By Matthew Wood
I’ve been clamoring for it all season. I’ve been saying, get more Barney (Neil Patrick Harris). He’s the straw that stirs the HIMYM drink. His performances as the shady womanizer has kept this show afloat as it muddles along in an otherwise unremarkable season. Like the Bruce Dickenson calling for more cowbell, I’ve been wanting Harris to really explore the studio space that is Barney Stinson.

Well, CBS finally paid attention, devoting nearly an entire episode to Barney – including a flashback to how he lost his virginity – and at a Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show after party, no less. And you know what? It wasn’t really that funny. Well, so much for that one!


The show follows Barney as he gets “the yips” – a popular sports term for players that start overthinking and can’t make simple plays (i.e. a shortstop who all of a sudden can’t field a ground ball). For Barney, it couldn’t come at a worse time, as he flubs pick-up lines to special guest stars Heidi Klum, Adriana Lima, Marisa Miller and Selita Ebanks, all guests of honor at the Victoria’s Secret party. I’ll be honest, I had no idea who those last three chicks were either. But all you need to know is they’re models. And they’re hottt. And Barney strikes out miserably with all of them.

But I feel like even his failed attempts at getting some model lovin’ were total missed opportunities at humor. Instead of going over the top and saying some truly raunchy lines in classic Barney fashion, he kinda just hems and haws his way through the scene, eventually gaining some pity (but no nookie) from Klum.


It turns out the woman he lost his virginity to (known as “the Manmaker” to the entire neighborhood) only told him it was good because his brother (Wayne Brady, in a recurring cameo role) told her to. It kills his mojo, and the only thing he can do is betroth her again and “rock her world.” He successfully rocks, and the old Barney is born again.

Great concept? Yes. Great execution? Not so much.