When Ted runs into Stella, he leaves a bad impression, leaving her current fiance, Tony, to try and make Ted's life better after stealing his bride-to-be and supposedly ruining Ted's life.
This episode provides examples of:
- Actually Pretty Funny: Ted describes Tony's Tae Kwan Do outfit as "kung fu pajamas" and Stella has to laugh.
- Amicable Exes: Ted and Stella ultimately reach this point, with Ted agreeing to talk to Tony for her (after he breaks up with her following a conversation with Ted) and telling Stella that he wants her to be happy.
- Call-Forward: Future!Ted mentions Tony writing a successful movie called The Wedding Bride, which is central to the Season 5 episode of the same name.
- Deadly Euphemism: The potential client Tony introduces Ted to is a man who wants a "laundry room" that's completely soundproof with chains on the ceiling.
- Entitled Bastard: After leaving Ted at the altar for Tony, Stella has the gall to ask Ted to convince Tony to take her back. In her defense, she acknowledges that it's an awful thing to ask.
- Funny Background Event: While Ted and Stella are bailing him out of jail, Barney hits on a policewoman by suggestively playing with her handcuffs.
- Imagine Spot: Ted imagines Stella crawling back to him, apologizing for running away at their wedding, and begging him to get back together.
- Pet the Dog: Tony goes out of his way to help Ted get a job, due to feeling guilty about Stella running away with him and leaving Ted at the altar.
- Title Drop: Stella does the honors during a conversation with Ted.Ted: Okay, I'm gonna say something out loud that I've been doing a pretty good job not saying out loud lately. What you and Tony have... what I thought for a second you and I had... What I know that Marshall and Lily have... I want that. I do. I keep waiting for it to happen, I wait for it to happen and... I guess I'm just... I'm tired of waiting. And that is all I'm going to say on that subject.
Stella: ...You know that once I talked my way out of a speeding ticket?
Ted: Really?
Stella: I was heading upstate to my parents' house and was doing, like, ninety on this country road and got pulled over. So this cop gets out of his car and he kinda swaggers all over and he's all like, "Young lady, I have been waiting for you all day." So I looked up at him and I said: "I'm so sorry, officer. I got here as fast as I could."
Ted: For real?
Stella: Nah. It's an old joke. [pause] I know that you are tired of waiting, and you may have to wait a little while more, but she's on her way, Ted. And she's getting here as fast as she can.
