The Best Burger in New York
Encyclopedia
"The Best Burger in New York" is the second episode in the fourth season of the television series How I Met Your Mother
and 66th overall. It originally aired on September 29, 2008.
, it was an ugly, dirty place, but goes on to say that unfortunately, it changed, with good bars becoming banks, like Goliath National Bank, the bank Barney's
company just bought, which he advises Marshall
to get a job with. Lily
rebukes this suggestion, saying even though Marshall had been to a lot of bad job interviews, he was still going to be an environmental law
yer.
Later, the group goes to the bar, and are advised by Wendy the waitress to have the burger, a new special. After an argument, they agree to try the burger, mainly because Robin
hadn't eaten anything in two days due to a new diet. Once the burgers arrive (Robin's is late), the group all say how good the burger is, except for Marshall, who says it's just 'OK', seeing as he had the best burger in New York eight years ago.
Marshall explains that he was scared and bewildered when he first moved to New York, but quickly finds the city is nicer than he thought. While taking a walk, he accidentally finds a burger joint, and has the 'best burger in New York'. He also notices an autographed picture of Regis Philbin
on the wall, saying how good the burger was. Afterwards, he rushes to tell Ted
about the place, but quickly forgets where it was, being new to the city. Since then, Marshall has tried every burger joint he can in an attempt to find the place, even meeting with Regis, who says he can't find where the place is either, and is also desperate to find it. He gives Barney his number so he can call him if he finds the joint.
When Robin says she knows the place, the group rush downtown to find it (before Robin can try her burger). On the way, Barney texts Regis telling him where to find the place, causing him to leave a TV show recording. They all order the burger (Robin's is late, again), and once more they agree it's an incredible burger. Unfortunately, Marshall says it's not the right burger. Marshall becomes desperate, and Lily says he's really upset about not getting a new job. The group resolves to find the place for Marshall, and ask a waitress for help. She tells them this burger joint was modeled after another one, uptown.
Again, the group rush to the new joint. On the way, Regis calls, and Barney tells him about the new place. In frustration, Regis mangles a post box with his bare hands. Once they arrive, Marshall is sure it's the right location, but in its place is a Goliath National Bank ATM
from Barney's bank. Lily attacks Barney, and Marshall admits the reason Barney's been talking up the bank is that Marshall got a job there. While they talk, a guy nearby promoting a strip club tells them the place isn't gone, but has just moved. After paying him, thanks to the ATM, he tells them where the place is.
Finally, the group reach the joint, Marshall deems it to be the exact place, and the gang finally enjoy the burger together, as well as fufilling Marshall's (and Regis's) long search for it.
IGN
gave the episode 8.6 out of 10.
Cindy McLennan of Television Without Pity rated the episode D. This is the lowest rating given by Television Without Pity of all the episodes in season 4.
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 66th overall. It originally aired on September 29, 2008.
Plot
Future Ted begins by stating that when he first moved to New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, it was an ugly, dirty place, but goes on to say that unfortunately, it changed, with good bars becoming banks, like Goliath National Bank, the bank Barney's
Barney Stinson
Barnabas "Barney" Stinson is a fictional character created by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas for the CBS television series How I Met Your Mother, portrayed by Neil Patrick Harris. The character has been extremely well received by critics and has been credited for much of the show's success...
company just bought, which he advises Marshall
Marshall Eriksen
Marshall Eriksen is a fictional character in the American sitcom How I Met Your Mother, created by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas and portrayed by Jason Segel.-Character profile:Marshall is an easy-going, naive optimist from St. Cloud, Minnesota...
to get a job with. Lily
Lily 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...
rebukes this suggestion, saying even though Marshall had been to a lot of bad job interviews, he was still going to be an environmental law
Environmental law
Environmental law is a complex and interlocking body of treaties, conventions, statutes, regulations, and common law that operates to regulate the interaction of humanity and the natural environment, toward the purpose of reducing the impacts of human activity...
yer.
Later, the group goes to the bar, and are advised by Wendy the waitress to have the burger, a new special. After an argument, they agree to try the burger, mainly because 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 :...
hadn't eaten anything in two days due to a new diet. Once the burgers arrive (Robin's is late), the group all say how good the burger is, except for Marshall, who says it's just 'OK', seeing as he had the best burger in New York eight years ago.
Marshall explains that he was scared and bewildered when he first moved to New York, but quickly finds the city is nicer than he thought. While taking a walk, he accidentally finds a burger joint, and has the 'best burger in New York'. He also notices an autographed picture of Regis Philbin
Regis Philbin
Regis Francis Xavier Philbin is an American media personality, actor and singer, known for hosting talk and game shows since the 1960s. Philbin is often called "the hardest working man in show business" and holds the Guinness World Record for the most time spent in front of a television camera...
on the wall, saying how good the burger was. Afterwards, he rushes to tell 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...
about the place, but quickly forgets where it was, being new to the city. Since then, Marshall has tried every burger joint he can in an attempt to find the place, even meeting with Regis, who says he can't find where the place is either, and is also desperate to find it. He gives Barney his number so he can call him if he finds the joint.
When Robin says she knows the place, the group rush downtown to find it (before Robin can try her burger). On the way, Barney texts Regis telling him where to find the place, causing him to leave a TV show recording. They all order the burger (Robin's is late, again), and once more they agree it's an incredible burger. Unfortunately, Marshall says it's not the right burger. Marshall becomes desperate, and Lily says he's really upset about not getting a new job. The group resolves to find the place for Marshall, and ask a waitress for help. She tells them this burger joint was modeled after another one, uptown.
Again, the group rush to the new joint. On the way, Regis calls, and Barney tells him about the new place. In frustration, Regis mangles a post box with his bare hands. Once they arrive, Marshall is sure it's the right location, but in its place is a Goliath National Bank ATM
Automated teller machine
An automated teller machine or automatic teller machine, also known as a Cashpoint , cash machine or sometimes a hole in the wall in British English, is a computerised telecommunications device that provides the clients of a financial institution with access to financial transactions in a public...
from Barney's bank. Lily attacks Barney, and Marshall admits the reason Barney's been talking up the bank is that Marshall got a job there. While they talk, a guy nearby promoting a strip club tells them the place isn't gone, but has just moved. After paying him, thanks to the ATM, he tells them where the place is.
Finally, the group reach the joint, Marshall deems it to be the exact place, and the gang finally enjoy the burger together, as well as fufilling Marshall's (and Regis's) long search for it.
Continuity
- Ted tells Lily to "tell her (Robin) about the underwear" to which Robin replies "What about the underwear?" This is another example of Robin using obscure quotes from GhostbustersGhostbustersGhostbusters is a 1984 American science fiction comedy film directed by Ivan Reitman and written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. The film stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, and Rick Moranis and follows three eccentric parapsychologists in New York City, who start a...
. This was first mentioned in Pilot. - Barney states (comically) that he doesn't like Chinese food but is regularly seen eating it.
Cultural references
- Zagat GuideZagat SurveyZagat Survey was established by Tim and Nina Zagat in 1979 as a way to collect and correlate the ratings of restaurants by diners. For their first guide, covering New York City, the Zagats surveyed their friends. As of 2005, the Zagat Survey included 70 cities, with reviews based on the input of...
a famous restaurant guide book for New York is mentioned, and The Corner Bistro, the highest rated restaurant in the guide is suggested. - The three places mentioned in the opening that had closed down (The Elbow Room, McHale's, and Fez) are all real places in New York that had recently closed.
- Marshall's description of the taste of the best burger uses music that alludes to the 1984 film AmadeusAmadeus (film)Amadeus is a 1984 period drama film directed by Miloš Forman and written by Peter Shaffer. Adapted from Shaffer's stage play Amadeus, the story is based loosely on the lives of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri, two composers who lived in Vienna, Austria, during the latter half of the...
, when Antonio SalieriAntonio SalieriAntonio Salieri was a Venetian classical composer, conductor and teacher born in Legnago, south of Verona, in the Republic of Venice, but who spent his adult life and career as a faithful subject of the Habsburg monarchy....
describes the same music (Serenade for Winds, K. 361, 3rd movement by Wolfgang Amadeus MozartWolfgang Amadeus MozartWolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
) with the same passion with which Marshall speaks of the burger. - Regis Philbin is hosting a show called "Million Dollar Heads or Tails" a parody of the future gameshow Million Dollar PasswordMillion Dollar PasswordMillion Dollar Password is an updated version of the game show Password on CBS, which was hosted by Regis Philbin and ran from June 1, 2008 to June 14, 2009. Based upon a format created by Bob Stewart for Goodson-Todman, FremantleMedia produced the program.-Production and broadcast history:Million...
, when Barney text messages him about finding the burger place. Neil Patrick HarrisNeil Patrick HarrisNeil Patrick Harris is an American actor, singer, director, and magician.Prominent roles of his career include the title role in Doogie Howser, M.D., Colonel Carl Jenkins in Starship Troopers, the womanizing Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother, a fictionalized version of himself in the Harold...
would later appear on the series premiere of Million Dollar Password. - The green door of the burger place is an allusion to the short story "The Door in the Wall" by H. G. WellsH. G. WellsHerbert George Wells was an English author, now best known for his work in the science fiction genre. He was also a prolific writer in many other genres, including contemporary novels, history, politics and social commentary, even writing text books and rules for war games...
.
- As stated above Robin uses a quote from the film GhostbustersGhostbustersGhostbusters is a 1984 American science fiction comedy film directed by Ivan Reitman and written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. The film stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, and Rick Moranis and follows three eccentric parapsychologists in New York City, who start a...
for at least the third time in the series ("Tell her about the underwear... What about the underwear?"). - Marshall says he wants to be a Harlem Globetrotter and be payed in candy.
Barney's blog
In his blog Barney compares himself to Regis Philbin and suggests some possible game show he would love to host such as: Is She Legal?; America's Wettest T-shirt; Fathers And Sons; The Next Great Tailor; Don't Forget Your Wallet.Critical response
Noel Murry of The AV Club grade the episode B+.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 8.6 out of 10.
Cindy McLennan of Television Without Pity rated the episode D. This is the lowest rating given by Television Without Pity of all the episodes in season 4.