- Barney and the gang try to convince Ted not to date the doctor that is removing his tattoo by giving examples of the Platinum Rule.
- Barney explains The Platinum Rule to Ted: Never, ever, ever love thy neighbor. After Ted wakes up to discover that he got a butterfly tattoo on his lower back while drunk, he sees a dermatologist to have it removed. Ted finds himself attracted to the doctor and announces his plan to date her. But Barney and the others try to dissuade him by sharing their own experiences dating people with whom they have to communicate on a regular basis should the relationship sour.—Melissa
- The gang believe that Ted, in wanting to date Dr. Stella Zinman, the dermatologist who will be removing the butterfly tattoo from his back in ten sessions, is breaking what Barney calls the platinum rule. Whereas the golden rule is "love thy neighbor", the platinum rule is never to *love* thy neighbor. In other words, don't get involved intimately with someone who you have no choice but to see in your day to day life. All of Ted's friends tell of a time when they broke the platinum rule, the relationship of which ended badly: Marshall and Lily with their next door neighbors Michael and Laura Girard, Robin with her on-air sportscaster Curt 'the Ironman' Irons, and Barney with Wendy the waitress at MacLaren's. Barney outlines the eight steps that always happen when one breaks the platinum rule. But Ted believes there's a ninth step that makes breaking the platinum rule OK.—Huggo
- Ted announces to the group that he is planning on taking out his tattoo removal doctor Sarah Zinman (Sarah Chalke) to a movie and is immediately met with disapproval. Barney mentions the Golden Rule: Although it is known commonly from the Bible as the ethic of reciprocity ("Do unto to others as you would have them do unto you."), Barney's take on it is "Love thy neighbor," which would lead into his Platinum Rule as "Never ever, ever, ever love thy neighbor." His point was that one should never date someone seen on a regular basis, e.g. someone at the same workplace, a next door neighbor, etc. because such relationships never work out in the end and lead to never-ending suffering, as those involved would see each other constantly.
Barney begins to outline the Platinum Rule in 8 steps as the group begins to recount their past experiences against the Platinum Rule in an attempt to persuade Ted not to go on his date. He uses examples of Marshall and Lily getting too close to a neighboring couple (Michael (John Sloan) & Laura ( Kristen Schaal)), Robin dating a fellow news anchor Curt (Hayes MacArthur) and himself sleeping with Wendy the Waitress ( Charlene Amoia) at MacLaren's Pub. Platinum Rule
The eight steps of the process
1. Attraction Barney started noticing Wendy in Nov 2005, and she flirted with him. Marshall & Lily met Michael & Laura in Dec 2006, who had just moved in. They go for lunch Curt joined Robin at the station in Dec 2007. She was attracted to him as he was a hockey player, and as a Canadian Robin is a hockey fanatic 2. Bargaining Robin justifies Curt, saying if he was missing teeth, she would have already had sex with him Marshall & Lily decide to invite Michael and Laura for dinner. Barney decides to seduce Wendy the waitress.. She is gullible, he is bored. If Barney screws over Wendy, he could kill the bar They all think, if things get weird, they will just back off.. 3. Submission Barney has sex with Wendy. Curt takes Robin to a hockey game. Marshall & Lily have dinner with Michael & Laura. 4. Perks They start listing out the advantages of the relationships Robin can split a cab with Curt to work, standing lunch date and Curt got her into the locker room at the hockey game. Marshall & Lily are stoked that their new friends are right across the hall. Brunch double dates, game of charades and so on Barney gets free food at the bar. Barney believes that Wendy knows that this is a temporary fling. 5. The Tipping Point Curt gets clingy with Robin. Barney hits on other girls at the bar and Wendy notices it. Marshall and Lily can't go out, as every time they try, Michael and Laura are just outside waiting for them. 6. Purgatory Curt keeps leaving love notes for Robin everywhere. Marshall and Lily are trapped in their house. Barney cannot hit on women in his own bar. 7. Confrontation The inevitable "talk" takes place. Robin wants to go back to being coworkers with Curt. Marshall and Lily want to go back to being just neighbors. Barney wants to have a threesome with Wendy, if she is up for that, but the other girls have to be there 8. Fallout Curt is devastated and cannot get it together even on air. Marshall and Lily resort to climbing down the fire escape, to avoid their neighbors, but even then they can't. Wendy forgives Barney, but now Barney cannot trust anything she serves him. Barney thinks she is trying to kill him and everyone close to him
Even after all three experiences are recounted, Ted still decides to go. When he gets back, he tells the group that his doctor didn't consider it a date and that it is actually illegal for her to date patients. Future Ted reflects on the "Platinum Rule" and suggests there is a ninth step: Co-Existence, as we see the other members of the gang begin to do so with those they dated (except for Barney).
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