241 replies to this topic

[TWoP Barnes]

(Yahoo TV says:) Originally Aired: May 18, 2009
When Ted pulls an all-nighter working on a pitch in an attempt to bring business to his fledgling architecture firm, Marshall tries to lure him to the roof for a surprise 31st birthday party.

(TiVo says:) "The Leap" Ted wonders if he should explore other career options; Marshall tries to lure Ted to the roof for a surprise birthday party.

Cast: Josh Radnor (Actor), Jason Segel (Actor), Neil Patrick Harris (Actor), Alyson Hannigan (Actor), Cobie Smulders (Actor), Christine Bennett (Guest Star), Joel McCrary (Guest Star), Jayden Lund (Guest Star), John Duerler (Guest Star)

Crew: Bob Saget (narrator), Carter Bays (Executive Producer), Craig Thomas (Executive Producer), Carter Bays (Writer), Craig Thomas (Writer), Pamela Fryman (Director)

[also]

As Ted's (Josh Radnor) 31st birthday approaches, a tense night trying to come up with ideas to bring business to his struggling firm has him wondering whether he needs to explore other career prospects. Marshall (Jason Segel) tries to lure Ted to the roof for a surprise birthday party in the season finale, "The Leap." Neil Patrick Harris, Alyson Hannigan and Cobie Smulders also star.

Edited by TWoP Barnes, May 18, 2009 @ 7:31 PM.

[Rock42]

So they're going down the "Friends" road and having Ted become a college professor and date one of his students. Great.

Aside from that, great episode. Good that they finally wrapped up the goat storyline.

Edited by Rock42, May 18, 2009 @ 8:01 PM.

[Diamondduste]

Very good season finale... and I loved the tie-back to Sven.

So the meeting with Stella was important after all, and she was a major reason as to how Ted met his future wife. It will be interesting to see how they play up the fact the mother is in the class next season.

[CrumbyButtons]

Well, that was just terrific! I love an ending like that. It just makes me feel good - ya know?

I miss you already, show!

[Kit Kat]

They took a leap.

So the Mother has been narrowed down from millions to a couple of hundred. We're getting closer.

So the meeting with Stella was important after all, and she was a major reason as to how Ted met his future wife.

I how this show does stuff like this. All the little stuff builds up to something big.

Edited by Kit Kat, May 18, 2009 @ 8:03 PM.

[WashSqGal]

Not necessarily . . . she could be in his class and then drop it, or he meets up with her again after the class.

I really enjoyed that episode. The goat was so ridiculous it had me laughing out loud a lot. A lot of it did, actually. Especially the "Mosbying" someone. Heh.

<referred to the second post>

Edited by WashSqGal, May 18, 2009 @ 8:03 PM.

[Steve J Rogers]

As it was said in the spoiler thread, it probably is some graduate program though, not something where he is dating an immature undergrad like Ross did.

[RandomNation]

I loved it! Every minute, every scene was perfect. What a great way to close out the season. Carter and Craig, take a bow!

I think I liked the Marshall and Lily bits the best. More thoughts later.

"I can do ANYTHING!"
"Yeah you can!"
"I can ride a motorcycle!!"
"Aww, no you can't!"

LOL.

[pacejunkie]

Oh, oh, oh damn you Barney you made me cry with your worth the trouble speech. That was so sweet. They wrote their story perfectly. At first I was miffed that he would get over her as soon as she said she loved him but then they pulled the twist with the "Mosby" and I thought it was brilliant. It was that last scene in the hospital room and the look Robin gave him just before he leaped that killed me. Perfect.

And the mother is in the classroom! Yay! So that was why meeting Stella that day was monumental. That was how he met Tony and how he got the teaching job.

[markedel]

Not bad. I don't think it was great, but it had a lot of good in it. I appreciated the Evil Kenevil and Sven shout outs. I also appreciated that Robin/Barney had chemistry, but not huge dollops of Squee! The ending was a nice cap on the season. All in all, the show did good in treating those with loyalty to it right.

Edited by markedel, May 18, 2009 @ 8:06 PM.

[WashSqGal]

Man, I also have to say that I LOVED Lily speech about planning your life. Things happen. Things change. You shouldn't just throw away your dreams, but I like that it isn't about settling, it's about following the adventure and seeing where you go.

Edited by WashSqGal, May 18, 2009 @ 8:06 PM.

[BlamBaby]

I literally had tears in my eyes for Barney and Robin's exchange. Especially Barney with his trouble speech. NPH totally nailed it. The look they exchanged before his leap made my heart swell, and then the ending with Ted just put the greatest smile on my face. What a lovely season finale. Can't wait for next season!

ETA: Totally agree, WashSqGal. At a point where my life is definitely not going to plan, and it absolutely terrifies me. Lily's speech hit home and again, brought tears to my eyes. What a joy to have her back on the show!

Edited by BlamBaby, May 18, 2009 @ 8:09 PM.

[Diamondduste]

I also got a kick out of how crazed Lily got when Marshall thought she was pregnant.

[iamjmh]

(paraphrasing)

Lily: I'm pregnant

Marshall: You are? I had no idea. I mean, I noticed you had gained a little weight but I didn't want to say anything...

Lily: I am NOT pregnant! I just said that so you wouldn't jump

Hilarious

[Buttercup82]

Oh, oh, oh damn you Barney you made me cry with your worth the trouble speech. That was so sweet. They wrote their story perfectly. At first I was miffed that he would get over her as soon as she said she loved him but then they pulled the twist with the "Mosby" and I thought it was brilliant. It was that last scene in the hospital room and the look Robin gave him just before he leaped that killed me. Perfect.

Me too! Oh, I was so worried for a minute, but the "pulling a Mosby" was great. I loved this so much. Sigh.

[pacejunkie]

I also got a kick out of how crazed Lily got when Marshall thought she was pregnant.

She fooled me too! I thought they were going to go there.

[wounded]

As it was said in the spoiler thread, it probably is some graduate program though, not something where he is dating an immature undergrad like Ross did.

Or just a woman who, like Ted, is taking a leap. Perhaps a late-20s/early-30s woman who decides to make a career changes and goes back to school for another undergraduate degree? But, yeah, so long as she isn't an 18-year-old freshman.

Overall, fantastic episode. Is it September yet?

[Steve J Rogers]

I also got a kick out of how crazed Lily got when Marshall thought she was pregnant.

When she said it, I could have sworn I heard the usual loud "GASP" reaction you usually hear on studio audience shows in those type of "out of the blue announcement" moments.

[OneStoryTown]

Anybody know the artist/title of the song that played over the end? The lyric that repeated a lot was "one by one by one by one."

[There There]

I really, really enjoyed it. I thought it closed out season 4 really well. Everything that happened this year really did lead Ted to his new teaching job and, of course, to the mother. I love how, on this show, the journey towards the end result really is the best part.

There were so many other things to love as well. Lots of great callbacks (Sven! Marshall's love of Evel Knievel... The use of "Murder Train" during the goat fight!), a really nice way of leading into Robin and Barney actually giving a relationship with each other a shot, and a wonderful feel good ending with the whole gang succeeding at something together.

I also really loved how involved Lily was in everything, especially after Alyson has been missing from the last few episodes. Her washcloth speech to Ted at the end was vintage Lily. I'm a big Marshall/Lily fan as well, so I loved seeing them interact again and have lots of great moments.

I can't wait for next year.

[Research Girl]

That was a really nice step forward for the mother plotline and makes me less annoyed at the Stella rehash next week. I really hope the mother is a grad student or non-traditional undergrad though, 31 year old Ted with a 18-21 year old undergrad kind of squicks me and I think it would throw off the group dynamics unless they plan on dragging out the start of his relationship with the mother for 3+ more seasons. I don’t think Ted is experienced enough to be teaching grad students, but I’d rather pretend he is.

I missed Lily the last few episodes, it gets too bro-ish without her and there are so many comedies doing bromances right now that a happily married couple is more interesting. I really loved Marshall/Lily in this episode. I think Barney’s resuggent commitment phobia would have been a better reason for Lily to take a step back, particularly if Robin hadn’t been Mosbying Barney, but Barney/Robin would have been too much to resolve in one episode.

[markedel]

Something the really needs to be credited--Robin's "moving to New Hampshire to open a B&B" speech. Quite funny. Obviously Marshall and Lilly are fandom. The Robin overhearing bit on the other hand, was a little too sitcom.

I missed the "Murder Train" callback, which is good because when I rewatch this, the fight will be far funnier. Also apparently missed slutty pumpkin in the background.

As far as Ted's teaching gig: I just finished law school (the bar exams are en route to being lawyered) and lawyers around Ted's age teach at law school. No reason why an architect cannot do that too.

Edited by markedel, May 18, 2009 @ 8:26 PM.

[WendyCR72]

Neil Patrick Harris just rocks. Loved, loved, loved the "trouble" speech to Robin and asking why she would not give them a chance. And their back and forth was awesome before their kiss. :-) And I, too, loved the look they exchanged before Barney leapt on to the other roof. I must admit, I was underwhelmed when Robin confessed she loved Barney first and he shrugged it off, but Mosbying was a genius move! Good job, show!

Welcome back, Goat! You have been missed and anxiously awaited! Interesting concept, tying Ted and his architecture to how the goat coveted his washcloth. Hee. Lily's speech was also great - and true. And it was nice to see her regularly tonight. Loved the motorcycle exchange with Marshall.

So the mother is in Ted's class. Hope it is a graduate program and, therefore, a bit less forbidden or whatever. Still, glad it is narrowed down.

And loved the callbacks to Robin and Ted's date, Sven, the goat before, etc. This show does so well, tying the ends together!

Going to be a long four months!

[Diamondduste]

It's still going to be interesting to see how they introduce the mother now that we know she's in the class Ted is teaching. It's almost certain we won't see her to start the season. Ted has taken a big leap in the journey, but the end is meeting the mother. It might be an instance where we have to wait a semester or two before he gets to the final step. In fact, I'm guessing this will be Ted's profession for the rest of the series so the mother can enter the picture at any time.

Edited by Diamondduste, May 18, 2009 @ 8:17 PM.

[silentwilight]

That was good! But I agree, its going to be a long four months!

At first I was like nooo Robin doesnt feel the same way. But even when she was talking to Lily & Marshall she was like "But its Barney!....It's Barney" and the way she said it the second time I was like aw she soo likes him back!

I think she was using the Mosby to stop both of them from entering into anything complicated but she knew she felt the same way. Yaay kiss! And yaay at the look they gave eachother before Barney jumped.

The goat thing was kind of underwhelming but I enjoyed everything else about this ep. Ted would be perfect as a professor. He loves to correct people!

[Aludra]

Every time I see the HIMYM dvds I hem and haw, debating whether I want to pick them up. This episode has made my decision for me.

Lily's speech really drove home how relatable these characters are. It's refreshing to see them stumble along the way, and to see them struggle with friends, family, relationships and career in a realistic way.

[Sportula]

I also teared during Lilly's life plan speech. Totally identify and Ted is so the college professor type. And the Barney/Robin situation was handled perfectly.

Also curious as to the song that played over the end...

[Shattered]

It's official- Barney/Robin are the best couple ever! They're completely made for one another, and their back and forth in the hospital room was just perfect. I love that the promo only had parts of it- and not the most important parts, either!

NPH was giving me serious Benefits flashbacks, there was definitely something close to tears in my eyes. Seriously, they both nailed the tar out of that scene. Their chemistry and they way the seamlessly play off each other is just amazing.

I knew that something was up with Robin's "I think I'm in love with you" on the roof- but Robin playing him never crossed my mind as an explanation. I love that this show can still surprise me and keep it completely within character.

I thought they handled Robin's side really well. I have to go rewatch right now because I don't remember her exact lines in the hospital room, but she makes it clear that she has developed feelings, but she never seriously calls it love, which was the best way to play it. Her saying "I love you" and meaning it would have been far too out in left field for me, but she admitted to some kind of feelings, and a willingness to see where it goes. And their look right before he jumped? Made of "awww"! I wanted some more closure there, something more definite than we got, but what we got fit their characters and their relationship perfectly. Cannot wait to see where they go from here.

Ted's wife being a student has the promise to be interesting, but I wish at least the audience was given some indication which of the masses she was, even if Ted didn't necessarily know. It seems to me that one of the spoilers said that there was an actress in this ep credited as the character "Tracey"- which seems to me a strong candidate for the Mother, but we never really saw who she was.

Still processing this awesome finale, probably will have many more thoughts in the days to come.

[5 Roller Skates]

What do you think about the Tracey connection? Farm girl from Iowa who moves to NYC to try to become a dancer? She looked trashy and cheesy to me, so I hope not. But didn't Future Ted suggest that the mother's name was/is Tracey? Or am I misremembering?

ETA: Why was she even at Ted's surprise birthday party? She must've known someone at the party and come with them.

Edited by 5 Roller Skates, May 18, 2009 @ 8:26 PM.

[Erratic]

Lily!!!!!!!!!!! I missed her. She was never my favourite character until she was missing, and I adored her tonight!

'Murder train' - awesome!

I was really concerned that the goat wouldn't hold up to expectations, almost so worried that I couldn't enjoy the episode, but then it all worked out, so yay!

Sven! heh.

And Robin 'mosbying' Barney was fantastic, and the little mosby/un-mosbying fight at the end was perfect - and I say that as a non-shipper of BrOTP.

I love the leap.

And did I mention how much I adored Lily's return? "Don't tell me stuff!"

Great finale!

Edited by Erratic, May 18, 2009 @ 8:26 PM.