The Naked Truth (How I Met Your Mother)
Encyclopedia
"The Naked Truth" is the second episode of the seventh season
of the CBS
sitcom
How I Met Your Mother
, and the 138th episode overall. It originally aired on September 19, 2011.
is still hungover after Punchy's wedding
, and makes a "sweeping declaration" to permanently stay sober. Future Ted
says that Marshall's "sweeping declarations" typically don't work. While at Ted's apartment, he receives a call from Garrison Cootes, a partner at one of the biggest environmental law firms in America. He tells Marshall that the company is "very interested," and will accept him after an extensive background check. The danger of a background check concerns Marshall, who fears that an online video of him streaking through Wesleyan calling himself "Beercules" could result in Garrison dropping the job offer. He tries to convince the uploader, Pete Durkensen, an old college acquaintance, to remove the video. However, Marshall ends up getting drunk and streaking again and another "Beercules" video is uploaded. Pete's refusal to take it down prompts Lily to blackmail him with certain information that she claims to have received from women who dated him in college. Eventually, Garrison does see the video and calls Marshall that he's hired - the video is not an issue with him.
Thinking about a date with Nora, Barney
appears to the gang in crutches and a leg cast, with the aim of using it to gain sympathy from her. He meets Nora at a 24-hour diner, where he is forced to explain to her all the plays he ever made on women, the worst of which irks a woman in another booth whom Barney hit on in the past. Nora leaves, still angry at Barney for lying to her. To prove to Nora that he will never lie to her again, Barney vows not to leave the diner until she agrees to a second date. The gang eats at the diner nine hours later and sees Barney wake up. He refuses to make an order several times, and true to his word, does stay at the diner the whole time, which convinces Nora when she comes back.
Ted
capitalizes on him being featured in New York magazine
to meet women who get a copy of the issue at newsstands. He befriends 16 people, 13 of them being women, and dates two women from amongst them on separate occasions. With Lily
and Robin
's help, he is forced to decide on one whom he will take to the exclusive "Architect's Ball." Robin thinks that the event will be boring, but drops hints about an interest to become Ted's date when he claims Lenny Kravitz
will be at the event (she is an avid fan of the rock star). Ted winds up taking Robin to the gala, where she discovers that the Lenny Kravitz Ted was referring to is an old architect, Leonard Kravitz. Disgusted, Robin leaves the party. Future Ted tells his kids that a person will know for sure about falling in love "pretty quickly and with absolute certainty." While looking at the gala guests, he sees Victoria arranging cupcakes at a table and they establish eye contact.
graded the episode a B. Despite the show being in its 7th season this episode premiered to 12.22 million viewers, making it the show's second most watched episode to date, only behind 2005's "The Pineapple Incident
".
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
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 the 138th episode overall. It originally aired on September 19, 2011.
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...
is still hungover after Punchy's wedding
The Best Man (How I Met Your Mother)
"The Best Man" is the premiere episode of the seventh season of the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother and the 137th episode overall. It aired on September 19, 2011.-Plot:...
, and makes a "sweeping declaration" to permanently stay sober. Future 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...
says that Marshall's "sweeping declarations" typically don't work. While at Ted's apartment, he receives a call from Garrison Cootes, a partner at one of the biggest environmental law firms in America. He tells Marshall that the company is "very interested," and will accept him after an extensive background check. The danger of a background check concerns Marshall, who fears that an online video of him streaking through Wesleyan calling himself "Beercules" could result in Garrison dropping the job offer. He tries to convince the uploader, Pete Durkensen, an old college acquaintance, to remove the video. However, Marshall ends up getting drunk and streaking again and another "Beercules" video is uploaded. Pete's refusal to take it down prompts Lily to blackmail him with certain information that she claims to have received from women who dated him in college. Eventually, Garrison does see the video and calls Marshall that he's hired - the video is not an issue with him.
Thinking about a date with Nora, 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...
appears to the gang in crutches and a leg cast, with the aim of using it to gain sympathy from her. He meets Nora at a 24-hour diner, where he is forced to explain to her all the plays he ever made on women, the worst of which irks a woman in another booth whom Barney hit on in the past. Nora leaves, still angry at Barney for lying to her. To prove to Nora that he will never lie to her again, Barney vows not to leave the diner until she agrees to a second date. The gang eats at the diner nine hours later and sees Barney wake up. He refuses to make an order several times, and true to his word, does stay at the diner the whole time, which convinces Nora when she comes back.
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...
capitalizes on him being featured in New York magazine
New York (magazine)
New York is a weekly magazine principally concerned with the life, culture, politics, and style of New York City. Founded by Milton Glaser and Clay Felker in 1968 as a competitor to The New Yorker, it was brasher and less polite than that magazine, and established itself as a cradle of New...
to meet women who get a copy of the issue at newsstands. He befriends 16 people, 13 of them being women, and dates two women from amongst them on separate occasions. With 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...
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 :...
's help, he is forced to decide on one whom he will take to the exclusive "Architect's Ball." Robin thinks that the event will be boring, but drops hints about an interest to become Ted's date when he claims Lenny Kravitz
Lenny Kravitz
Leonard Albert "Lenny" Kravitz is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and arranger, whose "retro" style incorporates elements of rock, soul, R&B, funk, reggae, hard rock, psychedelic, folk and ballads...
will be at the event (she is an avid fan of the rock star). Ted winds up taking Robin to the gala, where she discovers that the Lenny Kravitz Ted was referring to is an old architect, Leonard Kravitz. Disgusted, Robin leaves the party. Future Ted tells his kids that a person will know for sure about falling in love "pretty quickly and with absolute certainty." While looking at the gala guests, he sees Victoria arranging cupcakes at a table and they establish eye contact.
Music
- "VictoriaVictoria (song)"Victoria" is a song written by Ray Davies of The Kinks. It is the opening track on the band's 1969 concept album Arthur ....
" by The KinksThe KinksThe Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...
(note that the song appears twice in the episode - first when Ted is picking up women with his magazine and second when he sees Victoria at the end. This provides a subtle hint about the episode).
Continuity
- Victoria last appeared in the Season 1 episode "Nothing Good Happens After 2 A.M.Nothing Good Happens After 2 A.M."Nothing Good Happens After 2 A.M." is the 18th episode in the first season of the television series How I Met Your Mother. It originally aired on April 10, 2006.- Plot :...
" when she appears to Ted regarding his decision to break up with her. - Nora is still angry at Barney for previously lying to her about his intentions, detailed in the Season 6 episode "A Change of HeartA Change of Heart"A Change of Heart" is the eighteenth episode of the sixth season of the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother and the 130th episode overall. It originally aired on February 28, 2011.-Plot:...
". - After Marshall declares that he will never drink again, a flash to Marshall drunk and gambling is seen. Beside Marshall at the table is a stunned Barney, wearing a tie with ducks. The ducky tie was referenced in the Season 7 premiere "The Best Man" and its origin is explained in the following episode, "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:...
". - Ted uses a yellow legal pad to write down a list of pros and cons. He previously did this in the Season 3 episode "I'm Not That GuyI'm Not That Guy"I'm Not That Guy" is the sixth episode in the third season of the television series How I Met Your Mother and fiftieth overall. It originally aired on October 29, 2007.- Plot :...
" - In his conversation with Nora, Barney uses a lisp voice to describe a successful attempt at seducing a lesbian. He used this same lisp during his attempts to pick up a lesbian in the Season 4 episode "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 :...
". - Ted's obsession with his date reaching for the check is first seen in the Season 5 episode "Double DateDouble Date (How I Met Your Mother)"Double Date" is the second episode of season 5 of the sitcom How I Met Your Mother, and the 90th episode overall. It originally aired on September 28, 2009.- Plot :...
"
Cultural references
- Barney claims that he hurt himself while performing in Man of La ManchaMan of La ManchaMan of La Mancha is a musical with a book by Dale Wasserman, lyrics by Joe Darion and music by Mitch Leigh. It is adapted from Wasserman's non-musical 1959 teleplay I, Don Quixote, which was in turn inspired by Miguel de Cervantes's seventeenth century masterpiece Don Quixote...
and Fiddler on the RoofFiddler on the RoofFiddler on the Roof is a musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein, set in Tsarist Russia in 1905. It is based on Tevye and his Daughters by Sholem Aleichem...
. - Barney quotes Black SwanBlack Swan (film)Black Swan is a 2010 American psychological thriller film directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring Natalie Portman, Vincent Cassel and Mila Kunis. Its plot revolves around a production of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake ballet by a prestigious New York City company. The production requires a ballerina to...
: "If I only cast the white swan, the role would be yours."
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...
graded the episode a B. Despite the show being in its 7th season this episode premiered to 12.22 million viewers, making it the show's second most watched episode to date, only behind 2005's "The Pineapple Incident
The Pineapple Incident
"The Pineapple Incident" is the 10th episode in the first season of the television series How I Met Your Mother. It originally aired on November 28, 2005...
".