Throughout its long run, one thing has always been clear on "How I Met Your Mother": The relationship between the five main characters goes beyond friendship. They really are a family, and that is evident because they manage to get through a variety of serious issues. In the latest episode, a competition over who should be Marvin's guardian reminded fans just how close this group really is. Families argue, but they always work things out. That was the main theme of the episode, and it worked well. Here is a recap of the latest episode, " Who Wants to Be a Godparent? "
The opening
The episode opens with Marshall and Lily finally making their return to the bar. After months away from the friends, they're ready to hang out and catch up on all of the stories; however, the gang remembers an earlier decree from the new parents. They aren't allowed to come to them with any stories unless the drama factor ranks at eight or above. That stops Ted, Robin, and Barney from sharing their stories. As it turns out, that's not the biggest issue. Marshall and Lily leave after one drink, saying that they need some alone time. As they walk around the city, they have a close call with a cab. This prompts them to think about the future, and who will be the guardian for Marvin should something terrible happen.The godparent competition
After agreeing that their parents aren't the right fit for Marvin, Marshall and Lily are forced to pick between their three friends. Ted, Robin, and Barney go to great lengths to win them over. Barney sings a series of songs that parody childhood classics in a lewd manner. Meanwhile, Ted and Robin bring teddy bears in ever increasing sizes. After growing tired of all of the antics, Marshall and Lily decide to hold a real game show. Marshall even dons a classic game show host suit, and Lily spins an elaborate wheel.Tension among the friends
The competition involves a series of scenarios, and each of the three friends must discuss how they would handle it. Scenarios include the classic talk about the birds and the bees, as well disciplining the child. Each of the contestants comes off exactly as you would expect.
Ted uses a lame puppet to handle all of the discussions and clearly doesn't know how to discipline. Barney says that he will take the child to Amsterdam to learn about sex. Robin takes the same tough approach that her dad took with her. None of the three seem that appealing, and that sets up a bigger issue for the gang.
An argument breaks out when Ted, Barney, and Robin all agree that Marshall and Lily haven't been great friends lately; they have no time for them and feel like they can't talk about anything. Marshall counters by saying that Marvin is the only thing that matters, and that statement prompts everyone to leave.
Eventually, Marshall realizes that they need to make time for their friends. After all, their friends really are their family. He and Lily arrive at the bar and stay until closing time. They end up hearing about the gang's problems, and it brings back the old days. Everything is going great, until the next morning. Baby Marvin wakes everyone up with his tears, but Ted tells Marshall and Lily to go back to bed. They will take care of him. He and Robin tend to the baby, but Barney manages to escape through the front door. At the end of the episode, Lily and Marshall agree that they want Marvin to stay in the family. If anything happens to them, he will go to all three of their close friends.
