Just when How I Met Your Mother had strung together a streak of quality episodes, redeeming the weaknesses that the start of season 8 was filled with, they decide to throw in Weekend At Barney’s, which is easily one of the worst episodes we’ve seen.
The plot is simple enough, Ted breaks up with Jeanette and Barney busts out the Playbook to help Ted pick up women. That’s right, it turns out Barney didn’t actually burn the Playbook, he only burned the ceremonial one. Why he needed the actual Playbook to run plays for Ted is beyond me. He wrote the thing. I’m sure he could’ve remembered at least one or two plays to help his friend pick up women. Bringing the Playbook back into the story is weak, despite how believable it is that Barney didn’t actually burn it. It was simply a way to set up a small fight between Barney and Robin, which happens when she sees the Playbook on Ted’s couch.
Robin says that seeing Barney burn the Playbook is what convinced her that she really wanted to be with him. Oh really? Well if that’s the case, then why was she creeping around his apartment like someone who’s crazily in love with him? She definitely decided long before the burning of the Playbook that she wanted to be with him. If anything, that was the moment when she realized he may really be in love with Patrice.
Robin’s claim that she’s all upset about Barney lying is way off base as well. If Robin has a problem with Barney still having the Playbook, the lying should only be a small part. The bigger issue, at least for Robin and her insecurity about Barney’s former womanizing ways, should be the fact that the Playbook is a way for him to pick up women. Who cares if he has a play where he’s a dead guy hooking up with girls. The fact that necrophilia is creepy shouldn’t be the issue. It’s the fact that he’s soon to be married and is still thinking about plays where he hooks up with other girls.
The fact that Barney is able to win her back by saying he loves her amidst an array of information about how lying is his life, and that’s what he’s good at, is complete crap. If he actually loves her, he would be honest with her about things, not try to give himself a cushion so his lies become more acceptable. I’m becoming more and more skeptical about those two actually getting married.
The biggest reason I think Barney and Robin won’t actually get married is the fact that Barney wanted Robin to know about the Playbook not being burnt. Remember how he was sure Robin would find out he intended to propose to her? He told Ted, because he was sure that Ted would tell her. Ted’s never been able to keep a secret about anything of significance. Barney knows this, which means that him telling Ted he still had the Playbook and making him promise not to tell Robin was his way of ensuring that Robin would find out.
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