How I Met Your Mother: Noretta

Or, The One With the Best Guests

As the show opens, Ted's VO tells us that Barney's brother James (guest #1!) came to visit and with the addition of Nora and Kevin, there's no room in the booth at MacLaren's. As Nora excuses herself to use the "loo" (because then she can have a seat to herself), Barney asks the crew to ask him where he's going tonight. Of course, no one responds, until newcomer Kevin asks. "Bootytown"! hoots Barney (who, thankfully is still wearing the Ducky Tie), which is then followed by lots of name twists, but ends when Nora returns to tell Barney they are going ice skating (that's not what he thought their special night would involve, so James quickly tells Barney that he'll be going to Hand Central Station (haha!). Until Nora tells him that they are going to shag afterwards.


James informs the gang that he doesn't like Nora because she's too much like his and Barney's mom, cue flashbacks of Francis Conroy (guest #2!) speaking in a British accent, because she had a thing for Julie Andrews. James takes us through a series of bits contrasting Nora and Loretta, including Nora calling Barney "sweet boy" while hugging his neck and rubbing his back three times. Ew, James pictures Barney kissing his mom. Kevin the therapist chimes in that we all seek people like our parents and that is why he is likely to marry someone who thinks his brother is better then he is. Gotta love the therapist with mommy issues.

Marshall explains that he and Lily don't have sex anymore because she feels gross. Marshall tries to explain that he thinks she's still sexy, but everything he says makes it worse.

At the ice skating rink, Barney is equating ice cream with sex in front of some little kid. Inappropriate, even for Barney. Nora falls and loses and tooth, but Barney "turns it around" and takes her to a 24 hour dentist/tatoo parlor/tailor in Chinatown. But now Nora has a gold tooth, not to worry because Barney will turn it around, until Barney turns around from air guitaring and sees a huge rat on Nora's head. So, Barney takes Nora back to his place so she can take a bath.

Back at the bar, Ted tells Robin that he thought it was weird that Kevin was standing in the apartment in just his boxers. Robin tells Kevin. Turns out, Kevin was in his boxers because he spilled coffee on himself when Ted walked across the apartment in his robe and Kevin saw his junk.

At Marshall and Lily's apartment, Marshall comes up with a board game (Chutes and Lilys) to explain that she's still sexy. But, as we know, Lily's dad (guest star #3!) is a board game inventor (Diseases, anyone?). So, now, Lily is ickily picturing Marshall as her dad.

Barney's apartment: Things seem to be turning around, until some dude jumps out of his window.

Ted and Robin's apartment: Ted joins Robin and Kevin on the couch with a DVD, about coin collecting. When Robin gives Ted a massage, Kevin starts to freak out.

Marshall and Lily's: Marshall starts to picture Lily as his dad (Twist!).

Barney's: Nora starts singing "My Favorite Things". Barney starts picturing Nora as his mom.

Ted and Robin's: Kevin freaks out more when Ted invites Robin to a Weird Al concert. But then it turns out that Ted invited everyone he could think of to the concert first (dry cleaning guy!). Kevin claims to be a huge Weird Al fan. Turns out he's not.

MacLaren's: Now, Ted starts using Weird Al songs in conversation and claims that "Like A Surgeon" was his idea. Barney tells the gang that he pictured Nora as his mom, but he "turned it around". No, literally, he turned. it. around. And went to Booty Town anyway. Ick. Everyone, but Ted, heads out and a girl approaches Ted to talk about Weird Al. He offers to buy her a drink, she asks for champagne, "sweet pea". Huh? Ted is confused. Wait, the girl looks like Ted's mom (guest star #5!). Oh well, Ted goes with it anyway.

Tag: It's 1985 and Weird Al is reading fan letters. He starts to read 8-year-old Ted's letter, get to the bottom, read "Like a Surgeon", light bulb goes on and he starts singing. Guess it was Ted's idea.

Okay, not sure where the Weird Al love letter came from. But it was amusing. All in all, this had all the hallmarks of a filler episode. This episode did nothing at all to move the story along. Ted didn't have a date, he didn't even teach a class. There was a little movement in some other relationships, Barney and Nora to Booty Town and Kevin seem to be a little closer to the gang. But, no question. we're waiting for next week, till we get to the Slutty Pumpkin's return, a gift to the show long-time watchers. Can't wait to see the return of the hanging chad costume!