Kids, let me tell you the story of a little show called How I Met Your Mother, a show that I’ve spent a good amount of my life with, a show that I’ve loved and hated and stuck with and almost quit. It began in the fall of 2005, and the journey that it took us on was entertaining, emotional, and downright beautiful. And that, kids, is why I’m disappointed by this finale.
Beautiful.
That’s a word that I don’t throw around a lot, especially given the downward trajectory in quality of this show. However, that is a perfect description of tonight’s momentous 200th episode, one which brings the laughs and the tears and is, for sure, one of my favorite episodes of the series.
Just a few quick thoughts…
-Wow, this season sure is spinning its wheels, isn’t it? They could’ve pulled off this “model the whole season around 3 days” if they only had 10-13 episodes to work with. It’s not a bad decision on the surface, but when you factor in the network TV requirements, then it’s exhausting.
-I would be more fine with the lack of the mother if the rest of the show didn’t just consist of the same plot points and character moments over and over again. Introducing the mother is an opportunity to model everything around her as her own character, because everything prior was modeled around the idea of her. We should be seeing exactly how the characters are growing and reaching the end of their respective stories, as the mother not only kicked everything off, but is bringing everything to an end.
-Barney and Robin’s storyline is very tiresome to get through. The fact that they’re spending half their time before the wedding arguing suggests that they really shouldn’t get married at all, and the show still trying to emphasize their independent natures after eight seasons with the characters reeks of indecision and inorganic tension.
-We also have Marshall and Lily here; my problem with this storyline is that the Marshall and the Lily we know would make a compromise. Marshall wouldn’t be the kind of guy that would rush into a decision without consulting Lily, and Lily isn’t the kind of person that would blow up at her husband for doing so. However, I am very glad Marshall finally told her about the job.
-That’s not to say there aren’t any amusing moments in this episode; the flashbacks are nicely done, and Ted in a mailbox is funny. However, the episode once again gets bogged down by the network requirements, coming across as typical sitcom fodder designed to fill up some space.
GRADE: C
Credit to CBS and How I Met Your Mother for all pictures. I own nothing.
As we head into the final season of “How I Met Your Mother”, a season in which everything is revolving around three days, I have nothing but confidence in the ability of the writers to end the series well. The main question coming into this season is whether or not the character of the mother is well done.
Right now? The answer is yes. For someone we’ve never seen before, and especially as someone who’s made Ted the way he is, the way Cristin Milioti smoothly transitions into the show’s universe is a thing of beauty. Whether it be her interactions with Lily on the train or her interactions with Ted, this adorable, endearing woman seems like a staple of the show already. I can see her as a part of the gang, and I can see why she’s the perfect soul mate for Ted. I could not be happier with the character.
Of course, everything isn’t just about the mother. Marshall spends his time having problems traveling, which is good for a few funny moments. In the second episode, Lily gets drunk and thanks Linus a lot. We also have a subplot in which a desk manager lays the pity thick on Ted, and we have a storyline in which James (Wayne Brady) reveals that he’s getting a divorce due to his cheating ways. This particular storyline is clearly a parallel to Robin and Barney, reflecting Robin’s uncertainty about venturing into the unknown. All of these plots are interesting and funny, but do start to show signs of the constraints the time period requirement has placed on the show.
Still, that final scene between Ted and the mother in “Coming Back” is a thing of beauty. It’s well written, directed, and acted, and is one of the most clever things this show has done in terms of playing with time. It’s also quite perfect, and should kick off a great final season.
“The Locket” Grade: B
“Coming Back” Grade: B-
Overall: B
Other thoughts:
-“You really piqued my incest….INTEREST! INTEREST!”
-“Ma’am, it’s not a race.” “That right there is why you lost!’
-Ring bear
-Ted and the locket will probably be one of the more polarizing storylines this season, as I’m sure many people don’t want to see Ted and Robin go through everything all over again. It may seem like wheel spinning to get to Ted’s happy ending, but there are some chances for great character development here.
-This most likely won’t get regular coverage, but I’ll check in once in a while if I have time.
Credit to CBS and How I Met Your Mother for all pictures. I own nothing.
Polar Bears Watch TV 