The Naked Truth (How I Met Your Mother)

"The Naked Truth (How I Met Your Mother)"

"The Naked Truth" is the second episode of the seventh season of the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother, and the 138th episode overall. It originally aired on September 19, 2011.

Plot

Marshall is still hungover after Punchy's wedding, and makes a "sweeping declaration" to permanently stay sober. Future Ted says that Marshall's "sweeping declarations" typically don't work. While at Ted's apartment, he receives a call from Garrison Cootes, a partner at one of the biggest environmental law firms in America. He tells Marshall that the company is "very interested," and will accept him after an extensive background check. The danger of a background check concerns Marshall, who fears that an online video of him streaking through Wesleyan calling himself "Beercules" could result in Garrison dropping the job offer. He tries to convince the uploader, Pete Durkensen, an old college acquaintance, to remove the video. However, Marshall ends up getting drunk and streaking again and another "Beercules" video is uploaded. Pete's refusal to take it down prompts Lily to blackmail him with certain information that she can tell to women who dated him in college. Eventually, Garrison does see the video and calls Marshall that he's hired - the video is not an issue with him.

Thinking about a date with Nora, Barney appears to the gang in crutches and a leg cast, with the aim of using it to gain sympathy from her. He meets Nora at a 24-hour diner, where he is forced to explain to her all the plays he ever made on women, the worst of which irks a woman in another booth whom Barney hit on in the past. Nora leaves, still angry at Barney for lying to her. To prove to Nora that he will never lie to her again, Barney vows not to leave the diner until she agrees to a second date. The gang eats at the diner nine hours later and sees Barney wake up. He refuses to make an order several times, and true to his word, does stay at the diner the whole time, which convinces Nora when she comes back.

Ted capitalizes on him being featured in New York magazine to meet women who get a copy of the issue at newsstands. He befriends 16 people, 13 of them being women, and dates two women from amongst them on separate occasions. With Lily and Robin's help, he is forced to decide on one whom he will take to the exclusive "Architect's Ball." Robin thinks that the event will be boring, but drops hints about an interest to become Ted's date when he claims Lenny Kravitz will be at the event (she is an avid fan of the rock star). Ted winds up taking Robin to the gala, where she discovers that the Lenny Kravitz Ted was referring to is an old architect. Disgusted, Robin leaves the party. Future Ted tells his kids that a person will know for sure about falling in love "pretty quickly and with absolute certainty." While looking at the gala guests, he sees Victoria arranging cupcakes at a table and they establish eye contact.

Music

• "Victoria" by The Kinks

Continuity

• Victoria last appeared in the Season 1 episode "Nothing Good Happens After 2 A.M." when she appears to Ted regarding his decision to break up with her.
• Nora is angry at Barney for lying to her about his intentions, detailed in the Season 6 episode "A Change of Heart".
• After Marshall declares that he will never drink again, again, a flash to Marshall drunk and gambling is seen. Beside Marshall at the table is a stunned Barney, wearing a tie with ducks. The ducky tie was referenced in the Season 7 premiere "The Best Man" and is the title of the following episode "Ducky Tie".
• Ted uses a yellow legal pad to write down a list of pros and cons. He previously did this this in the Season 3 episode "I'm Not That Guy".
• In his conversation with Nora, Barney uses a lisp voice to describe a successful attempt at seducing a lesbian. He used this same lisp during his attempts to pick up a lesbian in the season 4 episode "I Heart NJ".

Cultural references

• Barney claims that he hurt himself while performing in Man of La Mancha and Fiddler on the Roof.
• Barney quotes Black Swan :"if I only cast the white swan, the role will be yours".
• Barney also quotes As Good as it gets :"you make me want to be a better person" (spoken by Jack Nicholson's character)

Critical response

Donna Bowman graded the episode at B. It premiered to 12.22 million viewers, currently the show's second biggest audience only behind 2005's "The Pineapple Incident".