'How I Met Your Mother' Season 7, Episode 4 Recap - 'Stinson Missile Crisis'

"Stinson Missile Crisis" was a rarity in that we weren't immediately greeted with the voice of Bob Saget. Why? Because Robin is telling us today's story by relating it to her therapist, played by Kal Penn.

Apparently, Robin has some court-appointed therapy she has to go through because she assaulted someone. Who was it? For a good long while, we're lead to think that it might be Nora... after all, Barney (still wearing the ducky tie!) is really turning up the whole "boyfriend material" thing by sending Nora all kinds of stuff at work (and even singing to her) while Robin fumes.

But of course Robin doesn't actually attack Nora. Instead, when Nora gets sent off on an assignment, she sets about trying to steal Barney, who has to clean up his life since he still has some "plays" set up that are still running. Soon after, Dr. Stinson is retired (what will those poor girls needing breast reductions do?) and Barney has packed up any incriminating stuff in his apartment... except for the Cold Call 5000, which is accidentally set off.

So it turns out that Robin actually tackled the blonde bimbo that was about to ruin Barney's chances with Nora, in a rather selfless (if not ill-advised) act.

But the really fun thing about the episode was the way that the Ted/Marshall/Lily "third wheel" storylined was tied in. Like last week's episode that had a rather obvious segue into the alternate storyline (Ted ignoring current happenings and turning the conversation to himself), this week had Robin relating the goings-on of Marshall and Lily to the therapist, with the eventual payoff that the lessons learned were applicable in both situations.

It was delightfully self-referential, and a nice way of handling the problem that comes with having anyone other than Bob Saget telling us the day's story... that is, why would Robin be relating this tale of Ted feeling like a third wheel?

Other fun things:

- We got a little glimpse of what Lily's labor is going to be like... and it ain't looking so good.

- Barney's verbal slip-ups

- "It's fascinating how profoundly little I know about vaginas."

- Marshall and Ted in the birthing class

- Special guest appearance by Jeff Probst!