Little Boys
Encyclopedia
"Little Boys" is the fourth episode in the third season of the television series How I Met Your Mother
and 48th overall. It originally aired on October 15, 2007.
tells Robin
she can set her up on a date with a guy named George. After she lists his good qualities, Ted
points out that she has not mentioned his flaw (or as the gang call it, his "but...") though when pushed, Lily reveals that George has a son in her kindergarten
class. Despite Robin's personal dislike of children, she goes on a date with George and winds up meeting his son, Doug.
After some initial hesitance and an argument about how cereal
should be served, Robin and Doug actually hit it off. However, when Robin decides to break up with George before Doug becomes attached to her, Lily shows Robin a picture that Doug has drawn of "his new mommy." Despite Robin claiming otherwise, everyone else believes the woman in the picture is Robin. Lily informs Robin that if she breaks up with George, she must break up with Doug as well – Robin reluctantly agrees.
Meanwhile, Ted ridicules Barney's latest pick-up plan (a story involving snakes and an eye-patch
) and the two argue about who has more "game," while Marshall is classed as irrelevant to his dismay. To settle the argument, Ted and Barney select a girl from the bar to see who can sleep with her first. While Ted is distracted Barney makes his move, only to be slapped in the face. Barney explains this is because he had already slept with the girl the year before and therefore, has won the bet, but Ted rules otherwise and begins his pick-up attempt and succeeds.
Ted and Stacey, the girl from the bar, have begun dating so he gloats to Barney about winning the bet. However, Barney makes Ted uncomfortable with thoughts that Barney has already been with Stacey and Ted breaks up with Stacey, admitting to Barney and Marshall that he was unable to get past the thought of her and Barney together. Barney reveals that he had not slept with Stacey at all; on the night of the bet, he asked Stacey to slap him to make it appear as though she hated him to set up the entire ruse that they had slept together. As Ted gloated his dates with Stacey, Barney learned various details about Stacey's life so that he could be there for her when she broke up with Ted. However, one month later, he finds himself bored and frustrated for agreeing to Stacey's request to take things slowly since her experience with Ted.
Robin goes to see Doug and takes advantage of the fact that he has never been dumped before by using "every cliché in the book" but she is interrupted by the arrival of George's new girlfriend, Brooke, whom she realises is actually the woman in Doug's drawing. Lily tries to comfort Robin after her breakup, but cannot believe she was dumped by a six year old. Robin claims she is done with kids but Future Ted narrates that she would eventually make her peace with kids and go on to appear in some important works of art – pictures drawn by his kids of themselves with "Aunt Robin".
. In the pilot episode when Ted asks Marshall how he's always described his perfect woman, Marshall lists quoting obscure lines from Ghostbusters, something that Robin does here and on her first date with Ted: "Ray, if someone asks if you're a god, you say yes!".
has a Friends-esque pair of premise and is "executed with a tin ear and slack discipline" a criticism she even reiterates the following week.
Staci Krause of IGN
gave the episode 8.5 out of 10.
How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother is an American sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 19, 2005, created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays.As a framing device, the main character, Ted Mosby with narration by Bob Saget, in the year 2030 recounts to his son and daughter the events that led to his meeting...
and 48th overall. It originally aired on October 15, 2007.
Plot
LilyLily Aldrin
Lillian "Lily" Aldrin is a fictional character created by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas for the CBS television series How I Met Your Mother, portrayed by American actress Alyson Hannigan. She is the wife of Marshall Eriksen and the best friend of Robin Scherbatsky...
tells Robin
Robin Scherbatsky
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 Canadian actress Cobie Smulders.- Early life :...
she can set her up on a date with a guy named George. After she lists his good qualities, Ted
Ted Mosby
Theodore Evelyn "Ted" Mosby is the titular fictional character of the U.S. television sitcom How I Met Your Mother, portrayed by Josh Radnor...
points out that she has not mentioned his flaw (or as the gang call it, his "but...") though when pushed, Lily reveals that George has a son in her kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
class. Despite Robin's personal dislike of children, she goes on a date with George and winds up meeting his son, Doug.
After some initial hesitance and an argument about how cereal
Breakfast cereal
A breakfast cereal is a food made from processed grains that is often, but not always, eaten with the first meal of the day. It is often eaten cold, usually mixed with milk , water, or yogurt, and sometimes fruit but sometimes eaten dry. Some cereals, such as oatmeal, may be served hot as porridge...
should be served, Robin and Doug actually hit it off. However, when Robin decides to break up with George before Doug becomes attached to her, Lily shows Robin a picture that Doug has drawn of "his new mommy." Despite Robin claiming otherwise, everyone else believes the woman in the picture is Robin. Lily informs Robin that if she breaks up with George, she must break up with Doug as well – Robin reluctantly agrees.
Meanwhile, Ted ridicules Barney's latest pick-up plan (a story involving snakes and an eye-patch
Eyepatch
An eyepatch or eye pad is a small patch that is worn in front of one eye. It may be a cloth patch attached around the head by an elastic band or by a string, or an adhesive bandage. It is often worn by people to cover a lost or injured eye, but it also has a therapeutic use in children for the...
) and the two argue about who has more "game," while Marshall is classed as irrelevant to his dismay. To settle the argument, Ted and Barney select a girl from the bar to see who can sleep with her first. While Ted is distracted Barney makes his move, only to be slapped in the face. Barney explains this is because he had already slept with the girl the year before and therefore, has won the bet, but Ted rules otherwise and begins his pick-up attempt and succeeds.
Ted and Stacey, the girl from the bar, have begun dating so he gloats to Barney about winning the bet. However, Barney makes Ted uncomfortable with thoughts that Barney has already been with Stacey and Ted breaks up with Stacey, admitting to Barney and Marshall that he was unable to get past the thought of her and Barney together. Barney reveals that he had not slept with Stacey at all; on the night of the bet, he asked Stacey to slap him to make it appear as though she hated him to set up the entire ruse that they had slept together. As Ted gloated his dates with Stacey, Barney learned various details about Stacey's life so that he could be there for her when she broke up with Ted. However, one month later, he finds himself bored and frustrated for agreeing to Stacey's request to take things slowly since her experience with Ted.
Robin goes to see Doug and takes advantage of the fact that he has never been dumped before by using "every cliché in the book" but she is interrupted by the arrival of George's new girlfriend, Brooke, whom she realises is actually the woman in Doug's drawing. Lily tries to comfort Robin after her breakup, but cannot believe she was dumped by a six year old. Robin claims she is done with kids but Future Ted narrates that she would eventually make her peace with kids and go on to appear in some important works of art – pictures drawn by his kids of themselves with "Aunt Robin".
Music
- "Commit" by The Blakes.
- Edvard GriegEdvard GriegEdvard Hagerup Grieg was a Norwegian composer and pianist. He is best known for his Piano Concerto in A minor, for his incidental music to Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt , and for his collection of piano miniatures Lyric Pieces.-Biography:Edvard Hagerup Grieg was born in...
's "In the Hall of the Mountain KingIn the Hall of the Mountain KingIn the Hall of the Mountain King is a piece of orchestral music composed by Edvard Grieg for the sixth scene of Act II in Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt, which premiered in Christiania on February 24, 1876....
" from Peer GyntPeer GyntPeer Gynt is a five-act play in verse by the Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen, loosely based on the fairy tale Per Gynt. It is the most widely performed Norwegian play. According to Klaus Van Den Berg, the "cinematic script blends poetry with social satire and realistic scenes with surreal ones"... - "Jump Up" by Reggae Revolution
Continuity
- Doug, a student in Lily's class, was the kid who blackmailBlackmailIn common usage, blackmail is a crime involving threats to reveal substantially true or false information about a person to the public, a family member, or associates unless a demand is met. It may be defined as coercion involving threats of physical harm, threat of criminal prosecution, or threats...
ed Marshall in "Monday Night Football". - Some of the gang's thoughts about Robin's flaw allude to previous episodes: Lily's mention of her being a gun nut ("Where Were We?Where Were We? (How I Met Your Mother)"Where Were We?" is the 23rd episode, and first episode in the second season of the television series How I Met Your Mother. It originally aired on September 18, 2006.- Plot :...
" and "Moving Day") and Marshall's mention of her not liking the film Field of DreamsField of DreamsField of Dreams is a 1989 American fantasy-drama film directed by Phil Alden Robinson and is from the novel Shoeless Joe by W. P. Kinsella...
("Ted Mosby: ArchitectTed Mosby: Architect"Ted Mosby: Architect" is the fourth episode in the second season of the television series How I Met Your Mother. It originally aired on October 9, 2006.- Plot :...
"). All these flaws caused fights between Robin and Ted when they were dating. - In the early part of the episode, Barney and Ted are arguing who has more game. Barney remarks he wins by pure numbers and says he showed Ted "the list" when later on in the season in "The BracketThe Bracket"The Bracket" is the 14th episode in the third season of the television series How I Met Your Mother and 58th overall. It originally aired on March 31, 2008.-Plot:...
" Barney exclaims that, "Ted, I would never demean the women I've slept with by putting their names on some tawdry list." In season 4 episode "Right Place Right TimeRight Place Right Time"Right Place, Right Time" is the 22nd episode of the fourth season of How I Met Your Mother and 86th overall. It aired on May 4, 2009.- Plot :...
" it is revealed that Barney's list of women he slept with is a total of 200 names. - Marshall says to Ted and Barney that once during sex with Lily, his mother was on the phone. This situation is first explained in Game NightGame Night"Game Night" is the 15th episode in the first season of the television series How I Met Your Mother. It originally aired on February 27, 2006.- Plot :...
.
Cultural references.
- Marshall considers it a character flaw that Robin doesn't like the baseball film Field of DreamsField of DreamsField of Dreams is a 1989 American fantasy-drama film directed by Phil Alden Robinson and is from the novel Shoeless Joe by W. P. Kinsella...
. - When Robin sees Doug for the first time, she says "It's here, Lily. It's looking at me.", a reference to Ghostbusters, when Venkman first spots Slimer. Ted says the same line in the episode The Goat
The Goat (How I Met Your Mother episode)
"The Goat" is the 17th episode in the third season of the television series How I Met Your Mother and 61st overall. It originally aired on April 28, 2008.- Plot :...
. In the pilot episode when Ted asks Marshall how he's always described his perfect woman, Marshall lists quoting obscure lines from Ghostbusters, something that Robin does here and on her first date with Ted: "Ray, if someone asks if you're a god, you say yes!".
- In one scene Ted says that what Barney said to him was 'stuck in his head like a Chumbawamba song'. Marshall then asks which Chumbawumba song, to no reply. This is a reference to the British Pop group ChumbawambaChumbawambaChumbawamba is a British musical group who have, over a career spanning nearly three decades, played punk rock, pop-influenced music, world music, and folk music...
, who have achieved chart success with only one song, 1997's "TubthumpingTubthumping"Tubthumping", informally known by its prominent lyric "I Get Knocked Down", is the title of a song released by the Anarcho-punk band Chumbawamba on 11 August 1997 through Universal Records and EMI Electrola. It was their most successful single, peaking at number 2 on the UK Singles Chart...
".
Critical response
Donna Bowman of The AV Club rated the episode C-. She complains the episodehas a Friends-esque pair of premise and is "executed with a tin ear and slack discipline" a criticism she even reiterates the following week.
Staci Krause of IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
gave the episode 8.5 out of 10.