In the cold open, Future Ted narrates that when Marshall resigned from GNB, his boss Arthur Hobbs asked to be put as his character reference when applying for a new job at an environmental organization.
The pranks go too far and Carl bans them both from the bar, as well as Lily and Robin, who were irritated by a woman lurking by their booth for a chance for her and her friends to sit there.
When Lily tells him what happened between Marshall and Barney, he confronts Zoey while on the road, despite an agreement to never talk about the Arcadian, and told her that it was okay for her to disrupt his own plans, but seeing his friends turn on each other was too much.
When they see the cockamouse creep around the room and discover its offspring, Zoey admits defeat and they spend the night at Ted's apartment.
Club's Zack Handlen gave the episode a B−, stating the prank war was funny, but the execution of the drink gag was not well-timed.
[1] Lindsey Bahr of Atlantic Monthly said it had "fast-paced energy" that the Zoey and Ted angle spoils, and nothing is resolved by the end of the episode.