How I Met Your Mother - Episode 6.01 - Big Days - Recap

The season opener starts with a wedding, but we’re left in the dark about who’s wedding it really is. All we know is that Ted and Marshall are attending, and it’s later revealed that one of the them is the best man, and that Ted meets The Mother there.

The present day scene starts with Barney barging into the bar to find Ted, and Barney’s first lines are “It’s a sad day in New York, Ted. A sad day indeed. Do you know what I saw on my way in here? A girl in a sweater. And you know what that means, the season of exposed skin is over!” I don’t know about you, but I’ve missed Barney over the summer. His over the top lines, always make me laugh out loud. Ted doesn't seem to care about what Barney has to say, as usual, but he also seems to have something else on his mind and Barney gets him to fess up.

Ted has spotted a girl, and he spends the entire episode at the bar wanting to ask her out. He then sees that the girl with there with Cindy (a girl he once dated—who is known to be the roommate of the mother.) He remembers seeing the ankle of Cindy’s roommate and wonders if the girl Cindy’s with is the roommate. He’s scared Cindy will approach him, and therefore doesn’t want to approach the girl. I think it's a bit much, to be infatuated with the idea of person, by only spotting her ankle, but because future Ted already knows who the ankle belongs to, I guess the small details become important.

Meanwhile, as Lily and Marshal plan to have their first try for a baby, it gets stopped as Lily comes home to a bassinet from Marshal’s dad. We learn that Marshal and his dad seem to be a little too close, and this freaks Lily out. They join the gang at the bar to talk about it.

Robin has completely let herself go since the break up with Don. She’s a total mess, and who wouldn't be after she gave up her dream job for the love, and the one she's in love with ends up taking the offer for the job. Robin has become so apathetic that Ted even finds a Cheeto in her hair and she eats it. As Barney watches her and mocks her, she bets she can still get a guy, and goes home to change. She returns with her hair brushed and in a dress and even Barney finds her attractive. Seconds after arriving at the bar a guy hits on her, and she said she’s made her point and joins the guys at the table again.

Lily and Marshall have a separate conversation about the entire event of having a baby and Marshall telling people about it, and then Marshall freaks out on Lily about his dad and leaves. Later on they have a conversation on the stairs to their apartment and Lily admits her fears to Marshall, but they talk things over and are ready to truly start trying to start their family.

While Ted watches this scene caused by Lily and Marshal, Cindy catches his eye and calls his name. She approaches the table and asks to talk to him separately. They talk and she’s very calm about it, and says it’s okay, because she realizes they weren’t what they were looking for and things are good between them. This seems to give Ted a green light to approach Cindy's friend without worrying about Cindy freaking out.

Ted returns the group, and when he’s about to bit the bullet and approach Cindy’s friend, Cindy leans in for a kiss, and Robin, Barney, and Ted himself are in shock. As Ted steps back in shock, Barney pulls out his camera phone and begins to film.

The season premiere may have lacked luster, but it seems to be the perfect setup for the season.