81 replies to this topic

[TWoP Barnes]

(TiVo says:) Marshall gives up his dream of saving the Earth in favor of money, after being courted by a lawyer (John Cho) from a corporate firm.

Edited by TWoP Barnes, Apr 23, 2008 @ 12:12 PM.

[sarahnicole]

Holy crap, I thought this episode was hilarious. Good god, the walk of shame filled with Disheveled Girls with No Shoes made me cackle maniacally! And all of the subplots in this one were really entertaining...and, the bathroom support-texting...I put this in the realm of Slap Bet.

[Chainlightning]

The couch gag at the end was the cherry on top of the hot fudge sundae that was this episode.

[AngleMan]

I thought last weeks was better but I really liked this one. I adored the shot of Lily writhing in a pile of shoes.

[Paul Servo]

Good god, the walk of shame filled with Disheveled Girls with No Shoes made me cackle maniacally!

I didn't notice the shoeless girls. Kind of wish I did now.

So Harold is Marshall's new boss? This is either good casting or a really bad promotional tool to be used for when HAROLD&KUMAR2 comes out. Hopefully the most we'll get is a good in-joke when
Barney meets him. This episde does show how Marshall and Lily can afford the nice pad in the future.

The Ted plot was ok. The interview scene was funny (but I had to suspend my disbeleif that a magazine about the porn industry wouldn't know a stage name. It's called research, but I digress). Barney really saved that plot (as NPH is apt to do)

Edited by Paul Servo, Oct 31, 2007 @ 4:43 PM.

[isiscloud]

My favorite was the Kobe-beef-fed lobsters and the Swayze shout out. Loved the dance of seduction and John Cho.

Loved the writhing in the boots scene, too.

Is there a point to Robin??=

[TiffanyNichelle]

First John Cho on Ugly Betty and now here? Awesome! I love that guy. and I loved him seducing Marshall into having the job. I wish he and NPH could have had at least one scene.

[beadgirl]

I floved the walk of shame bit.

Mr. beadgirl, a corporate attorney at a big firm, got all resentful at the continuing portrayal of firm attorneys as evil. But I, former litigator at a big firm who represented the most hated of all clients, insurance companies, pointed out the progress in having a likeable star of the show take the lucrative corporate job rather than the noble one. Seriously, a lot of us start out with big plans about saving the world, but life often works out differently than we expected.

What's his name played a tool on Ugly Betty last week, I guess it is all part of the promotion for H&K II (which I just learned about, thank you Paul Servo (awesome handle, btw).

[Kel Varnsen]

Not a bad episode. I did think last week's was funnier. It would have been awesome if when Ted was talking about saving that kid they had a flashback to it. I mean the show is built on flashbacks.

Also since when did Marshall finish law school? That is not something I remember them mentioning, and you think law school graduation would be a pretty big plot point. On top of that would a law school graduate who has not even gotten his law license actually be given any of his own clients?

[Rinaldo]

This is either good casting or a really bad promotional tool to be used for when HAROLD&KUMAR2 comes out.

Since it was, in fact, good casting (John Cho is always a delight to see as far as I'm concerned), I feel no need even to consider other alternatives. Yay, John Cho! And it's still kind of noteworthy (wish it weren't) that he was cast in a role that didn't "need" to be Asian, just because he was the best guy for it.

I liked the whole thing (OK, I didn't love the cutaway to Lily writhing in a sea of shoes -- that's not how the show usually operates). And I liked that Marshall took the corporate job, because... that's what it made sense for him to do, and on the whole it's what people in fact do do at this juncture.

I especially related to this episode because years ago, there was in fact a porn actor with my (real) name -- and I use an unusual enough spelling that it really stood out, as if he had seen my name somehow and adopted it. I wish I could have confronted him the way Ted did!

[NicoleMN6]

Ugh, I really dislike Lily. First, Marshall has to take that corporate job at Barney's firm because she ruined a wedding dress. Then, it turns out that she's been racking up all this credit card debt AND she hasn't told Marshall about it - her husband, the guy who is also going to be stuck with terrible credit for years as a result.

Oh well, at least we can see now how Marshall and Lily end up looking all presidential in the flash-forwards. And, I suppose Lily never becomes an artist, and Marshall doesn't save the world, so they both give up their dreams in that sense, equally.

John Cho must have a great agent - he's everywhere lately.

[beadgirl]

Also since when did Marshall finish law school? That is not something I remember them mentioning, and you think law school graduation would be a pretty big plot point.

In law school students often have jobs lined up (especially at firms) a year or so before graduation. In fact some interviewers often look askance at third years with no job offer yet.

[Kel Varnsen]

In law school students often have jobs lined up (especially at firms) a year or so before graduation. In fact some interviewers often look askance at third years with no job offer yet.

That is interesting, I didn't know that. Although from the way Marshall was speaking it sounded to me like he was looking for a job because he was finished school.

Oh well, at least we can see now how Marshall and Lily end up looking all presidential in the flash-forwards. And, I suppose Lily never becomes an artist, and Marshall doesn't save the world, so they both give up their dreams in that sense, equally.

You can also see how Marshall ends up looking so old and tired when he is only in his early 40's. All those years of defending evil clients and eating toxic corndogs will take its toll.

[ladyvorkosigan]

I don't think Marshall will spend his entire career at Evil Law Firm first, because very, very few people do (the attrition rates at those places are through the roof). Second, if he was going to, I doubt they would have showed us the news headlines. I imagine he'll find his way back to NRDC eventually - it'll be interesting to see what happens with Lily's credit card debt, though.

[alexmarsz]

Sad to say I didn't love this one so much as the rest of you. I feel like they went to the well before, yet haven't been consistent enough with it. It would have been nice if they wanted to play up poor vs rich, but that would take some setup over a couple of episodes. Instead it was "comfortable enough that we never think about it" vs rich, with a make-Lily-look-bad cherry.

Mr. beadgirl, a corporate attorney at a big firm, got all resentful at the continuing portrayal of firm attorneys as evil.

If would have loved this show on a whole new level had it been arranged that the corporation was actually pretty benevolent and the charity turned out to not be so clean. Instead Barney's company is evil, this new company is evil, the amusement park is evil ...

I understand, they wanted to play up the choice between a job he's proud of and one that rewards. It's real. But so is finding middle ground and realizing that your labels don't hold up, and that's under-represented on TV.

I did like the "Ted Mosby, Sex Architect" plot. It wouldn't have carried the episode, but sprinkled in and treated irreverently it was fun.

Oh and they really don't know what to do with Robin now.

[kathrynann]

Ugh, I really dislike Lily. First, Marshall has to take that corporate job at Barney's firm because she ruined a wedding dress. Then, it turns out that she's been racking up all this credit card debt AND she hasn't told Marshall about it - her husband, the guy who is also going to be stuck with terrible credit for years as a result

Seriously. I never thought there would be a time when I would dislike Lily more than when she dumped Marshall to go find herself in San Francisco but this episode proved me wrong.

I really did not care for this episode. Lily writhing in that sea of shoes was the flattest a joke on this show has ever fallen for me. I don't find credit card debt funny, or at least not in the way it was treated here. John Cho also didn't do much for me and, call me a prude, but Barney allowing porn to be taped in the apartment is just nasty. The only redeeming moment was Marshall's Walk of Shame.

[HickoryColt]

My compaint is these both seem to be variations on themes already done on the show. Last season in Slap Bet was all about Robin possibly being a porn star and now its someone with Ted's name is a porn star. Marshall already had a job at Barney's "evil compnay" firm and was doing it mainly for the money because he bought the expensive suit and then ended up giving it up. We're only in the third season of the show and they already are coming back to old themes. It was a funny show, but it struck me as a bit odd that these are variants of the same theme.

Also, the waitress at the bar is cute. I started thinking tonite maybe she could be the Mother......or did I miss something in season one saying otherwise? I didn't catch all the shows from back then.

[justjoan]

If would have loved this show on a whole new level had it been arranged that the corporation was actually pretty benevolent and the charity turned out to not be so clean. Instead Barney's company is evil, this new company is evil, the amusement park is evil ...

Might have gotten awkward for the legal guys, though, since the NRDC is real, and Evil Law Firm isn't. Much safer to pick on the imaginary lawyers.

First, Marshall has to take that corporate job at Barney's firm because she ruined a wedding dress.

Well, he also had to pay for his hideously expensive suit. So that was a pretty crummy day for both of them.

I loved the walk of shame. Oh, Marshall! First Brad, and now this! He's just too irresistible for his own good.

[snav0561]

Well Marshal was a third year last season, so he would have graduated in May. I don't know when the NY Bar is, but I imagine it would have been in summer. So you would think he would be licensed by October. They probably didn't show it all because really, studying for the bar is pretty boring. (I would imagine so at least. Here in Wisconsin, I didn't have to take the exam. God bless our Diploma Privilege)

I loved this episode. But that could be because I am madly in love with John Cho. I hope we see him again. But I also loved Ted's porn doppelganger story line. I would love to hear other movies he was in over time. Just random titles thrown out by Barny every once in a while.

[contrapuntal]

(OK, I didn't love the cutaway to Lily writhing in a sea of shoes -- that's not how the show usually operates)

Whereas I now suddenly have a shoe fetish. Go figure.

[Wrong Heaven]

As much as I'm not a big fan of Lily's credit card debt, I don't blame her for Marshall taking the job - she had nothing to do with it. He didn't know about the debt - he wanted the money for their future, and their children. In fact, when pressed to... press him to take the job, she told him not to - that she would pay for her bills herself.

I really liked tonight's episode. I didn't love it - but it had some great moments. And, of course, FARVA! Which I can't believe no one's mentioned yet.

[cette1965]

I thought tonight's episode was a big regression from the quality of last week's show. The main story was unsatisfying. Marshall sold out his ideals for a bigger paycheck, but did not seem that bothered by the choice. I did not find the porn sub-plot funny at all. I agree with everyone who noted the superfluousness of Robin. Even the laugh track did not seem that amused.

[Boof]

I really enjoyed tonight's episode. The fact that it was mainly Marshall centric may have something to do with it! (On that note, I thought JS was looking mighty fine tonight....)

I liked that they addressed how Lily has an awesome wardrobe on a kindergarten teacher's salary. Do I love that she racked up the debt? No--I hate it when girls do that and then expect their future spouses to foot the bill. But I agree with Wrong Heaven, that she did have the chance to push him toward the "evil" job and she decided against it because it wouldn't be fair to him. Now, how she would have gotten herself out of debt, that is another question, but at least she didn't want Marshall to be miserable because of her mistakes. That said, I do hope she does tell him about it soon and goes to some sort of Shopping Anonymous meeting!

Edited by Boof, Oct 29, 2007 @ 10:10 PM.

[surfsup79]

The Lily story seemed really true to the show because a lot people commented last year about her Season 2 wardrobe and how expensive it must be.

I disagree that the writers don't know what to do with Robin and she is just floating. For the first 4 episode she had her own storyline so now the past two were for her to sort of give the spotlight to someone else. So now Marshall and Lily were more prominently featured. It's just a matter of give and take. The only two characters that have perfectly balanced this year are Ted and Barney IMO.

Does anyone else feel like this show is getting jokes from actualy news stories? Not that it is bad but Marshall had the joke about the washroom stall last week (Senator Larry Craig) and this week the whole porn star name from someone from school with which was a big story awhile back. What's next? Robin tries out for Miss Teen USA and answers a speech question. I loved the episode, not as much as the last two, but if the season continues like this, I'll be jubulent. Yes I used that word because of the scene where they used big words in front of Male-Gale.

[big chicken]

A lot of people go to law school thinking they're going to be the next Atticus Finch and fight for truth and justice but then they come near to graduation and realize they've not only got college loans to pay off, they've also got that six figure law school debt to pay back and they'd like to start a family and buy a house within the next five years. Owing all that money and factoring in future expenses makes truth and justice look a lot less shiny.

[alexmarsz]

Might have gotten awkward for the legal guys, though, since the NRDC is real, and Evil Law Firm isn't. Much safer to pick on the imaginary lawyers.

Justly noted. I don't mean to impugn real people (especially not lawyers!). I would simply have preferred a fake group and a different dynamic.

I disagree that the writers don't know what to do with Robin and she is just floating. For the first 4 episode she had her own storyline

That's it though - her own storyline completely separated from the group. (Except for meeting Gael, but even the rest of that story had her apart from them.) And then two episodes being the sounding board for Lily. It would be nice to see her worked in better - they all do something, or Robin and someone else are equally invested in a story line, etc.

[HotBlooded]

Is it depressing that I totally recognized one of those dresses that Lily bought from one of those trashy celeb magazines I read in the lines at the grocery stores?

I definitely wouldn't rank this ep with World's Greatest Couple, Slap Bet, or even last week's ep, but it also wasn't the worst I've ever seen. A decent effort, but not an iTunesable ep that you watch over and over again.

[FleeceBlanket]

Mr. beadgirl, a corporate attorney at a big firm, got all resentful at the continuing portrayal of firm attorneys as evil. But I, former litigator at a big firm who represented the most hated of all clients, insurance companies, pointed out the progress in having a likeable star of the show take the lucrative corporate job rather than the noble one. Seriously, a lot of us start out with big plans about saving the world, but life often works out differently than we expected.

Is it really progress, though? The way the show portrays it, they make it seem like Marshall got huckstered into taking the job, thinking it would be simple and even morally good, then having it turn out to be a big old mess. And also, his boss apparently gets arrested in three years for...some unknown crime, which I imagine would have an impact on Marshall's view of the firm.

I hope we haven't seen the end of this plotline and that we get to see Marshall struggle with his choice as he learns that the job isn't what was originally advertised. Also, it might help shade the plot into a more nuanced zone, rather than the broadstroke brush of Big Firm = Evil, Nonprofit = Good. People make valid life choices to take jobs at big corporate law firms, but it's not as if working in the public interest sector means you need be a pauper for the rest of your life. And didn't Marshall go to Columbia? They have loan repayment programs for folks who do public sector work.

Yeah, can you tell I'm applying to law schools this fall because I want to do public interest work? This ep totally hit all my buttons...

[kiweesplash]

It was an ok episode for me. I did love John Cho and Marshall sleeping over (and I, too, thought JS looked extra gooood in his interview suit), and the Ted/Barney story was good enough. Maybe it was mostly my annoyance with Lily, and I hadn't even been thinking about their bad credit. I remember people commenting on how nice/expensive her clothes were last season too, and so was this plot set up way back then, or did they just decide to be semi-meta and address it?

Edited by kiweesplash, Oct 30, 2007 @ 12:01 AM.

[cagewench]

I thought the Lily's debt re: her clothes was in the semi-meta realm. And though all her lying about the debt (lies of omission of course) irked the hell out of me, but she *did* encourage Marshall to take the low-paying dream job instead of the Mr. Moneybanks one, so that gave her some points towards redemption.

I did think it might have been nice for Barney to make some sort of comment like Cho's organization refuse to deal with Barney's company or something. To give it a stance in 2007-time of being more morally gray which makes Marshall's decision more palatable. And then in the fast-flashes to the news 3 years from now, we see that it was evil after all.