How I Met Your Mother 'Gary Blauman' Review: Guest stars galore and an important first for Ted and The Mother

How I Met Your Mother has precious few episodes left in Season 9, and at first glance, "Gary Blauman" may have seemed like a filler episode. After all, it revolved around a minor character and basically delayed the wedding for another episode. But the episode carried some deeper meaning that made it a worthwhile installment.

For all of the glimpses we've gotten into Ted and the Mother's relationship, we've never really seen the beginning of the relationship. We've never seen how it formed, how it blossomed. But this episode took us into the aftermath of their meeting and showed their first date, which was an important moment for us to see before the show signs off the air. It even revealed how much Ted has grown, as he didn't make some grand speech. Instead, he let the moment just happen, and it worked out in his favor.

The final three-minute tracking shot was the beginning of the show's goodbye, and it let us know where many of the guest stars and recurring characters wind up in the future. The show started to bid farewell to us, and they did it in excellent HIMYM fashion.

The rest of the episode was relatively tame, as it showed us how Gary Blauman interacted with the cast in the past. The episode provided plenty of laughs for sure, but most of it was filler as we head toward the finale. It was a bit disappointing to waste the precious few minutes we have left, but the important parts of the episode certainly made up for it.

Next week is the wedding (FINALLY!) so it looks like we're about to sprint to the finish line. This episode was a stroll down Memory Lane, and I have a feeling it won't be the last one we take before the series is over.

Notes and Quotes:

-       The Ted who loves historical facts is the best Ted.

-       Barney is totally justified. No one should EVER steal an accidental curly fry.

-       Lily's remark about Marshall and their birthday sex took me a minute, but when I got it, I GOT IT.

-       William Zabka: "That's not even my move! I'd sweep the leg and put you in a body bag. Everyone knows that!"

What do you think of tonight's episode? Let us know in the comments below.