How I Met Your Mother Episodes

Season: 4

Episode: 2

First Aired: 9/29/2008

CAST & CREW

Stars:

Bob Saget (Voice of Ted, 2030)

Josh Radnor (Ted Mosby)

Cobie Smulders (Robin Scherbatsky)

Neil Patrick Harris (Barney Stinson)

Jason Segel (Marshall Eriksen)

Alyson Hannigan (Lily Aldrin)

Guest Star:

Regis Philbin (Himself)

Download How I Met Your Mother: World’s Greatest Burger for Free

Download Do I Know You (S4E01)

Did she say “yes”? That was the question on everyone’s mind when we last left Ted and Stella, mid-proposal, at Kiddie Funland. After four months of waiting, we finally get the answer in the Season 4 premiere opening — but not before FutureTed tells us (and FutureKids) that waiting for “the answer” is the longest pause you’ll ever experience in your life.

So what’s a guy to do during that pause? Imagine every possible scenario in which Stella could say “no”: The polite decline, the disgusted rejection, the incredulous laugh and the missed opportunity — “Oh, I’m sorry Ted, I can’t. Mark Johnson, the quarterback from my high school football team just asked me.” (Was I the only one who thought of Mark Johnson from the 1980 Miracle on Ice hockey team? Yeah, just me? OK…) But none of that happened. Snapping back to reality, a teary-eyed Stella says “yes.”

FutureTed gives us a recap of the gang’s summer ‘08 shenanigans, nearly all of which were made under jobless Marshall’s watchful eye. The only one he didn’t keep tabs on was Robin — guess he couldn’t get pass security? — whose groundbreaking Metro News 1 stories included: “Is your favorite brand of dental floss poisoning your entire family? Tune in at 11 for the shocking tooth.” Those hard-hitting beats aren’t cutting it for Robin (didn’t we go through this in the first season?), and declares before the gang that she’s not a reporter, but rather “the Boogeyman with a teleprompter.” The “joke” floors Barney, much to everyone’s confusion.

Cut to 7:22 am the next morning. Barney calls Lily to his apartment to painstakingly tell her he’s in love with Robin. He’s “caught feelings” and can’t get Robin out of his head, even when he’s sleeping with other chicks. Lily urges Barney to stop sleeping around if he wants to be Robin’s boyfriend. Hang on there though — the Barnacle does not want to be her boyfriend. He does, however, all clingy, blubbery and teenager-y, wants to… well… basically be her boyfriend in as so many words. NPH is super-fab and hilarious at being a lady-killing sleaze, but being in love? Even better. Seriously, how flippin’ adorable is he? Barney couldn’t even leave a voice mail without being flustered because this wasn’t a booty call. Booty calls are easy, Barney informs us, and get progressively shorter and less lingual every three hours. The 3 am one, in particular, can be exchanged with just a question mark text and an exclamation point answer, which is less obvious than Lily and Marshall’s “code word” of “rhinoceros.”

Back at the apartment, we learn that Ted and Stella haven’t learned much about each other. The happy couple is forced to quiz each other after Stella, allergic to peanuts, ends up in the ER thanks to Ted’s peanut pesto sauce. They list their firsts, and Ted’s first movie was the original Star Wars, which Stella has never seen. Cut to Marshall freaking out because the only people who’ve never seen Star Wars are the characters in the movie. Hate to prove you wrong, Marshmallow, but I’ve never seen it either. Sorry! I just can’t do sci-fi (but I have seen The Phantom Menace). After watching the film’s 121 “awesome” minutes, they agree Star Wars will be the ultimate test of Ted and Stella’s compatibility.

Lily sets up a “date” for Barney and Robin at a fancy schmancy restaurant. Barney is on his best gentlemanly behavior, throwing Robin, who tries to engage in some dirty, sexual innuendo talk, but he’s not having any of it, not even the busty waitress. Barney tells her he doesn’t always want to be “that guy” and encourages her to apply for a cable news network gig.

Meanwhile, Ted and Stella make it a movie night with Star Wars. Things get off on the wrong foot when Stella goes for a beer during those all-important opening credits, angering Marshall, who’s scoping out the situation behind the couch and clearly is in dire need of a job. After ordering Ted (and Marshall) to his room so she can watch the movie in peace, Stella comes in to say she loves it. But she admits to Marshall she hated it, especially the “walking bear.” Marshall asks if Stella’s ready to pretend to like a movie she actually hates for the rest of her life. She says she is. That’s love, right?

As for that other “couple,” Barney and Robin toast to “taking chances.” Barney is about to take his, but Robin, wanting to reciprocate for his kindness, throws a wrench in his plans by hooking him up with April the Busty Waitress. Once Robin’s out of sight, Barney drops the act, confessing that he’s in love with the woman who just left. Admit it, that broke your heart. Being in love, of course, doesn’t stop Barney from bedding ladies, and we see April pop up in the apartment as Barney recounts the night for Lily. Pissed off, Lily demands Barney choose between Robin and bimbos. He chooses bimbos, but we all know he’s choosing Robin. And to drive that point home, he turns on the TV and longingly looks at Robin.

Oh, and FYI: Marshall and Lily’s new code word is “chimichanga.”

So there you have it. Season 4 is well underway and I must say, it’s their best premiere yet. Were you head over heels in love with lovesick Barney too? Or do you want the womanizing Barney back? Do you find yourself stalking your friends’ dates when you’re unemployed too? And is Star Wars the barometer by which all compatible relationships ought to be measured?

Download Do I Know You (S4E01)

Air Date: Monday, September 22, 2008
Time Slot: 8:30 PM-9:30 PM EST on CBS
Episode Title: (#401) “Do I Know You?”

Download Do I Know You (S4E01)

AS STELLA RESPONDS TO TED’S PROPOSAL, BARNEY REALIZES THAT HE’S IN LOVE WITH ROBIN, ON THE FOURTH SEASON PREMIERE OF “HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER,” MONDAY, SEPT. 22

Sarah Chalke (”Scrubs”) Guest Stars

“Do I Know You?” - As Stella responds to Ted’s proposal, Barney realizes that he’s in love with Robin, on the fourth season premiere of HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER, Monday, Sept. 22 (8:30-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

SERIES REGULARS:

Ted: Josh Radnor
Marshall: Jason Segel
Barney: Neil Patrick Harris
Lily: Alyson Hannigan
Robin: Cobie Smulders

RECURRING CAST

Narrator: Bob Saget
Son: David Henrie
Daughter: Lyndsy Fonseca

GUEST CAST:

Stella Zinman: Sarah Chalke
Mark Johnson: Kyles Archer
Sexy Blonde: Nicole Taylor
Paramedic #1: Cedric Yarbrough
Angela: Dana De Celis
Maxine: Annie Abrams
Jessica: Camila Greenberg
April: Heidi Lynne Herschbach
Bartender: Alonza Maxwell
Chili Dog Kid: Sidney Liss

WRITTEN BY: Carter Bays and Craig Thomas, co-creators and executive producers

DIRECTED BY: Pamela Fryman, one of the series’ executive producers

Download Do I Know You (S4E01)

Check out some pictures from HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER’s fourth season premiere episode, “Do I Know You” airing this Monday, Sept. 22 (8:30-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on CBS.

I cannot wait to see what Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) has in store for us this season . I wonder how they are going to deal with the story line. It would be funny to see Barney in a committed relationship. Did I say funny? I meant to say Legen….Wait for it….dary.

You can see more photos from How I Met Your Mother “Do I Know You” below.

Episode Synopsis:
As Stella responds to Ted’s (Josh Radnor) proposal, Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) realizes that he’s in love with Robin (Cobie Smulders), on the fourth season premiere of How I Met Your Mother.

(Photos: Eric McCandless)

Download Do I Know You (S4E01)