How I Met Your Mother

Season 1 Episode 8

The Duel

Favorite
12
8.9
out of 10
User Rating
520 votes
11

EPISODE REVIEWS
By TV.com Users

Episode Summary

EDIT
As Lily becomes more of a permanent fixture in the apartment, Ted feels like he is being edged out of the mix by his engaged roomies. Petrified of being left alone and homeless, Ted tells Marshall that when he and Lily are married, he wants the apartment. The problem is that Marshall wants to keep the place too, so they settle it like real "grown-ups" -- launching into a sword fight that leaves one man down for the count.moreless
SUBMIT REVIEW
  • Lilly moves in and Ted and Marshall fight

    8.0
    This was another wonderful episode. At this point Lilly was engaged to Marshall seemingly living with Ted and Marshall but she didn't. Like many How I Met Your episodes, this was the little things that mattered like Shocky or the swords. Speaking of swords, that fight between Marshall and Ted was awesome. I am glad it never got too serous and how Ted and Marshall really got into it. I also like how Lilly was too mad what happened. You also see some insight into Ted, in that he is reluctant to change. The B Story was also good. Robin at this point was career change but at least episode she was open to dating a guy that is probably out of her league. I loved the Have u met Robin part. This is an episode that appreciate more when you watch season 7.moreless
  • Ted is worried when Lily officially moves in.

    7.5
    When Lily finds out that her apartment she hasn't slept in for three months has been turned into a Chinese restaurant, she and Ted and Marshall agree for her to officially start living in the apartment above MacLaren's. Barney tries to warn Ted that Lily will start changing things around the apartment. Ted thinks it's silly but as we know, however mean or weird the things Barney might say are, they seem to be right a shocking percent of the time. Marshall even takes down the historic swords to place one of Lily's paintings, which, is just, a complete violation of... well, in the words of The Big Bang Theory, the "roommate agreement". Ted and Marshall have a duel over who gets the apartment when Marshall and Lily get married, but they eventually realize the immaturity of this fight, so they cease. Barney in the mean time tries to make the "Lemon Law" of dating "a thing", where the guy has five minutes to decide whether or not to continue or request another date. This originally disgusts Barney's dates but he later hears another girl using the term, pleasing him. However, even with a sword fight, not a very exciting episode as Barney's subplot wasn't interesting. (Barney? Plot? Uninteresting? How!?) The episode was so-so.moreless
  • Lily officially moves in with Ted and Marshall.

    9.5
    "The Duel" is a hilarious How I Met Your Mother. I love how Lily has an apartment because you think she lives with Ted and Marshall, but she just hasn't been to her own apartment in awhile. I love how it was turned into a restaurant and Lily officially moves in with Marshall and Ted. I love how Ted and Marshall get into a fight in the apartment, and then they start sword fighting, and they are actually having a lot of fun until Lily walks in and Marshall accidentally stabs her. I give this episode a 9.5/10.moreless
  • Awesome.

    9.5
    As Lily becomes more of a permanent fixture in Ted and Marshall's apartment, Ted feels like he is being edged out of the mix by his engaged roomies. Petrified of being left alone and homeless, Ted tells Marshall that when he and Lily are married, he wants the apartment. The problem is that Marshall wants to keep the place too, so they settle it like real "grown-ups"--launching into a sword fight that leaves one man down for the count. I haven't watched this show in ages, I started reviewing it and then just stopped bot because I wasn't enjoying it, it's just I have got any free time to watch this show on the interent. However, I'm glad to be getting back into it, this episode was interesting. I love the start scene about Ted talking about the apartment. I love the way Lily's apartment has cahnged, funny stuff. I love everything about Barney, 'because I look good' - he does, he is, I love the way Barney laughs, what a legend. I love the phone scene with with Robin and Barney hilarious. I love the way Ted is about the whole apartment sharing. I love the scene with Barney blows Katie off. I love the scene with Ted and Marshall about the apartment, and the sword fight and then Lily get stabbed and then Robin has to leave her loser date, funny. I love the end scene, love those guys.moreless
  • I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to lemon law you.

    9.5
    When Lily loses the apartment that she hasn't been to in three months (her landlady died and it became a Chinese resturant), she moves in with Ted and Marsall. Of course, things are technically the same but Barney convinces Ted otherwise, making Ted jealous, of course.



    This leads to Ted buying a British phone booth for the apartment, and he and Marshall end up sword-fighting, which is a pretty funny scene. It ends with Marshall stabbing Lily with the sword.



    Barney, who seems to be a useless character, introduces us to the Lemon Law, where within five minutes of a date you can determine whether you want to spend the rest of the night with that person, and if not, you "lemon law" them and leave. It's amusing but Barney is just a jerk. Funny, I admit, but sometimmes his antics get bothersome.



    Good episode. Really funny, but some of the jokes fell flat. The sword part was probably the best scene.moreless
Miki  Mia

Miki Mia

Chinese Waitress

Guest Star

Keri   Safran

Keri Safran

Katie

Guest Star

Brian  Petrucelli

Brian Petrucelli

Moving Man #1

Guest Star

Bob Saget

Bob Saget

Voice of Ted, 2030

Recurring Role

David Henrie

David Henrie

Son

Recurring Role

Lyndsy Fonseca

Lyndsy Fonseca

Daughter

Recurring Role

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

FILTER BY TYPE

  • TRIVIA (0)

  • QUOTES (22)

    • Daughter: Wait, her apartment? I thought Aunt Lily lived with you and Uncle Marshall.
      (flashback to Lily and Robin walking to Lily's apartment)
      Lily: I could see how you would think that but I have to have my own place. It's an independence thing.
      Robin: When was the last time you were there?
      Lily: Three months ago. What? It's like fat pants. You hope you never have to use them but you're glad to know they're there.

    • Waitress: Hi, how many? Lily.
      Lily: Yes, you know me?
      Waitress: Yeah, from your homecoming picture. You're much prettier in person.
      Lily: Yeah, I know, the bangs were a mistake.

    • Marshall: Also Lily's coffeemaker doesn't, you know, shock you.
      Ted: No. You gotta admit, that shock, wakes you up in the morning
      Marshall: You know what else wakes you up in the morning? Coffee.

    • Ted: They're edging me out. They're totally edging me out. I didn't' believe it but you're right.
      Barney: Told you. That Lily, she's a shrewd one.
      Robin: Yeah, she got you a nice new coffeemaker. How dare she!

    • Lily: Man, Ted's been acting weird. He started labeling all his food. He even carved "Ted" into that block of cheese.
      Marshall: Yeah. Well, now it's Ed's.

    • Lily: He's not cool with me moving in.
      Marshall: No, that's not it. I mean, you basically lived here all along. Ted loves you.
      Lily: So, what's he PMSing about?

    • Ted: All right Marshall, we're deciding right now who gets this apartment. It may lead to an argument, but we're settling this.
      Marshall: Or we could flip a coin.
      Ted: Yeah, let's flip a coin.

    • Robin: It's a nice place. It's good to know the future has ribs.
      Kevin: In the future food will most likely be served in gel-cap form. Plus cows will probably have died out by then... or be our leaders.

    • Kevin: Let me guess, there's been a crazy accident and you have to go.
      Robin: No, I would never do that. I don't wanna go anywhere. I'm all yours.
      Kevin: Look, if you're a hooker, I don't have a lot of money.

    • Lily: OK, a toast. Life is full of changes. One day you have an apartment, the next day it's a house of dumplings. But the important stuff doesn't change. To the important stuff.

    • Marshall: I love this song. I haven't heard this in forever.
      Lily: I'm pretty sure this is a mixed tape you made me in sophomore year.
      Marshall: (on tape) I love you, Lily. Happy Valentine's Day 1998.

    • Barney: You need to mark your territory, and I don't mean missing the toilet.

    • Barney: You know what the dating world needs? A `Lemon Law.´

    • [Flashback]
      Marshall: You wanna talk about who gets the apartment after Lily & I get married?
      Ted: Y'know who I think we should let deal with this problem?
      Marshall: Who?
      Ted: Future Ted & Future Marshall.
      Marshall: Totally.
      [Present Day]
      Ted: Dammit, Past Ted!

    • (Robin and Barney arrives at the hospital)
      Robin: Is she okay?
      Marshall: They're just patching her up, she's gonna be fine.
      Barney: So get this, I was on a date with this girl Jackie..
      (Ted, Marshall and Robin stares at Barney)
      Barney: What? You said she's fine.

    • Marshall: I stabbed Lily, I stabbed my fiancée.
      Ted: Come on Marshall, do you really think she's still your fiancée?

    • Doctor: All set. She says she'd like to see the knights of the poorly constructed round table?

    • Marshall: (about Barney) You know, he cooks naked.

    • Barney: I'm tired of the whole bar scene, the one-night hookups, I'm looking for a soul mate, someone who I can love and cuddle... (pauses) or so it says in my profile. (laughs)

    • Barney: Wow, Jackie, you make a really great first impression. I have a feeling that tonight you might end up being Jackie (with ecstasy) ohhhh.

    • (on the phone)
      Barney: Hello?
      Robin: Hi there, sexy.
      Barney: Hello, Aunt Kathy, what's up?
      Robin: Oh, nothing. Just sitting here, thinking about you, hot stuff.
      Barney: An accident? Well, is Uncle Rudy gonna be OK?
      Robin: Aunt Kathy's got an itch that only you can scratch, big boy.
      Barney: Oh God! Why did he think he could build his own helicopter?
      Robin: Come on, daddy, break me off a piece of that white chocolate.
      Barney: Well, if he needs a transplant, he can have mine. I'll be right there.

    • Lily: On Monday I'm going to have to tell my kindergarten class, who I tell not to run with scissors, how my fiancé ran me through with a broadsword.
      Marshall: Technically, it didn't go all the way through.
      Lily: I'm sorry, were we having a discussion about the degree to which you stabbed me?

  • NOTES (5)

  • ALLUSIONS (0)

Today
1:00pm
LIFE
4:00pm
FX
5:00pm
FX
Friday
1:00pm
LIFE
1:30pm
LIFE
3:00pm
FX
4:00pm
FX
Saturday
7:00am
FX
8:00am
FX
8:30am
FX
9:00am
FX
More
Less