The Rehearsal Dinner.

Like a laser tag lock-in that ended too soon because some kid named Jared got scared of the dark and effectively ruining my 12th birthday party, "The Rehearsal Dinner" held our attention for a few brief minutes before drowning itself in ice cold monotony. HIMYM is better than this, even in the most grueling trenches of wedding era. Of course not every episode can have a 90% accurate laser shooting rate, but it should still serve as enjoyable despite its flaws. Maybe its just my represed middle school memories of laser tag matches gone awry surfacing in unhealthy ways, but I really feel this episode was a miss in the series' near perfect storytelling record.

Barney

A

Mr. Stinson has many a trick up his finely tailored sleeve with his laser tag rehearsal dinner, actually serving as an elaborate and touching ice skating celebration. Barney was able to convince his friends that he was still an inconsiderate chauvinistic asshole instead of his newfound loving chauvinistic asshole self. If HIMYM were Homeland, Barney would be Saul, playing an elaborate game of chess while everyone else was playing checkers. In the this case though, he probably just wasn't invited to play checkers since the gang was so sick of him. But Barney showed us why he rightfully landed the most coveted teen mall singer in NYC/Canada with his loving but incredibly exhausting and expensive sentiments.

Robin

A-

Marriage is about a couple, but more often than not the wedding is about the bride. So Robin was understandably upset with Barney's laser tag shenanigans and remarkably kept her cool when bailing her fiance out. Really though, Robin should've seen this coming, or at least become suspicious when thousands of dollars from her wedding budget were suddenly missing or Barney was watching hours of YouTube videos featuring the best routines of Michelle Kwan and Brian Boitano. In the end, she got the rehearsal dinner that every Canadian girl hopes for: ice skating with Alan Thicke as your fiance's best man cosplays as Liberace. Sometimes dreams do come true.

Ted

B+Ted's role in the matrimonial rouse was nearly as complex as Barney's, dressing as Liberace only to be truly revealed as Liber-shmosby on ice! Cleary Ted goes the distance for his friends, either supporting them through their life quarrels or flamboyantly pounding piano keys to their hearts' delight. And despite his inadequacy both as a figure skater and a closeted flamboyant piano master, Ted's efforts earn him a B+.

Lily

C

Lily tried to stop Barney's laser tag scheme but ultimately lost to his undying willful ignorance. Plus her inability to keep a secret puts her right above Ed Snowden but just behind Watergate's Deepthroat in terms of notable gossipers. So its only suiting that Lily finally spilled her frustrations on Marshall's abrupt career verdict. This whole mess made Lily come to terms that her marriage isn't all love and morning roses breath, but conflicts and how to solve them. Lily ain't resting pretty right now, but for having friends to take their time to listen (or pretend ignore on Barney's part, that's the best she's going to get out of him), Lily gets a solid C.

Marshall

DCall him old fashioned, but Marshall believes in a marriage that isn't built on a rickety foundation of violent surprises and criminal mayhem. When he wakes up, he likes the comforting reassurance his wife's standard smelly breath will be there to greet him. Marshall has caused a lot of pain out of feeding his own desires. We're not angry with him, we're just disappointed with a capital D.

"The Rehearsal Dinner"

C-Silly and extravagant but with the tediousness of watching Olympic ice skating, "The Rehearsal Dinner" simply wasn't up to grade by the strict team of HIMYM official judges.

Extra Credit

• The Rehearsal Dinner gave another great HIMYM trademark business idea, this time with the Liberace Musical Spectacular on Ice! Figure skating would be the perfect medium for the pianist's flamboyant style and delicate melodies. The promoters would need to be certain though they didn't base any of the show off of the HBO film "Behind the Candleabra", as graphic gay sex may not be appropriate for a young audience, plus being nearly impossible to choreograph on ice.

Demerrits

• As an avid laser tagger from ages 12-14, I was livid to see there was actually no laser tag at all in this episode. Perhaps I was foolish in letting my hope sensors be too exposed to the crushing laser of TV plot development. But I still feel gipped that nobody dawned a lasertag vest underneath their formal wedding attire.
• This hotel must be deeply regretting their decision to host the Stinson Scherbatsky union. Not only did the guests devour and tarnish the hotel, but they also booked a meeting room only to immediately leave for somewhere else. Is the wedding ceremony even going to happen here, or will Robin and Barney suddenly fly their guests out to Canada leaving behind a mess of oeur d'oeuvres and "sandwiches" for the staff to pick up? 
• So when Robin was busting Barney out of Laser Tag jail but she  somehow didn't notice the faux room was located on the middle of a freezing skating rink only until the walls fell down? And Barney apparently has the money to orchestrate something like this but not to transport his fiance and guests to the Canadian border for an authentic Northener rehearsal feast? Could Barney really have foreseen Marshall's travel troubles so far ahead of time that he didn't plan on him having a role in the rehearsal plan at all?