There was a new episode of "How I Met Your Mother" before the Thanksgiving holiday, and this time it didn't involve any references to the infamous "slap bet." Instead, the episode featured a major storyline for Marshall. His trouble at work was the biggest issue of the episode, and the drama between Barney and Robin took a back seat. Of course, there was another interesting development in that area as, well. Here is a recap of the latest episode, "The Stamp Tramp."
Marshall helps a pal
Marshall's old law school buddy, Brad, has fallen on hard times, and Marshall decides to help him. He tells Brad that he will help him get a job at his company. However, his friends groan because Marshall gives his "stamp of approval" to almost everything. On top of that, Marshall is on thin ice with Honeywell, his current boss. As it turns out, things don't go well during Brad's interview. He fails to impress Honeywell, especially when he mentions his psychic. Marshall convinces Honeywell to give Brad one more chance, but it turns ugly when Brad makes fun of his height. Honeywell is so angry that he pulls Marshall off of an important case because he can't trust his judgment.
Lily tells an upset Marshall that he needs to earn Marshall's trust back. He manages to do that and gets back on the case. Much to his shock, he finds out that Brad was a lawyer for the opposing side the whole time. He was merely scamming them for information. Marshall's boss said that he has to win the case in order to save his job, but that storyline will have to wait for a later episode.
Barney's new strip club
Barney is upset because his ex-flame, Quinn, has gone back to work, which means he needs to find a new strip club. He calls himself a free agent and even interviews strip club owners who are interested in his business. After talking to Robin and Lily about the way that the strip clubs are wooing him, Robin says that he should be in higher demand. Barney hires Robin as his "strip club agent," and she hits the ground running.
She's gotten him all kinds of perks, and Barney is impressed. However, she ends up getting bribed by a strip club that features old ladies. Barney fires her because she sold out for a deal he didn't want. The two make peace, and Barney announces his strip club decision behind a podium at the bar. At the end of the episode, Barney and Robin share a kiss after a drunken trip to the club. However, Robin pulls away and says that this can't happen. It looks like the plot is thickening for the two star-crossed lovers.
Ted's stamp of approval
While Marshall is criticized for approving everything, Ted is criticized because he is merely a "piggyback stamper." He goes on a quest to try and prove that he deserves credit for recommending something and starts looking at college videos. He realizes that every idea he thought he had started with someone else, including his infamous college radio show. After feeling dejected, his spirit is boosted when he and Lily see an old video in which Ted gives Lily the "stamp of approval" to Marshall.
