Marshall is annoyed when Lily doesn't believe that his female coworker, Jenkins, kissed him. Meanwhile, Ted's college kids introduce him to a drinking game they've invented out of Robin's pre-morning news show.
This episode provides examples of:
- Ambiguous Syntax: Marshall made a point to try and avoid using pronouns when discussing Jenkins' antics for as long as possible.
- Beware the Nice Ones: When Jenkins tells Lily about kissing Marshall (confirming that it actually did happen), Lily snaps and beats the crap out of her.
- Blatant Lies: When Robin shows up in the middle of Ted and Marshall talking about Jenkins actually being a woman, Ted pretends that the context behind the two of them mentioning how "Lily can't find out" is that Marshall is planning to buy her a horse.
- Brick Joke: When being forced out of Ted's classroom (due to having shown up under the impression his students loved "Come On, Get Up New York!"), Robin announces her next broadcast was going to be about snail poison. It turns out, Jenkins took part in the drinking game during that very same broadcast prior to kissing Marshall at work.
- Broken Record: Invoked by Robin to kill the drinking game.Robin: But, um, if there's any college students watching: But, um, but, um, but, um, but, um, but, um, but, um, but, um, but, um, but, um...
- Didn't Think This Through: When Marshall talks Jenkins into apologizing to Lily about kissing him, Marshall spends too much time basking in the fact that his story was confirmed to realize Lily was getting ready to assault her.
- Disproportionate Retribution: The brutal beatdown Lily gives Jenkins is a bit much. Yes, she kissed Marshall, but she was sincerely apologetic about it to both Marshall and Lily and trying to make things right.
- Five-Second Foreshadowing: Barney announces to Ted he plans to have sex with Jenkins seconds before we learn Jenkin's actual gender.
- Green-Eyed Monster: Seeing Lily beat the crap out of Jenkins was enough to make Marshall decide to never make Lily jealous again.
- Hold My Glasses: While Jenkins is apologizing for kissing Marshall, Lily calmly starts handing her purse, scarf and earrings to Barney to prepare for beating the tar out of Jenkins.
- Honor Before Reason: Ted and the students know Robin is baiting them when she's saying "But, um..." rapidly. But they drink because "it's the rules." They all have a massive hangover the next day as a result.
- Lame Pun Reaction: When Ted's students invite him to play the Robin Scherbatsky Drinking Game with them.Ted: Well, what can I say, but... "but-ums" up! [long silence] Can I still come?
- Last-Name Basis: Jenkins's first name is never revealed.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero:
- If Ted hadn't snapped and told Robin about the drinking game, she wouldn't have pulled the stunt she did.
- When it comes to light that Jenkins kissed Marshall because she was drunk, Marshall is astonished that she was drunk at eight in the morning. When Jenkins admits she doesn't know how that happened, we are soon shown why.(cut to Jenkins at the bar hours prior with several other GNB employees)Robin: (on the TV) I thought snail pellets were safe, but, um...Everyone: BUT, UM! (takes a shot)Jenkins: (checks watch) I gotta get to work.
- No-Holds-Barred Beatdown: Lily delivers one to Jenkins.
- Noodle Incident: When apologizing to Marshall for kissing him, it comes to light that Jenkins had sex with someone in the mailroom that looked like him.
- Once More, with Clarity: After Ted asks why Marshall kept pretending that Jenkins was a guy when talking to Lily, Marshall asks him to remember the previous stories he told about Jenkins. Specifically, the ones where Jenkins sloppily ate an entire jar of cherries, pretended to spank the ass of the CFO, and stripped at the bar while plastered.
- Out of Focus: Barney's role is reduced in this episode due to Neil Patrick Harris directing.
- Pronoun Trouble: Played for laughs. Marshall neglects to mention Jenkins' sex/gender when he first tells Lily stories of Jenkins's exploits, so when she thinks Jenkins is a man, he avoids referring to her with pronouns to keep up the illusion.
- Samus Is a Girl: That funny guy, Jenkins, Marshall kept talking about? Turns out, Jenkins is a woman.
- Tempting Fate:
- Ted declaring "How great is this?!" in the middle of the final drinking game is followed by Robin deliberately overdoing "But, um" ad nauseam.
- After Ted, in pain, announces his class that day will be low-key and quiet as possible, Robin shows up.
- Too Dumb to Live: Ted and the students could have avoided drinking when Robin began using "But, um..." more, but blindly follow the rules of the drinking game instead.
- Toplessness from the Back: Both the male and female versions of Jenkins.
- Verbal Tic: Robin's tendency to say "But, um..." while conducting interviews becomes the center of a college drinking game.
