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ā€œNorettaā€
HIMYM episode 7x07 (143)
Noretta3
First aired:
October 24, 2011
Director:
Pamela Fryman
Writer:
Matt Kuhn
Barney's Blog

Images (24)

Kevin helps the gang realize that their partners remind them of one of their parents. Meanwhile, Barney and Nora's romantic evening doesn't go the way they planned.


Recap[]

Future Ted recounts that in the fall of 2011, all of his friends were in a relationship, and remarks that with Barney's brother James in town, it made their MacLaren's booth very crowded.

At MacLaren's, Barney tells the gang that tonight, after two months, he and Nora will finally sleep together, since she offered him a "special surprise" that night. However, as the night unfolds, several disasters take place that threaten to ruin the night. Nora loses a tooth while ice-skating, has a rat attack her on the streets of New York, and witnesses a suicide jumper off the roof of Barney's apartment building. However, despite all this, and Barney's worries that the night was spoiled, the two of them still sleep together for the first time.

Back at MacLaren's, James expresses concerns that Nora is just like his mom, Loretta Stinson. Kevin mentions that it's not uncommon to date people similar to your parents.

This causes a problem between Marshall and Lily. Lily feels she's not sexy anymore due to her pregnancy. This prompts Marshall to create a sensual board game, to help her feel sexy again. Lily's dad, Mickey Aldrin, is the only other person she knows that is as enthusiastic about board games as Marshall is. Remembering what Kevin said at the bar, Lily can't help but start thinking of Marshall as her dad, completely ruining all the romantic things Marshall is trying to do.

On the other hand, Marshall realizes that Lily is just like his dad, further ruining the night.

Meanwhile, Kevin is concerned that Robin and Ted are too close, especially considering they are roommates and have a complicated past. Robin claims that she's only being particularly nice to Ted because he's so fragile; despite his desire to be married, he's currently single, and all his friends are dating. When Kevin confronts Ted, Ted tries to hold up a strong front, but eventually breaks down and reveals how vulnerable he is right now. Kevin takes pity on him and agrees to go to a Weird Al Yankovic concert with him, and the two become closer.

In the last shot, a girl walks up to Ted and they talk, after which Ted realizes she is just like his mother, but rolls with it.

Continuity[]

  • Barney performs another magic trick, making a roll of condoms disappear up his sleeve.
  • When James remarks that Barney has slept with plenty of people's mothers, Marshall sympathetically pats Ted on the shoulder. Barney has mentioned his attraction to Ted's mom several times, as seen in How Lily Stole Christmas, Little Minnesotaā€‹ā€‹ā€‹, and Home Wreckersā€‹ā€‹ā€‹, where it is established that Barney and Virginia made out following the events of Brunchā€‹ā€‹ā€‹.
  • Kevin mentions his mother's favoritism towards his brother, an issue he previously brought up in Field Tripā€‹ā€‹ā€‹.
  • Game Night established Marshall's love of inventing games. Examples include Marshgammon from Game Night and Lilial Pursuit from Say Cheeseā€‹ā€‹ā€‹, and those that Mickey Aldrin created include Diseases and Dog Fight Promoter from Slapsgiving 2: Revenge of the Slapā€‹ā€‹ā€‹.
  • Barney was previously seen playing "Barney's Favorite Things" in False Positiveā€‹ā€‹ā€‹.
  • Barney calls Nora "mommy" in A Change of Heartā€‹ā€‹ā€‹.
  • When looking for someone to go to a Weird Al Yankovic concert with, Ted also calls Stuart, Claudia, Brad, Natalie, Trudy, Ranjit, Carl, and his mom, Virginia Mosby.

Future References (Contains Spoilers)[]

  • Peculiar Jacques would be mentioned once again in The Locket.

Gallery[]

For a listing of all images on the wiki tagged as being from this episode, see Category:Noretta images.

Memorable Quotes[]

Barney: I can turn this around!
Barney's reaction to all the disasters of his date with Nora.

James: The Pork Authority is closed. Looks like it's Hand Central Station for you little buddy.

Marshall: You know what? I'm a real lucky guy, 'cause I married my dad.

James: Ask me what I think of Nora.
Marshall: What do you think of Nora?
James: Lovely girl. Ask me what I really think of her.
Lily: What do you really think of her?
James: Guys, she's great, seriously. Just drop it. Ask me one more time.
Ted: What do you really think?
James: Fine! If you really must know, I do not like Barney with that woman! Happy?
Robin: What could you possibly not like about Nora? Her hair? Her mousy little nose? The way she does everything perfectly? I mean, what's not to like?
James: It's not that I don't like her. It's just, she's our mom.
Lily: What do you mean, she's your mom?

Barney: Oh, God, this night's ruined.
Nora: Oh, come here, you. Yes, it's been a very tough night, but I still think we can turn this around.
Barney: Really?
Nora: Why not? No sense in letting things get us down. How does that song go again?
Nora/Loretta: ā™Ŗ Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens ā™Ŗ Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens ā™Ŗ Brown paper packages tied up with strings ā™Ŗ These are a few of my favorite things ā™Ŗ When the dog bites ā™Ŗ When the bee stings ā™Ŗ When I'm feeling sad ā™Ŗ I simply remember my favorite things ā™Ŗ And then I don't feel ā™Ŗ So bad. ā™Ŗ
Barney: (sobbing softly) Mommy, no.

Lily: No, I can't go through with this!
Marshall: Thank God, me neither!
Lily: You're too much like my dad.
Marshall: You're too much like my dad.
Lily: Your dad?!

Notes and Trivia[]

Goofs and Errors[]

  • In the end scene where we see a flashback of Weird Al Yankovic receiving fan mail from a young Ted, it is mentioned in Ted's letter that he was eight years old. Ted was born on April 25, 1978, so at the time of the flashback on February 21, 1985, he would have been only six years old.
    • Depending on how bad Ted's childhood scrawl used to be, a six (6) could be easily mistaken for an eight (8), or maybe he just lied to make himself seem a bit more mature.
  • Lily is seen eating while in bed, but in Twin Beds, Lily forbade Marshall of this because of ants.
    • The flashback in question may have been before the ants incident.
  • In the scene where Nora and Barney go out on his balcony, we get a look into Barney's apartment. The front wall doesn't show the 300 inch tv screen as seen in World's Greatest Couple and Do I Know You?, instead it shows a fireplace and shelves.
  • When Robin is giving Ted a massage, he calls her "Robs," even though he knows she hates nicknames

Allusions and Outside References[]

Music[]

Other Notes[]

Guests[]

Podcast[]

Featuring interviews with Neil Patrick Harris, Jason Segel, Josh Radnor and Cobie Smulders.

Reception[]

  • This episode was viewed by 9.87 million people.[1]
  • Donna Bowman of The AV Club gave the episode a B.[2]
  • Robert Canning of IGN gave the episode 6.5 out of 10. He says, "For the second week in a row, How I Met Your Mother chose to embrace a gimmick (or two) over its actual characters. This resulted in a handful of hallow laughs, but nothing all that memorable."[3]
  • Angel Cohn of Television Without Pity gave this episode a C.[4]
  • The St. Petersburg Comic Review gave this episode 7.5 out of 10 stars. "... what's Weird Al doing here?"

References[]

External Links[]


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