Why Are Those Even Together?

 The Cleveland Show, S04E10

 Cleveland got his parents tickets to a George Clinton and P-Funk All Stars concert after Freight Train failed to show up to the special anniversary dinner Cookie arranged.  Feeling neglected by her husband,  Cookie suddenly ran off with George Clinton shortly after meeting him on the stage.  Freight Train tried to hide his feelings about that by declaring her dead to him.  Junior also lost the floor model he had used to play "office," so he faked his way into a job at a real office.

I don't know how many times we can see a story about FT and Cookie before it's just been overdone (it's about there for me already).  FT has been screwing around on Cookie for years, and she always takes him back.  Granted, this time it looked like Cookie was living a pretty sweet life with George Clinton, but I think even after a while she would have gotten bored with it and wanted her neglectful husband back.  FT, despite him going to the trouble of making a funk band to win Cookie back, is never going to change.  So he broke up with some (I know he couldn't have possibly called all of his women) of his cheating partners--we all know that next time we see him, he'll be back to his old tricks.  He just wouldn't be FT, otherwise.  So watching the story I was just waiting for it to be over, so FT could go back to treating his wife like crap again.  Waste of a story.

There were a few parts that I liked, though.  One was just that we got to hear George Clinton's music.  It has been so long since I've heard it.  It gave me a nice nostalgic feeling.  I wished they could have used more of it throughout.

I also liked some lines.  The first was when Freight Train was trying to report to the police that Cookie had been kidnapped, and they doubted that someone who wasn't that great like FT hadn't driven her away:

[Freight Train] Come on, Cleveland.  Once again, police are no help to a black man.
[Cop] We are both black, sir.
[Freight Train] All cops are white on the inside!

I liked this line because it's a good example of someone playing the race card when it's not valid at all.  I sort of like when people do that jokingly, as in this story, but not if they are for real.  Then they just sound ignorant.

The last line I liked was when Cleveland was telling FT to go win his woman back and kept talking about the cheeseburger he was going to eat.  He kept changing his mind about how he was going to eat it until he finally decided:

And I'm going to have a cheeseburger.  And you know what, no tomatoes.  Actually, avocado.  That's a good fat.  Like me.

 In Junior's story, there wasn't much that I particularly liked.  It was just weird that he managed to slip into an office, unhired, and got promoted for a job he didn't even know about.  This was evident when he first got to the office, stapled a file and then shredded it for no reason.  Junior's just lucky that his chunky frame makes him look older than he does. 

Oh, and it was really stupid of him to pay for Roberta to be his wife.  Roberta is such a waste of space most of the time, and she proved that by going off on Junior at the picnic.  And really, what was the point of her doing that?  If she had agreed to help Junior and got paid, why did she need to embarrass him and risk jeopardizing his fake job?  I really wished he had used that fist to punch her across the face.  Rallo was okay.  He just needed a swing and he was cool.  Haha.

I didn't really like this episode.  I don't need to see any more stories about FT upsetting Cookie and then managing to win her back for some reason.  In reality, it would be a much better story if they both just agreed to stop acting like the worst couple in the world (or divorced).  Unfortunately, the side story about Junior was also lacking.  It didn't really add anything to the episode beyond stressing the fact that fantasy and reality are one in the same for Junior.  It was a little interesting, but nowhere near funny.

Stone Cold Slytherin

How I Met Your Mother, S08E13

Barney had a hard time asking Robin's father for permission to marry her.  Robin was shocked that her father was not only more relaxed and fun, but had gotten married without telling her.  Ted and Lily fought over whether Barney and Robin should have a DJ or a band for the wedding.

This isn't much related to the story, but I felt like Robin was recovering from a cold the whole time and it sort of distracted me.  I mean, she didn't sound like a frog or anything, but she definitely sounded like she might need to clear her throat or something.  Must be difficult to be sick when you have to use your voice constantly.

Anyway, I might have never noticed how funny Robin's father was until now.  He was definitely my favorite part of the whole episode.  Before he even showed up Ted and Marshall were saying such funny things about him:

[Ted] Dude’s a stone cold Slytherin.
[Marshall] He always looks like he just came from slapping some guy tied to a chair in a back room.

I don't even like Harry Potter and Ted's line still has been chuckling to myself.  They set me up to expect to see some really scary guy appearing (I had forgotten what the man looks like), and Robin's dad didn't disappoint.

I loved his hard, intense expressions, especially when he was looking at Barney.  Barney's not exactly the bravest guy around, but I still liked seeing him sweat in the presence of Robin's dad.  Barney didn't look that good with dark hair, but it was really funny that he felt the need to do that after Robin's dad evaluated Barney's appearance:

This is Barney?  This man is blond.  Grown men are not blond.

Of all the things you could find wrong with Barney, that would be at the end of my list.  If he's bothered by just the surface of Barney, he's going to have a field day with what's underneath that blonde hair and expensive suits.

I wonder how, as terrified as Barney was of his future father-in-law, he was able to get the man to apologize to Robin?  Maybe now that he's married to someone like Carol, he's able to access some of those feelings that he's neglected all those years he raised Robin.  I thought they might say what Barney did, but that was left up to our imaginations.

I was also wondering why Ted was so set on a DJ throughout the episode.  I knew what Lily's deal was--she just wanted to be part of the planning and show that she knew what was best for the wedding.  I don't know why I didn't think it was because he was still stuck up on Robin.  For the love of everything, Ted--let it go.  I get that his love for Robin is deep, but he really looks so damn pathetic.  I believed him when he had accepted that Robin wouldn't be his and had really let her go.  Instead he was just fooling everyone, even himself.  Come on, Ted.  When are you gonna pick yourself up and stop grasping at straws?

There was a glimmer of hope in Ted's ridiculous battle for the DJ--they revealed that Ted would finally meet his future wife at Robin and Barney's wedding.  She'll be the bassist in the band, and we even got a sneak peek at her arm.  It's frustrating that this fated meeting is further down the road, but at least we know it's semi-soon.  We most likely won't have to wait another season to find out at least what she looks like.  There will be plenty of stories left once he does meet her because just because they met doesn't mean they'll fall in love in a second.  Especially with Ted, I think it'll take a lot before any woman decides to spend a lifetime with him.  He's a mess and even with the girl of his dreams, that'll never change.

The part where Marshall got "confetti" all over his face was so gross, but a little funny.  I would have vomited to see what actually flew out of little Marvin's behind, so I'm glad they had a cute way of conveying that.  I'm just glad that something came out of Marshall and Lily complaining about Marvin being constipated.  I just didn't think it was going to be the confetti explosion in Marshall's face.

This episode wouldn't have been half as good if Robin's father wasn't in it.  I couldn't stop laughing at his cold, dead-serious stares at everyone, especially Barney.  As for Ted, I just felt bad for him as usual that he can't commit to the things he's resolved to do or feel.  I think he's had more than enough time to get over Robin and truly be happy for Barbin finally becoming a thing.  Hurry up and get on the Barbin train, Ted!

More Enemies Than You Can Shake A Hook At

Once Upon A Time, S02E04

Rumpelstiltskin went looking for Belle after she disappeared from his home.  Belle found her father after being "kidnapped."  Rumpelstiltskin's past was also revealed, concerning the fate of his ex-wife.

At first, I had no idea why they were showing us Rump's past because I hadn't really thought about his wife at all.  But it was incredibly interesting to see him as his former self, which was a man who was too cowardly to even fight (even though his opponent was a pirate captain) for his wife.  It all tied into his current self, who despite having so much power, was still too cowardly to be open with Belle to have a significant relationship with her.  They do a nice job of tying things together, for the most part, so I don't have to feel like they are throwing in extra stories for the sake of a story.

I was definitely very interested in Rump's past story when I found out that he had lost his wife not to some illness or something, but to an attractive and thrilling pirate his wife happened to meet.  And of course, when Rump met Hook again as "The Dark One" it was so good!  I mean, it was really unfair that he was fighting Hook with all that magic he had at his command, but I just loved him getting back at both Hook and his wife who didn't have the decency to tell him that she was leaving him for another man.  Even still, I never thought he would rip out her heart.  That was pretty badass.  Then he also chopped off Hook's hand, which was expected.  Even though I was rooting for Rump in this episode, it was poetic justic that the hand he had sliced off didn't contain the magic bean he had sought.  Can't win them all.

It's also interesting that Hook has teamed up with Regina's mother.  Wow.  Never saw that coming.  So not only will Storybrooke have to deal with that bitch, but they will also have Hook running about.  That's going to make things really heat up and possibly get Rump and Regina to stop playing the roles of the local villains.

Another thing that tickled me during this episode was when it was just so evident that Rump has a long list of enemies that goes way beyond Hook and those we've seen.  I just loved when Charming was helping Rump out and pointed out that few townspeople wanted to help him because he's made all of their lives unpleasant at one point or the other.  In particular, there was a butcher who was pissed at him because he had turned his father into a pig.  But Rump being Rump, he didn't have the slightest memory of him.  I doubt he'll be like that when he meets up with Hook again.  I don't know what tricks Hook might have learned in Neverland, but hopefully he has some kind of power that can give Rump a run for his money.

Speaking of Neverland, I am confused as to why Smee is in Storybrooke, but Hook is not.  How did that come about?  And I'm also weary of them bringing up Neverland, in fear that Peter Pan might pop up one day.  Ugh.  I'm tolerating Hook because they've worked him into the story so well, but I'm not going to be so keen if that little boy in tights shows up.  Haha.

Anyway, I'm a little happy that Rump was able to share his past a little bit with Belle and she seems willing to give his evil ass another chance.  He doesn't really deserve pity, but he did stop her from being mind wiped and gave her a place to work (and possibly live outside of his walls).  They are a weird couple, but most of the time I want to see them together because it's a rare chance to see Rump in a softer light.

Loved this episode.  It could be my favorite yet.  I'm definitely looking forward to just watching this episode again as much as I am to know what might develop next.  All I have to say is that I was so engaged in this story that I didn't give a damn that we didn't get to see Emma and Snow at all.  But they better get back to that story next time because I'm curious to know what their backup plan is to get home.