Star here, ready to recap the latest episode. If you haven’t had a chance to read the comment on my preview post, please do. Phil made some great points about the season and this episode. On to the recap!
We open with Barney handcuffed to a pipe in the security office of a laser tag facility. Robin, looking amazing, is furious that she is missing their rehearsal dinner, while Barney is only concerned with getting the security officer to push a button labeled “get the party started.” This all started when Barney wanted to have the rehearsal dinner at laser tag, leading to a great flashback scene of the gang going over a list of Barney’s terrible ideas and Robin reminding Barney that she compromised on the wedding location not being in Canada, so he gives up on the idea. We go back to the security office where Barney begins to tell their story to the security officer. Barney’s bachelor party was the worst night of his life, until he learned it was a prank from Robin. This led him to retaliate by telling her he couldn’t go through with their wedding and asking her to move out, but really it was a prank and he gave her a suitcase of puppies. Robin decides that there can be no more surprises in their relationship, which obviously Barney isn’t going to accept. Through a series of flashbacks we learn that at every turn of the rehearsal dinner Barney is waiting for his “surprise laser tag” rehearsal dinner to begin. When it doesn’t happen he leaves the dinner, drives to the laser tag place, and threatens an employee, causing him to get arrested. However, it turns out this was all another one of Barney’s elaborate schemes created to bring Canada to Robin. Walls move and they are on an ice rink with all things Canadian going on around them, including the always welcome Alan Thick.
Legendary Lines
- Barney: La Sertag
- All of the Canada wedding jokes
- Barney: my favorite actor, non-porn category
- Barney: PUPPIES!!
- Lily: You could never take Marshall in a million years, but that’s sweet of you to say
- Robin: I need your apple juice
Moments of Awesomeness:
- The list of Barney’s terrible ideas
- While they were rattling off the list of Canada wedding jokes the couple in the background gets engaged, has a baby, their child graduates, and the guy dies. That’s how long they were telling Canada wedding jokes.
- Ted dressed as Liberace
- The Canadian rehearsal dinner. SNOW!
- The song about Barney and Robin
- James singing and being dressed as both a man and a woman. Was he Robin Sparkles?
- Ted trying to play piano and figure skate
- The family playing ice hockey with Aunt Edith’s wig
- Canadian fun facts
- A moose playing ice hockey
- Ted playing piano
Callbacks
- Marshall and Lily being angry with Ted for not getting them a wedding gift
- Robin’s love of dogs
- Lily’s inability to keep a secret
- The fact that Lily and Ted trust each other with their biggest life secrets (art school in San Francisco, moving to Chicago, Lily not always loving being a mom, the locket)
- The ring bear
Re-return
- Alan Thicke
- Bonus: everyone finally
Lingering Questions
- When is Marshall arriving?
- Why hasn’t Lily mentioned missing her infant son?
- Who did Lily and Marshall sublet the apartment to?
- Did Robin get to eat the bacon wrapped figs?
- Will we get to meet any additional family members during the wedding weekend?
