How I Met Your Mother-Garbage Island

My review of last night's slightly problematic episode of How I Met Your Mother is after the jump.

Last night's episode of How I Met Your Mother was the type of episode that I like. It had funny jokes, some heart, and some hints at the future. It did verge too much into silliness and I did have some problems with it but it was a fun episode.

Most of the silliness came from the Marshall plotline. I understand that he's getting over his father's death but this step was ridiculous. I didn't find it funny, I just found it silly. The saving the environment plotline can only be funny to a certain extent and this just didn't work for me. What the plotline did have was a sweet moment with Lilly and Marshall in the dumpster. That scene wasn't enough to save what was a pretty silly plotline, but it was a great scene that set up the future really well. Marshall only took the job at GNB to help work off Lilly's debt and never really wanted to be there. Now, he gets to finally have the job he wants. This could be great for Marshall and it should be fun to see play out.

Next we had the continued development of the Ted and Zoey relationship. I like Ted and Zoey as a couple but the major problem I have with their relationship is that it's not going anywhere. Jennifer Morrison and Josh Radnor have great chemistry but it's doomed to fail, Zoey is not the mother. There's really no point in pursuing the relationship when it's not going to go anywhere. We now know that the relationship isn't going to end well so I'm trying to figure out what the point of pursuing it is.

It doesn't help that Ted broke up the Captain and Zoey's relationship in order for them to get together. I feel exactly the way that Ted did when he found out, upset and annoyed. The thing is that I can't blame Ted. He was ignorant of the reason to Zoey and the Captain's breakup. It brings a new level of dislike towards Zoey, who I was actually starting to like in the previous couple of episodes.

The rest of the plotline was less problematic thought. I enjoyed the reappearance of the Captain. Kyle MacLachlan is a very funny actor and really nailed the broadness of his character. Everything with him was fun and I enjoyed watching all of it.

The Barney plotline was the strongest part of the episode with very funny moments and growth for the character. The opening with Barney not being able to not smile when saying Nora's name and hearing the Charlie Brown horns with Lilly and Robin was very funny. The character was played very broadly in this episode but I had no problem with it. It was necessary for Barney to grow as a character and to recognize that he likes Nora and wants to date her. It's a big moment for Barney and I'm glad the writers did it.

The episode also contained flash forwards towards the future of the characters. Wendy the Waitress and Meeker bonding over a hatred of Marshall was fun and a great mention of the characters.  Also, I'm pretty sure that it will be Barney and Nora who will be married at the end of the season. The show hinted pretty strongly towards that direction. The holographic cell phones were also a fun joke.

Overall, I had my problems with the episode but the good was able to outweigh the bad.

What did everyone else think?