How I Met Your Father – Season 2 Episode 16 “Jersey Connection” Recap & Review

Feelings Get Stirred Up

How I Met Your Father Season 2 Episode 16 begins with Sophie barging into Sid’s bar, exhausted from the work week. Of course, it’s only been five days since she started. Jesse then sees all his co-workers from school enter the bar one by one and realises they’re meeting without him. He confronts Drew who eventually gives in and admits that the others hate him. Jesse is infuriated as he considers himself to be a great colleague.

Ellen then asks Rachel if they should go for a movie that night but Rachel claims to have a ‘thing’ and leaves. Ellen tells Sid and Sophie that these ‘things’ have been happening fairly often. Could Rachel be cheating on her? Sid suggests the obvious solution – a stakeout.

Charlie turns up at Val’s house all suited up. He reminds her of a dinner reservation they made back when they were dating. It is at the restaurant run by the twelve-year-old winner of the Big Kid Chef reality show. Val doesn’t think it’s a good idea for them to be alone together but, well, it’s a restaurant run by a child. How romantic could it be? Turns out, quite romantic indeed as the pair walk in to find couples all around them!

Sid, Sophie and Ellen follow Rachel all the way to New Jersey. To their surprise, they see Jesse nearby as well and Sophie splits off to follow him. Sid and Ellen watch Rachel meet a woman, hug her and follow her into an apartment, making Ellen fear the worst.

At the restaurant, Charlie and Val try to diffuse the romantic tension by giving each other light insults. But they are served a dish with a single long noodle meant to be eaten Lady and the Tramp style, as per the waiter’s instructions. Despite insisting that they aren’t a couple, they have the noodle anyway. As they eat it, they get tantalisingly close to each other. Suddenly, they jump up and decide to leave the restaurant.

Sophie follows Jesse to an open mic where he sings an embarrassing song about how his co-workers met without him. Meanwhile, Ellen and Sid sneak into the woman’s apartment to find a lease on the kitchen counter. Rachel’s not cheating, she’s looking for a different house. They hide under the kitchen island just as Rachel and the real estate agent come out of the bedroom.

Val and Charlie are about to leave the restaurant when they find the owner, the twelve-year-old boy, crying under a table. Val tries to talk to him but he only agrees to speak to Charlie, even as Charlie seems eager to leave.

Jesse sees Sophie and admits that he makes parody songs out of the bad things that happen to him and sings them at the bar. It’s an outlet for his negative emotions. Sophie then realises that Melanie, one of his co-workers, is wearing a jacket from this pub. She must have heard his song insulting his colleagues and told the others!

The young chef admits to Charlie that he’s upset because his date, Zoe stood him up. Charlie sympathises with him and tells him he’ll find better people as he grows up.

While hiding, Sid and Ellen hear Rachel say she needs space from her girlfriend. As they try to leave, Rachel sees them. Sid and the agent both hastily leave the room. Ellen asks why she’s moving and Rachel confesses that being neighbours with her girlfriend feels ‘a lot’. Ellen says that she is an openly affectionate person and that isn’t going to change even if Rachel moves. Can she still accept Ellen the way she is?

Back at Sid’s pub, Sophie tries to fix things with Jesse and his colleagues. She tells them to roast Jesse in return for his song, to even things out. The rest of the group wastes no time in beginning the roast session.

Outside the restaurant, Val asks Charlie if he’s sure about kids. After all, he was so good while dealing with the young chef. Charlie says that was one moment and having a child is having many moments like that all the time. He’s scared of messing up somebody else’s life.

Whereas Val is eager to have all those moments with the kids. They realise that neither’s mind is going to change but leave things on a friendly note. Val gets in a cab and heads home.

Ellen comes out to meet Sid and tells him that she and Rachel broke up. Sid has the perfect pick-me-up for her – Sophie’s sent him videos of Jesse singing his parody song. Jesse’s colleagues finally even the score and agree to give him another chance and he thanks Sophie. Just as she heads out the bar she turns and looks back at Jesse wistfully, as he’s talking to another woman.

The Episode Review

Episode 16 feels like a notch below the other episodes, in terms of story, humour and depth. It’s still a fun ride just not quite as engaging as the season 2’s other episodes. Val and Charlie’s segment comes across as contrived.

The whole thing is clearly written just for them to revisit their views on children and the incident itself isn’t enjoyable. Despite that, the actors make the most out of a weak storyline and their acting skills are what pull the whole thing through.

Ellen and Sid’s stakeout was humorous in all the right ways. But for the breakup of a relationship, it surprisingly lacks depth. I’d expect characters who have been together for so long to spend more time mulling this over.

The little clip of Ellen being ‘a lot’ just doesn’t justify it. So far, the writing has kept Ellen’s role in the humour department and she hasn’t gotten more meaningful storylines. This is just a continuation of that.

Sophie and Jesse’s bit was by far the funniest and the most ridiculous segment but in a good way. Duff and Lowell make a great pair together and it is great to get a glimpse of Josh Peck as well.