Episode Discussion S09E05 - "The Poker Game" (Here be spoilers!)

Ahhh I saw too! Then I looked around to share my findings and realized I live alone and have no friends so I came here

Was that actually Katie Holmes? If not it was a dead ringer.

But Ted wasn't a hanging Chad!!

For a 15 second throwback, it was a great touch.

Wait, I missed it. What was it?

Perhaps just a break to ensure that she doesn't die of alcohol poisoning.

I'm guessing Linus doesn't go to private rooms?

But then she was in the lobby for a while as well.

I'm for this. That joke got old fast.

[deleted]

And Barney goes through with the marriage, if there was any doubt. Unless he just doesn't want to waste the h-moon.

Holy fuck I didn't even notice that.

But was there any chance Lily would still go to Rome? I mean, her husband just accepted to be a fucking JUDGE. That's a pretty goddamn big deal.

I was hoping that car in the end was going to take him to the airport so he could get over to the bed and breakfast sooner. Nope, Ted got a pizza.

Yeah, it's starting to get a little old…

I think she's slightly over the crazy-hot scale.

Did they change the actress?

The hair! I would love to know how he came to have that done.

"I didn't learn anything, Robin. With you I already had the knowledge." - Future Perfect Guy Barney

Those are an homage to a scene from Amadeus.

I think you mean this season.

I thought the first one was funny but laughed out loud at the "You know, wrap it before you tap them on the shoulder to give them their gift."

Are they ruining James, or showing a deeper, hurting side of James. A James that is going through a divorce while seeing his brother, the biggest bachelor he knows, getting married. All we have seen of James through out the series is an episode here and there, and all that was shown to us was the cool side of him that mirrors the cool side of Barney. We have accepted all of Barneys weaknesses and never said they ruined that character when they showed the weak side of Barney. Why can't we do the same with James now that we are seeing the side of him that shows he's actually a human being with feelings, and not the black counter joke to Barney?

I'll say it: it isn't funny this year, and the absence of the mother is making it worse. James is unlikable, the Barney/Robin struggles are stretches, and Marshall's road trip is played out.

I don't even understand the callbacks anymore. We know the slutty pumpkin is Katie Holmes...why show the pumpkin unless you're going to use her? (I'm fairly certain that wasn't Holmes)

They are trying to give us meaningful moments through Barney and Robin. You know what would give those moments more weight? Seeing them between Ted and the Mother. I'm really frustrated at the direction the show decided to take this season. They left themselves no outs if the "hours leading to the wedding" gag got played out. Now it has, and we're stuck with it.

Belize Billy's

FTFY

Ugh. He was awesome before. Why'd they ruin him?

Booooooo

Yes, I thought that scene of her and Lily on the train was great and I was hoping for more like that (we know there will be at least 3 more). I understand that there are a lot of episodes in front of us, but if the whole mission statement of S9 was to introduce us to the Mother before Ted meets her, then we're not getting very far.

The part that bothers me the most is she is supposed to be me a series regular right? We have barely seen her.

[deleted]