The Robin plot wasn’t nearly significant enough to even be included in tonight’s episode. Usually when the characters are split up into multiple stories, those stories are balanced pretty well. That is not the case in this episode. It’s jarring every time Robin and Lily are brought back into the picture. It seems way too forced to have Robin’s issues with the bachelorette party come up now. If Robin was really so upset about it that she feels the need to harp on it the entire episode, she probably wouldn’t be waiting to bring it up two days before the wedding. The episode would’ve been much better served to give them something slightly bigger to deal with and thus a bit more of the runtime. I’m not saying that because Ted and Barney’s plot was bad, but if you’re going to have characters do something on their own, then at least let them do something.
Where this episode really succeeds is with the humor surrounding Marshall, or Marshpillow 2.0. One of my biggest complaints with the season so far is how limited Jason Segel’s appearances have been, but in this episode he’s much more prevalent. Putting his face on an iPad is a much better way to get him involved than constant phone calls. The jokes about buffering are great, and other people having to serve as his body is hilarious as well. I’d much rather see Marshpillow 2.0 than a series of phone calls from wherever he is for the rest of the season.
On the whole, I’m very indifferent about this episode. It wasn’t terrible by any means. We’ve seen terrible HIMYM episodes within the last year, and this is certainly not one of them. But it wasn’t great either. There weren’t all that many hilarious moments, and there was nothing about the story that is all that memorable. Still, it didn’t knock the season down all that much, so that’s at least something. This is the sort of episode that won’t make season 9, but it certainly won’t break it either.
Other Random Notes
- There was an unnecessary apostrophe on Broses’ tablet. Don’t want to make grammatical mistakes when carving a stone tablet.
- As hard as it is for Ted to get over Robin, I think it’s harder for Lily to get over Robin.
- “Mouth-breather from coffee shop.”
- Ted and his calligraphy. Classic Schmosby.
- If Marshall rules like that in a court he’d make an excellent judge.
- “Thank you Linus!”
- “Well it Hertz a little but I’m not gonna cry about it!”
- “In a pretty decent chancery considering I only had my travel quills.”
Be sure to check back next week for a review on the next episode of How I Met Your Mother.