The Sexless Innkeeper (12 Oct. 2009)

When Lily and Marshall realize that Robin and Barney are the perfect double-date friends, they try too hard to impress and come on too strong. Meanwhile, Ted gets a new nickname from Barney after an unsuccessful hook-up.

Director:

Pamela Fryman

Writers:

Carter Bays (creator), Craig Thomas (creator),

Stars:

Josh Radnor, Jason Segel, Cobie Smulders

Cast

Episode credited cast:
Josh Radnor	...	Ted Mosby
Jason Segel	...	Marshall Eriksen
Cobie Smulders	...	Robin Scherbatsky
Neil Patrick Harris	...	Barney Stinson
Alyson Hannigan	...	Lily Aldrin
Marshall Manesh	...	Ranjit
Julianna Guill	...	Maiden
Sarah Edwards	...	Suzy
Trey Ellett	...	Paul
Nikea Gamby-Turner	...	Hostess
Maura McCarthy	...	Shea
Kristen Lapari	...	Geri (as Kristen Sullivan)
K.T. Tatara	...	Py
Phillip Wilburn	...	Joe
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
William Ngo	...	Chinese Delivery Boy

Storyline

Marshall and Lily are excited that Robin and Barney are dating as they now have friends who are a couple with who they can double date. Marshall and Lily don't have such friends because, unknown to them, they, to use Ted's vernacular, suck at being couples friends since they are so intense about making it a good time. Barney and Robin have no idea into what they are entering when they accept Marshall and Lily's invitation to spend a couples night at their place. After what they consider the worst night of their lives on that couples night, Robin and Barney don't have the heart to tell Marshall and Lily. After Robin and Barney eventually dump Marshall and Lily as their double dating friends, they are the ones who end up feeling shunned by the consequences. Meanwhile, Ted is sporting a new look - tweed - to make him look more professorial. He believes it is making him more attractive to the ladies. But when his latest "conquest" leaves the next morning, Barney believes that that look ...

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 October 2009 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

20th Century Fox Television, Bays Thomas Productions

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

itwasthebestnightever.com is an actual internet page featuring photos from the double date night and a black and white video of Jason Segel performing the song "Best Night Ever".

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Goofs

When Marshall and Lily are looking for couples to hang out with, it shows them living in the apartment they bought but they didn't move in until much later.

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Quotes

Barney Stinson: We're sorry we haven't been returning your calls, and we respect you too much to give you the old song-and-dance, so here's the truth. The US Navy has found intelligent life at the bottom of the ocean, and for reasons too complicated to explain, Robin and I have been chosen to lead the expedition.
Lily Aldrin: That's just like the kind of line you give your dates when you want to dump them.
Marshall Eriksen: But if it's true, that would be awesome.

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Soundtracks

"All By Ourselves"
Written by 'Eric Carmen'
Performed by 'Hayley Taylor and The 88'

User Reviews

Infuriating.

I really didn't enjoy this episode. I have recently been watching the entire Box Set from Season 1 through to where the show is in Season 7, and my hatred for Lily's character has slowly been building. I'm usually very perturbed by the control freak dynamic in any TV show anyway, so this may not apply to everybody, but I found Lily to be very annoying in this episode especially.

Barney and Robin are an absolute train wreck of a couple; they both hate relationships, loathe commitment, have serious childhood abandonment issues and will look for any and every reason to avoid commitment.

So after waiting 9/10 months for Robin and Barney to finally stop looking for reasons not to admit their feelings to each other, Lily is euphoric when the two finally do concede that they love each other. And how does she celebrate this?, she invites them to an incredibly awkward, incredibly forward night that displays EVERYTHING that Barney and Robin hate about relationships and gives the couple a massive reason NOT to be together. Lily and Marshall then react, whence realising Robin and The Barnicle didn't enjoy the evening, as if they are the couple that has been mistreated. Lily then dumps Robin and Barney without so much as a phone call and plays right into the pair's issues of abandonment.

I appreciate it's just a TV show and the writers will never be able to fill in all the grey areas and plot holes that do emerge if you look closely enough, but it really is frustrating to watch a character that is so adamant that they are always right, they become so oblivious to the things they do wrong.