'How I Met Your Mother' Season 9, Episode 13: 'Bass Player Wanted' Recap

After several weeks of filler episodes, this week's episode of "How I Met Your Mother" featured some major advancements in the season's story arc. Marshall made it to Farhampton at last, but perhaps even more significantly, the elusive mother played a major role in the story for the first time since early in the season.

When Marshall (Jason Segel) decided to walk the final five miles to Farhampton, fans braced themselves for several more weeks of tedious trekking before he was reunited with Lily (Alyson Hannigan) and the rest of the gang. Fortunately, the journey didn't last long, thanks to a good Samaritan who gave Marshall and baby Marvin a lift. The identity of the do-gooder? Why, it was none other than Ted's future wife (Cristin Milioti).

The plot gave us a chance to learn some of Milioti's back story, and it allowed her character to meet one more of the series' regulars. Now she need only meet Robin (Cobie Smulders) before she's allowed to cross paths with Ted (Josh Radnor).

Overall, the episode seemed to mark a much-needed settling down of the season's trajectory. Marshall and Lily are their old selves again, everyone is finally in Farhampton, and it feels as if it's time to give up the filler and let Ted's kids hear the story they've been waiting all these years to hear.