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Dec 16, 2013 · Bass Player Wanted: Directed by Pamela Fryman. With Josh Radnor, Jason Segel, Cobie Smulders, Cristin Milioti. The gang encounters a guy at the wedding who intentionally stirs up trouble among them, and Marshall finally arrives at the Farhampton Inn.
- (4K)
- Comedy, Drama, Romance
- Pamela Fryman
- 2013-12-16
Embittered at what he feels Ted is trying to diminish their friendship, he storms out. Ted makes it up to him by presenting him a 30-year-old bottle of Glen McKenna he stole from the liquor store (through earlier advice from Lily).
- (B)ass player wanted.
- Verdict
By Max Nicholson
Posted: Dec 17, 2013 5:16 am
Warning: Full spoilers from the episode to follow.
Finally, a change of pace! After dragging out filler after filler, tonight's "Bass Player Wanted" arguably did more to progress the story than any other episode this season. It also helped that, for the first time, the Mother was front and center, rather than just popping in for another cameo. Even better was that this episode started with Marshall meeting the Mother, who happened to be driving by and picked him up. Right off the bat, the unlikely duo established a good rapport, as the Mother tricked Marshall into thinking she had some kind of psychic powers. ("Nah, I'm just messing with you. I rode the train with your wife.")
Back at the Farhampton Inn, the gang encountered the Mother's devious, lead-singing counterpart Darren (played by Girls' Andrew Rannells), who the Mother described to Marshall as a "firestarter" (a destroyer of friendships, if you will). It wasn't long before we saw Darren's devastation firsthand, as he exploited Robin and Lily, and then Ted and Barney. Naturally, this led to a few of HIMYM's patented telepathic conversations, and eventually, the foursome fell prey to Darren's wiles. ("I love that he gets how hilarious and adorable we are!")
To be honest, Darren wasn't much of a believable character -- more a manufactured plot device. But, for the sake of the show's livelihood, he was instrumental in getting the characters really talking again, which was long overdue. For once, the banter actually felt substantive, with Robin and Lily hashing out the Rome/judgeship issue, and Ted and Barney arguing over Ted's move to Chicago. The latter subplot was especially enlightening for Barney, who finally made the connection that Ted needed a fresh start, not just away from New York, but from Robin specifically. In terms of character growth, this was probably the most significant subplot. "What's popping, mi amigos?"Also strong this week was Marshall's conversation with the Mother about him talking things out with Lily, and the Mother confronting Darren about the "Bass Player Wanted" ad. It was good to see that Ted's best friend had no trouble in getting along with Ted's future wife, and their chemistry together was solid, particularly in that final car scene ("skunk junk" or no). It was also clever how, upon arrival, Marshall and Lily declared "Pause" rules for the time being, putting their problems on hold for a later episode. (Duh.)
How I Met Your Mother's midseason finale not only moved the plot forward in a substantial way, but it also presented fun and meaningful storylines for the characters. This episode was also made even stronger by the fact that Cristin Milioti's Mother was at the fore of the main storyline. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Max Nicholson is a writer fo...
- Max Nicholson
The gang encounters a guy at the wedding who intentionally stirs up trouble among them, and Marshall finally arrives at the Farhampton Inn.
"How I Met Your Mother" Bass Player Wanted (TV Episode 2013) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more.
Dec 17, 2013 · ‘How I Met Your Mother’ season 9 recalls its 13th episode of the final year, “Bass Player Wanted,” as Marshall makes a motherly new friend on the road to Farhampton, while Robin, Lily,...
Dec 19, 2013 · The plot goes into the fact that the Mother hates Darren, who is the lead singer of the band she started. He has begun edging her out, and she claims he is the devil.
