AV Club Review - 7.19

[kit_kat1721]

This is a review of episode 7.19 that I actually thought was pretty interesting. I know we normally don't post episode reviews, but I thought it was worth a read, especially what is said about Barney.

Comments

[lisalalalisa]

I love the part about Barney/Quinn not being "an affair of the heart". I think that's the perfect way to put it.

I also didn't connect any dots with Peter Pan, but there could be something there. Barney has definitely been a Peter Pan, even though he really isn't anymore.

[spikesaa]

Really interesting review. Thanks for posting. It is also nice to see some one who isn't quite so B/R obsessed having this interpretation of Quinn and B/Q.

[brandyleigh]

I always like reading Donna's reviews - they often give me a new perspective I hadn't necessarily thought about, or she just confirms that I'm not crazy for thinking the way I do.

I do think it's interesting that Donna thinks we weren't given any reasons to like Quinn, and that Quinn plotting to make the gang look foolish and cause chaos among them is the show's way of presenting her as an antagonist. I just finished watching the episode a few minutes ago and I'm of two minds on this. I'd like to think Donna is right, and the show is not-so-subtly showing us that Quinn is bad news, even as they push the bride mystery hard. That said, I'm not completely sure that we're not just supposed to think "oh, the gang had it coming, they meddle too much, aren't Quinn and Barney cute playing a prank on everyone?"

[manda600]

I do agree with every word she wrote. I'm not familiar with this reviewer but I love her. I too think that the way the show is presenting Quinn is not even attempting to make her like-able but is setting her up as a kind of antagonist while at the same time trying to make us think she might manipulate Barney into becoming the bride. Why have her be so mean to Barney's friends and set out to make fools of them instead of get into their good graces and be a part of the group, especially when this is the little family we've been conditioned to like and feel protective of for 7 seasons

[brandyleigh]

You should read her reviews on a regular basis - she has some great insights! She wants Barney and Robin to end up together, too, so that's always a plus

[brolove4ever]

Loved this article! Love the writer! Since she is a B/R shipper, then I love her even more! :)

[birdlips]

I agree with this review a lot. B/Q does lack genuine feelings. They have fun together, but it all feels so immature and short-lived, like a summer affair

[bucanadian82]

Yeah the part that really irritated me at the end when it turned out to just be a play was Marshall and Lily thinking B/Q were this great match now just because they ran a play together and enjoyed the chaos. I didn't even think they really liked Barney's plays, especially one as extreme as that. I thought they liked his maturity the past 2 years and the fact he doesn't want to always play games with people anymore. That part seriously confused me, although I think the writers basically sacrificed M/L characters to play up the bride mystery. Now that we assume the gang is on board there are more chances for Quinn to possibly be the bride. But IMO they did so by making M/L out of character and them seeming to not care how much Barney has grown since season 5-6. Again I feel like they are depicting Barney as one dimensional and just the fun womanizing play making cad instead of a mature emotionally developed character. Which is sadly why I think so many of the Barney fans love Quinn and B/Q together because that way he doesn't have to

[manda600]

I take anything Marshall and Lily say or do with a grain of salt at this point. The writers seem to just be using them as a mouthpiece for whatever their current agenda is even if it doesn't fit with how their characters would react.

They should have been all over Robin on Valentine's Day weekend for even thinking about marrying Kevin. It was far too soon and it was obviously not right between them, plus she knew B/R had the kind of chemistry that doesn't go away. I know people say maybe she just thought Robin moved on, but come on, anyone could see that the R/K relationship was weird and uncomfortable and clearly one-sided. Yet they actually were rooting for her to say 'yes'. It was very unlike Lily, very OOC.

The normal Lily of old would have probably scolded Barney for playing with them all the way he did in 7.19. She would not think it makes him and Quinn such a great match. She'd be telling him why it was wrong and why he should be better than that.

[birdlips]

Exactly! The writers have gotten so caught up in the whole bride mystery that they don't mind using M/L as plot devices anymore. I just want the whole thing to be over so that the gang can go back to being actual characters instead of tools to manipulate viewers.

Lily has always been very insightful and intuitive about the relationships around her, especially those of her friends. She knows what would work and what wouldn't and why. And rarely does she just go with whatever B/R/T decide for themselves, since they always do the wrong things out of immaturity before they snap out of it and listen to Lily. It just confuses me that she's remained silent for so long and not meddled at all this season, except for the first episode. I get that she has her pregnancy, but even the pregnancy gets glossed over by the writers. The absence of her character just upsets the balance of the show, imo.

What a nightmare.

[lovelyshar]

I aboslutely love this review it's very insightful and very honest. This article tells me that this reviewers is on Barney's side and still think he's going to get broken all over again cause Quinn is still using and messing with him. It's actually what I think will happen and it's sad cause Barney has been through so much not just this season but in his life and having Quinn walk all over him is really scary and hurtful to those who care about Barney