RECAP: HIMYM, Mandy Patinkin, Scotch, Lists, and Life Lessons

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The second (or technically, third?) episode of the very last season of How I Met Your Mother provided all sorts of awesomeness- although we still haven’t reached the exact moment Ted meets The Mother. After getting a sneak preview of their chemistry, we want to see more of their relationship. Nonetheless, the episode provided enough life lessons and laughs to make us wish the series would go on forever.

It’s 52 hours before the Stinson-Scherbatsky wedding, and their elderly relatives have arrived. With fear that their flame will burn out after they exchange vows, Barney and Robin try to have one last round of great sex in a random place. They find this to be harder than they imagined, and find themselves trying not to say “Many Patinkin” with fear that the name would draw their relatives. After walking in on Robin’s great grandparents doing the deed, with 60 years of marriage on their belt, the couple realize they have nothing to worry about. The gross, traumatizing old couple having sex at such an age will be them. (Cue the awws — albeit weird awws.)

Meanwhile, Marshall is still on his road trip to get back to New York with Daphne. This plot line is already tired. Can Marshall and Marvin just get back to the Gang? But to compliment the light nature of Robin and Barney’s story line, we have Ted’s, and his list of things to do before he leaves New York. Lily finds Ted’s list, and finds many of the things are expected: fix the graffiti to “YOU’RE A PENIS” from “YOUR A PENIS,” say goodbye to the Empire State Building, and buy everyone at MacLaren’s a round of drinks. As anyone who has kept up with the series, Ted’s love for New York has always been obvious. The architecture, his hatred for New Jersey (as any true New Yorker would have), all prove how difficult it must be for Ted to say goodbye.

Also on the list, “Come Clean about April 26th ,” which Ted did. The dress Lily was planning to wear to the wedding was destroyed by Ted, Marshall, and some swords. Yep, the swords that almost killed Lily in season 1. Lily also comes clean about something that happened with the swords; She and Robin broke Ted’s $600 bottle of Scotch. This comes up after Lily reads another item on Ted’s list: have one more scotch with Barney. Lily confronts Ted about this. Has he been avoiding Barney? Lily advises Ted to say goodbye to the bad things in New York, not the good, to “all the times you felt lost, all the times it was a no instead of a yes, scrapes and bruises, heartache. Goodbye to everything you really want to do for the last time.” His last drink with Barney should instead be “the first toast to Barney’s new life.”

And with those inspiring words from Lily, Ted crossed out the last item on the list: “One last life lecture from Lily.” Lily reassures him that that was not the life lesson (at least not for Ted. For us, could be). The episode ends with Ted on his way to toast Barney, when Barney blurts out, “I saw you and Robin by the carousel.”

We don’t want this to end. Ever. Can they make a “And that’s How I Married Your Mother with My Awesome Friends By My Side” spin-off?

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