2x20 Showdown

I have to admit, I wasn't on board with this one either at first. Robin trying to get Lily to eat so that she can fit into her dress seems like such a sitcom cliche type of story, and Robin's drill sergeant routine didn't do much for me in the comedy department either.

Ted and Marshall's story in the episode about Ted trying to come up with a story from Marshall and Lily's past to use in his best man's speech was a little better, with the peeks back at the group's history being amusing as usual, and the imagine spot about the boring night Marshall and Lily got back together having some comedic juice to it as well.

And then Barney's training to be on The Price Is Right seems like one of those standard goofy Barney schemes. His encyclopedic knowledge of the prices of household items, his practicing his run down to the contestants' booths, was all standard broad comedy from the most cartoonish member of the gang.

But then it all comes together so perfectly. The reveal that Marshall and Lily were sneaking out so that they could curl up with one another was sweet in and of itself, but the way it connected with Lily being too stressed without Marshall to gain any weight, and the fact that it turned into being Ted's best man speech was some perfect storytelling economy, and does convey a great deal about how, almost exaggeratedly close Marshall and Lily are.

And then Barney's actual appearance on The Price Is Right was hilarious, but also touching. The story that he believed Bob Barker was his dad helps add a bit of pathos to a character who can be pretty obnoxious. The hint of sadness to Barney makes him a little more palatable and relatable in his womanizing. The moment where he tries to show Bob his graduation pictures during a game on the show was great, and the end point where he simply congratulates Bob on a 35-year run, and explains that after believing something for so long, it would be hard for "Bob" to have to come to terms with something other than that truth gives more shading to the character in a way that brings him down to earth.

All-in-all, it's an episode that stumbles a little bit out of the gate, but nails the landing so damn well that it makes everything that came before seem better by association.