# Legendaddy

"Legendaddy" is the 19th episode of the sixth season of the American sitcom How I Met Your Mother and the 131st episode overall. It aired on CBS on March 21, 2011, to an audience of 8.03 million viewers. The episode was directed by Pamela Fryman and written by Dan Gregor and Doug Mand.
The episode stars Neil Patrick Harris as Barney Stinson as he reconnects with his long lost father portrayed by guest star John Lithgow. The episode received positive reviews by critics who praised the performances of Harris and Lithgow.

## Plot

The gang attempts to watch TV in Barney's apartment and they learn that Barney does not know how to use tools, so he has called a repairman to fix the TV. However, instead of the repairman, Barney is greeted at the door by Jerome "Jerry" Whittaker, Barney's father who has received his letter. Later, Barney relates to the gang his meeting with Jerry, claiming he is a tour manager who loves Scotch, suits, and loose women as much as he does. However, Jerry reveals that he is actually a driving instructor with a normal suburban life. During the actual meeting with Barney, Jerry attempted to impress him but failed miserably.
The gang convinces Barney to see his father and he reluctantly agrees to have dinner with Jerry's family and meets Jerry's wife, Cheryl, and his son JJ. Barney acts antagonistically toward JJ until he learns that JJ stands for Jerome Junior. Upset, Barney abruptly leaves and Jerry follows him to the garage, where Barney is attempting to steal the basketball hoop attached to it. When Barney expresses his resentment that Jerry is nothing more than "some lame suburban dad", Jerry asks why this upsets him. Barney admits he is still hurt because Jerry had never been the responsible father he needed in his childhood. Jerry apologizes for abandoning Barney and helps him remove the hoop while teaching him how to use a screwdriver. Barney goes back to Ted's house with the group and gives the hoop to Ted, urging him to save it for his future kids, choking up as he says, "A kid needs a hoop."
Meanwhile, the gang begins to note all of the things that each of them never learned. Marshall is the only one whom the gang does not mention, and he eventually asks the gang to pick on him. He reveals that he is aware that the gang has been careful around him ever since his father died, and says that he just wants to feel normal again.

## Production

"Legendaddy" was directed by Pamela Fryman and written by Dan Gregor and Doug Mand.

### Casting

"Legendaddy" stars Neil Patrick Harris as Barney Stinson alongside fellow series regulars Josh Radnor as Ted Mosby, Jason Segel as Marshall Eriksen, Alyson Hannigan as Lily Aldrin, and Cobie Smulders as Robin Scherbatsky.
Co-executive producer Craig Thomas said the issue about the identity of Barney's real father was already a plot point in the initial conceptualization of the series. John Lithgow was the first choice to play Jerome Whittaker and the producers gave him a collection of specific episodes detailing Barney's father issues to help him get acquainted with the role. Thomas said Lithgow will still appear in future episodes, as the role would complicate Barney's connection with Nora. Lithgow returned in the season 9 episode "Mom and Dad".

## Release

"Legendaddy" first aired on CBS on March 21, 2011, to an audience of 8.03 million viewers. The episode was down around 1.10 million viewers from the previous episode; it was viewed by around 1.06 more than the following episode. "Legendaddy" finished eighth of the night overall just below Harry's Law but above Mad Love.
In Australia, "Legendaddy" was aired on May 12, 2011 by Seven Network to an audience of 712 thousand viewers. The episode was the 14th highest viewed program of the night.

### Critical reception

Donna Bowman of The A.V. Club gave the episode a B.
Zach Oat of Television Without Pity graded the episode at B+
Robert Canning of IGN rated the episode an 8 out of 10. While he felt the plot was somewhat formulaic Canning praised the narrative particularly the performance of Lithgow and Harris
A number of reviews also praised Neil Patrick Harris' emotional scene with John Lithgow. In a ranking for Collider Neha Rawani labelled the episode the fourth saddest of the series, below "Bad News" and above "Last Forever". She particullary praised the acting between Harris and Lithgow.