8.5/10. The best part of this one is Lily and Marshall's conversation at the end, which feels very real and earnest and heartbreaking for the way that both of them are open wounds at this point. There's an undercurrent of real emotion even amidst the more outsized gags on the show, and it's a formula that really works for HIMYM.
As for the main stories, it was a nice way to integrate Lily back into the show, even if it feels a little quick, but the necessities of sitcom status quo demand it, so I'm willing to go along with it. I have less disdain for Lily this go-round, if only because the idea that she wanted to find herself a bit doesn't seem as crazy as Ted makes it out to be, even if she handled it poorly. Still, the ending with her and Marshall seems to take that into account, which makes it work.
And the Barney and Marshall storyline is mostly a chance for silly fun. I think I remember the ultimate twist to all this (unless I'm thinking of something else) which colored my view of the proceedings a bit, but it's still fun to see Barney pumping up Marshall's confidence only to swoop in and steal the spoils of war.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParent2016-02-07T07:01:43Z
8.5/10. The best part of this one is Lily and Marshall's conversation at the end, which feels very real and earnest and heartbreaking for the way that both of them are open wounds at this point. There's an undercurrent of real emotion even amidst the more outsized gags on the show, and it's a formula that really works for HIMYM.
As for the main stories, it was a nice way to integrate Lily back into the show, even if it feels a little quick, but the necessities of sitcom status quo demand it, so I'm willing to go along with it. I have less disdain for Lily this go-round, if only because the idea that she wanted to find herself a bit doesn't seem as crazy as Ted makes it out to be, even if she handled it poorly. Still, the ending with her and Marshall seems to take that into account, which makes it work.
And the Barney and Marshall storyline is mostly a chance for silly fun. I think I remember the ultimate twist to all this (unless I'm thinking of something else) which colored my view of the proceedings a bit, but it's still fun to see Barney pumping up Marshall's confidence only to swoop in and steal the spoils of war.