'How I Met Your Mother' Season 8, Episode 20: 'The Time Travelers' Recap

Ted explains to his children that at this time, he and the mother were very close, but still very far apart. For example, she was dating a finance guy named Louis and working on an economics degree… and Ted was alone.

Barney comes in and happily deposits two tickets for Robots vs. Wrestlers on the table in front of Ted, who is alone. He tells Barney he has a big lecture tomorrow and wants to take it easy, but Barney assures him 20 years from now he will be grateful he went. He explains that he lets 20-years-from-now Barney call all the shots. He has Ted close his eyes, and when he opens them, said Barney is sitting beside him in a shiny space-like suit. 20-years Barney tells Ted Robots vs. Wrestlers is a life-changing event. Don’t believe him?

He conjures 20-years-from-now Ted, who insists Ted go. Ted asks if it’s worth it, will it be the greatest night of his life beside his wedding? Future Ted makes a joke about not being married, panicking Ted, but he insists that it will be an epic night and he must go. That is until a disgruntled-looking 20-hours-from-now Ted comes in and tells them not so fast.

Marshall, meanwhile, has invented a new drink called the Minnesota Tidal Wave. He has Lily order it for him (since it’s rather girly), but Carl calls it the Robin Scherbatsky. The bar has named it after her for ordering it so much lately. It’s even on the menu. Marshall seethes.

20-hours Ted makes everyone shush. He has his wrist in a cast. He tells Ted he will drink too much, sprain his wrist jumping into the ring, and smoke too much hence the cough. 20-hours Ted insists he not do this thing. Ted asks if he hurls, and 20-hours Ted says yes. A lot.

Ted says maybe they can go, but not drink too much. 20-years Ted and Barney insist he gets wasted, because otherwise he won’t make out with the female robot.

Marshall, furious about the drink, challenges Robin to a dance-off, but Robin says the name is staying and Lily reminds Marshall his dancer's hip is dangerous. Robin says she likes having her name on something. Marshall cryptically tells her that’s what she will get, and walks off. Two minutes later Marshall asks if she’s ready for a good time… she goes in the bathroom and crosses her number off of the bathroom wall. Robin comes back out and goes into the ladies room.

She tells him he can go n and see what she wrote. Shyly, he enters, and finds a huge long apology written on the wall.

As everyone prepares to go to Robots vs. Wrestlers, 20-minutes from now Barney comes in with a stain on his shirt and tells everyone they have to stop. Carl comes over and gives a plate of spaghetti.

Marshall gets to the end of the long letter, where Robin admits it’s a stall tactic so a lady will enter the bathroom and he will hide. A woman comes in, and he does just that, finding a “gotcha” on the inside of the door.

20-minutes Barney becomes 20-seconds Barney as the time changes, and he tells them to watch the door. They wait, and a pretty girl comes in.

It is the coat check girl from seven years ago, the night Barney ground on his cousin.

Marshall calls in a high voice asking if anyone is in the bathroom. No one answers, so comes out. Screaming ensues, and a bunch of girl run out. Carl comes and tells him not to pull a Marshall Erikson.

“Did you just use my name as shorthand for a guy being creepy?”

Marshall tries to turn it on Carl but realizes he doesn’t know his last name. Carl says he will name every drink after him if he can say his last name. Marshall strikes out with “’s Junior.”

Ted goes to talk to Cute Coat Check Girl, but before he can, a girl grabs him and pulls him aside. It’s 20-months-from-now Coat Check Girl. There are two versions, she explains. One, nicely dressed, gets sick of Ted and breaks up with him. The other, crying and in a sweatshirt, is the one Ted dumps. She presents him muffins she has made and says she is pregnant, but not really.

He asks if it’s just doomed in general, and she asks if it has ever gone another way? Real Coat Check Girl leaves, and Ted lets her go.

He goes to the table, looking down. Marshall and Robin are still arguing. He thinks that a dance off would have cleared things. She reminds him that she is Sparkles. Marshall hears his jam—Lily has put it on the jukebox. The two begin a dance-off.

Ted tells Barney he is going to go, and Barney doesn’t stop him. Barney tells him this all happened five years ago. Marshall and Lily are upstairs trying to get Marvin to sleep, and Barney and Robin are trying to decide on a caterer. Ted has been sitting there all night, staring at a single ticket to Robots vs. Wrestlers, because no one else could go out.

“Look around, Ted. You’re all alone.”

Ted tells his kids if he could go back in time and relive the night, he would just go home. He would go see Lily and Marshall, or Robin and Barney. He says none of those are the thing he does first.

“You know the thing I do first.”

Ted takes off running. He rushes into an apartment building and bangs on a door.

“Hi, I’m Ted Mosby. And exactly 45 days from now, you and I will meet,” he tells the unseen woman at the door. He says he’s there because he wants those extra 45 days with her. He tells her he loves her and will always love her.

Louis comes and Ted explains that he’s in love with his girlfriend, and they’re going to get married. Louis punches him.

Ted, back in front of MacLarens, buttons his coat and walks off.

The show ends with a song sung by all the time versions of Barney and Ted.