Ep 3. Third Wheel

As the title suggests, "Third Wheel" revolves around the concept of being the odd one out in a group of three - and the hilarity that ensues as a result. In this particular episode of How I Met Your Mother season 3, we see Ted, Marshall, and Lily hanging out at their usual spot, MacLaren's Pub, when Ted spots a girl he knows from his gym, Trudy. When he introduces her to Marshall and Lily, they immediately hit it off - leaving Ted feeling like the titular third wheel.

Determined not to let his friends have all the fun, Ted tries to reinsert himself into the conversation by telling his infamous "sandwich" story - a tale that turns out to be a bit too graphic for Trudy's tastes. Feeling humiliated, Ted decides to leave the group to their flirting, but not before making a bet with them: if he can make out with someone before the end of the night, they'll give him $50.

Meanwhile, Barney is dealing with his own third wheel situation, as he tries to tag along with Robin and her boyfriend, Dr. Kevin. Despite Robin's protests, Barney insists on joining them for a romantic dinner - and proceeds to make things as awkward as possible. From pretending to be Dr. Kevin's waiter to insinuating that Robin is cheating on him with Barney, Barney spares no expense in making sure he's the center of attention.

Back at the bar, Ted is making his best attempt to find someone to make out with. He strikes up a conversation with a girl named Nicole, only to be interrupted by Trudy and her date. Feeling defeated, Ted resigns himself to his fate as a third wheel, until he realizes that Nicole is actually into him. They start to make out - but are quickly interrupted by Trudy, who wants to talk to Ted. When he goes over to her, she reveals that she's actually interested in him and asks him out on a date.

Meanwhile, at the restaurant, Barney's antics have driven Dr. Kevin to his breaking point, and he storms out of the restaurant after a hilariously awkward encounter with the waiter. Robin is furious with Barney, but he insists that he was only trying to protect her from a bad relationship. Despite his good intentions, Robin is not impressed - and their friendship suffers as a result.

As the night comes to a close, Ted realizes that he's actually happy to be a third wheel - because it means he's not the only one in his group of friends who's single. Barney, on the other hand, is feeling the sting of rejection from both Robin and Dr. Kevin. It's a bittersweet ending to an episode that explores the ups and downs of being the odd one out in a group dynamic.