Field Trip (How I Met Your Mother)

Ted wants to take his class on a field trip to the GNB Tower construction site in hopes of inspiring at least one student to become an architect. However, the field trip goes awry when Ted finds he cannot enter the site, and ends up taking his class to various places in the city instead, picking up Barney and a German family in the process, while losing more students. Ted feels that his field trip is a failure, but is delighted when one of his students admits that he might consider becoming an architect (though Future Ted reveals that the student actually became a DJ).

During the field trip, Barney reveals that after he discovered that Nora hates Ewoks, he assumes that she lied about her age based on the theory that everyone born before May 25, 1973 was old enough to hate the Ewoks by the time Return of the Jedi was released. He and Ted wind up using his class and the German family as a focus group to resolve all their long-standing debates, with little resolution for their current problems. However, when Barney confronts Nora after deciding that he is willing to accept that she apparently lied about her age, she explains that she has only recently watched the Star Wars films, explaining her dislike of Ewoks.

Meanwhile, Robin finds her sessions with Kevin, her therapist, have been going well, but is disappointed when he abruptly ends them with the claim he is moving to Alaska. They run into each other a week later, when Kevin confesses he had to stop seeing her because he liked her, but ethically cannot date her because she was his patient. However, Robin and Kevin begin meeting each other regularly for breakfast at a diner for several days until Robin arrives late one day after running 40 blocks in the rain because she missed her bus and Kevin suggests they go on an actual date. All of Robin's friends find the relationship inappropriate, which eventually makes both Robin and Kevin uncomfortable, especially as Kevin believes he has taken advantage of the fact he knows all of Robin's most vulnerable moments. However, Robin resolves the relationship by having Kevin unload his emotional vulnerabilities and they remain together.

Marshall, in the meantime, expresses disappointment at his new job working for Garrison Cootes, especially after Cootes accepts a $24,000 settlement from a multibillion-dollar corporation responsible for polluting a lake. Though Marshall is horrified when Cootes reveals that he believes there is little hope for saving the environment anymore, Marshall is inspired to fight back after seeing an ultrasound of his unborn child. Marshall goes back to the corporation and delivers a presentation that does not go well until Garrison Cootes walks in and tells the corporation that the settlement money is not enough. When Marshall asks where they are going as they leave, Cootes replies "War, son. We're going to war." As Future Ted reveals, Marshall and Cootes were successful in saving the environment.

The A.V. Club's Margaret Eby gave the episode a B.[2]

• "Field Trip" at IMDb
• Promotional Photos for the episode Field Trip at CBS Express