As much as this show makes me laugh out loud, I don't think Jason and Alyson get nearly enough acknowledgement for just how well they played that final scene of this episode. I have seen it multiple times, I know it's coming, and it still makes me cry every time. They made that scene feel real and believable and relatable.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParentSpoilers2016-06-14T04:43:10Z
9.5/10. Another great one. I remember watching this for the first time and wondering what the whole countdown thing was about. The ending is a sucker punch. The acting from Jason Segel and Alyson Hannigan in that moment is so good. Hannigan does a tremendous job at playing distressed from the second she steps out of that cab, and whether it's the semi-forced method acting or Segel's natural abilities, he sells the shock and slow, creeping devastation of that moment so well. It's one of the few moments of the show that still hits me as hard as when I first watched it, which suggests it's not just the element of surprise that gets you, but the sense that the death of a loved one can come out of nowhere, and even as you're taking big steps in your life, another one you're not ready for can blindside you.
I remembered that moment clearly, but I'd forgotten how good the rest of the episode is. Again, there's something very human about Marshall and Lily's struggles to conceive. The way they're both worried that they're the reason they haven't gotten pregnant yet, and how they're each supportive and hoping for the best but desperately concerned about disappointing their partner and their loved ones is very well done. At the same time, that part of the story doesn't neglect the comedy, as Marshall's good news montage with his dad is amusing, and the way his parents keep interrupting him while he's trying to produce a sample is a bit cheesy, but still solid. Plus, the supportive moment with his parents after Lily admits what's happening and they have a talk is a nice heartwarming moment (with a wonderful cut to Ted and Barney goofing off in the middle of it to quickly dissuade Marshall from asking for a "donation").
Robin and Ted's part is much more in the vein of comic relief, but it buoys the heavier stuff well. The way the show digs into its continuity to find every funny Robin bit from years past, and shows her "steering into the skid" at her new job despite Sandy Weathers's jabs is a nice little story. Ted also does well here, with some of his best contributions to the show coming when he's a side character just chiming it with ridiculous things like names for his feet. Even the broadest part of the episode, Barney's fertility specialist doppelganger whom he uses to encourage Marshall to play laser tag, works in the standard Stinson cartoonish fashion.
Overall, it's a great sampling of the things the show does well -- goofy comedy, continuity-based humor, magical realism gags, stories about growing up and the challenges therein, and strong emotional moments. It's refreshing to see that the show can still pull of a run of superb episodes like this even in its sixth season.