The Fight (How I Met Your Mother)
Encyclopedia
"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.
), gets Ted
and Barney
involved in a fight with a group of guys sitting in the gang's favorite booth. (Doug is very loyal to the regular customers.) Marshall
and Lily
try to warn them off, but Barney vows to join in when Robin
reveals that she thinks fights (particularly fight scars) are sexy. Ted also joins in as an experience he thinks he should have sometime in his life.
When they arrive in the back alley, Doug has knocked out the guys single-handedly. Ted and Barney try to give him credit, but he insists they were in the fight as well. Afraid of appearing unmasculine, they take the credit after Barney creates "battle wounds" by blackening his own eye and punching Ted in the nose. They earn the admiration of everyone except Marshall, who claims that he used to fight with his brothers and Ted and Barney wouldn't stand a chance. Ted and Barney laugh it off.
Later, Ted and Barney are sued by the losers of the fight, and they admit to Marshall and the others that they had no role in the victory. Robin, who had been extremely attracted to Barney, cancels a date to a hockey match. Marshall gets the boys out of the lawsuit with their admission of no involvement.
Another consequence arises, however. Doug is now the only person named in the suit. As loyalty is extremely important to him, he now plans to pulverize Ted and Barney for their betrayal. Barney runs away in fear. Doug then tells Ted that he was quick to throw him in the fire rather than take any blame for himself, and that that is probably the reason Stella left him. Enraged, Ted punches Doug, who subsequently knocks him out cold. Marshall, however, proves his earlier stories of fighting prowess by knocking out the much larger Doug with one blow; it turns out that his childhood fights with his brothers were not mere horseplay, but vicious brawls. Barney returns to find both Doug and Ted on the floor in pain.
At school, Lily struggles with two kids in her class who are also fighting. First, she has Marshall come to class to preach pacifism
, but the kids call him a wuss. She later has Ted come to class (after he has been hit by Doug) to preach the consequences of fighting. The kids are still unmoved.
At the end of the episode, Marshall is shown with Lily at his parents' house 3–5 years later for Thanksgiving
. True to his word, Marshall pulls out a lightsaber
to carve the turkey, which he earlier mentioned as being available on the market "in 3–5 years".
Michelle Zoromski of IGN
rated the episode 8.2 out of 10.
Television Without Pity gave the episode a rating A.
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 74th overall. It originally aired on December 8, 2008.
Plot
A bartender, Doug (Will SassoWill Sasso
William "Will" Sasso is a Canadian comedian and actor. He is most notable for his membership in the recurring cast of comedians on the American sketch comedy series MADtv, spending five seasons on the show.-Early life:...
), gets 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 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...
involved in a fight with a group of guys sitting in the gang's favorite booth. (Doug is very loyal to the regular customers.) 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...
try to warn them off, but Barney vows to join in when 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 :...
reveals that she thinks fights (particularly fight scars) are sexy. Ted also joins in as an experience he thinks he should have sometime in his life.
When they arrive in the back alley, Doug has knocked out the guys single-handedly. Ted and Barney try to give him credit, but he insists they were in the fight as well. Afraid of appearing unmasculine, they take the credit after Barney creates "battle wounds" by blackening his own eye and punching Ted in the nose. They earn the admiration of everyone except Marshall, who claims that he used to fight with his brothers and Ted and Barney wouldn't stand a chance. Ted and Barney laugh it off.
Later, Ted and Barney are sued by the losers of the fight, and they admit to Marshall and the others that they had no role in the victory. Robin, who had been extremely attracted to Barney, cancels a date to a hockey match. Marshall gets the boys out of the lawsuit with their admission of no involvement.
Another consequence arises, however. Doug is now the only person named in the suit. As loyalty is extremely important to him, he now plans to pulverize Ted and Barney for their betrayal. Barney runs away in fear. Doug then tells Ted that he was quick to throw him in the fire rather than take any blame for himself, and that that is probably the reason Stella left him. Enraged, Ted punches Doug, who subsequently knocks him out cold. Marshall, however, proves his earlier stories of fighting prowess by knocking out the much larger Doug with one blow; it turns out that his childhood fights with his brothers were not mere horseplay, but vicious brawls. Barney returns to find both Doug and Ted on the floor in pain.
At school, Lily struggles with two kids in her class who are also fighting. First, she has Marshall come to class to preach pacifism
Pacifism
Pacifism is the opposition to war and violence. The term "pacifism" was coined by the French peace campaignerÉmile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress inGlasgow in 1901.- Definition :...
, but the kids call him a wuss. She later has Ted come to class (after he has been hit by Doug) to preach the consequences of fighting. The kids are still unmoved.
At the end of the episode, Marshall is shown with Lily at his parents' house 3–5 years later for Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the...
. True to his word, Marshall pulls out a lightsaber
Lightsaber
A lightsaber is a fictional weapon in the Star Wars universe, a "laser sword." It consists of a polished metal hilt which projects a blade of light about 1.33 metres long. The lightsaber is the signature weapon of the Jedi order and their Sith counterparts, both of whom can use them for close...
to carve the turkey, which he earlier mentioned as being available on the market "in 3–5 years".
Music
- The song playing during the scene in which Marshall and his brothers are seriously fighting is "Murder Train" by the Foreskins, from the episode "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 :...
".
Cultural references
- Barney uses the names of sitcoms from the 1970s and 1980s to fake a conversation, specifically using Good TimesGood TimesGood Times is an American sitcom that originally aired from February 8, 1974, until August 1, 1979, on the CBS television network. It was created by Eric Monte and Michael Evans, and developed by Norman Lear, the series' primary executive producer...
, Gimme a Break!Gimme a Break!Gimme a Break! is an American sitcom which aired on NBC from October 29, 1981, until May 12, 1987. The series stars Nell Carter as the housekeeper for a widowed police chief and his three daughters.-Premise:...
, What's Happening!!What's Happening!!What's Happening!! is an American television sitcom that aired on ABC from August 5, 1976 to April 28, 1979. The show premiered as a summer series. With good ratings and reviews, and after the failure of several other shows on the network, What's Happening!! returned in November 1976 as a weekly...
, Diff'rent StrokesDiff'rent StrokesDiff'rent Strokes is an American television sitcom that aired on NBC from November 3, 1978 to May 4, 1985, and on ABC from September 27, 1985 to March 7, 1986...
and What's Happening Now!!What's Happening Now!!What's Happening Now!! is an American television sitcom spinoff of What's Happening!!. It ran in syndication from 1985 to 1988. Like the previous series, What's Happening Now!! is loosely based on the motion picture Cooley High...
. - Before going out into the alley to fight, Ted says "It's clobberin' time," referencing the catch phrase of comic book character The ThingThing (comics)The Thing is a fictional character, a founding member of the superhero team known as the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in The Fantastic Four #1...
from The Fantastic Four. - The scene where Marshall is actively brawling with his brothers (especially the angle of his punching shot) is reminiscent of the brawling scenes from the movie Fight ClubFight Club (film)Fight Club is a 1999 American film based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Chuck Palahniuk. The film was directed by David Fincher and stars Edward Norton, Brad Pitt and Helena Bonham Carter. Norton plays the unnamed protagonist, an "everyman" who is discontented with his white-collar job...
. It is also discussed in the Eriksen's Fight Club featurette in the Season 4 DVD set. Similarly Barney punching himself and then Ted is reminiscent of the narrator's first fight with Tyler Durden in Fight Club. - After Barney punches Ted in the nose, he says that Ted's nose will swell up and references actor Owen WilsonOwen WilsonOwen Cunningham Wilson is an American actor and writer, known for his roles in the films The Haunting, The Royal Tenenbaums, Zoolander, Meet the Parents, Wedding Crashers, You, Me and Dupree, Bottle Rocket, the Cars series, The Darjeeling Limited, Marley & Me, Midnight in Paris, Shanghai Noon,...
, who is known for his crooked nose, which he broke in a fight. - At the end of the episode Marshall uses a lightsaberLightsaberA lightsaber is a fictional weapon in the Star Wars universe, a "laser sword." It consists of a polished metal hilt which projects a blade of light about 1.33 metres long. The lightsaber is the signature weapon of the Jedi order and their Sith counterparts, both of whom can use them for close...
to carve the turkey, referencing Star WarsStar WarsStar Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
.
Continuity
- The future incident with the goat is referenced once again.
- Ted tells his children that he's only ever been in one fight. However, in the season five episode "Twin BedsTwin Beds (How I Met Your Mother)"Twin Beds" is the 21st episode of the fifth season of the CBS situation comedy How I Met Your Mother and 109th episode overall. It aired May 3, 2010.- Plot :...
" he is in a drunken fight with Barney over Robin. - Ted mentions Barney's habit of spacing out and not paying attention in the season three episode "Spoiler Alert".
- In the episode "Best Prom EverBest Prom Ever"Best Prom Ever" is the 20th episode in the first season of the television series How I Met Your Mother. It originally aired May 1, 2006. It has the least amount of viewership in season 1 .- Plot :...
", while Ted is helping Marshall stuff envelopes for his and Lily's wedding, Marshall promises Ted he would have his back if he got in a fight. - In the episode "Sweet Taste of LibertySweet Taste of Liberty"Sweet Taste of Liberty" is the 3rd episode in the first season of the television series How I Met Your Mother. It originally aired on October 3, 2005.- Plot :Barney has decided that it is time for Ted to get out of his routine of going to the same bar...
", Marshall is afraid of getting into a fight with a man who seems to be hitting on Lily because he has never been in a fight before. - In a flashback to Ted's college years, Ted and Marshall are again seen "eating a sandwich", the show's term for smoking marijuana; in this case, the large sandwich implies he is using a bongBongA bong is a filtration device/apparatus generally used for smoking cannabis, tobacco,or other herbal substances.In construction and function a bong is similar to a hookah, except smaller and more portable...
. - Ted claims to be hit once (Season 3: "No Tomorrow"). Nevertheless in the episode "Return of the ShirtReturn of the Shirt"Return of the Shirt" is the 4th episode in the first season of the television series How I Met Your Mother. It originally aired on October 10, 2005.- Plot :...
", Ted's girlfriend Natalie beats him up, and in "We're Not From HereWe're Not from Here"We're Not From Here" is the 2nd episode in the third season of the television series How I Met Your Mother and 46th overall. It originally aired on October 1, 2007.- Plot :...
" he is seen with a black eye after being robbed in the South BronxSouth BronxThe South Bronx is an area of the New York City borough of The Bronx. The neighborhoods of Tremont, University Heights, Highbridge, Morrisania, Soundview, Hunts Point, and Castle Hill are sometimes considered part of the South Bronx....
. - Several scenes from the show's history (including the "Pilot", "Miracles" and "I Heart NJI Heart NJ"I Heart NJ" is the third episode in the fourth season of the television series How I Met Your Mother and 67th overall. It originally aired on October 6, 2008.- Plot :...
") are recreated with Doug in the background to show he has always been there, just not important enough to mention. - In the scene where Ted asks if Marshall told the guys suing them that he was "part of one of the premiere Medieval chamber groups in the little IviesLittle IviesLittle Ivies is a colloquialism referring to a group of small, selective American liberal arts colleges; however, it does not denote any official organization....
," he pronounces "Medieval" in the unusual way that led to his "InterventionIntervention (How I Met Your Mother)"Intervention" is the fourth episode in the fourth season of the television series How I Met Your Mother and 68th overall. It originally aired on October 13, 2008.-Plot:...
". - In the final scene where Marshall is carving the turkey, the same Thanksgiving "salad" is shown as seen before 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...
". - In the final scene where Marshall is carving the turkey, his father is not present, the reason for which is shown in the episode "Bad NewsBad News (How I Met Your Mother)"Bad News" is the thirteenth episode of the sixth season of the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother and their 125th episode overall. It aired January 3, 2011.-Plot:...
".
Critical response
Donna Bowman of the The AV Club rated the episode B+.Michelle Zoromski of 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...
rated the episode 8.2 out of 10.
Television Without Pity gave the episode a rating A.