Welp, this is it. The best episode in the show's run.
When I first saw this, I was floored. Everything over the past few episodes started to make sense, if not the past couple of years. All of Barney's wrong moves, the poor choice of timing, this was all adding up to something.
That doesn't excuse the show's dips into mediocrity, but it allows for what turned into a crackerjack pair of episodes. And these weren't even meant to be joined together, until a hurricane came and threatened the likelihood of a good chunk of the audience catching the former half as a separate piece. But these episodes really do work together very well, as they're about letting go and looking forward.
Even the sillier bits work. Seth Green, for instance, comes off as rightly creepy as he fails to connect to Lily and Marshall in the way that he aspires to. It's not too saddening, since he is a little off, but there is lament present, which is at least subsided by his own revelation. Like the rest of the gang, Daryl realizes that it's best to move on and to not be so over-reliant on his old college buddies.
Like how Ted moves on from the episode's other inspired guest star. His newfound appreciation for Professor Vinick's method of teaching feels right, as we get to see how Peter Gallagher plays his teaching methods the same way that Radnor keeps Ted's inflections alive. They're not all that different, and it's high time that Ted gets over himself.
This episode's reflection of moving on is strong all around, especially when it allows for Robin and Patrice to have a genuine moment. While the running joke of Robin's frustration can be funny, this feels right, and helps to set things up for the latter half.
And boy, do Smulders and Radnor sell their time in the limo together. Their inflections feel real, as the actors have fully engulfed their characters and make each line feel real. Ted's breaking as he accepts Robin's right to meet with Barney is hard, but all the more powerful for it; just as Robin herself struggles to break face and accept that she at least wants some sort of closure before anything happens.
Which itself leads into a beautiful final play. Barney comes off as completely sincere in each play, as he lies to find his way to the one thing he wants- Robin. As deceitful as this all may seem, keep in mind that Robin and Barney built their relationship on a lot of lying, and that Barney is using his skills for what is ultimately a positive goal. He shows nothing but love and honesty in his hope to win Robin over.
Smulders really deserved an Emmy for this episode. She keeps a good job of remaining funny throughout, but it's really here where she shines. Keeping an eye on her face during each shot back to her is all that needs to be said, and helps to keep this dynamite hour alive. Now the only question is if the rest of the season can keep up with this.
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