6.8/10. You can coast to a certain degree on the rapport between Quinn and Barney. They work well together, and I buy the two of them together better than any of Barney's previous romantic interests. To that end, I appreciate the thesis of the episode, namely that they have the same scheme-y, chaos-loving sensibilities that make them perfectly matched.
The problem is that their grand scheme is really implausible and relies on too many logical gaps and narrative conveniences to get the story where it needs to go. I can believe Barney and Quinn's machiavellian plans (and it helps explain them acting out of character earlier), but the way the gang plays directly into their hands feels too cute by half, a twist that the show didn't really earn.
I did appreciate the serious moment with Ted and Robin. Again, I was frustrated when I watched this storyline develop live, but on rewatch, there's an earnestness to it, and letting Cobie Smulders show off her dramatic chops once again and nod to how much she's been through this year is a nice touch. On the comedy side, Robin's irrational hatred of Patrice is still one of my least favorite runners, but Ted being annoyed at the modern-day college expys of him, Marshall, and Lily, was a cute touch, especially with the tag about him telling long stories.
Marshall and Lily telling stories about "some chick" or "some dude" they had a sexual encounter with, when everyone knows it's them, was a complete dud of a comedic storyline. It's one of those "too dumb to live" bits for both of them that makes Marshall look like a jerk.
Overall, this was one of those episodes with enough going for it to come close to "good" status, but too many non-negotiable weak spots to get all the way there.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParent2016-07-31T03:55:58Z
6.8/10. You can coast to a certain degree on the rapport between Quinn and Barney. They work well together, and I buy the two of them together better than any of Barney's previous romantic interests. To that end, I appreciate the thesis of the episode, namely that they have the same scheme-y, chaos-loving sensibilities that make them perfectly matched.
The problem is that their grand scheme is really implausible and relies on too many logical gaps and narrative conveniences to get the story where it needs to go. I can believe Barney and Quinn's machiavellian plans (and it helps explain them acting out of character earlier), but the way the gang plays directly into their hands feels too cute by half, a twist that the show didn't really earn.
I did appreciate the serious moment with Ted and Robin. Again, I was frustrated when I watched this storyline develop live, but on rewatch, there's an earnestness to it, and letting Cobie Smulders show off her dramatic chops once again and nod to how much she's been through this year is a nice touch. On the comedy side, Robin's irrational hatred of Patrice is still one of my least favorite runners, but Ted being annoyed at the modern-day college expys of him, Marshall, and Lily, was a cute touch, especially with the tag about him telling long stories.
Marshall and Lily telling stories about "some chick" or "some dude" they had a sexual encounter with, when everyone knows it's them, was a complete dud of a comedic storyline. It's one of those "too dumb to live" bits for both of them that makes Marshall look like a jerk.
Overall, this was one of those episodes with enough going for it to come close to "good" status, but too many non-negotiable weak spots to get all the way there.