How Marshall 'Met' Lily's Dead Ringer

I love how this show plays with the concept of fate and destiny. Whether it's the girl with the umbrella, Ted trying to lecture the wrong class or this week's story (Ted on a second blind date with the same girl), this show really shines when it centers the episode around it. I love how it took both Ted and his date until about halfway through the date at the same restaurant with the same conversation to realize they had done this before. And I love the way they mutually decided to help each other out by pointing out what went wrong the first time around. I figured this was going to lead to them realizing that they had feelings for each other, but I didn't see the twist at the end coming. Ted, in a moment of complete clarity, realized instead that he and his date weren't compatible. Neither was willing to accept the other's faults (his stupid jokes and perceived "snobbery" and her propensity to talk about her cats), so they ended things (again) before they even began. But this time, they ended them on good terms.

Meanwhile, Barney and Marshall were busy spotting the Triple Doppelganger (apparently, they had already found Robin's and Marshall's). Barney dragged Marshall into a local strip club (I know it sounds crazy, but he seriously had to drag him in there and then convince him to relax and to fantasize about other women) and they were both shocked when the featured stripper took the stage. She looked exactly like Lily! They were so surprised, Barney ran back and told Lily who wanted to see "Stripper Me." She was so impressed with her stripper doppelganger that she threw a hundred at her (much to Marshall's chagrin). The biggest surprise to this story, though, was Robin's reaction to Barney's strip club ways. Like Barney, I thought she would be totally cool with it. It seems we were both wrong. She was definitely not cool with it. And Barney being Barney, he decided to avoid discussing the topic all together. Uh-oh, I sense issues forming between the non-couple/couple.

How I Met Your Mother airs Mondays on CBS. If you missed last night's episode, watch it for free at cbs.com.