Girls Versus Suits

Last updated
"Girls Versus Suits"
How I Met Your Mother episode
Episode no.Season 5
Episode 12
Directed by Pamela Fryman
Written by Carter Bays & Craig Thomas
Production code5ALH12
Original air dateJanuary 11, 2010 (2010-01-11)
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
← Previous
"Last Cigarette Ever"		Next →
"Jenkins"
How I Met Your Mother season 5
List of episodes

"Girls Versus Suits" is the 12th episode of the fifth season of the American situation comedy television series How I Met Your Mother and the 100th episode overall. Written by series creators Carter Bays & Craig Thomas and directed by Pamela Fryman, the episode originally aired on CBS on January 11, 2010.

Contents

The episode features a fantasy musical number, "Nothing Suits Me Like a Suit", performed by Neil Patrick Harris, which was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics. [2]

Plot

Future Ted tells the kids about the time he almost met their mother.

Leaving class, Ted confiscates alcohol in 2010 from fraternity brother and shares it with the woman they were propositioning, Cindy (Rachel Bilson), a Ph.D. student roughly Ted's age. He asks her out and learns that Cindy has serious issues with her roommate (whom Future Ted reveals to be the Mother) with whom her dates keep falling in love. Ted promises Cindy to never fall in love with her roommate ("Oops," says Future Ted). Throughout the date, Cindy complains about her roommate and her odd habits which Ted secretly thinks are awesome.

After the date, Cindy tells Ted she cannot see him again, not wanting to risk her scholarship or Ted's teaching career. However, Ted does not want to miss a chance at love and returns to Cindy's apartment to persuade her to go out again. Ted picks three items from the room to show how much they have in common, but it turns out they are all connected to her roommate. Frustrated that Ted is already more compatible with her roommate, Cindy tells him to go. Ted catches a glimpse of the roommate's leg as he leaves, and forgets to take the yellow umbrella he had brought with him which returns to the possession of the Mother.

Barney seeks to bed MacLaren's attractive new bartender (Stacy Keibler), but after dating insensitive Wall Street losers she does not like men in suits. For a while he dresses casually, convincing the bartender she misjudged him. However, Barney exhibits withdrawal, becoming overly affectionate of a suit Marshall wears, and sneaking to the bathroom to wear a suit. Barney accidentally rips the jacket which is damaged beyond repair, though his tailor, Tim Gunn, transplants the buttons to save another suit and Barney cremates the remains.

With the urn of suit ashes and his real tears for his lost suit, Barney convinces the bartender to go to his apartment, where she accidentally opens his suit closet. She forces him to choose between her and his suits, and Barney imagines himself breaking into song, professing his love of suits—only to choose her at the end of the song when he realizes "she is pretty hot." He tells her she is more important than the suits and they will go first thing in the morning. As they fall into bed, he whispers, "You guys are fine" to his suits, which move slightly as if breathing a sigh of relief.

Meanwhile, Lily, Marshall, and Robin argue about the bartender's attractiveness. An envious Robin suggests the location amplifies natural beauty, eventually snapping and getting behind the bar to prove her point but is soon kicked out. Marshall insists the bartender is not that attractive, saying Lily is the most beautiful woman he has ever met. Lily, clearly impressed by the bartender herself, tries to get Marshall to say she is not as beautiful as the bartender, and eventually even implies that the bartender is better looking than Marshall, upsetting him a little.

Production

Executive producer and co-creator Craig Thomas revealed Neil Patrick Harris will be performing a "big-ass musical" number as the culmination of a big Barney story. Thomas has said: "There is some serious Mother action in episode 100", revealing only a small teaser about the episode. [3] "Nothing Suits Me Like a Suit" was backed by sixty-five dancers and accompanied by a fifty-piece orchestra. [4]

Casting

Rachel Bilson was cast for an undisclosed role in episode 100 of the show, [5] although her representative said she is only contracted for one episode. [6] [7]

Tim Gunn of Project Runway brings his sartorial skills to help out Barney in a time of need. Craig Thomas explains: "Tim is basically like Barney's ER physician for a serious suit emergency", and serves as a personal tailor and fashion consultant to fix a "Suit Catastrophe" for Barney. [6] [8] Speaking to Entertainment Tonight , Neil Patrick Harris said that they "never had a guest star on the show that people responded to more than Tim Gunn" and that even the cast and crew were asking for his autograph. [9] Alyson Hannigan described him as "more popular than Britney Spears." [4] Although unofficial, on the Season 5 DVD commentary of the episode, it has been expressed that they hope to have Gunn return as a possible recurring character.

Former wrestling diva Stacy Keibler guest stars as Karina, [1] a bartender in MacLaren's. [10] The writers describe her as "the hottest bartender in the world" and she gives the episode its title, as she forces Barney to choose between his suits and getting the girl. Her three previous ex-boyfriends were all suit wearers, and Barney cannot get with her without giving up his suits. [6]

Reception

Donna Bowman of The A.V. Club rated the episode with a grade A, describing the 100th episode as one of the best the show has ever produced. She describes the episode as appealing to fans in a way that doesn't exclude other viewers, noting the quality of the writing and editing, the voiceover being used to great effect, and advancing the storyline for all the characters. [11]

Brian Zoromski of IGN gave the episode 9.8 out of 10, and called the milestone episode "a giant thank you to the fans" with plot advancement on the Mother topped by a lavish musical production. "If anyone ever doubted whether the writers could believably pull off this meandering, long-winded story of how a father met his kids' future mother without dropping the pieces, this episode shows that the How I Met team has a strong grasp of how everything fits together." [1]

Cindy McLennan of Television Without Pity rated the episode with a grade A. [12]

Nickolas Clague of The New York Times gave the episode 9.2 out of 10. [13]

Actor Neil Patrick Harris has stated that this is his favorite episode of How I Met Your Mother.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stacy Keibler</span> American professional wrestler, dancer, and model (born 1979)

Stacy Ann-Marie Keibler is an American actress and retired professional wrestler, cheerleader, dancer, and model. She is best known for her tenure with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).

<i>How I Met Your Mother</i> American sitcom (2005–2014)

How I Met Your Mother is an American sitcom created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays for CBS. The series, which aired from September 2005 to March 2014, follows main character Ted Mosby and his group of friends in New York City's Manhattan. As a frame story, Ted recounts to his daughter Penny and son Luke the events from September 2005 to May 2013 that led to him meeting their mother.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robin Scherbatsky</span> Fictional character on the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother

Robin Charles Scherbatsky Jr. is a fictional character created by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas for the CBS television series How I Met Your Mother, portrayed by Cobie Smulders.

"The Pineapple Incident" is the tenth episode in the first season of the television series How I Met Your Mother. It originally aired on November 28, 2005 on CBS. It is the highest viewed episode in season 1 and the second highest overall episode during the nine seasons of How I Met Your Mother. It had some of the best reception of any How I Met Your Mother episode to date.

"Pilot" is the pilot episode and the first episode of the first season of the American television sitcom How I Met Your Mother. Written by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas and directed by Pamela Fryman, the episode originally aired on CBS on September 19, 2005. The episode takes place in 2030, as a future Ted Mosby is telling his kids the story of how he met their mother. It flashes back to 2005 to a younger Ted who meets Robin Scherbatsky, a reporter who he becomes smitten for. Meanwhile, Ted's lawyer friend Marshall Eriksen plans on proposing to his girlfriend Lily Aldrin, a kindergarten teacher.

"I Heart NJ" is the third episode in the fourth season of the television series How I Met Your Mother and 67th overall. It originally broadcast, in the US, on October 6, 2008.

"The Fight" is the tenth episode in the fourth season of the television series How I Met Your Mother, and the 74th episode overall. It originally aired on December 8, 2008.

"The Playbook" is the eighth episode of the fifth season of the CBS situation comedy How I Met Your Mother and 96th episode overall. It originally aired November 16, 2009. A book based on the episode was published in 2010.

"Rabbit or Duck" is the 15th episode of the fifth season of the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother and 103rd episode overall. It originally aired on February 8, 2010. In a nod to CBS hosting that year's Super Bowl, the episode features NFL commentators Jim Nantz and Phil Simms in guest appearances as themselves.

<i>How I Met Your Mother</i> season 5 Season of television series

The fifth season of the American television comedy series How I Met Your Mother premiered on September 21, 2009, and concluded on May 24, 2010. It consists of 24 episodes, each running approximately 22 minutes in length. CBS broadcast the fifth season on Monday nights at 8:00 pm in the United States.

"Zoo or False" is the 19th episode of the fifth season of the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother and 107th episode overall. It aired on April 12, 2010. Episode hit season low with 2.8/9 rating and 6.88 million viewers.

"Big Days" is the first episode of the sixth season of the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother, and the 113th episode overall. It originally aired on September 20, 2010.

"Cleaning House" is the second episode of the sixth season of the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother, and the 114th episode overall. It originally aired on September 27, 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nothing Suits Me Like a Suit</span> 2010 single by Neil Patrick Harris and the cast of How I Met Your Mother

"Nothing Suits Me Like a Suit" is a song performed by Neil Patrick Harris as Barney Stinson and the cast of the comedy series How I Met Your Mother from the 100th episode "Girls Versus Suits (2010)". Carter Bays and Craig Thomas were nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for writing the song.

<i>How I Met Your Mother</i> season 9 Season of television series

The ninth and final season of How I Met Your Mother, an American sitcom created by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas, premiered on CBS on September 23, 2013, with two episodes, and concluded on March 31, 2014. The show was renewed for the final season on December 21, 2012, after cast member Jason Segel changed his decision to leave the show after the eight season. Cristin Milioti, who was revealed as "The Mother" in the season 8 finale, was promoted to a series regular, the only time How I Met Your Mother added a new regular cast member. Season 9 consists of 24 episodes, each running approximately 22 minutes in length.

"The Time Travelers" is the 20th episode of the eighth season of the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother, and the 180th episode overall.

The Mother (<i>How I Met Your Mother</i>) Fictional character on the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother

Tracy Mosby is the title character from the CBS television sitcom How I Met Your Mother. The show, narrated by Future Ted, tells the story of how Ted Mosby met his children's mother. Tracy McConnell appears in eight episodes, from "Lucky Penny" to "The Time Travelers", as an unseen character; she was first seen fully in season 8 finale "Something New" and was promoted to a main character in season 9. She is played by Cristin Milioti.

"How Your Mother Met Me" is the sixteenth episode of the ninth season of the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother and the 200th episode overall. This is the only episode of the series in which the episode title was used instead of the usual opening that featured the cast and series' title; the usual photos of Ted and his four friends enjoying themselves are replaced with analogous snapshots of the Mother and her friends.

"Vesuvius" is the nineteenth episode of the ninth season of the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother, and the 203rd episode overall. The episode features Ted in 2024, telling the Mother about the day of Robin and Barney's wedding. The final scene prompted some to think that the Mother was dead; this was proven correct in the series finale, "Last Forever".

References

  1. 1 2 3 Brian Zoromski (2010-01-08). "How I Met Your Mother: "Girls vs. Suits" Review. The series' 100th episode plays like a gift to longtime fans". IGN . News Corporation . Retrieved 2016-09-01.
  2. ↑ "62nd Primetime Emmy Award Nominations". CBS News.
  3. ↑ Michael Ausiello (2009-09-26). "Exclusive: HIMYM boss promises 'serious mother action' AND a musical!". Entertainment Weekly . Time Inc. Archived from the original on 2009-11-28. Retrieved 2009-11-17. There will be a huge Barney story culminating in an enormous musical number that we're going to spend way too much of Twentieth Television's money on
  4. 1 2 Joyce Eng (2010-01-10). "Singing Suits: How I Met Your Mother Throws "a Little Party" for 100th Episode". TV Guide . Retrieved 2010-01-12.[ dead link ]
  5. ↑ Michael Ausiello (2009-10-02). "HIMYM exclusive: Rachel Bilson cast as you-know-who?!". Entertainment Weekly . Time Inc. Archived from the original on 2009-12-04. Retrieved 2009-11-17.
  6. 1 2 3 Eric Goldman (2009-11-18). "How I Met Stacy Keibler: Neil Patrick Harris tells IGN how the former WWE diva plays into a Mother milestone episode". IGN . News Corporation . Retrieved 2010-01-08. Keibler's character – described by the Mother writers as "the hottest bartender in the world" – is integral to that title.
  7. ↑ Megan Masters (2009-11-02). "Has HIMYM Cast Rachel Bilson as the Maybe Mama?". E!Online. Retrieved 2009-11-17. Bilson's rep tells us that she's only signed on to appear in the one episode.
  8. ↑ Maureen Ryan (2009-10-06). "Exclusive: Tim Gunn to guest on How I Met Your Mother". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on October 9, 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-17. For Barney, a man-about-town who takes his suits very seriously, it's "life or death stuff," Thomas jokes.
  9. ↑ "How I Met Your Mother Celebrates 100th Episode". 2010-01-08. Archived from the original on January 11, 2010. Retrieved 2010-01-12.
  10. ↑ Vlada Gelman (November 19, 2009). "Stacy Keibler guest stars in How I Met Your Mother's 100th episode". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 2009-11-30.
  11. ↑ Donna Bowman (2010-01-11). "How I Met Your Mother "Girls Vs. Suits"". The A.V. Club . The Onion. Archived from the original on January 15, 2010. Retrieved 2010-01-12.
  12. ↑ Cindy McLennan (2010-01-11). "How I Met Your Mother: Once More Without Feeling". Television Without Pity . NBC Universal. p. 10. Archived from the original on 2010-05-27. Retrieved 2010-05-16.
  13. ↑ Nickolas Clague (2010-01-09). "How I Met Your Mother: "Girls vs. Suits" Review. The series' 100th episode plays like a gift to longtime fans". New York Times . Archived from the original on January 9, 2010. Retrieved 2010-01-12.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.