The episode had a bit of slow going, I must admit. But there
were a few highlights that had me laughing out loud by its end—it recovered
enough to be endearing. Though let’s face it, it only did that after the
monochrome 50’s era montage.
James finds his father to replace Barney and Robin’s old
(deceased) reverend for the wedding: Rev. Sam Gibbs. Their wedding saved, and
by close relation no less, Barney finally feels like he can take a load off.
And then he spies his parents arriving amicably. The naiveté
of Leave It To Beaver overtakes him
and he believes, however mistakenly, that his estranged father and mother can
overcome their divorce (and one remarriage and two more kids) to reconnect and
resume their relationship. The three R’s.
Or was his idea so mistaken? Once all his diabolical plans
fail (and all his intermittent pauses), he and James both happen upon Barney’s
mother and James’ father, the Reverend…reconnecting. James ended up achieving
the dream, leaving Barney to settle with reality. But as Robin points out, he
gets her, and James gets a family in lieu of his own impending divorce.
While Barney plans his Parent
Trap shenanigans, he gives Ted a present to guard that he intends to give
Robin later. Sure enough, Ted leaves the gift—a headshot of Wayne Gretsky—in plain
sight in his room, where he later finds it mysteriously acquainted with a
bottle of calligraphy ink. Okay, no one question the calligraphy ink. No one
also question the nickname Detective Ted and the fact he has more than one exploit under his belt.
Believe it or not (I elect, not), Ted actually discovers the
culprit: William Zabka, bent on framing Ted twice for his Best Man title. Yet,
everything works out okay; Ted covers for the former child actor, Barney doesn’t
rescind Ted’s role, and Lily gets to tackle someone again.
