TV.com

How I Met Your Mother

Benefits

Season 4, Episode 12, Aired 1/12/09

Next
Episode Previous
Episode

EDIT

Episode Summary

Robin and Ted explore "friends with benefits" while living together. Marshall has trouble with a few reality TV stars.

8.8

EPISODE RATING: Great

376 votes

Your Rating: 10

"Perfect"
Your Rating: 9.5

"Superb"
Your Rating: 9

"Superb"
Your Rating: 8.5

"Great"
Your Rating: 8

"Great"
Your Rating: 7.5

"Good"
Your Rating: 7

"Good"
Your Rating: 6.5

"Fair"
Your Rating: 6

"Fair"
Your Rating: 5.5

"Mediocre"
Your Rating: 5

"Mediocre"
Your Rating: 4.5

"Poor"
Your Rating: 4

"Poor"
Your Rating: 3.5

"Bad"
Your Rating: 3

"Bad"
Your Rating: 2.5

"Terrible"
Your Rating: 2

"Terrible"
Your Rating: 1.5

"Abysmal"
Your Rating: 1

"Abysmal"

Rate It

Watch Online

Cast & Crew

See All EDIT

Josh Radnor

Ted Mosby
Neil Patrick Harris

Barney Stinson
Alyson Hannigan

Lily Aldrin

Fan Episode Reviews (9)

See All

Robin and Ted become friends with benefits

9.0

"Superb"

By Jon_MW_14, Aug 24, 2011 Report Abuse

"Benefits" is a great How I Met Your Mother episode. In this episode, whenever Ted and Robin get into a fight, they just stop, and have sex instead. I love how Barney decides to solve all of Ted and Robin's problems and Ted figures out that Barney is in love with Robin. I love how Robin and Ted decide to stop having casual sex and saying "Someone would get hurt", and Robin thinks that Ted will get hurt, but when Ted says he means Barney will get hurt. I love how Barney says "I love you" to Robin and she thinks he's imitating Ted. I love Marshall's subplot of being ashamed of using the bathroom at work. I give this episode a 9/10.moreless

DO YOU AGREE?
1 0
One door closes

9.0

"Superb"

By sh811a, Jul 06, 2011 Report Abuse

Feelings are something that was never meant to be contained, like a wild animal their untamed and were always ment to be free.

Whats interesting about the episode is that even though Ted and Robin are the esential main characters of the episode, it really a Barney centered episode, he is both at his comical and humaine best. I'll admit I both laughed but at the same time felt sad for him, when he heard Ted and Robin having a physical relationship we can see it's causing him pain and he is just struggling to hold his feelings back, at times when Ted bragged Barney looked as though he wanted to punch him.

It was funny on the verbal side seeing him struggle to say his trademark work awsome as well as physical as he looks like he is about to explode he goes to the alley and throws down a bunch of outdated TVs.
But the funnest moment for me was seeing Barney talk to an unseen psychitrist and then smoke only to discover he's actually in Lily's kindergarden class where they to the talk about your feelings game.

The important lesson is to always tell the other how you feel or the anxiety will eat away at you. There was a turning point just as Lily knows his secret Ted knows it now and accepts it. That's probably not much but still it shows that the door truly is open for Barney and Ted has moved on.

My only problem with the episode that really held it back for me from giving it a higher score is the subplot with Marchall it's really lame and uninspired. The issue really wasn't a big deal which is why it wasn't that funny; the stunt casting cameo roles of the reality TV stars didn't help, personally I don't even know who the hell they are. May'be if they had actual famous TV/movie actors and actresses in those roles then that talking magazine gag might have been a little funnier instead of falling flat on it's face.

The ending I'll admit made me feel sad, Barney professed his love for Robin but his confession fell on deaf ears as Robin made a choice not to have any romatic relationships with friends. And we see the sadness in Barney's eyes knowing that a door has closed his future with Robin might be lost but also the first sign that Robin is starting to drift away from everyone.moreless

DO YOU AGREE?
11 1
awf..some

8.0

"Great"

By avi01, Jul 06, 2011 Report Abuse

HIMYM is back with a pretty good episode which however still had its dull moments. So far, season 4 has been weaker than the first 3 seasons but it is still a great show.
This episode had two storylines. The Barney-Ted-Robin situation and Marshall`s "reading a magazine" storyline.
Barney-Ted-Robin was great. Barney was like always on the top of his game. Of course, being in love with Robin changes the character a little but as far as he is still that funny, am ok with it. Still, I don`t think this should be dragged too much. Barney-Robin is much like Joey-Rachel in friends except that this time, it is not painful to watch (at least so far). I do think they might end getting together but will realize they don`t fit together or something like that...am not sure I want to see Barney in a long term relationship. The ending was perfect.
Now on to Marshall. I always found him funny but this season, his storylines are kinda weak. "Reading a magazine" was almost as bad as looking for the best burger thing. I get the joke and all but you can`t drag this through an episode. Marshall was still funny with the "Deals" tho.
Overall, a nice return for the show.moreless

DO YOU AGREE?
7 3
just know that if you like Barney, u will love this episode

9.5

"Superb"

By Re1gns, Jul 06, 2011 Report Abuse

well the marshall subplot about him having reading magazines was stupid, but the Barney, Ted, Robin triangle was genius. Congrats to NPH, his acting was flawless, it was perfect. I could literally see the pain in his eyes, and how hard he fights to hide it, and it really moved me. Barney was always my favorite character, he had the best personality, and was always underestimated in doing good acts, but he always comes through and does something amazing to help his friends pull through. (like when he runs through NY to see Ted after his car accident in like the end of season 3, but everyone thinks that he just hang up and didnt care. Or when he got lily and Marshall back together, when everyone thought he didnt care; well he does care, more than anyone else every does). I always thought robin was hot, and I remember thinking it would be awesome to see her and barney hook up instead of her and ted, in like season 2, it never really seemed possible, but how ted parts with robin in their "affairs" shows that he is actually over her, which really leaves the door wide open for Barney. Plus more people know of Barney's feelings for Robin, I'm convinced that like 2 episodes after everyone knows, excluding Robin, Barney will confess his feelings. So back to the episode, its important b/c it shows emotion and depth to Barney in great detail which hasn't really been done before. I was really moved by itmoreless

DO YOU AGREE?
3 1
Friends with benefits.

9.6

"Superb"

By Canogaparkcindy, Oct 15, 2010 Report Abuse

At first, I thought this episode as going to be a carbon copy of the episode from Seinfeld: "The Deal" in which Jerry & Elaine have the same arrangement Ted & Robin had, so I was kind of annoyed at first, but it definitely developed in to something of it's own. Robin & Ted have a great time for a while, and then Ted kisses her, then they break it off but then they end up sleeping together again. So they had an on & off friends with benefits relationship. Barney realizes he's still in love with Robin when he finds out about Ted & Robin. He tries to stop them from having sex by stopping them fight. Then Ted finally catches on after half a season. He confronts Barney if he has feelings for Robin, Barney of course denies it and storms out. But you can tell by the end that Ted knows that he's in love with her. Barney was about to admit it to Robin and he pretty much did, Robin just took it out of context, and even said it wasn't good to get involved with friends, (she was talking about her & Ted, but it implied for her & Barney as well). How long do we have to wait until Barney & Robin finally hook up again? The writers have been dragging out this plot long enough. I wasn't too sure what to think of Ted & Robin sleeping together again, I liked the couple but the plot did nothing for me regarding shipping. Maybe it was because it was casual. Meanwhile Lilly continues to help Barney with his Robin problems, and Marshall is afraid of using the toilet at work. He always gets a glance from all of his co-workers, and twice he catches Ted & Robin doing it when it was supposed to be a secret. I loved how he kept on saying, "Deal." In the end, he feels confident about going to the bathroom only to find out Barney had a bathroom in his office the whole time. Both great plots and we finally get some development. Enjoyablemoreless

DO YOU AGREE?
0 0

Write a Review

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

See All

Trivia
- Help by adding trivia to this episode. Add trivia
Notes
ADD NOTES
- The German episode title is "Sex mit der Ex", meaning "Sex with the Ex". The French title is "Petits arrangements entre amis", meaning "Little Arrangements Between Friends". The Italian title is "Amicizia e privilegi", meaning "Friendship and Benefits". Edit
- International Airdates: Australia: March 23, 2009 on Channel 7; Germany: January 9, 2010 on ProSieben; United Kingdom: February 25, 2010 on E4; Czech Republic: November 10, 2010 on Prima COOL Edit
- Music: "No More Wishing" by Hayley Taylor Edit
Quotes
ADD QUOTES
- Robin: (about the kiss) It was weird. Lily: I told you! When exes get involved, people always get hurt. But no one listens to me. Story of my life. My cuteness interferes with people hearing my message. Edit
- Lily: Hey, are you okay? Barney: Of course, why do you ask? Lily: Well for one, you're openly weeping. Barney: With joy. (tearily) So happy for those two. Edit
- Robin: By the way, our little arrangement is off. Barney: Oh, that's awes… ful. Robin: What? Barney: That's awesful. Edit
Allusions
- Help by adding allusions to this episode. Add allusions