Mosbius Designs
Encyclopedia
"Mosbius Designs" is the 20th episode in the fourth season of the television series How I Met Your Mother
and 84th overall. It aired on April 13, 2009.
enters, and Barney
starts to tell the joke, but Ted
and Marshall
interrupt, saying the joke is "boy funny." Barney insists that Lily is "one of the boys", and she will love it. The camera zooms in on Barney's lips as he says the joke, and Future Ted talks over the punch line
, calling it "one of the dirtiest jokes I have ever heard, to this day." Lily promptly leaves and is not seen for four weeks.
After losing his job, Ted is finally starting his own architectural design firm, Mosbius Designs. He is focused on several trivial matters, like the firm's official pen. Robin
, who is still living in the apartment, tells Ted he has to start calling potential clients and stop procrastinating. When she returns the next day, she finds a desk in the middle of the living room, occupied by PJ, Ted's new intern (Ryan Sypek
).
PJ treats the apartment like an office, restricting use of the bathroom and screening visitors for Ted. His boyish good looks and pseudo-authority turn Robin on, and a few days later, PJ supposedly calls from the top of the Empire State Building
, but the caller ID shows him calling from inside the apartment, in the same bed as Robin.
Outraged, Ted fires PJ, who then hangs out at the apartment to spend time with Robin. While Ted is working in the background, PJ flirts with Robin, to the point where she feels smothered, and breaks up with him (with what Ted declares "the worst break-up ever"). Ted then re-hires PJ, but the renewed authority excites Robin, and she quickly takes up with him again. Eventually, PJ decides to leave, leaving Robin a letter of explanation, and giving Ted a bouquet of roses.
When Barney hears about PJ, he is furious, having assumed Ted would know better and hire an attractive young woman (and also having sent an inappropriate letter and underwear to PJ). He becomes incredibly jealous after he hears Robin is sleeping with PJ, and unable to talk it over with Lily, confesses his love of Robin to Marshall.
Meanwhile, at GNB, Marshall is worried about keeping his job, and Barney suggests getting a "thing." He mentions "Food Guy," an accounts associate who, while totally expendable financially, has become an office fixture with his delicious culinary offerings. Then, he reminds Marshall of "Toy Guy," a Human Resources executive who keeps a collection of toys in his office (a flashback shows them fighting with Wolverine
claws as the executive quickly goes over reduction in overtime pay).
Marshall decides to run a fantasy baseball
league, like he did in college, making him "Sports Guy" ("Fantasy Guy" being a co-worker who walks around in a wizard's robe). But, after having to handle $18,000 in cash (which he then nervously walks down the street with), and getting demands from co-workers at all hours, Marshall decides he cannot continue.
Later at the GNB conference room, employees swarm around a table yelling demands about the fantasy league at someone, who is quickly revealed as PJ, whom Marshall hired as a paralegal
to take all the legwork of running the league. Barney compliments him on his delegating, and thanks him for getting PJ away from Robin.
At the end, Marshall and Barney see a ninja walking through the hallway next to the conference room; Barney suggests that they leave the building as this has "happened before".
rated the episode with a grade A.
IGN gave the episode 8.6 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 84th overall. It aired on April 13, 2009.
Plot
The show opens in MacLaren's, and the boys are laughing over a joke about the difference between peanut butter and jam. 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...
enters, and 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...
starts to tell the joke, but 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...
and 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...
interrupt, saying the joke is "boy funny." Barney insists that Lily is "one of the boys", and she will love it. The camera zooms in on Barney's lips as he says the joke, and Future Ted talks over the punch line
Punch line
A punch line is the final part of a joke, comedy sketch, or profound statement, usually the word, sentence or exchange of sentences which is intended to be funny or to provoke laughter or thought from listeners...
, calling it "one of the dirtiest jokes I have ever heard, to this day." Lily promptly leaves and is not seen for four weeks.
After losing his job, Ted is finally starting his own architectural design firm, Mosbius Designs. He is focused on several trivial matters, like the firm's official pen. 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 :...
, who is still living in the apartment, tells Ted he has to start calling potential clients and stop procrastinating. When she returns the next day, she finds a desk in the middle of the living room, occupied by PJ, Ted's new intern (Ryan Sypek
Ryan Sypek
Ryan Sypek was born on August 6, 1982 in Boston, Massachusetts. He graduated from Wayland High School in 2000. While attending Boston University, Ryan spent a semester in London at LAMDA...
).
PJ treats the apartment like an office, restricting use of the bathroom and screening visitors for Ted. His boyish good looks and pseudo-authority turn Robin on, and a few days later, PJ supposedly calls from the top of the Empire State Building
Empire State Building
The Empire State Building is a 102-story landmark skyscraper and American cultural icon in New York City at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street. It has a roof height of 1,250 feet , and with its antenna spire included, it stands a total of 1,454 ft high. Its name is derived...
, but the caller ID shows him calling from inside the apartment, in the same bed as Robin.
Outraged, Ted fires PJ, who then hangs out at the apartment to spend time with Robin. While Ted is working in the background, PJ flirts with Robin, to the point where she feels smothered, and breaks up with him (with what Ted declares "the worst break-up ever"). Ted then re-hires PJ, but the renewed authority excites Robin, and she quickly takes up with him again. Eventually, PJ decides to leave, leaving Robin a letter of explanation, and giving Ted a bouquet of roses.
When Barney hears about PJ, he is furious, having assumed Ted would know better and hire an attractive young woman (and also having sent an inappropriate letter and underwear to PJ). He becomes incredibly jealous after he hears Robin is sleeping with PJ, and unable to talk it over with Lily, confesses his love of Robin to Marshall.
Meanwhile, at GNB, Marshall is worried about keeping his job, and Barney suggests getting a "thing." He mentions "Food Guy," an accounts associate who, while totally expendable financially, has become an office fixture with his delicious culinary offerings. Then, he reminds Marshall of "Toy Guy," a Human Resources executive who keeps a collection of toys in his office (a flashback shows them fighting with Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
claws as the executive quickly goes over reduction in overtime pay).
Marshall decides to run a fantasy baseball
Fantasy baseball
Fantasy baseball is a game where participants manage an imaginary roster of real Major League baseball players. The participants compete against one another using those players' real life statistics to score points...
league, like he did in college, making him "Sports Guy" ("Fantasy Guy" being a co-worker who walks around in a wizard's robe). But, after having to handle $18,000 in cash (which he then nervously walks down the street with), and getting demands from co-workers at all hours, Marshall decides he cannot continue.
Later at the GNB conference room, employees swarm around a table yelling demands about the fantasy league at someone, who is quickly revealed as PJ, whom Marshall hired as a paralegal
Paralegal
Paralegal is used in most jurisdictions to describe a paraprofessional who assists qualified lawyers in their legal work. This is true in the United States and many other countries. However, in Ontario, Canada, paralegals are licensed by the Law Society of Upper Canada, giving paralegals an...
to take all the legwork of running the league. Barney compliments him on his delegating, and thanks him for getting PJ away from Robin.
At the end, Marshall and Barney see a ninja walking through the hallway next to the conference room; Barney suggests that they leave the building as this has "happened before".
Continuity
- With the revelation that Lily told Marshall about Barney's feelings, all main characters in the show now know that Barney is in love with Robin - except, of course, for Robin herself.
- Barney's anger with other guys getting together with Robin was previously manifested in BenefitsBenefits (How I Met Your Mother)"Benefits" is the 12th episode in the fourth season of the television series How I Met Your Mother and 76th overall. It originally aired on January 12, 2009.- Plot :...
. - Marshall knows Barney's secret, thanks to Lily's difficulty with keeping secrets.
- Lily was the first person to know of Barney's feelings towards Robin in Do I Know You?Do I Know You?"Do I Know You?" is the first episode in the fourth season of the television series How I Met Your Mother and sixty-fifth overall. It originally aired on September 22, 2008.- Plot :...
. - P.J. calls Ted from inside the house and tells him he is on top of the Empire State building, when he is actually in bed with Robin. In season 2 episode First Time in New YorkFirst Time in New York"First Time in New York" is the 12th episode in the second season of the television series How I Met Your Mother. It originally aired on January 8, 2007.-Plot:...
, Lily and Marshall use the Empire State as a metaphorMetaphorA metaphor is a literary figure of speech that uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea; e.g., "Her eyes were glistening jewels." Metaphor may also be used for any rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via...
for having sex. - Barney calls Lily a puppetmaster a reference to the "Mosbius Designs" episode earlier in the season.
- At the end of the episode when Marshall and Barney are eating lunch, Barney is eating Sushi with chopsticks. He has apparently mastered how to use them since the season one episode The Duel in which he was shown at the end having a lot of trouble using a pair of chopsticks.
Production
- The joke at the top of the show, is "What is the difference between jam and peanut butter?" The punch line, not heard in the show, is either "I can't peanut-butter my dick in your ass" or "I can't peanut-butter my cock down your throat." Had the joke however been phrased correctly it should've been "What is the difference between jam and jelly?" since it would seemingly ask for the difference between two types of fruit preserves rather than the difference between two obviously different breakfast spreads.
- The dirty joke was added as an excuse to allow 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...
to make a short appearance in the cold opening and then be absent for several episodes, as it was filmed during her last weeks of pregnancy.
- In November 2008, Cobie Smulders and her boyfriend Taran KillamTaran KillamTaran Hourie Killam is an American actor and comedian best known for his television work on shows such as The Amanda Show, Scrubs, Wild 'N Out, MADtv and currently on Saturday Night Live.-Early life:...
(who plays the character Blauman) announced that they were expecting their first child, and she is visibly pregnant in this episode.
Cultural references
- At the end of the episode, Ted tells Robin the story of the architect who designs a library, only to find that it slowly sinks due to his not accounting for the weight of the books therein. This story is a common urban legend.
- WolverineWolverine (comics)Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
is featured in the Toy Guy scene (toy claws) and in the background during Marshall's nervous walk home, posters for the film X-Men Origins: WolverineX-Men Origins: WolverineX-Men Origins: Wolverine is a 2009 American action film based on the Marvel Comics' fictional character Wolverine. The fourth installment in the X-Men film series, it was released worldwide on May 1, 2009...
can be seen in the background. - Some notable action figures are featured in the background of Toy Guy scene, including Wolverine, Kamen Rider, Kamen Rider V3 and Ultra Seven.
- After answering PJ's call, Ted checks the phone number, and exclaims, "Oh my God, the call's coming from inside the house..." This a reference to common urban legend "The Babysitter and the Man UpstairsThe Babysitter and the Man UpstairsThe Babysitter and the Man Upstairs is an urban legend that dates back to at least the 1960s about a teenage girl babysitting children while being telephoned by a mysterious man who continually asks her to "check the children"...
", the basis for movies such as "When A Stranger CallsWhen a Stranger CallsWhen a Stranger Calls may refer to:* When a Stranger Calls , a horror film** When a Stranger Calls Back, the sequel of the 1979 film* When a Stranger Calls , a remake of the 1979 film...
".
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 A.
IGN gave the episode 8.6 out of 10.