: Marshall and Lily's subplot involves a constipated baby Marvin. While primarily crude "toilet humor," it culminates in a "whiz-bang" confetti gag that provides a literal (if messy) relief to the tension. The "Why It Matters"
To keep the tone from getting too somber, the episode features Barney attempting to win over Robin’s father, Robin Scherbatsky Sr. (Ray Wise). [S8E13] Band or DJ?
: The "scary father" trope is flipped when it's revealed that Robin Sr. has undergone a strange transformation into a Hawaiian-shirt-wearing, Facebook-obsessed "softie" who married a woman named Carol without telling his daughter. : Marshall and Lily's subplot involves a constipated
The title's debate over a band or a DJ is more than just wedding planning—it's symbolic. (Ray Wise)
: Ted’s insistence on a DJ is a manifestation of his subconscious desire to sabotage the wedding or distance himself from it.
: In the episode’s closing moments, Future Ted reveals a crucial bit of "Mother" lore: if he hadn't finally agreed to hire a band, he never would have met his wife, as she was the bass player for the replacement band he eventually booked.
: To help Ted feel less like a "monster" for his jealousy, Lily shares a shocking, vulnerable truth: sometimes she regrets being a mother and misses her old life as an artist. It is one of the most honest and dark moments in the series, used effectively to show that it is okay to acknowledge painful feelings without letting them consume you. The Humor: Barney vs. Robin Sr.