What is this, a crossover episode? Yes, I watched TWO mid-series episodes of two mid-to-late-'00s primetime network television sitcoms. How I Met Your Mother was only seven episodes into its run by the time "Grannies Gone Wild" premiered on November 11, 2005. By the time HIMYM got to its own fifth season, Reba had been done for about four years. This meant that JoAnna Garcia Swisher was available for a guest spot, as one of Ted Mosby's many, many love interests.
This is the intel I received from PoYB contributor Keelan: Garcia Swisher had a role in an episode of HIMYM, and the guy her character eventually ends up with was played by her real life husband, Nick Swisher.
This was incorrect, but honestly, the actor (Michael Spellman) and Nick Swisher aren't THAT far apart in terms of looks.
Still, it was worth watching "The Window" just to see JoAnna in a different situation than trapped in a shitty marriage and dolling up old ladies. It was refreshing. (It was also cool seeing her with as a brunnette! Still looking great!) This is despite the fact that she wasn't really given much to do in this particular episode of television, mainly serving as a plot device for sad sack Schmosby. This is also despite the fact that How I Met Your Mother has aged like fine dogshit; I can see myself coming around to the idea of this fine actress having sex with a New York Yankee, but if she had had sex with Barney Stinson, I might have had to do something drastic.
I am also really glad I watched "The Window," because there were three insane similarities to "Grannies Gone Wild," to the point that I honestly thought someone was fucking with me.
First, the most pedestrian: each of these episodes are pretty much the same number episode in their respective series at #98. Yes, "Grannies Gone Wild" is technically listed as Episode 100, but Season 2's "Ring-a-Ding" was a two-parter, and Season 3's "She's Leaving Home, Bye Bye" was a two-parter, and both are listed as two separate episodes on the numbered list. So combine them, and "Grannies Gone Wild" is #98. Just that alone is weird, but it gets weirder.
In a flashback, we see Marshall as a teenager writing a letter to his future 30-year-old self, and one of the requests that teen Marshall makes of his adult self is that he is still calling himself "Vanilla Thunder." If you'll recall, Barbara Jean also had a nickname as a teenager that was eerily similar—"White Thunder." I speculated that BJ's nickname had something to do with racial politics in Texas, but Marshall grew up in Minnesota, on the complete opposite pole of the country. What are the chances? But it gets weirder.
The end of "The Window" features a now-30-year-old Marshall writing a letter to his 60-year-old future self. 30yo Marshall says something along the lines of "if time travel exists, show me a sign," and then the waitress immediately brings him over a complimentary baskets of hot wings. The camera finds 60-year-old Marshall in the back of the bar (having time-traveled, I guess), which is really just Jason Segel in old person makeup. Sound familiar?!?! The only thing that could've been weirder is if he said "oh crap" and died of a heart attack right there at McLaren's Pub.
Yes, I know that I'm seeing "Grannies Gone Wild" coincidences everywhere this summer, but c'mon, these coincidences are too big to ignore.
No comments:
Post a Comment