ways because Barney is a grown man who's able to decide for himself who is and isn't worth dating and moving in with. Ted, Marshall, Lily and Robin, heads lowered in shame, apologize and excitedly hug Barney and Quinn when they confirm their intentions to move in together.

The story succeeded in showing the viewer why Barney is committed to Quinn. The Valentine's Day story had amusing moments but lacked any significance; it mostly commented on Barney's past and thus featured a new and improved Barney who's willing to endure the karmic breaks if the end result is true happiness with a good woman. The flashback of the couple plotting their devious...plot succeeded in showing Barney's love for her and their mutual comfort with one another. The characters didn't state why they feel the way they fell; it was simply shown, and it's the ideal choice for a storyteller.

Ted and Robin were pitted against each other for Quinn's apartment. Neither actually cared about the apartment as much as they cared about what they lost post-"I love you." Robin lost her best friend and most trustful confidante. Ted lost the woman he loves, best friend, and cannot find a place in his life for her where things can be normal again. In an effective scene, Robin apologized for her rejection of his love, and Ted honestly told her he can't be normal with her. They try to be normal once more at MacLarens near the end. Robin joyfully tells Ted about her promotion, but their isolation overwhelms both and Robin leaves. Indeed, Ted won't see for a long time, but Future Ted "will get to that."

I don't know how to succinctly conclude this review. I began the review with worry about whether I could find three paragraphs worth of thoughts about the episode. I would've torn into "The Broath" if Barney hadn't orchestrated the entire nonsense because the nonsense is tiresome and oft repeated in the show. The stories were written effectively though. I don't have any negative thoughts about "The Broath." I didn't love the episode though. It was average.

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