I have come to expect a lot from Halloween episodes, but this week’s How I Met Your Mother was more trick than treat.

Now, it wasn’t like finding a razor blade in your Snickers bar, but a great opportunity to have the cast dressed in some amazing costumes was missed.  Even Barney’s Cobra Kai outfit seemed predictable and lacked that special something I have come to expect from this show.

When the episode concluded, I reacted like Robin did in her Neat & Discreet commercial: letting out a sigh of relief and saying "ahhh."

There were just too many attempted jokes that missed their mark and too much Mosby to make this a memorable episode. Jennifer Morrison was back and someone needed to tell her that slouchy hats were so 2009.  Her encore performance as Zoey was terribly hackneyed and only made Ted’s classroom scenes more unbearable.

Was I the only one who was expecting the opening scene where Ted was wearing the hot dog costume and was liked by his students to be a dream? Everything from the repeated use of the car alarm sound to the lines about the hacky sack circle with Professor Bros-by just seemed to come across flatter than a bottle of “Wharmpess.”

The episode was not without merit, though. The nod to the Walk of Shame parade was well done.

Also worth noting was the performance of Randy by Will Forte. Randy getting nosebleeds every time he got an erection was amazing.  I also had to take my hat off to the writers for their Godfather movie reference, as Lily put the stuffed horse head under Johnny Marley’s blanket during naptime. This was an example of a joke I could not refuse laughing at.

While Becky’s commercial for the Farhampton Boat Show was well done, were we really supposed to believe Robin would sign up for that adult pampers spot? This is the woman who a week ago walked into Barney’s bedroom, samurai sword in hand, confidently stating “I got this.”

While she did look incredible in that nurse’s uniform - “Florence Night-in-bed-with-a-stranger,” as Barney called her - I felt like the scene was yet another missed opportunity for hilarity. Maybe I’m just coming off my sugar high from the left over candy, but I have come to expect more from Robin. Overall, the episode reminded me of the old lady on my block who used to give out pennies each year instead of candy. The intent was there, but it lacked follow through and execution.

Browse through a few winning quotes from the half hour below:

Robin: God, your nose is bleeding like a faucet
Randy: Yeah, I'm sorry this happens every time I get an erection. | permalink

Barney: I'll say this, there is no quit in that guy. You should fire him. | permalink

Becky: BOATS! BOATS! BOATS! It's the Far Hampton Boat Show!!! | permalink

Arthur: I care about high yield off shore investments and so does Tugboat here. | permalink

Barney: I love the office Halloween party, it is so much sluttier than the office Christmas Party, though not as freaky as the office Presidents Day rave. | permalink