How I Met Your Mother - General Discussion

[JayInChicago]

maybe it'll end with them all being dead!!

 

..sorry.

[EE2000]

I can't believe what I am watching, I can't believe I sat all through this season for that.    

[Kate]

FFS, call in the Wig Cop.

[Omeletsmom]

I'm...not sure how I feel about that.  Cheated maybe?  I suppose it makes sense, but hrm.  I expected better.

[SamIAm]

What the hell? I knew they were killing off the mother but Ted going back to Robin just pisses me off. I loved this show for so long and really only watched this season because it was the end. I am so disappointed.

[WendyCR72]

And that, kids, is how this series ended on a pile of reheated shit all these years later.

UGH. What a shitastic ending.

[Jenn]

I'm pretty sure when I rewatch this series, I'll end with the 2nd to last episode.  It would have made a better finale.  All the awesome shout-outs to past episodes is lost in the horrible ending.

[Ffiferoo]

I was thinking earlier about how few shows I've actually watched regularly from start to finish for years, and this is one of the only ones - almost all of the others were cancelled really quickly, or I came in after several seasons, or stopped watching after several seasons.  It felt almost like a big deal to have stuck with it this long, and that did not feel worth it at all.  I almost wonder if they would have changed their minds about that ending had they not already filmed the kids while they were still the right age for their last scene.  That was just very disappointing.

[fifty8th]

That was disappointing, and I actually enjoyed this last season. Ted and Robin together never really did it for me so the fact they end up together in the end was a downer, I liked the mother, sad she died.

Edited April 1, 2014 by fifty8th

[Lindsey]

I think I just heard half the internet scream in rage.  Was anyone actually hoping for that outcome?

I know they probably shot the material with the kids months ago, but they couldn't have gotten all three of the actors in one place just once so it might actually seem like they were having a conversation instead of just talking to the camera?

[scrubs14]

Just terrible.  What a waste.  Why did they believe we wanted Ted and Robin together?  Especially once they brought in Cristin Milioti who had incredible chemistry with Radnor?  And that chemistry was so much better than anything with Robin in years!!!

 

Lindsey- I think they actually filmed the stuff with the kids YEARS ago.  But still, no excuse. 

Edited April 1, 2014 by scrubs14

[Spooneroonie]

Two things bothered me about this episode. (Not the fucktastic ending, mind you. Felt that coming when they announced the Whole Season in a Weekend shit.)

I feel like I've been lied to: no closure on The Pineapple Incident, nor the Business with the Goat. If you're going to fuck us over (and you totally did) at least give us the answer!

 

[Rhetorica]

I'm numb. I was actually crying during the train station scene. What we thought was coming, happened. It belongs to the ages now :/

[DanaMB]

And I would watch "How I Met Your Dad" because...? Not interested in watching when I know she freaking dies too soon.

Edited April 1, 2014 by DanaMB

[scrubs14]

Dana- How I Met Your Father is with totally different characters.  But I wouldn't watch it anyway seeing as how they effed up HIMYM.  

[ChelseaMcQ]

We've been strung along for years. What a joke. 

Ted and Traci were so good together. I wanted them on the front porch with Marshall and Lily. 

I do like that the writers gave into AH's natural weepiness by having Lily cry in all her scenes. 

[rose313]

I knew they were going to kill off the Mother, I've known it for awhile. So that part, I wasn't upset about. What ruined it for me, is they could have elaborated more on the mother's life, then her death, and how beautiful she was, and how perfect for Ted she was. Instead, they spent thirty seconds telling us what happened to the mother and one minute explaining that Ted got back together with Robin. Rubbish!

I am glad Barney and Robin got a divorce (I hated them together) and I loved the Barney's daughter story, that just melted my heart! And the umbrella scene with Ted and Mother. (Tracy...we have a name now!) The ending, though, in general, was complete crap.

[emmy plath]

That was a complete disappointment. I'm certainly not tuning in for the spin-off now.

[DanaMB]

 

Dana- How I Met Your Father is with totally different characters.  But I wouldn't watch it anyway seeing as how they effed up HIMYM.

Oh, I thought it was about the mother.  Oops.  Either way, I'm skipping it.

[DowntonStabby]

Well, that was a waste of nine years. (Well, less than that, since I didn't start watching the first season--I started watching when it went into syndication, actually, so, in all truth, it was four or five years. Still, it was such an investment that my husband bought me the first four seasons of the show--just before Netflix added HIMYM to its TV show lineup, of course.)

What's weird is there's a subset of people who feel that it's the best finale ever. (One of my friends, for whatever reason, REALLY seems to love this finale--which, of course, is her right, even though I feel she's totally wrong on this--and she's RTing a bunch of people who feel the same way, for whatever reason, hence how I know this.) One of my other friends, however, compared it to the Dexter finale, which seems about right, minus the whole lumberjack thing.

I concur with rose313 that Barney and Robin getting a divorce seemed to fit. While I liked them together, I thought them divorcing along the way would probably happen, and I liked that they allowed Robin to drift and thrive in her career. Too bad Carter and Bays (or whomever) had to go all rom-com tropes on us in the end.

[AlliMo]

Everything fit together and made perfect sense for the characters right up until the sucktastic last few minutes. Honestly, the only reason I held on this long is because my son still watches and I'm in the same room.

[NixieKnox]

I knew, when there were five minutes left in the finale and we hadn't seen Ted's wedding nor found out whether The Mother lived or died, I knew this wasn't going to end in a satisfying way.

[Lindsey]

Lindsey- I think they actually filmed the stuff with the kids YEARS ago.  But still, no excuse. 

Oh!  I thought they brought Lyndsy Fonseca and David Henrie back for some new material this year.  But yeah, it's not like they couldn't have sprayed some gray in Josh Radnor's hair at any point in the last decade and had all of them in a room together.  That just seems weird to me.

[ChelseaMcQ]

What was the song during the umbrella scene?

[Rinaldo]

I didn't think I was invested in any particular ending for this; I'm against (more fundamentally, I really don't understand) the whole idea of 'shipping and demanding certain pairings and outcomes....

But this was somehow different. This was just atrocious. Having, against all likelihood, found the perfect mother in Cristin Milioti -- pretty, offbeat, funny, lively, meshing perfectly with all the regulars -- they've just wasted her this season, measuring out her appearances with an eyedropper. (The one terrific episode "How Your Mother Met Me" aside.) And then they really wasted her in this finale. Nothing substantial on the central relationship, and then in the end she's dead (as we've been fearing for the last month), and Ted's going back to freakin' Robin?? That's supposed to be the outcome we've been waiting for?

I have a two-word sentence to the makers of this show. It's the same one they just sent my way.

[Fostersmom]

 

I know they probably shot the material with the kids months ago, but they couldn't have gotten all three of the actors in one place just once so it might actually seem like they were having a conversation instead of just talking to the camera?

They filmed it YEARS ago. The actor playing the son is like 25 years old now. He played one of the brothers on Wizards of Waverly Place (what, yeah, I watched it sometimes even though I'm 37 and have no kids, don't judge me!) and he hasn't looked like that in years. I wasn't ever a regular viewer, I've seen more in syndication then I ever watched live, so I have no idea how long they kept filming the kids, if they did all the takes at once or not, but they certainly aren't current. I would kinda like to hear from the son and daughter and find out if there were multiple endings, if they watched over the years and had a favorite, that kind of thing. 

[Kaoteek]

"And that, kids, is why people decided not to give us a second (or third ? Fourth ? Umpteenth ?) chance, and why How I Met Your Dad never got past the pilot stage."

Seriously, what were they thinking with that finale...? *shake my head slowly*

Edited April 1, 2014 by Kaoteek

[DowntonStabby]

What was the song during the umbrella scene?

"Downtown Train". The original version was by Tom Waits, and it was later covered by Rod Stewart, but I'm not sure who did this one. Anyone know who did this one, offhand?

[EE2000]

OK, fine, give us that ending.  But the least, the very freaking least they could have done was give us more of the mother and less of Robin and Barney's wedding weekend.   

Did we need go through an entire season for a wedding that didn't matter in the end?   NO.     I actually liked Barney and Robin together and so very much more than her and Ted.  Sure Robin and Barney are almost the same character and yeah it's possible that being with Ted evens her out more than being with Barney.   However Barney did so much to be with Robin and to see him be heartbroken over divorcing her was really hard to watch because for Barney there is never going to be another woman he could be himself with the way he was with Robin.   I will not comment of giving him a kid because that was just way out there for him, uh I will say that is was really sweet to see him and his daughter for the brief seconds we got.   

Basically this whole series was a lead up to asking the kids if it they were fine with him dating Robin.     Ted and Robin were not horrible together by any means and it's clear she still loved him too.   But they never seemed to mesh well together, they just wanted different things.  Maybe she changed about wanting kids because if the showed continued to 10 more years down the line, her and Ted would have been married and she would have been a stepmom, something she probably wouldn't have wanted.   

I just, I just don't know.   I am so disappointed and my thoughts are probably disjointed.  But GAHHHHH this show.

[thispersonstinks]

After watching for two years (I binge-watch on Netflix), I was anticipating the final season and how they execute having one season at one weekend. The first two episodes were promising, but now looking through the final season, it felt like it was filler (except the 200th episode). I don't mind imperfection or realism, but seriously, you gave us that ending. And the stunning thing is...this was planned from nine years ago (see Cobie's clip on Letterman). For those eight seasons trying to know who the Mother of Ted's kids are, you made her obsolete?

The producers will say the story was all about Ted and Robin, but why involve Tracy in this? Is it the kids push him to find his real true love? If that's the case, why care about Ted, Tracy, and the family. 

BTW, if I were Greta Gerwig, I would demand to be producer and head writer and for CBS, if the pilot goes through, promote Greta, but not what the show spinoff from.

[jeannie]

I cried my eyes out because I'm so devastated about Tracy (that name fits her so well, I have to give credit where it'd due), but I am so royally pissed off right now. Robin?!? Again with that bullshit?!?! No effing way.

I got started on the show a couple years ago by binge-watching on Netflix. I've been up to date since about mid-season 7. So I don't know if I feel the same pain as the rest of you, but man, this sucks.

[EE2000]

I had no feelings towards the mother.  There just wasn't enough of her for me to get invested into her character and now I am glad.   

 

[WendyCR72]

Two hours later...still appalled. Yes, Ted/Robin is shit, but I think what bugs me a hell of a lot more is that Tracy just seemed like a brood mare, existing to pop out the kids that Robin couldn't (and even when we thought she could, didn't want to) give Ted.

But oh, yay. Robin did her traveling and Ted got the kids. Let's wait for the placeholder lady - whom it took Ted forever to marry...TED? No! - to kick it and aww, Robin/Ted Bluehorn, Teen Squee Shit Cakes!

Fuck no.

This sitcom was always wrapped in a romantic premise, down to the title. And this...shit all over it. And punked the audience.

Well, I sure as hell won't tune into HIMYD, even if I was going to give it a shot. No. This ending sucked so much to me that I SERIOUSLY want to chuck the DVDs I have so as to erase this show and these heinous characters from my memory.

[JayInChicago]

I wish I could give WendyCR72 8 million likes for that comment!

I don't think I'll ever rewatch this.

[Rinaldo]

Wendy's apt comment made me consider: I have all the previous DVD sets -- I'm a completist and once I start something....

But I may actually leave the set incomplete, without final season. 1, I'll never want to rewatch most of it, and 2, I don't want to give the fuckers the satisfaction.

[MichaelaRae]

Based on this thread and my Facebook newsfeed, I seem to be in the minority. I liked it. It's not up there in my top ten finales ever, but I liked it. I never thought Barney/Robin were a long haul relationship, and while I had resigned myself to Robin/Ted not happening long-term, I couldn't help liking their chemistry. I felt the finale gave the best of both worlds - Ted got his perfect love and mother of his children, they had a wonderful, beautiful time together and then she died. Sadly, that happens and it sucks but it happens. And then, he gets another chance at love with another love of his life who now, in THIS stage of their lives, might actually truly be right for each other for the first time ever. But then, I liked the Lost finale too.

[Omar G.]

I think Ted might end up with Robin.

[Omar G.]

I think I just heard half the internet scream in rage.  Was anyone actually hoping for that outcome?

I know they probably shot the material with the kids months ago, but they couldn't have gotten all three of the actors in one place just once so it might actually seem like they were having a conversation instead of just talking to the camera?

Eight years ago. Kids were a little too old to film it now.

[Brinny]

I haven't watched in a long while, but my curiosity got the better of me and I wanted to see what happened. Those poor kids. Their dad sits them down to tell them a story about their mom (their dead mom) and it ends up being about how much he enjoyed fucking their aunt Robin when he was younger. Like how disrespectful, sir. 

I feel like the end message was, "Yeah, kids your mom was pretty cool. She played bass and stuff. Gave me you guys. But man, Robin? Robin is awesome! It's pretty lucky that your mom died, right? Because Robin wanted to travel and shit and couldn't have kids. But now? WIN-WIN!"

Very romantic Thomas/Bays. Well done. 

Edited April 1, 2014 by Brinny

[Rinaldo]

Alan Sepinwall has a good, insightful (and justifiably angry) piece about why the finale is as it is, and how it all was likely determined back in season 2, when the footage with the kids was shot and the show was considered likely to last another season or two at most.

[SilverPoet]

Ick.  Just ick.  I tuned out of the show after the writers messed up Barney/Robin 1.0 and made Barney into a cartoon character vs a character with appropriate growth and depth.  Had to tune in for the finale, mainly out of curiosity, and REALLY?  I mean, if that's what the writers had planned for the finale of the show, as determined by the children being filmed when they were well...children...then that just sucks.   SUCKS.  

I'm glad I didn't tune in this season or the few season's past - I have a feeling after the bit I saw of the actual Mother tonight that I would've enjoyed the hell outta her and been even more pissed off.  Also, what a waste of everything but the last 10 minutes...really?  Why not make the last 10 minutes the whole freakin' season and make some feelings count?  Ugh.

Marshmellow and Lilypad, at least you ended up exactly how I predicted.

[Lindsey]

Eight years ago. Kids were a little too old to film it now.

Yeah, I got curious and checked my facts (you know, after posting, like a genius) and saw how old they are now.  (Man, they are old.  I now feel really, really old.)

That actually makes it worse, though.  Somehow it would bother me less if I thought the decision to kill off the mother was made at a later, less creatively successful phase of the show's production. Knowing that it's pretty much always been their endgame is even more frustrating.

I still enjoyed the show when it was good though, so I can't say I hate having watched it in the first place.  Besides, if we dismiss every show that has a less than satisfying finale there wouldn't be many shows left to remember fondly.  At least they weren't all in purgatory.

[Brinny]

Saw this floating around on twitter and it gave me a bit of a chuckle:

 

"And that, kids, is how I met your Aunt Robin." First episode, guys. The show could have ended after the first episode.

 

[Ihatefacebook]

The only way I can even make sense of this insane ending is to think that it would have fit the series much better years ago, and if we had never met and gotten to know the mother. There's a great review by Alan Sepinwall at Hitflix saying that the creators got invested in the chemistry between Robin and Ted years ago, committed themselves to this ending, and couldn't adjust when the series ran as long as it did.

Even if I didn't have a problem with the ending, the reaction of the kids rings so false to me. It's fine that they are encouraging Ted to move on, but the unfeeling and offhand way they talk about their own father having actually always been in love with someone else was ridiculous, and not at all "true to life" which is sometimes cited in defense of the mother's death. 

[kayaf]

Horrible ending.  9 years of seeing how Ted and Robin were not right for each other only to have them wind up together at the end.  9 years of waiting to meet the mother, only to have her die.  She was perfect too.  She and Ted had such chemisty.

[buckboard]

They had to use the ending they filmed in 2006 because the kids were too old now?  Hello?  Had to?  They couldn't cut that scene?

You find out that what would have worked six or eight years ago isn't the best way to go In 2014.  So you don't use it!  Or, you change the time line, so Ted is talking to kids when they are older and he and Traci were together longer. 




 

[lucindabelle]

Appalling. Cannot believe it. Horrifically bad.

[JayInChicago]

Why did it take Ted and Tracy so long to get married after they met?

[Anaralia]

 

They had to use the ending they filmed in 2006 because the kids were too old now?  Hello?  Had to?  They couldn't cut that scene?

Or they could have cut to the kids as they are now, almost ten years older, and had them make a joke about having had to listen to Dad talk for an eternity. That would have been funny. I mean, there were other ways to handle this. Other than what actually happened.

[Piccadilly]

What was the song during the umbrella scene?

This was "Downtown Train" by Everything but the Girl. They are a British band best known for the song "Missing" from 1994. (I just realized that was 20 years ago... I feel old.)

The use of this song in that scene was 1 of the 2 good things about this episode (the other was NPH's acting when holding Barney's daughter). The rest was pure crap.

Edited April 1, 2014 by Piccadilly