As the autumn of breakups continues, Victoria agrees to marry Ted under the condition that he and Robin stop being friends. Barney starts using a dog as a wingman.
This episode provides examples of:
- Amicable Exes: After Ted tells Victoria that he can't cut Robin out of his life, Victoria sincerely wishes him luck in wooing Robin.
- Apologetic Attacker. Even as she points out that Robin has been the cause of almost everything negative in her relationship with Ted, Victoria still says that she thinks Robin is a great person.
- Bait-and-Switch: We're at first led to believe that Ted really was going to tell Robin he couldn't be friends with her anymore... only for a subtle cutaway to ensue, showing that Ted's telling Victoria that he couldn't bring himself to cut Robin out of his life.
- Black Comedy Burst: After learning he has to give back Brover, Barney calmly gets up, goes to the balcony, and attempts to jump.
- Catchphrase: Nick is desperate to have one for his cooking show. They keep falling flat.
- Continuity Snarl: A fairly minor one. When Robin previously mentioned her aunt on the farm upstate in Stuff, she knew that she was a lesbian (referring to her aunt's "lover"). In this episode, however, Robin apparently had not realized that her aunt's "friend" was in fact her romantic partner, until Barney mentioned it.
- Driven to Suicide/Suicideas Comedy: When Barney finds out he has to return Brover, he attempts to jump off the balcony.
- Dude, Not Funny!: In-Universe. While Nick is testing out catchphrases he tries "Get a chub for some grub!" Gasps are heard and it then cuts to him on the next episode making a public apology.
- He follows that apology with a new catchphrase: "Whose ready to eat my meat?!" which prompts another gasp from the audience.
- Explain, Explain... Oh, Crap!: Downplayed. Robin didn’t have a clue that her aunt was lesbian until Barney casually mentioned that. She first asks him why he got to that conclusion only because she has a farm, she hasn’t married and only lives with her good friend Maureen- Oh!
- Faux Yay: Robin does this when Brover's owner mistakes her and Barney for a couple.note
- Foreshadowing: Robin is having trouble between her current boyfriend and Nick... a really emotional guy who loves cooking pretentious food...
- Jerkass Has a Point: Victoria, although it's more of a case of O.O.C. Is Serious Business. Lily says that although her ultimatum isn't fair, she gets why Victoria is so worried about Ted and Robin.
- Iris Out: On Barney and Brover before the opening titles.
- Non-Human Sidekick: Brover. Barney even buys him his own suits.
