Trama

Ted goes on a blind date with the same woman he went on a blind date with seven years ago, and Barney and Marshall find Lily's stripper look-alike.

In 2009, Ted goes on a blind date with a woman named Jen. It isn't until they're at the restaurant about ready to order that they both come to the realization that they are reliving the same blind date they had with each other in 2002. This date is going about as well as that first one did, but as they come to the conclusion that their dating lives have pretty much stalled in that seven years, they decide to relive the remainder of that date from seven years ago to learn why they make such bad first impressions. But as they learn what they did wrong, will those turn into rights for the two of them, or will wrongs always be wrongs? Meanwhile, Barney comes up with a plan to hijack Marshall without either Robin or Lily knowing what's going on. The reason is that Barney has come to the conclusion that Marshall's life is controlled by Lily and in Barney's mind he needs to get out and have some guy's fun. So Barney takes him to a strip club. There, Marshall opens up about how he fantasizes about other women. But Marshall and Barney ultimately have to tell Lily and Robin where they went since something much more important happens at the strip club than the need to hide their whereabouts from their significant others.—Huggo

Future Ted describes a date he went on in 2009, and the screen quickly changes to show a side-by-side shot of him preparing in 2009 and 2002. It turns out that Ted is about to go on a blind date with Jen (Lindsay Sloane), a woman he went on another blind date with in 2002.

Meanwhile, the rest of the gang grapples with relationship questions. Though Barney claims to have tickets to an origin of Chewbacca exhibit, which Marshall is genuinely excited about (but the girls nerd out and refuse to accompany the guys), they instead head to the Lusty Leopard strip bar, where Marshall is uncomfortable because he considers fantasies cheating. Barney claims that Robin would be ok with him being at a strip club and would be into it herself. He explains to Barney that every time he wants to fantasize, he must create an elaborate scenario where Lily must die of a terminal illness (like a fatal hiccup disorder). While they discuss this, Jasmine (Alyson Hannigan) - a stripper who looks exactly like Lily - appears on stage, exciting Barney to no end.

After going to exactly the same restaurant and exchanging the same dialogue, including a pun about shellfish that Jen describes as "really bad", Ted and Jen realize they are repeating their blind date from seven years ago. They remember that the date was horrible, from Ted's snobbish behavior (pointed out spelling mistakes in the menu) to Jen's obsession with her cats and her ex-boyfriend. She also didn't offer to pay when the check arrives Frightened by the prospect of having to date everyone in New York again, they decide to retrace their steps to find the mistakes of the first date. Like Jen kept dropping hints that she was feeling cold, but Ted never offered her his jacket.

Barney and Marshall return to MacLaren's and tell Robin and Lily about Lily's doppelganger. It is also revealed that the gang has seen two other doppelgangers; a butch "Lesbian Robin", and "Mustache Marshall", Hispanic lawyer (or game show host) Señor Justicia. Lily is excited about the find, but Robin gets mad about Barney going to a strip club. Barney makes Marshall tell Lily about his death fantasies that he uses to justify thinking about other women.

Learning new things about themselves on the first date, Ted and Jen head to MacLaren's, where the gang is there to help them retrace the events of the 2002 date. They repeat the same issues with Ted that Jen has already pointed out like: expect a standing ovation for picking a $19 check and the menu typo goldmine. Jen reveals that she thought Ted was checking out a woman at the bar, when Ted and Barney were really looking at "Mustache Marshall". Ted and Jen head up to the roof, and after they share a kiss they suddenly realize why they never had another date: Ted never called her. Ted apologizes for his blunder and gives a version of what might have happened had they gotten together. They would have gotten married.

Lily tells Marshall she's fine with him thinking about other women, at least as long as she's alive in the fantasy. She takes Marshall back to the strip club to fantasize about her doppelganger to get over his discomfort. Barney and Robin go too, where everyone recognizes him, stoking Robin's anger. She tells Barney how uncomfortable the thought of him going to a strip club makes her, but he ignores her. Lily is so enthralled by her stripper twin that she and Marshall get a private dance. Robin wants to have a serious talk about the relationship, but Barney remains oblivious.

Before Ted and Jen can kiss again on the roof, he stops and realizes that their quirks (like finding typos in menus, or loving and talking about their cats) are part of who they are and that they should hold out for someone who'll not just tolerate them, but like them. Future Ted then tells his kids that when he told the shellfish pun to their mother, she laughed (almost completely sincerely).

Back at the strip club, Marshall comments to Lily that Jasmine is having trouble on stage. When "Lily" responds with a thick accent and cigarette in hand, "Jasmine" falls on stage and he goes to help her as the viewers and Marshall realize that "Jasmine" dancing right now is Lily and "Lily" with a thick accent is Jasmine.