If you don’t have four minutes to watch it, and you just want me to break down the official alternate ending — which was released as part of the DVD — the short version is this: It’s similar to the broadcast version, only all that terrible things don’t happen in the end (the mother doesn’t die, Robin and Barney don’t divorce), and Bob Saget’s narration is different.

In other words, it’s a great ending, or at least, a “great” ending compared to the ending that we got back in March. Having seen the alternate ending, the fact that they aired the one they did is goddamn criminal.

Dustin is the founder and co-owner of Pajiba. You may email him here, follow him on Twitter, or listen to his weekly TV podcast, Podjiba.