“Duel Citizenship”
←	HIMYM episode 5x05 (93)	→
First aired: October 19, 2009
Director: Pamela Fryman
Writer: Chuck Tatham
Barney's Blog
Images (9)

Robin faces deportation so Barney decides to help her become an American citizen. Ted and Marshall go a road trip to relive their college days but Marshall invites Lily along.

Contents 1 Recap 2 Continuity 3 Gallery 4 Memorable Quotes 5 Notes and Trivia 5.1 Goofs and Errors 5.2 Allusions and Outside References 5.3 Music 5.4 Other Notes 6 Guests 7 Reception 8 References 9 External Links

RecapEdit

Future Ted explains that Robin's Canadian quirks and mannerisms were strange (slang, imperviousness to cold, and severe aggression in barfights), which got her into trouble in the fall of 2009. After a bar fight, she is charged with assault and could be deported unless she gets American citizenship. Barney takes the opportunity to reiterate that Canada is lame and America is awesome. He encourages her to take the citizenship test and teaches her to act as obnoxiously as a typical American. Robin takes on the role perfectly, but on the way back home, she walks past her Canadian bar, the Hoser Hut, and tempted by her heritage, she goes in. After some serious drinking with Canada's national womens' curling team, she blacks out and ends up in a Toronto hotel room.

Barney has tracked her down and convinces her to come home and take the test. They stop at a Tim Hortons coffee shop, where the cashier mistakes Robin for American. Downtrodden, Robin feels neither Canadian nor American. Barney makes a speech ridiculing Canadians for letting such an amazing woman go and then is promptly beaten up by some men. After some free Canadian health care, they return home and Robin decides she wants dual citizenship.

Meanwhile, Ted hears that a pizzeria in Chicago named Gazola's is closing down. He and Marshall used to drive straight from Wesleyan to the pizzeria when they were in college, even though the pizza was awful. The road trips (fueled only by jerky and Tantrum (a soda which according to Future Ted had "the highest caffeine level legally available over the counter") helped cement their friendship, and Ted proposes they take one last trip. Pumped to spend some personal time with Marshall (and reeling from a severe caffeine high), Ted is disappointed to find out that Lily is coming along.

Lily needs bathroom breaks frequently and insists (instead of rock music like the Proclaimers) they listen to an audiobook about a man's relationship with his dog (narrated by Kenny Rogers). Ted is annoyed and becomes exasperated when they stop at a bed and breakfast (instead of driving through the night). After Lily and Marshall engage in some couples' activities, Ted tricks Marshall into driving with him to Gazola's in his bathrobe. They enjoy the pizza, but Marshall becomes guilty over leaving Lily and they leave. Ted admits his anger at Lily tagging along and the two stop speaking.

They drive back to the bed and breakfast not speaking to each other, but the audiobook story they are listening to makes them realize they need each other's friendship and they reconcile. Lily hasn't even noticed that they're gone because she has been powerfully sedated by the hotel's spa services. After some severe stomach pains from the pizza, the three head back to New York. They are worried they may have left Lily behind but she is shown clinging to the top of the car using the power of the highly caffeinated soda.

ContinuityEdit

• Robin's inappropriate cold weather clothing was explored in Little Minnesota.  She also was introduced to the Hoser Hut in the same episode.
• Robin also faced the possibility of deportation in The Possimpible due to her unemployment, but stayed in the United States thanks to Barney.
• Ted says "Thank You" in an identical fashion during Definitions.
• "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" by the Proclaimers plays again during Marshall and Ted's road trip. This seemed to be the only song Marshall's Fiero was capable of playing during their first road trip, from college to home, in Arrivederci, Fiero.

GalleryEdit

For a listing of all images on the wiki tagged as being from this episode, see Category:Duel Citizenship images.

Memorable QuotesEdit

Barney:	We'll stay up all night! I'm gonna drill you... and then we're gonna study. No, seriously. We're gonna do some cramming... and then we're gonna study. No, really. We're gonna bone up on—
Robin:	Okay...
Barney:	Sorry, it's a rich area.

—Barney tries to help Robin study for her citizenship test

---

Barney:

There's kids playing hockey on the back. It's like you want us to make fun of you!

—Barney comments on a Canadian $5 bill

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Robin:	How do you know the Canadian citizenship test is easy?
Barney:	It's Canada. Question one, do you want to be Canadian? Question two, really?

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Notes and TriviaEdit

Goofs and ErrorsEdit

• In a 1999 flashback Marshall is seen drinking Tantrum and eating jerky in his Fiero, breaking his own rule about no food or drink in the car, even including groceries. (Arrivederci, Fiero)
• Ted suggests that they listen to Van Halen just like old times, but the only song they could listen to in the Fiero was "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" by the Proclaimers.

Allusions and Outside ReferencesEdit

• The highly-caffeinated green soda, "Tantrum," that the boys drink is a reference to a series of sodas in the late 90s including Jolt Cola, Mountain Dew, Surge, amongst others.
• The audiobook they listen to in the car is an parody of the book "Marley & Me", adapted into a film.
• Tim Horton's is a chain of Canadian coffee shops.
• In the bar fight at Hoser Hut, one guy in a Vancouver jersey has "Bays" on the back, referring Carter Bays, one of the creators of the show.
• Ted suggests that they listen to Van Halen.

MusicEdit

• I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) - The Proclaimers

Other NotesEdit

• International Airdate: Australia: March 11, 2010 on Channel 7; United Kingdom: June 24, 2010 on E4

GuestsEdit

• Kenny Rogers - Book Narrator (voice)
• Pamela Dunlap - Miss Cruickshank
• Brad Grunberg - Bruno
• Corinne Dekker - Bailey

ReceptionEdit

Donna Bowman of The A.V. Club rated the episode with a grade of A-. ^[1]
Brian Zoromski of IGN gave the episode 9.5 out of 10. ^[2]
Vlada Gelman writes about the Canadian jokes in the show and expresses a strong appreciation for the attention to detail and continuity the episode shows. ^[3]
Cindy McLennan of Television Without Pity rated the episode with a grade of B+. ^[4]

ReferencesEdit

External LinksEdit

• Duel Citizenship at the English Wikipedia
• Duel Citizenship at the Internet Movie Database
• Duel Citizenship at TV.com

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