'How I Met Your Mother': Marshall goes without pants

You know that recurring nightmare we all have, the one where you forget your clothes and there you are at work, sans pants? That happened to our good friend Marshall this week on How I Met Your Mother. He had been playing basketball with Goliath folks before work and forgot to throw his suit pants into the bag. Not an auspicious way to start your day.

The mistake was made that much worse by the fact that Marshall apparently likes to dress like a basketball player from the early '80s, because he wasn't wearing long shorts, he was wearing tiny little blue ones. Poor, poor Marshall. He had to wear his little basketball shorts to the office with his jacket and tie.

I don't know about you, but when I have that dream it always ends with me waking up in a cold sweat and swearing to always, always wear two pairs of pants in the future (just in case). Marshall however didn't wake up in a cold sweat, he actually forgot his pants and had an important meeting that afternoon. It was like a real life nightmare, made all the worse by Barney, whom Lily entrusted with Marshall's pants. Barney cut the pants at the knee, leaving the bottom edge all ragged and tattered for Marshall's meeting.

Funniest thing since sliced bread. Really. Funniest. Thing. Ever. Okay, not so much, but Barney was absolutely convinced it was, he thought it was funnier than a chimpanzee wearing two tuxedoes. Ridiculous I know, but he did. And that was tonight's episode.

Fine, Ted had a story too. There was this thing with his ex-girlfriend, Karen, and she really was a nightmare. She was that one girl (or guy depending on your preferences) we've all dated, the one you just keep going back to no matter how bad she treats you and your friends. I guess things with Barney's "wife" didn't work out, because this week Ted was back to dating Karen.

Their relationship actually had been taking place for about a week, and all under Robin's nose at the apartment. My Canadian heroine was unaware because her new wake-up show required her to be at work at two in the morning and she'd been taking some pretty serious drugs so she could alter her sleep cycle appropriately. Consequently, when Karen went into the kitchen to get the Bordeaux, Robin, who was in there didn't realize Karen was there because Robin was passed out on the floor with her face in some delicious looking ribs and corn on the cob.

Karen however was there, and she was just as hoity-toity and holier-than-thou as all of Ted, Marshall, and Lily's college memories made us believe her to be. There was just the one little switch now -- rather than her cheating on Ted, she was using Ted to cheat on someone else.

What I can't believe is that Ted accepted that. He broke up with her momentarily, but by the end of the night he was with her again. And, no, I don't think she's the mother, because the kids in the future got her name, and I have to believe that they would have stopped old Ted from talking if they heard their mom's name. So, what we're left with is some wretched -- but funny -- bounce back girl.

If I had to guess, and I kind of think I do, I'm saying that it doesn't last all that long, that Karen will be out of our hair soon enough. Perhaps Lily finally shows Karen the door for her lingering (see the quote below), I think Lily has it in her. What say you?

Odds and ends:

• In a true bit of awesome, showing life back in their college days, we got to see Marshall dressed up for Wrestlemania. I'd offer 20 bucks to the first person who could tell me which character he was dressed up as, but instead I'm going to keep the cash for myself and just tell you. He was dressed as The Ultimate Warrior, my third favorite wrestler of all-time. And, if you think Lily was dressed up as Hacksaw Jim Duggan, you're wrong, she was dressed up as King Hacksaw Jim Duggan (or was it just King Hacksaw or King Duggan? Either way, the "King" is essential).
• Did you notice that the tie the girl tried to hand Barney at lunch was awfully similar to the one he was wearing at the bar? Do you think he went back to get it? I'm saying he did.
• Our quote of the week comes from Lily, explaining her upset about Karen -- "cheat on Ted, criticize my painting, whatever, that's your business. But I catch you peepin' on my man's junk and you linger? You got to gets got." I wouldn't cross Lily for all the money in the world.

The TV and Film Guy's Reviews -- pants-a-plenty.

E-mail

• Digg
• Facebook
• Fark
• Yahoo Buzz
• Stumbleupon