“Life is short, I figured slap-é diem.” – Marshall, to Ted and Robin, on bequeathing them the fourth slap
When I saw the title of this episode, “Slapsgiving 2: Revenge of the Slap,” the very last thing I expected was a Lily-centric episode. One guess how I felt about that … yeah, you’d be right. I was so excited to see the slap bet revived, I should have known that no sequel can ever do justice to the original; those odds were certainly not challenged tonight.
What the heck, Bays? Did you jet off for the family Thanksgiving a little early? Thomas, did you sniff in a little too much helium at the Macy’s balloon inflation ceremony?
I didn’t laugh once during this entire episode. I broke a smile when Barney kept wincing as Ted and Robin were conversing, and the first couple of slap bet puns inspired a crooked grin. Beyond that, the not-funny-ness of this episode is what kept slapping me in the face:
- Bays and Thomas usually know when to stop, but the slap bet puns got really old. Maybe it’s because they weren’t really that funny in the first place?
- There’s nothing funny about a neglectful dad.
- “You sonofabitch” wasn’t funny in the last episode, when it was repeated ad-nauseum, and it wasn’t funny when Lily said it tonight.
- What’s wrong with me? The slap bet board game commercial was borderline offensive to me, and usually I embrace the irreverent.
This episode was the worst for me this season, probably partly because of my high expectations, but nothing about it clicked for me. Oh, I’m just so disappointed that How I Met Your Mother is now on hiatus and won’t return for who knows how many weeks (Really — who does know? I couldn’t find it anywhere.) and this is the episode that’s left its glare upon my brain. Slapsgiving 2, you’re dead to me.
I’m going to meditate in my happy place now, where images of “The Playbook” dominate … perhaps they can block out any memories of “Slapsgiving 2: Revenge of the Slap.”
Am I the only one sadly disappointed by tonight’s episode?
Loading ...
Tags: aldrin games unlimited, alyson hannigan, cbs, chris elliot, Cobie Smulders, himym s05e09, himym slap bet, how i met your mother slap bet, jason segel, josh radnor, neil patrick harris, revenge of the slap, slap bet again, slap bet board game, slap bet game, slap bet is back, slapsgiving 2, slapsgiving 2 revenge of the slap
U should add a third option to the poll. Neutral, which I am.
next episode is the 8th of december and there is one more the 15th. 2 more episodes before hiatus
I too vote for, “Eh”
Agreed. “Eh” is right.
I kind of wanted Robin to interrupt Barney’s goading with a slap, rather than have her build up the anger and give time for Ted to stop her. Also found it hard to believe that Lily wouldn’t go through with the chance to slap Barney.
I did get some amusement from the boardgame names– did you guys notice the two behind Lily’s dad when he showed her the evil clown one? I think it was like Sleepy Tombstone Maze and Landmine Luge.
Oh I also was bemused by the image of Marshall virtually giving grace while holding hands with two mannequin (?) arms.
We must be polar opposites. Every time you bemoan a HIMYM episode, I either really love it or at least like it and those times you actually do like an episode, I’m more like “meh”
HA! That happens, and I suppose it’s a good thing, because these shows want to reach a broader audience, and now, even though our tastes differ, they’ve got both of us. Perhaps they’re pretty smart! ;-)