Though the title How I Met Your Mother now invokes feelings of frustration about that truly terrible series finale, the show deserves credit for carving out its own wacky, slightly surreal sense of humor for nine seasons. One post recently uploaded by Imgur user Eclipezz highlights the often under-appreciated details that went into shaping the show. In the season-nine episode “The Rehearsal Dinner,” there’s a scene in which Barney, Ted, Lily, and Marshall sit around making fun of Robin’s desire to get married in Canada. Meanwhile in the background a couple goes on a date, gets engaged, raises a child, and faces mortality as the husband dies and his elderly widow gets hit on while carrying his urn.
While the Imgur post suggests otherwise, the gag isn’t really that hidden (our own Donna Bowman pointed it out in her review three years ago). It’s there to comically exaggerate how long the gang sits around insulting Canada, and it features pretty prominently in the scene. Still, the post is a nice reminder of the attention to detail that went into making How I Met Your Mother. Just be warned that rewatching the utterly charming “The Rehearsal Dinner” will make you even more upset about the finale’s treatment of Barney and Robin.