HIMYM: Multiple Godparents

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

... I'm going to come right out and say it. I don't think that Marshall and Lily should have given Barney guardianship rights in their will. It just doesn't seem as smart of a choice than going with Ted. Notice that I didn't say Robin. I don't think she'd be a bad choice, but I honestly thought that this would be a no-brainer. Robin doesn't want her own children and has a terrible relationship with her own father... meanwhile, Ted is desperate for a family, so he'd care very deeply for Marvin should the worst happen. Am I the only one who sees it this way? Now, don't get me wrong... I LOVED the game show angle of this episode (just look at all of the work that went into this set-up... Lily even has a fancy dress and the contestants have themed podiums!), and I guess it's good that we'll have the group more cohesive once again... but I'm not sure it was worth it. What did you think?

Photo: Cliff Lipson/CBS

How I Met Your Mother "Who Wants to be a Godparent?" (S08E04): Now that Marshall and Lily have someone to watch the baby, they go out without the baby for the first time in five months... but because the group isn't supposed to bring any issues to Marshall and Lily unless they're a level 8 or higher, they have nothing to say. [personally, I disagree... Ted having to pay Victoria's father $70,000 because he's the one for whom Victoria left the wedding is pretty high-priority!] The couple soon abandons the group to spend time alone, but a cab almost hitting them throws Lily into survival mode - they must write their wills and name a guardian for Marvin! [MARSHALL IS A LAWYER! He should have something about writing wills in his law textbooks, no??] They consider Marshall's brother... only to find out that he recently left his family. [um, OMG. this better come back, like for the upcoming holiday episodes... you know that this show could do great things with baby travel!] Ted volunteers, then Robin, then Barney... and they all compete, bringing gifts, playing songs, and eventually playing a game with Marshall and Lily to make the decision. [loved Barney's songs! the "broller" was weak, though]

First, the contestants have to say how they'll explain Marshall and Lily's demise. Barney would say they're on a super-secret mission, Robin goes with graphic honesty, and Ted uses a dinosaur puppet to tell the truth. Ted wins the point. Next... How would you handle Marvin taking another kid's toy? Barney takes something of Marvin's until he gives back the toy, Ted can't discipline because he falls for the sad face, and Robin goes with tough love and threats. Marshall awards Robin the point out of fear. [ha!] Round 3 = how they'd teach Marvin about the facts of life... Barney would take him to Amsterdam, Ted busts out a rapping puppet, and Robin decides to say that he'll be a natural stud, claiming that he'll be just like Marshall... so he awards her the points. [it seems to me that Robin is winning, so why do Marshall and Lily later say that Barney is in the lead? and haha at "neither you nor Cleveland knows how to get over someone leaving them." and "packing a vaj" doesn't count.] The group walk out, saying they now understand that Marshall and Lily only care about their baby. Because of this, Lily and Marshall realize that they have no idea what's going on with their friends anymore, so they go down to the bar and apologize, revoking the "level 8 status" rule. The group crashes with them, and at 5:13am, Robin and Ted tend to the baby while Barney leaves. [I gigled!] In the end, all three are named godparents.