Three Days of Snow
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| "Three Days of Snow" |
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"Three Days of Snow" is the 13th episode in the fourth season of the television series How I Met Your Mother. It originally aired on January 19, 2009.
Summary
Ted and Barney live their dream of owning a bar when they are given the keys to MacLaren's to impress some college girls. Marshall and Lily try to give up on their tradition of him meeting her at the airport, but soon decide that's not what they want, and Robin helps Marshall get to the airport. Meanwhile, an enormous snow-storm arrives in New York, causing chaos for all.
Plot
Ted and Barney set up dates with two young women in a band (Barney repeatedly pulling aside Ted to insist that he not be specific in his plans), planning to meet back at MacLaren's the next night. The next night, with a huge snow storm outside, they sit alone at the bar, waiting for the girls. Barney and Ted beg Carl the bartender to be left in charge of the bar for the rest of the night, as Carl has charity work to attend to. The girls finally show up, along with their "band," which is actually the Arizona Tech Marching Band, filling the bar with dozens of rowdy college students. After being overwhelmed with bartending, and a call from Carl telling them he was returning, Ted and Barney quickly direct the band upstairs to their apartment to continue partying. The band members are very grateful.
Lily and Marshall reflect on a tradition of Lily bringing a six-pack of beer with her every time she returns from a trip, meeting Marshall at the airport. The couple had decided to end the tradition, but both soon change their minds. First, Marshall gets Robin to drive him to the airport in the midst of a huge snowstorm, arguing with her about the importance of traditions in relationships. They get trapped on the side of the road after a snow plow covers them in snow, but they eventually get to the airport terminal. When they arrive, Lily is not there. Marshall realizes that that day's lunchtime phonecall ritual between himself and Lily had been in a voicemail Lily had left to inform Marshall that her flight was cancelled. Marshall had ignored the call because he felt that all of their traditions were slipping away and that it was a natural progression of their relationship to let their rituals die. Lily's plane has been grounded and will arrive in New York in 2 days (the episode runs Marshall and Lily's stories parallel to imply that they are on the same day).
Meanwhile, after realizing she wants to continue the tradition, Lily panics and tries to find some microbrew beer to give to Marshall. Arriving at the airport an hour early, she encounters Ranjit, and they drive to a local liqour store, only to find that the store only has a keg instead of six-pack. She treks back to the airport, only to find no Marshall. Suddenly, airport residents start playing marching band instruments to the tune of Auld Lang Syne, and Marshall emerges to greet Lily. The players are the marching band from earlier in the episode, following up on their promise to return the favor.
Music
- "Kokomo" by The Beach Boys
- Auld Lang Syne
Trivia
- There is no school named Arizona Tech in Arizona. The three main schools in the state are Arizona State University, University of Arizona, and Northern Arizona University.
- The scene where Ted is talking about the five words every man eventually says in his life, one of them is Marshall saying "I can jump that far" from the season finale.
- The extreme pullback at the end of the teaser puts MacLaren's and Ted’s apartment at around 90th Street & 10th Ave. Of course this same pullback reveals the snow storm to be approximately 3000 miles in diameter and heading in the opposite direction of prevailing winds, so the viewer can draw their own conclusions as to its accuracy.
External links
- "Three Days of Snow" at TV.com