The Front Porch

This article's lead section may be too short to adequately summarize the key points. Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of all important aspects of the article. (May 2014)

"The Front Porch" is the 17th episode in the fourth season of the television series How I Met Your Mother and 81st overall. It originally aired on March 16, 2009.

Plot

After Robin gets upset about the gang not watching her show, they all agree to watch Robin's 4:00am talk show. Ted informs them that Karen broke up with him after finding Robin's earring in his bed. Ted discovers the matching earring on Marshall's dresser and mutes the television to confront Marshall, believing him to have sabotaged his relationship. Lily confesses that she was the saboteur, as she had been in some of Ted's prior relationships, including with Robin. She justifies her actions using the "Front Porch Test"—an indication of how they would all live together once they grow old. Scenes are shown of Marshall, Lily and Ted in the far future playing bridge, their interactions with Ted's potential partner driving Lily's present actions.

Robin returns home to learn that her friends missed her event-filled broadcast due to the argument, involving her giving a heartfelt tribute to her friends, dousing her co-anchor with a fire extinguisher after he catches fire, administering

Marshall wears a nightshirt to the pajama party to watch Robin's show, while Barney wears a silk suit. Barney insists his clothing choice is superior, citing the possibility of attractive women coming to his home at night and seeing how good he looks, but then admits how unlikely that is and uncomfortable the "suitjamas" are. Marshall convinces Barney to try a nightshirt instead. Barney and Marshall delight in their nightshirts, having a dream about flying together in them. Barney starts wearing nightshirts to sleep. A week later, an attractive woman shows up at his apartment at night but, upon seeing his nightshirt, she decides to leave, much to Barney's chagrin.

Critical response

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (May 2014)

Donna Bowman of The A.V. Club rated the episode with a grade A.^[1]

Michelle Zoromski of IGN gave the episode 8.9 out of 10.^[2]

Cindy McLennan of Television Without Pity rated the episode with a grade A+.^[3]

Cultural references

Marshall imagines flying over New York in his night gown exactly the same way The Dude (

Lily's militaristic speech about secretly breaking Ted up with past girlfriends for his own good, while Ted demands to know if Lily was responsible for him and Robin breaking up, is reminiscent of Jack Nicholson and Tom Cruise's explosive exchange in the climax of A Few Good Men.

References