Bad Crazy

"Bad Crazy" is the 16th episode of the eighth season of the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother, and the 176th episode overall.

Plot

Future Ted explains to his kids that, while Ted has previously claimed to be ready to stop dating and settle down with one woman, he actually enjoyed being single and dating different women. However, his relationship with Jeannette, the last woman he dated before meeting their mother, would be what made him decide to actually settle down.

Robin's aversion to holding babies continues to assert itself; she has never held Marvin in the eight months since he was born. When Lily leaves Marvin's favorite pacifier on a city bus, she asks Robin to watch Marvin as she chases down the bus. In Lily's absence, Robin tries to rock a crying baby Marvin by actually lifting the stroller. An old woman comes by and helps her comfort the baby. However, as Robin and the old woman talk, the stroller with baby Marvin on it rolls into the street. Noticing that Robin is shaking from the cold after safely retrieving the stroller, the old woman accompanies them to the Lusty Leopard and Robin leaves Marvin in the woman's care while going to the bathroom. The woman also advises Robin that when a woman seems crazy, her boyfriend is often at least as crazy. Robin returns with Marvin to the same spot before Lily comes back with the pacifier, and initially claims nothing unusual happened. However, flashforwards show that Robin gradually confesses everything during wine-drinking sessions with Lily in 2017, 2025, 2027, 2029, and 2030. Each time, Lily gets progressively angrier at Robin's irresponsibility - until Robin admits that the "old woman" was actually Mike Tyson, who is a senator in 2030.

Meanwhile, as Marshall and Barney use Ted's apartment to store some things Lily and Robin won't let them keep, the three men discuss Jeannette's psychotic behavior, including destroying his television with a beer bottle. Ted decides he has to break up with her, and plans to do so at the Barclays Center-even after discovering that being in a public place does not deter Jeannette from violence. Ted reports to Marshall and Barney that they were both kicked out of the venue. Marshall and Barney later admit Jeannette to Ted's apartment, where she barricades herself into his bedroom and begins destroying his belongings. Ted calls the police, but when they hear Jeannette respond to the police dispatcher they realize she is actually an NYPD officer. He arms himself in a comical manner to confront her but still fails to eject her. Robin and Lily have since arrived at Ted's apartment, and Robin questions if Ted's own behavior and mixed signals have led to Jeannette's craziness; he admits that he made out with her at Barclays Center (their escalating intimacy being the reason they were thrown out) and just before in his room. Lily advises him to continue seeing Jeannette for the time being, since he is slightly unstable as well. During the conversation, Robin is shocked to realize she is holding Marvin. At some point in the near future, Jeannette wreaks havoc in Ted's apartment; sulking on the street with his friends amidst fiery wreckage, Ted says he is really ready to settle down.

Late at night, Robin is in a rocking chair and still holding Marvin. She tells Lily she is happy to continue doing so rather than put him in his crib, but immediately after Lily leaves Robin is dismayed to realize that Marvin has soiled his diaper.

Critical reception

Donna Bowman of the AV Club gave the episode a C.^[1]

TV.com's Bill Kuchman said the episode seemed designed around the possibility of the show's renewal, especially given the numerous episodes in recent weeks.^[2]

Sandra Gonzalez of Entertainment Weekly stated that the episode gave Ted lessons about commitment. She added that the writers found a way to put in Tyson's appearance into the story.^[3]

References

External links

• "Bad Crazy" at the Internet Movie Database