Themed episodes are pretty much a HIMYM specialty at this point, so the topic of last night’s “Desperation Day” was no surprise. Barney tried to make the most of single woman’s February 13th pre-Valentine’s Day jitters but ended up falling for spunky British beauty, Nora, played by Iranian-native Nazanin Boniadi. As Robin aptly put it, “Desperation day has come and gone, and you have neither gone nor come.” I think Barney needs this shot of romance to keep his immaturity from growing stale and Nora seems like a good fit. In the long run though, I only want him with Robin.
Ted and Zoey celebrate their first Valentine’s Day together, though Ted’s reaction to Zoey’s advances only a week after their tender embraces was a tad odd. For someone in their mid-30s and looking to start a family, freaking out about getting serious with a woman you’re already in love with just doesn’t sound very plausible. And the overnight bag?
Mostly though, my real problem with this couple is simply the apparent lack of chemistry between the two actors. Ted’s scenes with both Robin and even Stella carried real heft — the same cannot be said of this latest pairing.
Meanwhile, Marshall’s family tragedy continues to make for great television. Regressing to his teenage self, Marshall had his mom bring him milk with the curly straws, claiming to help her cope before breaking down and revealing that he just really misses his dad. I’ve enjoyed these past few episodes but I hope the show picks up in the coming weeks. Compelling drama in sitcoms is great to a point but I’m starting to yearn for some HIMYM goofiness. Maybe they can bring back the goat.