The Window (How I Met Your Mother)
Encyclopedia
"The Window" is the tenth episode of the fifth season of the CBS
situation comedy
How I Met Your Mother
and 98th episode overall. It aired on Monday, December 7, 2009.
stops by Ted
's apartment with a box of childhood memorabilia from his mother. Ted receives a call from an old woman telling him "the window is open", and races over to a woman's apartment a few blocks away. Later at McLaren's, Ted explains that "the window" was the window of opportunity to date a woman named Maggie (Joanna García
), who followed up every long-term relationship with a very short break, and then an even-longer relationship.
Ted had known Maggie, the "ultimate girl next door", since college, but she has always quickly found a new boyfriend after being single. After several failed attempts Ted begged Maggie's neighbor, Mrs. Douglas, to tell him the moment she was single again. Ted arranges to meet her at the bar, and is determined not to screw up this time. To make sure she comes in contact with as few other men as possible, even ordering her a taxi with a female driver. Robin reminds Ted he still has to teach his evening class, and he is forced to leave Maggie with Marshall and Lily
.
While his class counsels Ted on finding love, Marshall rifles through his childhood belongings at the bar. He finds a letter to himself from 1993. The rat-tailed, overalls-wearing 15-year old insists that Future Marshall get an expensive vehicle, a hot wife, and that he never "sell out". Marshall mournfully reflects that his job at Goliath National Bank is the ultimate sell-out. He leaves MacLaren's, and Lily chases after him, leaving Maggie with Robin
. Under Robin's watch, a coworker of Maggie's, named Jim, slips into the booth. Robin shamelessly flirts with Jim and butts in on his invitation to take Maggie to an art show, trying to keep him distracted. Robin passes Maggie off to Barney
, who has dared himself to get laid wearing Marshall's old overalls. Ted races back to the bar, only to face Jim and Barney, who both want Maggie.
Robin covertly sends Maggie back to her apartment while the three men bicker over who should get first crack at Maggie. They race to her apartment door, and they find she has reunited with her childhood neighbor, the "boy next door." Future Ted briefly retells their long-standing romance, the second-greatest love story he's ever heard, and flashes forward to their married bliss. When Ted exits the apartment building, he tells Barney he's ready to find true love again. Barney then sleeps with the old woman in Maggie's building to complete his overalls challenge.
Lily heads to GNB, thinking he is about to quit his job, but upon further inspection of the letter, she finds another thing that young Marshall was proud of: his ability to dunk a basketball. On the GNB basketball court, Marshall explains how sad he is to have never reach his dreams, but Lily insists that he has led a wonderful life. He attempts to dunk and injures himself. Lily offers to make it up to him and have sex in his office, unable to move he suggest instead they have sex right there on the court.
Marshall returns to the bar to write a letter to himself 29 years further in the future. In the letter, he makes a small request for his future self to let him know if time travel exists. Lily returns to the booth with a free plate of hot wings, which she says someone "sent back" because they were too hot. Marshall finishes the letter, telling Future Marshall that so long as he is still with Lily he will be doing all right. As it turns out, an older version of Marshall is on the other side of the bar, who apologizes to Wendy the Waitress for sending the wings back, saying he "already had some wings earlier... much earlier".
rated the episode with a grade B+.
Brian Zoromski of IGN gave the episode 7.4 out of 10.
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
situation comedy
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
How I Met Your Mother
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 98th episode overall. It aired on Monday, December 7, 2009.
Plot
MarshallMarshall 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...
stops by 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...
's apartment with a box of childhood memorabilia from his mother. Ted receives a call from an old woman telling him "the window is open", and races over to a woman's apartment a few blocks away. Later at McLaren's, Ted explains that "the window" was the window of opportunity to date a woman named Maggie (Joanna García
Joanna García
Joanna Leanna García is an American television and film actress. She is known for her portrayal of Cheyenne Hart Montgomery on The CW sitcom Reba...
), who followed up every long-term relationship with a very short break, and then an even-longer relationship.
Ted had known Maggie, the "ultimate girl next door", since college, but she has always quickly found a new boyfriend after being single. After several failed attempts Ted begged Maggie's neighbor, Mrs. Douglas, to tell him the moment she was single again. Ted arranges to meet her at the bar, and is determined not to screw up this time. To make sure she comes in contact with as few other men as possible, even ordering her a taxi with a female driver. Robin reminds Ted he still has to teach his evening class, and he is forced to leave Maggie with Marshall and 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...
.
While his class counsels Ted on finding love, Marshall rifles through his childhood belongings at the bar. He finds a letter to himself from 1993. The rat-tailed, overalls-wearing 15-year old insists that Future Marshall get an expensive vehicle, a hot wife, and that he never "sell out". Marshall mournfully reflects that his job at Goliath National Bank is the ultimate sell-out. He leaves MacLaren's, and Lily chases after him, leaving Maggie with 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 :...
. Under Robin's watch, a coworker of Maggie's, named Jim, slips into the booth. Robin shamelessly flirts with Jim and butts in on his invitation to take Maggie to an art show, trying to keep him distracted. Robin passes Maggie off to Barney
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...
, who has dared himself to get laid wearing Marshall's old overalls. Ted races back to the bar, only to face Jim and Barney, who both want Maggie.
Robin covertly sends Maggie back to her apartment while the three men bicker over who should get first crack at Maggie. They race to her apartment door, and they find she has reunited with her childhood neighbor, the "boy next door." Future Ted briefly retells their long-standing romance, the second-greatest love story he's ever heard, and flashes forward to their married bliss. When Ted exits the apartment building, he tells Barney he's ready to find true love again. Barney then sleeps with the old woman in Maggie's building to complete his overalls challenge.
Lily heads to GNB, thinking he is about to quit his job, but upon further inspection of the letter, she finds another thing that young Marshall was proud of: his ability to dunk a basketball. On the GNB basketball court, Marshall explains how sad he is to have never reach his dreams, but Lily insists that he has led a wonderful life. He attempts to dunk and injures himself. Lily offers to make it up to him and have sex in his office, unable to move he suggest instead they have sex right there on the court.
Marshall returns to the bar to write a letter to himself 29 years further in the future. In the letter, he makes a small request for his future self to let him know if time travel exists. Lily returns to the booth with a free plate of hot wings, which she says someone "sent back" because they were too hot. Marshall finishes the letter, telling Future Marshall that so long as he is still with Lily he will be doing all right. As it turns out, an older version of Marshall is on the other side of the bar, who apologizes to Wendy the Waitress for sending the wings back, saying he "already had some wings earlier... much earlier".
Music
- "Two WeeksTwo Weeks (Grizzly Bear song)"Two Weeks" is a song by Brooklyn-based indie rock band Grizzly Bear, and the first single from the band's third studio album, Veckatimest. The song was released as a single on June 1, 2009. The song features backing vocals from Victoria Legrand, singer and organist for the dream pop duo Beach House...
" by Grizzly BearGrizzly Bear (band)Grizzly Bear is a Brooklyn-based indie rock band, composed of Edward Droste , Daniel Rossen , Chris Taylor and Christopher Bear . The band employs traditional and electronic instruments...
. - "InformerInformer (song)"Informer" is a 1992 single by Canadian reggae musician Snow. It features and is produced by Queensbridge-bred rapper MC Shan, and is from Snow's debut album 12 Inches of Snow. The single was released shortly before Snow was imprisoned for a year on an assault charge...
" by SnowSnow (musician)Darrin O'Brien , better known by his stage name Snow, is a Juno Award-winning Canadian rap and reggae musician. He is best known for his 1992 single "Informer", which reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.-Life and work:...
.
Continuity
- Marshall has an injury known as dancer's hip which prevents him from making a slam dunk without hurting himself, first shown in "The PossimpibleThe Possimpible"The Possimpible" is the 14th episode in the fourth season of the television series How I Met Your Mother and 78th overall. It originally aired on February 2, 2009.- Plot :...
". - Later in "Girls Versus SuitsGirls Versus Suits"Girls Versus Suits" is the twelfth episode of the fifth season of the CBS situation comedy How I Met Your Mother and 100th episode overall. It originally aired on January 11, 2010....
" Barney is forced to give up his suits and wear plain clothes to get the girl. Barney also gives up his suit in "Okay AwesomeOkay Awesome"Okay Awesome" is the fifth episode in the first season of the television series How I Met Your Mother. It originally aired on October 17, 2005.- Plot :...
", "Monday Night Football", and "The YipsThe yipsThe yips can refer to:*Yips, an apparently baseless loss of ability to perform in various sports*"The Yips" , a 2007 episode of the situation comedy How I Met Your Mother...
". - When Maggie recites the story of her and her future husband, he is wearing overalls when the two of them kiss.
- When trying to keep Maggie single Robin says "Funny, I think he's hilarious" exactly the same way Rachel does in 'The Third Wheel'
- Barney claims he's desperate to get out of the overall and wants to go to Giddy'Ups, the cowboy bar featured in Woooo!.
- (Discontinuity) When Marshall reads the letter, he describes his perfect wife as "blond, six feet tall", and Lily notes he just described his mom, which is definitely not the description of Marshall's mom, as we see her in Belly Full of TurkeyBelly Full of Turkey"Belly Full of Turkey" is the 9th episode in the first season of the television series How I Met Your Mother. It originally aired on November 21, 2005.- Plot :It's Thanksgiving time, and Marshall and Lily are going to visit Marshall's family in Minnesota...
, 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 :...
and other episodes.
Cultural references
- In the cold openCold openA cold open in a television program or movie is the technique of jumping directly into a story at the beginning or opening of the show, before the title sequence or opening credits are shown...
, Robin references Brad PittBrad PittWilliam Bradley "Brad" Pitt is an American actor and film producer. Pitt has received two Academy Award nominations and four Golden Globe Award nominations, winning one...
from the film SevenSeven (film)Seven is a 1995 American thriller film, which also contains horror and neo-noir elements, directed by David Fincher and written by Andrew Kevin Walker. It was distributed by New Line Cinema and stars Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow, R...
when she screams, "What's in the box?". - Marshall finds a book of Mad libsMad LibsMad Libs is a phrasal template word game where one player prompts another for a list of words to substitute for blanks in a story, usually with funny results...
in the box his mother sent, where he used the word "fart" to fill the gaps in the sentences. - Marshall from 1993 mentions the A-Team Van in his list of future dreams.
- Both Marshall and Lily reference Forrest GumpForrest GumpForrest Gump is a 1994 American epic comedy-drama romance film based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Winston Groom. The film was directed by Robert Zemeckis, starring Tom Hanks, Robin Wright and Gary Sinise...
when they scream Run Ted, run (Run Forrest, run)
Barney's blog
In his blog Barney writes about the importance of dressing well but also the need to give your "awesome muscles" a challenge. He encourages readers to test themselves by trying to score while wearing unusual clothing such as a leather vest, a Hawaiian shirt, or even dressing like a vampire.Production
- Maggie is played by actress Joanna GarciaJoanna GarcíaJoanna Leanna García is an American television and film actress. She is known for her portrayal of Cheyenne Hart Montgomery on The CW sitcom Reba...
, who was a recurring cast member of the television show Freaks and GeeksFreaks and GeeksFreaks and Geeks is an American teen comedy-drama television series, created by Paul Feig and executive produced by Judd Apatow, that aired on NBC during the 1999–2000 television season...
, which starred Jason SegelJason SegelJason Jordan Segel is an American television and film actor, screenwriter, composer, puppeteer and musician, known for his work with producer Judd Apatow on the short-lived television series Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared, the films Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Knocked Up, I Love You, Man,...
. She is the fourth actor from the series to make an appearance on the show. Garcia is also married to Nick SwisherNick SwisherNicholas Thompson "Nick" Swisher is an outfielder for the New York Yankees. Swisher is a switch hitter who throws left-handed....
, who appears in the episode "Perfect WeekPerfect Week"Perfect Week" is the fourteenth episode of the fifth season of the CBS situation comedy How I Met Your Mother and 102nd episode overall. It originally aired on February 1, 2010.- Plot :...
". She also appeared in American Pie 2American Pie 2American Pie 2 is a 2001 comedy film and sequel to American Pie and is the second film in the American Pie film series. It was written by Adam Herz and David H. Steinberg, and directed by J. B. Rogers. The film picks up the story of the four friends from the first film as they reunite during the...
, which stars Alyson HanniganAlyson HanniganAlyson Lee Hannigan is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Willow Rosenberg in the cult classic television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Michelle Flaherty in three American Pie films, and Lily Aldrin on the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother.-Early life:Hannigan was born in...
.
Critical response
Donna Bowman of The A.V. ClubThe A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
rated the episode with a grade B+.
Brian Zoromski of IGN gave the episode 7.4 out of 10.