We’re down to 48 hours until the wedding. It’s game time: time to start worrying about last minute details, time for Robin and Barney to get nervous or (more likely) time for Lily and Ted to totally freak out and time for Marshall to get home, right? Wrong. The gang is chilling around a game of poker, and Marshall is all the way in Chicago.
Mapquest claims it should take between 15 and 17 hours to get from Chicago to Montauk, NY (one of the furthest part of The Hamptons, where I assume/imagine “Farhampton” to be). And that calculation doesn’t take into consideration stopping to sleep, eat or take care of the forgotten baby Marvin. At the end of the episode, Ted gets Marshall some special pizza from a place that closed down because of rats, so I guess the eating part is covered. But seriously, where and when are they changing that kid’s diaper? Just wanted to put the 15 to 17 hours out there as a way for everyone to fact–check the road trip’s progress in upcoming episodes.
On the topic of pointing things out, Ranjit’s hat was a blatant advertisement for some sketchy website called legalpokeraruba.com. And the website was then advertised for again at the bottom of the screen, which I thought was super disappointing and borderline pathetic. Is CBS turning into The CW? (If you don’t get this comparison, check out any of the shameless on-screen advertising in the last season of "90210.") Are they really that desperate for money? Nope. Legalpokeraruba.com is a website that Barney (aka the HIMYM team) made. Check it out; it’s really hilarious. Stunts like these are the reason I absolutely love this show.
There are two main controversies in this episode. The first is Robin’s frustration that James constantly hates on marriage, and Barney feels caught in the middle. Robin ends up playing strip poker with Barney’s mom (and a bunch of other characters, but they get to keep their clothes on), which is equally as confusing for Barney as it is for the audience. This plotline shows us that the Stinsons all say bluff when they’re bluffing (great for the next time Barney and I play a round of Texas hold ’em), and it teaches us the difference between a Journey song and a husband (probably more useful).
The second and funnier controversy is that Marshall and Lily are convinced that Ted never got them a wedding present, while Ted is mad because he never got a thank you note. Turns out, Stuart is not only an alcoholic but also a klepto and a weasel. With this subplot, we learn the two most useful lessons of all: “lick it before you stick it” and “wrap it before you tap it.” Truly words to live by, in all your future gifting endeavors.
P.S. It looks like the HIMYM team might be losing track of its plots; Ted dresses as a thank you note in a Halloween flashback. This contradicts the series' running gag that Ted wears a hanging chad costume for Halloween every year so that the slutty pumpkin (Katie Holmes!) will remember him. Did you spot her cameo in this episode?
