Mystery vs. History
Encyclopedia
"Mystery vs. History" is the sixth episode of the seventh season
of the CBS
sitcom How I Met Your Mother
and the 142nd episode overall. It aired on October 17, 2011.
decides to date a woman named Janet MacIntyre without researching her, Barney
and Robin
attempt to intervene by researching Janet for him, which he insists that they do not. Ted explains to Kevin that Robin and Barney have researched many of the women he dated in the past and ruined the relationships by revealing unappealing background information on them. Before his date with Janet, he makes a deal with her that they will not research each other on the Internet, which she agrees to.
In the meantime, Marshall
and Lily
recruit Barney, Robin, and Kevin to help paint the room for their baby. Though they have obtained the information on the sex of their baby, they choose not to open the envelope containing the information so that the baby's sex will be a surprise when it is born. Barney disagrees with their decision and tries to convince them to open the envelope, arguing that there are advantages to knowing what the child's sex will be. When everyone begins arguing about whether "mystery" is better, Kevin calls them out on their behavior. He admits that while he did not want to analyze them, he has noticed that everyone in their group is unreasonably close and have been meddling too much in each other's lives. While Kevin's assessment appears to be true, it causes a rift between him and Robin, which he attempts to make up for by offering to paint the rest of the room by himself.
During the painting session, Barney and Robin have insisted on continuing their research on Janet for Ted. Through their research, they learn a number of startling things about Janet which they attempt to share with Ted. Marshall eventually allows Barney to learn the sex of the baby if he does not tell him and Lily, but Barney eventually convinces them to look, only to rip the card in half and refuse to give the half with the information back to Lily and Marshall. Barney agrees to give it to them if they look at what he and Robin have learned about Janet. When Marshall gets the card, he and Lily are unable to firmly decide if they want to know, and Marshall ends up throwing the card out the window for the sake of "mystery."
Meanwhile, Ted is having trouble conversing with Janet without the use of the Internet during their date. Despite initial attempts to resist everyone's insistence that he should look her up on the Internet, he gives in and learns that she is extremely accomplished. Ted becomes nervous and Janet leaves him, recognizing that his sudden change in behavior means that he has learned about all her achievements and he has become intimidated like everyone else who dates her. After he rejoins his friends, Ted tells them that he regrets giving in and that he would rather have "mystery" over "history" for his future dates. When Ted puts his foot up on a stool, Marshall notices that the card he threw on the window had stuck to Ted's shoe; he and Lily learn that their baby will be a boy.
How I Met Your Mother (season 7)
The seventh season of the American television comedy series How I Met Your Mother was announced in March 2011, along with confirmation of an eighth season, and premiered on September 19, 2011 with two episodes airing back-to-back.-Main cast:...
of the CBS
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...
sitcom 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 the 142nd episode overall. It aired on October 17, 2011.
Plot
When TedTed 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...
decides to date a woman named Janet MacIntyre without researching her, 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...
and 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 :...
attempt to intervene by researching Janet for him, which he insists that they do not. Ted explains to Kevin that Robin and Barney have researched many of the women he dated in the past and ruined the relationships by revealing unappealing background information on them. Before his date with Janet, he makes a deal with her that they will not research each other on the Internet, which she agrees to.
In the meantime, 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...
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...
recruit Barney, Robin, and Kevin to help paint the room for their baby. Though they have obtained the information on the sex of their baby, they choose not to open the envelope containing the information so that the baby's sex will be a surprise when it is born. Barney disagrees with their decision and tries to convince them to open the envelope, arguing that there are advantages to knowing what the child's sex will be. When everyone begins arguing about whether "mystery" is better, Kevin calls them out on their behavior. He admits that while he did not want to analyze them, he has noticed that everyone in their group is unreasonably close and have been meddling too much in each other's lives. While Kevin's assessment appears to be true, it causes a rift between him and Robin, which he attempts to make up for by offering to paint the rest of the room by himself.
During the painting session, Barney and Robin have insisted on continuing their research on Janet for Ted. Through their research, they learn a number of startling things about Janet which they attempt to share with Ted. Marshall eventually allows Barney to learn the sex of the baby if he does not tell him and Lily, but Barney eventually convinces them to look, only to rip the card in half and refuse to give the half with the information back to Lily and Marshall. Barney agrees to give it to them if they look at what he and Robin have learned about Janet. When Marshall gets the card, he and Lily are unable to firmly decide if they want to know, and Marshall ends up throwing the card out the window for the sake of "mystery."
Meanwhile, Ted is having trouble conversing with Janet without the use of the Internet during their date. Despite initial attempts to resist everyone's insistence that he should look her up on the Internet, he gives in and learns that she is extremely accomplished. Ted becomes nervous and Janet leaves him, recognizing that his sudden change in behavior means that he has learned about all her achievements and he has become intimidated like everyone else who dates her. After he rejoins his friends, Ted tells them that he regrets giving in and that he would rather have "mystery" over "history" for his future dates. When Ted puts his foot up on a stool, Marshall notices that the card he threw on the window had stuck to Ted's shoe; he and Lily learn that their baby will be a boy.
Continuity
- Barney is still wearing the Ducky TieDucky Tie"Ducky Tie" is the third episode of the seventh season of the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother and the 139th episode overall. It aired on September 26, 2011.-Plot:...
in this episode, continuing his bet with Marshall and Lily. In all the flashbacks that take place before the events of "Ducky Tie", he is shown wearing one of his normal ties. - Ted mentions his parents' divorce, which happened in "Brunch."
- Robin started dating Kevin in "Field TripField Trip (How I Met Your Mother)"Field Trip" is the fifth episode of the seventh season of the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother and the 141st episode overall. It aired on October 10, 2011.-Plot:...
." - "Last Cigarette EverLast Cigarette Ever"Last Cigarette Ever" is the eleventh episode of the fifth season of the CBS situation comedy How I Met Your Mother and 99th episode overall. It aired on December 14, 2009.- Plot :...
" previously revealed that Lily and Marshall have a son. - Barney exclaims, "They're six minutes into the date; Ted's probably already told her that he loves her!" This references Ted and Robin's first date in "Pilot," as well as Ted's reputation of moving too quickly with women he is interested in, and also "The Mosby," a term coined in "The LeapThe Leap (How I Met Your Mother)"The Leap" is the 24th and final episode of season 4 of the How I Met Your Mother TV series and 88th overall. It originally aired on May 18, 2009.- Plot :...
." - Robin's flashback to her fourteenth birthday references her father raising her as a boy, first revealed in "Happily Ever AfterHappily Ever After (How I Met Your Mother)"Happily Ever After" is the sixth episode in the fourth season of the television series How I Met Your Mother and 70th overall. It originally aired on November 3, 2008.- Plot :The day after Stella ran out on their wedding, Ted is unusually happy...
." Two years later, she "moved in with her mother, grew her hair out, and became a teen pop star in Canada" (first mentioned in "Slap BetSlap Bet"Slap Bet" is the 9th episode in season 2 of the television series How I Met Your Mother. It originally aired on November 20, 2006. This episode was originally titled "Robin Sparkles."- Plot :...
"). - The song "Murder Train" by the Foreskins, which is first referenced in "Sandcastles in the SandSandcastles In The Sand"Sandcastles in the Sand" is the 16th episode in the third season of the television series How I Met Your Mother and 60th overall. It originally aired on April 21, 2008.- Plot :...
," makes a return in this episode. The flashbacks used in the song detail all physical altercations shown in the series so far, including all four "slap betSlap Bet"Slap Bet" is the 9th episode in season 2 of the television series How I Met Your Mother. It originally aired on November 20, 2006. This episode was originally titled "Robin Sparkles."- Plot :...
" slaps, Ted's low blow from "The Goat and Marshall's fight with his brothers from "The FightThe Fight (How I Met Your Mother)"The Fight" is the tenth episode in the fourth season of the television series How I Met Your Mother and 74th overall. It originally aired on December 8, 2008.- Plot :...
".
Cultural References
- The opening is a spoof on the opening credits of another CBS program, Person of InterestPerson of Interest (TV series)Person of Interest is an American crime drama television series broadcasting on CBS. It is based on a screenplay developed by J. J. Abrams and Jonathan Nolan. The series was officially picked up by CBS on May 13, 2011, and debuted on September 22, 2011. On October 25, 2011 the show was picked up...
. - In the opening spoof, "Alicia P." is shown to have Josh RadnorJosh RadnorJoshua Michael "Josh" Radnor is an American actor, director, and writer, best known for portraying the main character Ted Mosby on the popular, Emmy Award-winning CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother, for which he has received worldwide fame and recognitions.He made his writing and directorial debut...
(Ted Mosby) as one of her favorite actors. - Throughout the episode, the cast members proclaim that they just "gots to know," in reference to Dirty HarryDirty HarryDirty Harry is a 1971 American crime thriller produced and directed by Don Siegel, the first in the Dirty Harry series. Clint Eastwood plays the title role, in his first outing as San Francisco Police Department Inspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan....
. - The credits in Barney's presentation show that it was directed by McGMcGJoseph McGinty Nichol , better known as McG, is an American director and producer of film and television, as well as a former record producer....
. - The movie Annie HallAnnie HallAnnie Hall is a 1977 American romantic comedy directed by Woody Allen from a screenplay co-written with Marshall Brickman and co-starring Diane Keaton. One of Allen's most popular and most honored films, it won four Academy Awards including Best Picture...
and its director Woody AllenWoody AllenWoody Allen is an American screenwriter, director, actor, comedian, jazz musician, author, and playwright. Allen's films draw heavily on literature, sexuality, philosophy, psychology, Jewish identity, and the history of cinema...
are mentioned several times by Ted, Janet and Robin. - When teasing Marshall and Lily, Barney says, "Twins was the feel-good movie of 1988."
- Lily reveals that when she gets lonely while waiting for Marshall to come back, she will watch SurvivorSurvivor (U.S. TV series)Survivor is an American version of the Survivor reality television game show, itself derived from the Swedish television series Expedition Robinson originally created in 1997 by Charlie Parsons. The series premiered on May 31, 2000 on CBS...
without him.