How I Met Your Mother - General Discussion

[nymusix]

A man at the wedding intentionally stirs up trouble; Marshall finally arrives at the Farhampton Inn.

[Lisin]

I was just so happy Marshall was finally at the Inn I didn't even care about anything else in this episode. I mean it wasn't bad, I enjoy the running joke of the "Kennedy Plan" or whatever it's called when you never have an empty drink in your hand. It looks like the next episode is going to be the one that "takes place over the course of one slap" or whatever... I'm hoping it turns out better than the rhyming episode which I found annoying. Slap Bet episodes tend to be my favorites each season so I have high hopes. 

[Lisin]

So I've been wanting to talk about a theory I have for a while now.I'm not going to spoiler tag anything because I have no information, this is all just speculation based on clues I think the show is dropping. So, if you're adverse to speculation skip this topic.
 
I think the mom is dead. I think that at the end we're going to find out that Poppa Ted has been telling his kids about how he met their mother in the aftermath of her funeral. There are a couple of things that have happened that I think support my theory, most importantly the episode where from Season 8 called Time Travelers. This episode was all sorts of depressing and there was a lot going on, but the Ted voice over at the end where he tells his kids if he could do it all over again he'd go to the Mom's apartment and tell her they were going to meet in 45 days and eventually get married and have kids but he doesn't want to wait those 45 days because he loves her... or whatever the actual quote is... that just really made me think she was dead. I mean no one feels like that about people that they get to see on a regular basis right?

[ApathyMonger]

There was an episode last season where the voiceover definitely made me feel that the mother was dead, but I don't know if they'd actually go there. It could be a bit too much of a downer ending.

[Lisin]

I kind of agree that I don't know if they'd go there, but it's been so strange lately that I am really starting to think it's true. Or that episode was a huge red herring.

[nymusix]

On the one hand that would be an interesting turn for the show to take... On the other hand, I *really* think it would invalidate a lot of what's happened on the show so far. I'd be disappointed if that's how the show ends. 

[Chip]

I've had the rhyming one on the DVR since it aired and I have just been skipping over it. It sounded annoying and I have always found something on that seems more enjoyable (which lead to back-to-back episodes of "Deep Fried Masters), so I may never ever watch it.

Slap looks good and then I am kind of ready to wrap this thing up.

[Lisin]

Oh don't get me wrong, that isn't how I want it to end either. I do however think that this show is a huge downer sometimes, like when Marshall's dad died, that was a really really sad episode for a sitcom. I wouldn't be surprised if they do something off the wall like this from Sagat Ted at the end.

[David T. Cole]

How I developed the Sixth Sense. They are all dead.

[Lisin]

How I developed the Sixth Sense. They are all dead.

Perfect! While I was looking up which episode gave me this theory I read another theory that some people apparently think Barney is Ted. As in Sagat Ted is making Barney up because he is ashamed of his womanizing antics or something? Also there are people that think both The Mother and Barney are both dead and that Sagat Ted is telling this story to the kids in order to prepare them for the fact that he is going to be marrying Aunt Robin.

[Ffiferoo]

I'd be pretty bummed if the mother is actually dead.  That would be a great twist for a drama series, but for all the depressing shit I watch, I'd like my one regular sitcom to have a happy ending!  For a show that's become about "the journey", it would be plenty satisfying to have the expected ending.  The speculation is fun and interesting, but I would be really disappointed if she's dead.

[asha]

There's also an episode where "Aunt Robin" is heavily involved in the kids' lives, which does make me wonder about this. At this point, I wouldn't be surprised, just because this show seems to exist just to drive me crazy.

Also, this is in such bad taste, but I can't resist- How I Buried Your Mother.

[Lisin]

I am so ready for this show to be done as well. I really liked it a LOT at one point too! I mean I don't think I'm hate watching it at this point, but it almost has become a homework show. I mean I'm certainly not going to stop watching it NOW.

[Ffiferoo]

I'm liking the more recent episodes this season better than the ones in the fall, at least.  It felt like every episode centered around some manufactured drama, often resulting from out-of-character behavior (especially from Robin, imo).  The slow roll-out of the mother is irritating, but I like everyone having their own experience with her, and I really enjoy her character.  I'm ready for it to be over for sure though!

[nymusix]

Marshall tries to deliver a final, devastating slap to Barney

[nymusix]

Proof of how bad a character Ted has become is in the fact that this episode, a largely Marshall episode, was one of the better this season. 

[Lisin]

Proof of how bad a character Ted has become is in the fact that this episode, a largely Marshall episode, was one of the better this season. 

Totally. He wasn't even Ted when he was in it! I did like the Boys II Men at the end. I really thought it was a fun episode. Still no further movement of plot though... oh well, that's par for the course at this point. 

[Ffiferoo]

I would never have guessed they'd do a Kill Bill parody, but it was pretty funny.  I always like Marshall-centric episodes, so this was a good one for me, although some more plot would have been good.  

[April Bloodgate]

Proof of how bad a character Ted has become is in the fact that this episode, a largely Marshall episode, was one of the better this season. 

Yes, Ted has become a very boring/somewhat unlikable character, but I think this episode is more of a reflection of how great Marshall is. He's always been my favorite. Also, was it just me, or did Jason Segel look much thinner in this episode?

[nymusix]

After imbibing a bit too much, a woozy Barney spills some long-held secrets to the opportunistic Ted and Robin, while Marshall goes to extreme lengths to dodge a fight with Lily.

[April Bloodgate]

This was so much better than last week. Maybe one of the best of this season.

[Lisin]

This was so much better than last week. Maybe one of the best of this season.

Cosign. I really enjoyed this one! 

[formerlyfreedom]

About half way through, I thought, "This is why I started watching this show!" Just seemed everyone was on board and into this episode. I'm hopeful they keep this up for the final round of eps...

[formerlyfreedom]

"The Mother recounts how she met Ted and what she's been up to for the past eight years."

Edited January 28, 2014 by stacey

[scrubs14]

Loved this episode.  But it wasn't really the Mother telling the story, was it?  She was talking to people and then Ted took over the narration towards the end.  Interesting.  I could listen to Cristin Miliotii sing all day long though.

[Mini-Mart]

The mother is so endearing in the way that the other characters once were.  That was charming, a quality this show has lacked for some time.

[ApathyMonger]

I wish this had been a longer episode, or that it had come earlier in the season. I could easily have watched a double-length version of this episode.

[Ffiferoo]

Cristin Milioti is so wonderful!  She will be wasted if they don't feature her much more heavily in the rest of the episodes this season.  Just the fact that she can make so many of Ted's obnoxious qualities somehow endearing is so perfect, I can't imagine anyone that could have done this better.  The question I'm left with after this episode though would be whether they're still planning the spinoff - would they just do a slower version with more details?  Because I kind of don't need that.  I've been anti-spinoff from the start, but now it seems extra pointless because of how well-done this episode was.  I feel like we've already had a great example with this show of too much of a good thing, so to extend that with a whole other show is pretty silly to me.

Also probably my favorite cameo so far this season: Mitch the Naked Man!  

[ApathyMonger]

The spinoff is completely unrelated. It's just going to be about a different group of friends who also go to McLaren's, and centering on a female character rather than a male.

[nymusix]

I'm probably not alone in saying this is the best episode in ages, right?

[formerlyfreedom]

I'm probably not alone in saying this is the best episode in ages, right?

Indeed you are not!

[ApathyMonger]

TVLine has character descriptions for the new show: http://tvline.com/2014/01/31/how-i-met-your-dad-spinoff-cast-gay-couple/

 

SALLY | She’s vibrant, messy and unpredictable — a “female Peter Pan who has never grown up and has no idea of where she’s going in life.” She’s thinking of calling it quits with her husband of a year, Gavin. She’ll lean on her circle of friends for advice and support through the inevitable divorce. That circle includes…

JULIET | Sally’s sexy, flamboyant, energetic, party-girl BFF. She runs a successful fashion blog. She’s delighted to learn Sally is ending things with the terminally boring Gavin.

DANNY | Sally’s older gay brother, a Type A, overachieving lawyer whom she shares little in common with. They nonetheless share a tight bond, although Sally’s decision to move in with Danny after her split with Gavin promises to test that bond.

TODD | Danny’s warm, outgoing husband and one of Sally’s closest friends from college. Unlike Danny, Todd welcomes Sally into their home.

FRANK | The head of IT for Juliet’s fashion blog. He’s a hot nerd. He has genuine feelings for Sally, but it’s a one-sided flirtation. At least for the moment.

NARRATOR | It’s Sally from the future. She’s reliving the events of her past to her kids.

For some reason, when I read "female Peter Pan" I immediately thought of Krysten Ritter. Edited January 31, 2014 by ApathyMonger

[Edna Crandall]

Is there a title yet?

May I suggest: How I Left Your Father; How I Estranged Your Uncle; How Your Hot Nerd Father Wore Me Down By Being Nice; How I Was a Really Unfortunate Bundle of Stereotypes About Women; How To Roll Your Eyes So Hard You Do a Backflip.

[Ffiferoo]

The spinoff is completely unrelated. It's just going to be about a different group of friends who also go to McLaren's, and centering on a female character rather than a male.

Ah, I didn't realize that.  I saw the other thread with the descriptions of the new characters, and I think I'm even less interested than when I thought it would center around Milioti's character.

[sevans623]

The slap episode before this was so disappointing in comparison to the earlier slaps.  I feel like it made this episode, and CM as the mother, both shine more than they already did.  How about we just switch to her point of view for the rest of the season?  I think it would be a lot more interesting than this jillion episode long wedding weekend. 

[ApathyMonger]

That was a lot of really bad green screen.

Otherwise, I mostly liked it. I was vaguely surprised they didn't just go all out and use Passenger's "Let Her Go" for the closing montage song.

[Lisin]

It was a phenomenally bad green screen. In two parts, the Barney and the dudes walking and also when Ted is with his ex on the bridge... so bad I want to believe it was done on purpose because otherwise I don't get it. 

Otherwise yes, it was a good episode, I laughed, I'm glad Lilly and Marshall are not fighting anymore, the Robin floating away thing was a bit odd but par for this show's course at this point.

[ApathyMonger]

Greta Gerwig has been cast as the lead: http://www.deadline.com/2014/02/greta-gerwig-to-topline-cbs-how-i-met-your-mother-spinoff/

Interesting casting, but I'd really prefer to see her in something other than this.

[nymusix]

Greta Gerwig has been cast as the lead: http://www.deadline.com/2014/02/greta-gerwig-to-topline-cbs-how-i-met-your-mother-spinoff/

Interesting casting, but I'd really prefer to see her in something other than this.

Agreed. I mean, maybe How I Met Your Dad will be a fresh new spin and the creative team will actually show us something new and interesting, but for now I have to be skeptical. It could be a brilliant piece of inspired casting and in two years we'll all be laughing about this though. 

[David T. Cole]

The gang must figure out how to make the Stinson Hangover Fixer Elixir to help Barney recover on the day of the wedding.

[nymusix]

Pretty funny episode. This is a good sign I suppose?

[KarenClassic]

I liked the use of the flash forwards with the mother.  I wish they did more of this earlier in the season.  

[Chip]

On the morning of the wedding, Lily and Robin have a fight and Barney freaks out about which suit to wear. Meanwhile, the gang watches a movie Ted has forbidden them to see.

So, they are going to make this sad? Did we really need that after nine seasons?

I thought the bit with them getting to old married couple status was cute and kind of a throwaway joke about life in the future. I should have known better.

[Lisin]

Whelp, I guess I should be happy that I called it but man. I guess it's going to be THAT kind of ending. Wow.

[Omar G.]

I has a sad. :(

[formerlyfreedom]

I'm hoping so hard that this is a misdirection. Because otherwise, I'm going to be really, REALLY angry about hanging in there with this show, and you wouldn't like to see me angry, Misters Bay and Thomas.

[KarenClassic]

You did call it Lisin. But I feel like they should have told us her name first before they heavily hinted about the mother.

[April Bloodgate]

I'm hoping so hard that this is a misdirection. Because otherwise, I'm going to be really, REALLY angry about hanging in there with this show, and you wouldn't like to see me angry, Misters Bay and Thomas.

Yeah, I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for misdirection too. (Maybe the Mother's mom wasn't at their wedding.) If they were going to have the Mother die at the end, I don't know why they would give it away now. Also, I agree with both of the following comments I've seen other people make. 1) If she were dead all along, why would Ted spend so much time telling the kids stories from before he met her instead of about her/their time together? 2) The kids wouldn't be so irritated by his stories, long though they may be, if he were telling them about his romance with their dead mother. 

[ApathyMonger]

1) If she were dead all along, why would Ted spend so much time telling the kids stories from before he met her instead of about her/their time together? 2) The kids wouldn't be so irritated by his stories, long though they may be, if he were telling them about his romance with their dead mother. 

Given this is Ted, I assume he's told them all THOSE stories dozens of times already.

It's also possible something happens with Ted's mother before their wedding, but they specified daughter, so that's unlikely.

Edited March 4, 2014 by ApathyMonger

[Chip]

I thought about a misdirect also. Since we had the Barney/Robin switcheroo about wedding attire, I thought maybe they were alluding to a switch in what we think is coming. So, if we are lucky, Ted is about to die.