In a perfect world How I Met Your Mother would contain two types of episodes. The first would be non-stop comedy that somehow manages to push the sentimental story forward. Last week’s episode had the first part of that down, but failed at developing any of the characters or plots. The second type of episode would contain one ridiculous off the wall plot along with a heartwarming or tear jerking storyline.
“The Drunk Train” succeeds in that type of episode with two well-written plots to produce an amazing 22 minutes of television that HIMYM fans won’t soon forget.
Barney and Ted have had some pretty legendary adventures together, and while this one won’t go down as one of the greatest of all time, it was most certainly an entertaining one that fans will enjoy upon watching and even later when the season is released on DVD. The two discover that the last train out to Long Island is filled with nothing but young drunk people. The two go through great lengths but the Long Islanders complain that the Manhattenites think they’re “too good for” women from Long Island.
In the end of their story line, we realize it wasn’t too ridiculous of a plot and actually propels Barney’s character forward as a human and not just a womanizer. It will be interesting to see the road HIMYM sends Barney down over the course of the season. We know he is set to get married sometime in the future and this episode marks the beginning of that journey in one way or another.
The other important plot involved Robin and her boyfriend Kevin. He’s been around all season, but does anyone believe he’s truly the one she ends up with? If you were one of those waiting for Kevin to make his final exit, this episode will please you. During this episode Robin finally tells everyone she can’t have kids. Kevin says he’s okay with it, but when he realizes she doesn’t want kids both realize that they can’t be together. He might make some more appearances, but it’s doubtful.
Robin’s plight is upsetting, but we as an audience knows she never has kids and this episode was set up to finally let Kevin leave the picture and open up the door for her to find someone that she can settle down with. Perhaps that could be Barney, which is something a lot of fans are hoping will happen.
One thing that the writers shouldn’t revisit is a Ted and Robin relationship. At the beginning of this season we’re informed that the Ted-Robin-Barney love triangle isn’t finished and that things need to be worked out. Just as Barney is ready to journey forward to find his wife, this episode looks as if it will be the beginning of the love triangle dissolution. Ted doesn’t marry Robin even though he will always love her in one way or another. Perhaps he will come to terms that he’ll love her for the rest of his life as something of a sister or a best friend, and he will finally be able to find the woman of his dreams.
Bonus points for this episode: featuring the Head and the Heart’s “Rivers and Roads” during such a dramatic moment made the scene so much surreal. Good job, HIMYM music coordinator. Very well played.