7.6/10. As I mentioned in my write up for the prior episode, I really enjoy the narrative tack of telling a story and then recontextualizing it with other people's perspectives. It's something HIMYM is uniquely equipped for, and it worked here, in a fun Rashomon-like fashion. Having Ted tell the story of his encounter with The Captain, only for it be retold by Robin with the reveal that Ted was high, and then retold by Lily with the reveal that Robin was drunk, did a nice job of adding jokes to the bit each time with the way that comments or events were put in a different light.
But the thing that puts this episode over the top was the emotional truth that undergirded the episode. Marshal and Lily's fight felt very real, and Lily's comments that she felt like she'd missed her chance to be an artist were heartbreaking. As goofy as the show can be, sometimes it draws back to these sorts of authentic human interactions that remind me why I fell in love with the show in the first place. That emotional through-line amidst all the comedy really elevates this one.
The only drawback is Barney and Marshal's parts in the larger episode. Barney trying to insert himself into all the stories was kind of amusing at first, but they went back to that note for him a little too much, and Marshal's desire to befriend The Captain just so he could be on a boat just seemed like they needed something for the character to do so that he was a part of the conversation until we got to the more meaningful Lily scene.
Still, overall, this was a very solid and interesting episode of the show, to where I'm reminded that despite the abject failure of "The Final Page" which tainted my memory of Season 8, there's a lot of good stuff here.
Shout by Ahmed AbdulkareemBlockedParent2017-01-01T05:26:10Z
This episode just showed how people see the things from their own perspective and how different we all think