Her?
May 15, 2013 12:32 PM Subscribe
The longest-delayed reveal in television history has been unveiled: I give to you: the mother from How I Met Your Mother.
Of course he hasn't met her yet. But when he does, it will take place next season, on the 9th and final season of the show, which will occur 24-style over a single weekend... Hilarity real and recorded: sure to ensue.
HIMYM previously
Of course he hasn't met her yet. But when he does, it will take place next season, on the 9th and final season of the show, which will occur 24-style over a single weekend... Hilarity real and recorded: sure to ensue.
HIMYM previously
I am desperately hoping that this whole "Season 9 takes place over a single weekend" thing is some sort of misunderstanding and not actually true.
Because FUCK. THAT. NOISE.
I've watched this show since the beginning; I've waited EIGHT YEARS to meet this woman; I'd like to actually be able to SEE some of her relationship with Ted before the series is over. In part because, you know...Ted is kind of a dick, much as I love him? And I want to watch this woman go through the process of figuring out whether or not she's on board for the occasionally douchey thing he's doing.
I've defended HiMYM against the haters for a long time now, but this is some serious bullshit.
posted by Narrative Priorities at 12:41 PM on May 15, 2013 [24 favorites]
Because FUCK. THAT. NOISE.
I've watched this show since the beginning; I've waited EIGHT YEARS to meet this woman; I'd like to actually be able to SEE some of her relationship with Ted before the series is over. In part because, you know...Ted is kind of a dick, much as I love him? And I want to watch this woman go through the process of figuring out whether or not she's on board for the occasionally douchey thing he's doing.
I've defended HiMYM against the haters for a long time now, but this is some serious bullshit.
posted by Narrative Priorities at 12:41 PM on May 15, 2013 [24 favorites]
I also meant to include a couple of awesome old fan theories of who she could be that people wrote with great earnestness. Here, here, and (wow) here.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 12:42 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Potomac Avenue at 12:42 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
This show would have been pretty much great from start to finish if they had wrapped it up two seasons ago. Lots of clunky episodes in the last two years, and now a gimmicky final season? I'd be amazed if they can wrap this up well.
posted by stopgap at 12:43 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by stopgap at 12:43 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
This makes me much more interested in continuing with the show. (I just finished Season 2 and have 3 and 4 on my shelf.) I am too traumatized by epic fantasy to want to get stuck in to a plotline that may never end.
(And also this totally means that if SHIELD lasts more than one season they can totally get Maria Hill full-time, yes?)
posted by restless_nomad at 12:45 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
(And also this totally means that if SHIELD lasts more than one season they can totally get Maria Hill full-time, yes?)
posted by restless_nomad at 12:45 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
What's been the worst about HIMYM in the past two seasons is the look of quiet career desperation in Jason Segal's eyes. I, for one, do not blame him for saying, "Seriously, I am out after this season."
posted by Kitteh at 12:47 PM on May 15, 2013 [9 favorites]
posted by Kitteh at 12:47 PM on May 15, 2013 [9 favorites]
The longest-delayed reveal in television history has been unveiled: I give to you: Kim Bauer.
posted by The Riker Who Mounts the World at 12:48 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by The Riker Who Mounts the World at 12:48 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
There's going to be a surprise plot twist though! It's going to be legen....wait for it....for like 9 more seasons...
posted by mcstayinskool at 12:49 PM on May 15, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by mcstayinskool at 12:49 PM on May 15, 2013 [5 favorites]
I'm disappointed that the "mother" is not a kombucha mother.
posted by benzenedream at 12:49 PM on May 15, 2013 [13 favorites]
posted by benzenedream at 12:49 PM on May 15, 2013 [13 favorites]
I'd like to actually be able to SEE some of her relationship with Ted before the series is over.
The show isn't How I Developed a Functional Long-term Relationship With Your Mother. It's literally the first meeting.
Also, it's also really a show about Barney and Robin Sparkles.
posted by GuyZero at 12:49 PM on May 15, 2013 [26 favorites]
The show isn't How I Developed a Functional Long-term Relationship With Your Mother. It's literally the first meeting.
Also, it's also really a show about Barney and Robin Sparkles.
posted by GuyZero at 12:49 PM on May 15, 2013 [26 favorites]
benzenedream: "I'm disappointed that the "mother" is not a kombucha mother."
Yes, yes: A giant mother of vinegar that's been in the basement all this time.
posted by boo_radley at 12:51 PM on May 15, 2013 [5 favorites]
Yes, yes: A giant mother of vinegar that's been in the basement all this time.
posted by boo_radley at 12:51 PM on May 15, 2013 [5 favorites]
I'm going through the same thing with the latest twist on the Office as well: Apparently the documentary is real and they're going to watch it. As a show about being normal, I feel that is slightly a failure. Maybe it will be cancelled after one episode?
posted by Potomac Avenue at 12:51 PM on May 15, 2013
posted by Potomac Avenue at 12:51 PM on May 15, 2013
The Mother on HIMYM is: Payback. Eat hot lead losers!
posted by Potomac Avenue at 12:52 PM on May 15, 2013
posted by Potomac Avenue at 12:52 PM on May 15, 2013
I am disappointed that he doesn't wake up next to Suzanne Pleshette.
posted by Longtime Listener at 12:53 PM on May 15, 2013 [27 favorites]
posted by Longtime Listener at 12:53 PM on May 15, 2013 [27 favorites]
Can I just ask how they set this up? I've only watched the show off and on, but saw the clip online where the mother asked for the ticket to Farhampton and that was the reveal. How did they build to that reveal? Was it just the umbrella? Did people know he was going to meet her in this episode?
I read the links but still not clear.
posted by sweetkid at 12:53 PM on May 15, 2013
I read the links but still not clear.
posted by sweetkid at 12:53 PM on May 15, 2013
I thought it would have been awesome if this season ended with meeting the mom and then next season became "How I Met Your Father" though that would hurt my theory about how the show will end... Sargent will say the series title and the kids will say "we know...Mom told us, and it only took her 10 minutes."
posted by drezdn at 12:53 PM on May 15, 2013 [11 favorites]
posted by drezdn at 12:53 PM on May 15, 2013 [11 favorites]
I don't watch the show, but having seen Cristin Milioti on Broadway, I can't imagine she's a great fit for a comedy role
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 12:54 PM on May 15, 2013
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 12:54 PM on May 15, 2013
I've never really understood this entire aspect of the show.
Don't the kids know who their mother is?
posted by Sys Rq at 12:54 PM on May 15, 2013 [19 favorites]
Don't the kids know who their mother is?
posted by Sys Rq at 12:54 PM on May 15, 2013 [19 favorites]
*sigh* I've been a huge fan of the show, even during its rougher parts the last few seasons (while also wishing it would conclude itself earlier) but this 24-style last season thing is... I dunno. I'll give it a chance but I'm skeptical. In an earlier interview one of the creators had said that any season nine episode would be immediately obviously different from all the other seasons. What I'd been hoping that meant was that we would meet the mother at the end of season 8 and then season 9 would actually be narrated by her.
posted by kmz at 12:54 PM on May 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by kmz at 12:54 PM on May 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
I was disappointed that she is a pretty white girl with no particular distinguishing characteristics, just like every girl Ted has dated on the show (except Robin). Why do I care who he marries if they're all the same?
posted by miyabo at 12:54 PM on May 15, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by miyabo at 12:54 PM on May 15, 2013 [5 favorites]
How did they build to that reveal? Was it just the umbrella? Did people know he was going to meet her in this episode?
May have to watch the whole episode to find that out, which would require watching any of this season which I'm not prepared to do either.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 12:55 PM on May 15, 2013
May have to watch the whole episode to find that out, which would require watching any of this season which I'm not prepared to do either.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 12:55 PM on May 15, 2013
I wanted the last episode of The Office to be the documentary itself, with footage from Dunder Mifflin only taking up 30 seconds of it.
I would also have also like to have the documentary circle around. Since last episode ended with the doc crew shooting the cast watching the documentary, by the end of the episode the documentary would switch to a live feed of them watching themselves on TV.
There's so much potential for a bonkers meta-joke.
posted by hellojed at 12:55 PM on May 15, 2013 [8 favorites]
I would also have also like to have the documentary circle around. Since last episode ended with the doc crew shooting the cast watching the documentary, by the end of the episode the documentary would switch to a live feed of them watching themselves on TV.
There's so much potential for a bonkers meta-joke.
posted by hellojed at 12:55 PM on May 15, 2013 [8 favorites]
Okay, applause on the Ann reference in the title. And honestly, I saw "Sleepwalk with me" and I still thought ... "who"?
Though I've never seen HIMYM regularly, one or two episodes, maybe.
posted by tilde at 12:55 PM on May 15, 2013
Though I've never seen HIMYM regularly, one or two episodes, maybe.
posted by tilde at 12:55 PM on May 15, 2013
Sargent will say the series title and the kids will say "we know...Mom told us, and it only took her 10 minutes."
"But please Dad, tell us again about all the hotties that Uncle Barney used to fuck!"
posted by Atom Eyes at 12:57 PM on May 15, 2013 [5 favorites]
"But please Dad, tell us again about all the hotties that Uncle Barney used to fuck!"
posted by Atom Eyes at 12:57 PM on May 15, 2013 [5 favorites]
The show isn't How I Developed a Functional Long-term Relationship With Your Mother. It's literally the first meeting.
As others have said here, I guess that I'd hoped that the big Season 9 change of format would be a shift into the mother's perspective. Or at least a shift into a very different phase of Ted's life?
This is just much less interesting to me, is all.
posted by Narrative Priorities at 12:57 PM on May 15, 2013
As others have said here, I guess that I'd hoped that the big Season 9 change of format would be a shift into the mother's perspective. Or at least a shift into a very different phase of Ted's life?
This is just much less interesting to me, is all.
posted by Narrative Priorities at 12:57 PM on May 15, 2013
The daydreaming autistic kid had better come up with a good ending.
posted by dr_dank at 12:58 PM on May 15, 2013 [30 favorites]
posted by dr_dank at 12:58 PM on May 15, 2013 [30 favorites]
Can I just ask how they set this up? I've only watched the show off and on, but saw the clip online where the mother asked for the ticket to Farhampton and that was the reveal. How did they build to that reveal? Was it just the umbrella? Did people know he was going to meet her in this episode?
CBS and others had been dropping hints that we would meet her this ep. And all the other stuff had been established as "Mother canon" from previous episodes throughout the show. The umbrella, Farhampton, etc.
I don't want the show, but having seen Cristin Milioti on Broadway, I can't imagine she's a great fit for a comedy role
She had a guest role on 30 Rock. I was rather amused that within hours of the episode airing, basically every single Youtube video which featured Milioti was filled with HIMYM comments.
posted by kmz at 12:58 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
CBS and others had been dropping hints that we would meet her this ep. And all the other stuff had been established as "Mother canon" from previous episodes throughout the show. The umbrella, Farhampton, etc.
I don't want the show, but having seen Cristin Milioti on Broadway, I can't imagine she's a great fit for a comedy role
She had a guest role on 30 Rock. I was rather amused that within hours of the episode airing, basically every single Youtube video which featured Milioti was filled with HIMYM comments.
posted by kmz at 12:58 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
The show isn't How I Developed a Functional Long-term Relationship With Your Mother. It's literally the first meeting.
I hear that, and call me gullible, but I get invested in the characters on the shows I watch. So I would actually to see Ted happy, not the mopey fifth wheel he's been pretty much since [SPOILER] he got left at the altar, many many seasons ago.
That said, I thought the Season Finale was really well done.
posted by dry white toast at 12:59 PM on May 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
I hear that, and call me gullible, but I get invested in the characters on the shows I watch. So I would actually to see Ted happy, not the mopey fifth wheel he's been pretty much since [SPOILER] he got left at the altar, many many seasons ago.
That said, I thought the Season Finale was really well done.
posted by dry white toast at 12:59 PM on May 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
I think the general idea -
General idea!
of the major plot -
Major plot!
device here is really that this show has just gone on way too long.
posted by Lutoslawski at 12:59 PM on May 15, 2013 [17 favorites]
General idea!
of the major plot -
Major plot!
device here is really that this show has just gone on way too long.
posted by Lutoslawski at 12:59 PM on May 15, 2013 [17 favorites]
I was disappointed that she is a pretty white girl with no particular distinguishing characteristics, just like every girl Ted has dated on the show (except Robin). Why do I care who he marries if they're all the same?
This.
Also disappointed that she's ten years younger than him.
Not at all surprised on any of these counts, though.
TELEVISION! :I
posted by Narrative Priorities at 12:59 PM on May 15, 2013 [12 favorites]
This.
Also disappointed that she's ten years younger than him.
Not at all surprised on any of these counts, though.
TELEVISION! :I
posted by Narrative Priorities at 12:59 PM on May 15, 2013 [12 favorites]
Don't the kids know who their mother is?
Okay but remember dude isn't telling the kids this story by showing them 22-minute episodes with a laughtrack. They're hearing words that come from his mouth and those words do not look like particular people.
posted by shakespeherian at 12:59 PM on May 15, 2013
Okay but remember dude isn't telling the kids this story by showing them 22-minute episodes with a laughtrack. They're hearing words that come from his mouth and those words do not look like particular people.
posted by shakespeherian at 12:59 PM on May 15, 2013
sweetkid, they've set it up very gradually over several seasons. Not a quick explanation.
posted by dry white toast at 1:00 PM on May 15, 2013
posted by dry white toast at 1:00 PM on May 15, 2013
The mother part of the show is really a Macguffin. I really hope that the feeling of being ripped off by the last season of the show because it has a narrow focus doesn't turn anyone off.
I mean, who honestly likes or cares about Ted at this point who is not a character on this show?
The show exists to be a skeleton on which to hang jokes. That's how I see it.
posted by inturnaround at 1:00 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
I mean, who honestly likes or cares about Ted at this point who is not a character on this show?
The show exists to be a skeleton on which to hang jokes. That's how I see it.
posted by inturnaround at 1:00 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
Spoilery for those asking how they built up to it: We knew the mother owned a yellow umbrella, played bass at Barney and Robin's wedding in Farhampton, and that their meeting happens that wedding day or night.
posted by drezdn at 1:00 PM on May 15, 2013
posted by drezdn at 1:00 PM on May 15, 2013
This is just much less interesting to me, is all.
Yeah, it's kind of like how Friends had Ross and Rachel be on again/off again for so long, even after they had a kid together (in a totally contrived way) and then they finally got together in the last two minutes of the show. I would have rather seen more of that than endless Monica/Chandler angst.
posted by sweetkid at 1:01 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
Yeah, it's kind of like how Friends had Ross and Rachel be on again/off again for so long, even after they had a kid together (in a totally contrived way) and then they finally got together in the last two minutes of the show. I would have rather seen more of that than endless Monica/Chandler angst.
posted by sweetkid at 1:01 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
or drezdn could just do it in a sentence...
posted by dry white toast at 1:01 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by dry white toast at 1:01 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
Not at all surprised on any of these counts, though.
TELEVISION! :I
posted by Narrative Priorities
Sort of eponysterical.
posted by sweetkid at 1:02 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
"But please Dad, tell us again about all the hotties that Uncle Barney used to fuck!"
Let's not forget all the sex Ted has, his years-long pining for Aunt Robin, etc.
BTW, the Daughter now plays an ass-kicking assassin on Nikita (way underrated show) so I often like to imagine that at some point she'll just put Bob Saget into a submission hold and tell him to finish the damn story already.
posted by kmz at 1:03 PM on May 15, 2013 [4 favorites]
Let's not forget all the sex Ted has, his years-long pining for Aunt Robin, etc.
BTW, the Daughter now plays an ass-kicking assassin on Nikita (way underrated show) so I often like to imagine that at some point she'll just put Bob Saget into a submission hold and tell him to finish the damn story already.
posted by kmz at 1:03 PM on May 15, 2013 [4 favorites]
(In other sitcom news, continuing from the last TV thread... Damnit Patrice TV execs, stop playing with my emotions!)
posted by kmz at 1:06 PM on May 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by kmz at 1:06 PM on May 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
My wife and I (who both have pretty full lives otherwise), have gotten into a couple pretty heated arguments about this. It is really the only TV show that we watch together, most every week.
My original thought was that Robin was going to turn out to be Ted's bride, and that the kids that Bob Sagett was talking to turn out to be Barney's, or maybe Lillie and Marshall's.
My wife was holding out for some sort of medical miracle which would allow Robin to have kids, or for adoption.
I still think that the yellow umbrella/boots/guitar woman is a red herring.
posted by Danf at 1:06 PM on May 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
My original thought was that Robin was going to turn out to be Ted's bride, and that the kids that Bob Sagett was talking to turn out to be Barney's, or maybe Lillie and Marshall's.
My wife was holding out for some sort of medical miracle which would allow Robin to have kids, or for adoption.
I still think that the yellow umbrella/boots/guitar woman is a red herring.
posted by Danf at 1:06 PM on May 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
> The longest-delayed reveal in television history
Not as long as the 11-year wait to discover what Inspector Morse's first name is.
But on US TV you could well be right.
posted by GallonOfAlan at 1:07 PM on May 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
Not as long as the 11-year wait to discover what Inspector Morse's first name is.
But on US TV you could well be right.
posted by GallonOfAlan at 1:07 PM on May 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
I still think that the yellow umbrella/boots/guitar woman is a red herring.
I don't think it is, since the PR people from the show have said, "this is her."
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 1:07 PM on May 15, 2013
I don't think it is, since the PR people from the show have said, "this is her."
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 1:07 PM on May 15, 2013
Apparently she isn't fully part of the cast yet (at least in the upfronts happening right now) so there's still a chance she is a ghost or something.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 1:08 PM on May 15, 2013
posted by Potomac Avenue at 1:08 PM on May 15, 2013
Is it possible that time travel is involved and the children are their own mother?
I've never watched the show.
posted by prize bull octorok at 1:09 PM on May 15, 2013 [35 favorites]
I've never watched the show.
posted by prize bull octorok at 1:09 PM on May 15, 2013 [35 favorites]
If you go to the CBS page dedicated to HIMYM, they have a big headline that says "WE MET THE MOTHER!" So no, not a herring.
I'm hoping that if the next season is going real-time, there will also be flash-forwards to everybody's future lives, including Ted's relationship with Umbrella Lady.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 1:09 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
I'm hoping that if the next season is going real-time, there will also be flash-forwards to everybody's future lives, including Ted's relationship with Umbrella Lady.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 1:09 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
If Milioti is a red herring, I will burn all my HIMYM DVDs. There's twists and surprises and then there's just wanton cruelty to an audience. And not in the good way like how Whedon kills all your favorite characters.
posted by kmz at 1:09 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by kmz at 1:09 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
Marshall has 2 slaps left. Why would he splurge and expend those in 56 hours?
posted by sparkletone at 1:09 PM on May 15, 2013 [31 favorites]
posted by sparkletone at 1:09 PM on May 15, 2013 [31 favorites]
Time travel canonically does exist in the show, so it wouldn't be the strangest thing they've ever done.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 1:10 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 1:10 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
Is it possible that time travel is involved and the children are their own mother?
Time travel does exist in the HIMYM universe.
posted by drezdn at 1:10 PM on May 15, 2013
Time travel does exist in the HIMYM universe.
posted by drezdn at 1:10 PM on May 15, 2013
Why would be splurge and expend those in 56 hours? Because, Barney.
posted by drezdn at 1:10 PM on May 15, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by drezdn at 1:10 PM on May 15, 2013 [5 favorites]
Not as long as the 11-year wait to discover what Inspector Morse's first name is.
Doctor Who?
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 1:10 PM on May 15, 2013 [12 favorites]
Doctor Who?
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 1:10 PM on May 15, 2013 [12 favorites]
Something old, something new, something borrowed, something SLAP
posted by Potomac Avenue at 1:11 PM on May 15, 2013 [23 favorites]
posted by Potomac Avenue at 1:11 PM on May 15, 2013 [23 favorites]
but having seen Cristin Milioti on Broadway, I can't imagine she's a great fit for a comedy role
As someone mentioned above, she did an episode of 30 Rock.
I thought she was meh, and as an actress she seems kind of bland, but I don't know, the whole point of acting is that you take on another character. So who knows, it could work I guess.
posted by Sara C. at 1:12 PM on May 15, 2013
As someone mentioned above, she did an episode of 30 Rock.
I thought she was meh, and as an actress she seems kind of bland, but I don't know, the whole point of acting is that you take on another character. So who knows, it could work I guess.
posted by Sara C. at 1:12 PM on May 15, 2013
Potomac Avenue, I want that to happen so hard.
posted by joannemerriam at 1:12 PM on May 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by joannemerriam at 1:12 PM on May 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
As someone who didn't realize the episode was the season finale, the reveal at the end of the most recent episode was the kind of shock I don't expect from TV anymore. So that was cool.
I see all the points about diminishing returns for the show, but I'm it for the long haul -- as I will probably be with anything Alyson Hannigan* ever does. I mean, Jesus, I saw American Reunion.
(* and now Cobie Smulders probably as well)
posted by MCMikeNamara at 1:14 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
I see all the points about diminishing returns for the show, but I'm it for the long haul -- as I will probably be with anything Alyson Hannigan* ever does. I mean, Jesus, I saw American Reunion.
(* and now Cobie Smulders probably as well)
posted by MCMikeNamara at 1:14 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
I'm hoping that if the next season is going real-time, there will also be flash-forwards to everybody's future lives, including Ted's relationship with Umbrella Lady.
This is a good point.
The whole conceit of the show is the flashbacks and flash-forwards. So the show can't possibly take place in "real time", except inasmuch as the Present Day takes place in real time and is used as a vehicle for telling the whole future of their relationship.
posted by Sara C. at 1:15 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
This is a good point.
The whole conceit of the show is the flashbacks and flash-forwards. So the show can't possibly take place in "real time", except inasmuch as the Present Day takes place in real time and is used as a vehicle for telling the whole future of their relationship.
posted by Sara C. at 1:15 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
It's been about meeting the mother, right? Not necessarily who Ted will end up with...which perhaps explains why the narrator is telling the story of the mother.
I'm going to make the (unlikely) call that the kids are twins, that Ted sleeps with the girl that weekend, Barney and Robin don't go through with it and Ted and Robin get together.
I have only been a casual observer of the show, so there may be something I'm missing.
posted by jimmythefish at 1:15 PM on May 15, 2013 [6 favorites]
I'm going to make the (unlikely) call that the kids are twins, that Ted sleeps with the girl that weekend, Barney and Robin don't go through with it and Ted and Robin get together.
I have only been a casual observer of the show, so there may be something I'm missing.
posted by jimmythefish at 1:15 PM on May 15, 2013 [6 favorites]
OK, I wouldn't actually burn my DVDs. There's still some seriously great episodes there, it's all about the journey, not the destination, blah blah blah. But I would definitely write a sternly worded letter to Bays and Thomas. Or maybe just a sternly worded comment on Metafilter. Whatever. YOU'RE ON NOTICE CRAIG AND CARTER.
posted by kmz at 1:16 PM on May 15, 2013 [6 favorites]
posted by kmz at 1:16 PM on May 15, 2013 [6 favorites]
It'd be weird to have your baby mama's crazy robot artwork hanging in the home you share with your wife-who-isn't-her, though.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 1:16 PM on May 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 1:16 PM on May 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
The whole conceit of the show is that single life is great and married life is boring so her very blandness no doubt will be her saving grace that makes him realize what he really wants is to sink deep deep into the forever oblivion of modern slavery.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 1:17 PM on May 15, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by Potomac Avenue at 1:17 PM on May 15, 2013 [4 favorites]
I'm it for the long haul -- as I will probably be with anything Alyson Hannigan* ever does. I mean, Jesus, I saw American Reunion.
Oh thank God I'm not the only one.
posted by restless_nomad at 1:18 PM on May 15, 2013 [4 favorites]
Oh thank God I'm not the only one.
posted by restless_nomad at 1:18 PM on May 15, 2013 [4 favorites]
Barney and Robin don't go through with it and Ted and Robin get together.
Two problems with this:
One, Saget refers to "Aunt Robin". It would be highly unusual for kids to call the woman who raised them and who is married to their father "Aunt Robin".
Secondly, I think we see Robin and Barney together in flash forwards. Though I could be wrong about that.
posted by Sara C. at 1:18 PM on May 15, 2013
Two problems with this:
One, Saget refers to "Aunt Robin". It would be highly unusual for kids to call the woman who raised them and who is married to their father "Aunt Robin".
Secondly, I think we see Robin and Barney together in flash forwards. Though I could be wrong about that.
posted by Sara C. at 1:18 PM on May 15, 2013
Let's not forget all the sex Ted has, his years-long pining for Aunt Robin, etc.
Yes, I've never understood - basically the show is a guy telling his kids about all the women he slept with before mom?!
Too bad the reveal wasn’t that Ted got back with Robin. She's now with NPH's character? Eh, a plot device to put her out of the way.
(I’ve thought about this waaaay too much for a show I don’t like much and rarely watch.)
posted by NorthernLite at 1:19 PM on May 15, 2013
Yes, I've never understood - basically the show is a guy telling his kids about all the women he slept with before mom?!
Too bad the reveal wasn’t that Ted got back with Robin. She's now with NPH's character? Eh, a plot device to put her out of the way.
(I’ve thought about this waaaay too much for a show I don’t like much and rarely watch.)
posted by NorthernLite at 1:19 PM on May 15, 2013
I've watched every episode of this show, and large parts of the last season have just frustrated me. I'm not sure that it's anything wrong with the show per se... It's just when I started watching the show, I was a newlywed who could relate with the characters. Now, I've got 2 and a half kids, and Barney, Ted, Robin, and even new parents Marshall and Lily are spending most of their time in McLarens. They're still living the life of single/married with no kids.
On the other hand, while I'm sure there will be a Barney/Robin fight before the wedding (Ted has a bandaged hand after their wedding), I don't think the show writers have really provided good reason for Robin and Barney to be together. The only explanation for Robin to be cool with Barney's comments about women around her, would be that Ted is telling the story in such a way as to clearly make Barney a villain.
Alyson Hannigan
HIMYM has almost made me dislike her, because her character is such a horrible human being.
posted by drezdn at 1:19 PM on May 15, 2013 [4 favorites]
On the other hand, while I'm sure there will be a Barney/Robin fight before the wedding (Ted has a bandaged hand after their wedding), I don't think the show writers have really provided good reason for Robin and Barney to be together. The only explanation for Robin to be cool with Barney's comments about women around her, would be that Ted is telling the story in such a way as to clearly make Barney a villain.
Alyson Hannigan
HIMYM has almost made me dislike her, because her character is such a horrible human being.
posted by drezdn at 1:19 PM on May 15, 2013 [4 favorites]
Actually the best possible ending would be robot gestapo bursting in on the storytelling right before they meet, arresting Bob Saget for illegal use of the imagination. The children, who turned him in, suction cup their eyes to the entertainment dissemination tubes and snicker as they watch him die on a Gladiators reality show.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 1:20 PM on May 15, 2013 [15 favorites]
posted by Potomac Avenue at 1:20 PM on May 15, 2013 [15 favorites]
Alyson Hannigan
I feel like I was born with a genetic mutation that makes me like Alyson Hannigan like 35% less than everyone else. Especially everyone else around my age.
Also I have not seen a lot of Buffy so that could be it.
posted by sweetkid at 1:21 PM on May 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
I feel like I was born with a genetic mutation that makes me like Alyson Hannigan like 35% less than everyone else. Especially everyone else around my age.
Also I have not seen a lot of Buffy so that could be it.
posted by sweetkid at 1:21 PM on May 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
I started watching this from the first episode. Lost interest in season five or six. Finally stopped watching halfway through this last season. It's difficult to pull away after that much of an investment, but I'm not going to watch the finale out of any sense of obligation when it stopped being interesting years ago.
posted by mean cheez at 1:22 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by mean cheez at 1:22 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
One, Saget refers to "Aunt Robin". It would be highly unusual for kids to call the woman who raised them and who is married to their father "Aunt Robin".
1. The kids are being told this all in one go after Ted and Robin have remained close to the mother (who hasn't called someone close 'aunt').
2. Ted has only revealed that he is the father and he's now telling them the story.
Blammo.
posted by jimmythefish at 1:22 PM on May 15, 2013 [6 favorites]
1. The kids are being told this all in one go after Ted and Robin have remained close to the mother (who hasn't called someone close 'aunt').
2. Ted has only revealed that he is the father and he's now telling them the story.
Blammo.
posted by jimmythefish at 1:22 PM on May 15, 2013 [6 favorites]
Time travel does exist in the HIMYM universe.
I'll take the time travel universe over the HIMYM universe any day.
I can not watch HIMYM-not because it's a horrible show ( I liked it), but because my local CBS station has broadcasting issues where most all people in town can't receive it unless they pay for cable/satellite service. The last CBS show I've seen was Walker Texas Ranger....that shows still running strong I assume.
posted by QueerAngel28 at 1:24 PM on May 15, 2013
I'll take the time travel universe over the HIMYM universe any day.
I can not watch HIMYM-not because it's a horrible show ( I liked it), but because my local CBS station has broadcasting issues where most all people in town can't receive it unless they pay for cable/satellite service. The last CBS show I've seen was Walker Texas Ranger....that shows still running strong I assume.
posted by QueerAngel28 at 1:24 PM on May 15, 2013
Turns out the Mom is pregnant with the kids already and Ted has to cut them out of her corpse after the wedding is attacked by coke-addled, scimitar-wielding hipsters!
posted by Potomac Avenue at 1:24 PM on May 15, 2013 [13 favorites]
posted by Potomac Avenue at 1:24 PM on May 15, 2013 [13 favorites]
The only explanation for Robin to be cool with Barney's comments about women around her, would be that Ted is telling the story in such a way as to clearly make Barney a villain.
That is entirely possible; A lot of how Barney is portrayed throughout the show takes on a new tint when you realize that Barney isn't just Ted's wacky best friend but the man who married the woman Ted thought was his True Love. So he becomes the larger-than-life Great Seducer who can get any woman he wants so obviously he could win Robin over; it's like losing your girlfriend to Casanova or James Bond.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 1:24 PM on May 15, 2013 [30 favorites]
That is entirely possible; A lot of how Barney is portrayed throughout the show takes on a new tint when you realize that Barney isn't just Ted's wacky best friend but the man who married the woman Ted thought was his True Love. So he becomes the larger-than-life Great Seducer who can get any woman he wants so obviously he could win Robin over; it's like losing your girlfriend to Casanova or James Bond.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 1:24 PM on May 15, 2013 [30 favorites]
QueerAngel28, the whole series except for the current season is available on Netflix streaming.
Which is how I got into it. I didn't watch it for years until it showed up on Netflix and I was unemployed.
posted by Sara C. at 1:25 PM on May 15, 2013
Which is how I got into it. I didn't watch it for years until it showed up on Netflix and I was unemployed.
posted by Sara C. at 1:25 PM on May 15, 2013
The last CBS show I've seen was Walker Texas Ranger....that shows still running strong I assume.
haha, off the air in 2001.
But back when I didn't have cable nothing would come in clearly except for Walker Texas Ranger reruns.
Every single show would be fuzzy except that damn show.
posted by sweetkid at 1:25 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
haha, off the air in 2001.
But back when I didn't have cable nothing would come in clearly except for Walker Texas Ranger reruns.
Every single show would be fuzzy except that damn show.
posted by sweetkid at 1:25 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
I am desperately hoping that this whole "Season 9 takes place over a single weekend" thing is some sort of misunderstanding and not actually true.
Well, it's true, but you're misunderstanding. Each episode will be 1 or 2 hours of that weekend, and there will be 1 episode a week. "24" style.
posted by 3FLryan at 1:26 PM on May 15, 2013
Well, it's true, but you're misunderstanding. Each episode will be 1 or 2 hours of that weekend, and there will be 1 episode a week. "24" style.
posted by 3FLryan at 1:26 PM on May 15, 2013
I feel like I was born with a genetic mutation that makes me like Alyson Hannigan like 35% less than everyone else. Especially everyone else around my age.
I don't know if I'm your age. I'm 33 and think she's a terrible actress.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 1:27 PM on May 15, 2013
I don't know if I'm your age. I'm 33 and think she's a terrible actress.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 1:27 PM on May 15, 2013
I was disappointed that she is a pretty white girl with no particular distinguishing characteristics, just like every girl Ted has dated on the show (except Robin).
She's had one line. What sort of "distinguishing characteristics" were you looking for in two seconds? Giant breasts? A missing limb?
For that matter, what "distinguishing characteristics" does Cobie Smulders have that you could have picked up on with her saying one line? Her Canadian accent isn't that thick.
The only explanation for Robin to be cool with Barney's comments about women around her, would be that Ted is telling the story in such a way as to clearly make Barney a villain.
As has always been made clear (viz "sandwiches"), what we see on the screen is not a 100 percent true representation of Ted's life -- it's the story he's telling his kids. The entire series has an unreliable narrator.
posted by Etrigan at 1:27 PM on May 15, 2013 [11 favorites]
She's had one line. What sort of "distinguishing characteristics" were you looking for in two seconds? Giant breasts? A missing limb?
For that matter, what "distinguishing characteristics" does Cobie Smulders have that you could have picked up on with her saying one line? Her Canadian accent isn't that thick.
The only explanation for Robin to be cool with Barney's comments about women around her, would be that Ted is telling the story in such a way as to clearly make Barney a villain.
As has always been made clear (viz "sandwiches"), what we see on the screen is not a 100 percent true representation of Ted's life -- it's the story he's telling his kids. The entire series has an unreliable narrator.
posted by Etrigan at 1:27 PM on May 15, 2013 [11 favorites]
Also the cast supposedly smokes like chimneys, and the whole thing where in Ted's memory Barney gained 30 pounds and Robin turned into Pigpen during their first shot at a relationship.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 1:28 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 1:28 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
Well, it's true, but you're misunderstanding. Each episode will be 1 or 2 hours of that weekend, and there will be 1 episode a week. "24" style.
It's fitting, as up until now they've been looking for the mother in various states of desperation over the bulk of a decade "Zero Dark Thirty" style.
posted by jimmythefish at 1:28 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
It's fitting, as up until now they've been looking for the mother in various states of desperation over the bulk of a decade "Zero Dark Thirty" style.
posted by jimmythefish at 1:28 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
I have a friend who's said that for the last few seasons, he's "hate-watched" (his words - awesome phrase) this show. I don't think that attitude will change given this new whole-season-over-a-single-weekend development.
posted by Ridge at 1:28 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by Ridge at 1:28 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
I did have one 'twist ending' thought that I'm sure they won't do but it amused me when I thought about it last night:
So Ted meets the mother at just the same time that his closest couple friends were leaving for a year and at the wedding of his best friend and the woman he is in love with -- a couple he is on record with wanting to avoid for the time being. So, if you think about it. he is pretty much even more sad and alone that he's been this whole time. Then he meets this woman who, as we've heard her described, is his ideal woman.
So he meets her at this lonely time, and, of course, instantly thinks it is love, so by the time Lily and Marshall return from Italy and he has his normal social structure back he is hooked up, either married or on his way to it, possibly with a baby on the way.
Only after many years does he realize that the reason he fell in love with the mother was because he was so sad and lonely, as he has documented over this very, very, very, long story, and though your mother is a very wonderful woman, she only seemed perfect.
So, kids, that's why I'm leaving your mother.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 1:29 PM on May 15, 2013 [44 favorites]
So Ted meets the mother at just the same time that his closest couple friends were leaving for a year and at the wedding of his best friend and the woman he is in love with -- a couple he is on record with wanting to avoid for the time being. So, if you think about it. he is pretty much even more sad and alone that he's been this whole time. Then he meets this woman who, as we've heard her described, is his ideal woman.
So he meets her at this lonely time, and, of course, instantly thinks it is love, so by the time Lily and Marshall return from Italy and he has his normal social structure back he is hooked up, either married or on his way to it, possibly with a baby on the way.
Only after many years does he realize that the reason he fell in love with the mother was because he was so sad and lonely, as he has documented over this very, very, very, long story, and though your mother is a very wonderful woman, she only seemed perfect.
So, kids, that's why I'm leaving your mother.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 1:29 PM on May 15, 2013 [44 favorites]
I was disappointed that she is a pretty white girl with no particular distinguishing characteristics, just like every girl Ted has dated on the show (except Robin). Why do I care who he marries if they're all the same?
Unless you expected the reveal to include 'and you're both adopted!' I think you should at least have been prepared for her to be white.
posted by jacalata at 1:30 PM on May 15, 2013 [14 favorites]
Unless you expected the reveal to include 'and you're both adopted!' I think you should at least have been prepared for her to be white.
posted by jacalata at 1:30 PM on May 15, 2013 [14 favorites]
back when I didn't have cable nothing would come in clearly except for Walker Texas Ranger reruns.
Every single show would be fuzzy except that damn show.
CHUCK NORRIS CAN DO ANYTHING.
posted by tilde at 1:30 PM on May 15, 2013 [5 favorites]
Every single show would be fuzzy except that damn show.
CHUCK NORRIS CAN DO ANYTHING.
posted by tilde at 1:30 PM on May 15, 2013 [5 favorites]
"prettywhitegirl" in media-speak is just all one word at this point.
posted by sweetkid at 1:30 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by sweetkid at 1:30 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
The only clip of Walker Texas Ranger you ever need to see.
posted by kmz at 1:32 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by kmz at 1:32 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
Unless the show retcons it, Ted's first daughter is alive in 2015.
The show's clever flash forwards have taken some of the stakes out of potential storylines... For example, Lily is supposed to go to Italy, but Marshall just got hired to be a judge. We know in the future that Lily and Marshall are still together, so it's not that threatening of a controversy.
posted by drezdn at 1:33 PM on May 15, 2013
The show's clever flash forwards have taken some of the stakes out of potential storylines... For example, Lily is supposed to go to Italy, but Marshall just got hired to be a judge. We know in the future that Lily and Marshall are still together, so it's not that threatening of a controversy.
posted by drezdn at 1:33 PM on May 15, 2013
Oh, and while we're talking twist endings, Jason Segel floated his idea for one several years ago: Ted finishes the story, and the camera pulls back to reveal the ruins of the house and a post-apocalyptic wasteland outside. The family sighs, bonding over this short respite, then picks up their guns and wades back into the fight against the mutants.
(Jason Segel is basically the greatest living person since Norman Borlaug died.)
posted by Etrigan at 1:34 PM on May 15, 2013 [36 favorites]
(Jason Segel is basically the greatest living person since Norman Borlaug died.)
posted by Etrigan at 1:34 PM on May 15, 2013 [36 favorites]
Secondly, I think we see Robin and Barney together in flash forwards. Though I could be wrong about that.
Don't think so. We've seen Robin not having children and told she never will, and we've seen that Robin is the bride at her and Barney's wedding. I don't know that we've seen their future together. (Correct me, anyone?)
posted by purpleclover at 1:34 PM on May 15, 2013
Don't think so. We've seen Robin not having children and told she never will, and we've seen that Robin is the bride at her and Barney's wedding. I don't know that we've seen their future together. (Correct me, anyone?)
posted by purpleclover at 1:34 PM on May 15, 2013
Haven't we seen them as an older couple, in some of the more extreme flash-forwards?
I know we've seen Old Ted, Old Lily, Old Marshall, and I think also Old Robin. Haven't we seen a far-future flash forward in the time since the show decided on the Robin/Barney pairing?
posted by Sara C. at 1:36 PM on May 15, 2013
I know we've seen Old Ted, Old Lily, Old Marshall, and I think also Old Robin. Haven't we seen a far-future flash forward in the time since the show decided on the Robin/Barney pairing?
posted by Sara C. at 1:36 PM on May 15, 2013
I don't think Barney has ever been in the flash-forwards, or even referred to in the present tense. I know there was/is a fandom cottage-industry of theorizing about how he dies shortly after the series/is already dead/is just a figment of Ted's imagination.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 1:37 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 1:37 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
We haven't seen anything to show Robin and Barney together in the future. Robin's ring finger has also been carefully concealed in flash forwards.
That said, I'd be annoyed if Robin and Barney didn't get married, just because it would be the THIRD time on the show someone has walked out on a wedding on the wedding day (Stella, Victoria & her husband).
posted by drezdn at 1:37 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
That said, I'd be annoyed if Robin and Barney didn't get married, just because it would be the THIRD time on the show someone has walked out on a wedding on the wedding day (Stella, Victoria & her husband).
posted by drezdn at 1:37 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
Oh, and while we're talking twist endings, Jason Segel floated his idea for one several years ago: Ted finishes the story, and the camera pulls back to reveal the ruins of the house and a post-apocalyptic wasteland outside. The family sighs, bonding over this short respite, then picks up their guns and wades back into the fight against the mutants.
Please oh please. Would love.
posted by sweetkid at 1:37 PM on May 15, 2013 [7 favorites]
Please oh please. Would love.
posted by sweetkid at 1:37 PM on May 15, 2013 [7 favorites]
There's a flash forward where Barney pretends to be on his death bed, but it's part of a long con on Marshall.
posted by drezdn at 1:37 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by drezdn at 1:37 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
So, kids, that's why I'm leaving your mother.
the camera pulls back to reveal the ruins of the house and a post-apocalyptic wasteland outside.
Well shit. Now I'm going to have to watch the last season JUST IN CASE either of these happen.
posted by grapesaresour at 1:38 PM on May 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
the camera pulls back to reveal the ruins of the house and a post-apocalyptic wasteland outside.
Well shit. Now I'm going to have to watch the last season JUST IN CASE either of these happen.
posted by grapesaresour at 1:38 PM on May 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
Theoretically, future Barney shows up in the bar once, but that was just a hallucination by a lonely Ted.
posted by drezdn at 1:38 PM on May 15, 2013
posted by drezdn at 1:38 PM on May 15, 2013
The Exploding Meatball Sub is the episode with Barney alive ten years in the future.
posted by drezdn at 1:40 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by drezdn at 1:40 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
I'm not sure I'll be able to handle the whole season being a single weekend. I know, I know, it's how he MET their mother, I get it, but I have become too invested in Ted and the gang to not want to see how the relationship plays out.
Plus, even though Barney is Barney, would Marshall REALLY use both slaps in one weekend? Really? And I can't imagine us not seeing both slaps. So unless the final slap is in the future and we get to see Much Older Marshall slap Much Older Barney, I'm already sad.
(In case you're unaware, Slap Bet is my favourite episode ever. Followed by Naked Man. Wow, this show used to be so, so awesome...)
posted by juliebug at 1:41 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
Plus, even though Barney is Barney, would Marshall REALLY use both slaps in one weekend? Really? And I can't imagine us not seeing both slaps. So unless the final slap is in the future and we get to see Much Older Marshall slap Much Older Barney, I'm already sad.
(In case you're unaware, Slap Bet is my favourite episode ever. Followed by Naked Man. Wow, this show used to be so, so awesome...)
posted by juliebug at 1:41 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
What if we flash forward into the future, for the momentous occasion of The Final Slap?
posted by Sara C. at 1:42 PM on May 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Sara C. at 1:42 PM on May 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
Better still: As Future Ted finishes telling the story, his friends walk into the house for a visit and Marshall slaps the daylights out of Barney right there and then.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 1:45 PM on May 15, 2013 [7 favorites]
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 1:45 PM on May 15, 2013 [7 favorites]
All I want is an entire season of Robin Sparkles/Daggers flashbacks.
P.S. I love you
posted by GuyZero at 1:45 PM on May 15, 2013 [5 favorites]
P.S. I love you
posted by GuyZero at 1:45 PM on May 15, 2013 [5 favorites]
In reading all this, I'm rather pleased I got bored with this show and these characters several seasons ago.
posted by jeather at 1:46 PM on May 15, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by jeather at 1:46 PM on May 15, 2013 [5 favorites]
Not reading the thread. Will someone just email me when this season is on Netflix? Thanks.
posted by roll truck roll at 1:47 PM on May 15, 2013
posted by roll truck roll at 1:47 PM on May 15, 2013
Robin Sparkles/Daggers flashbacks.
As much as I've had problems with this season, Robin Daggers was awesome.
posted by drezdn at 1:47 PM on May 15, 2013
As much as I've had problems with this season, Robin Daggers was awesome.
posted by drezdn at 1:47 PM on May 15, 2013
What if we flash forward into the future, for the momentous occasion of The Final Slap?
No - it's a flash back time travel episode. The final slap is the first slap, as Barney is delivered by Ted in a taxi cab and Ted is forced to give him the slap of life. Which he may slap a little too hard. Who's to say? Then we find out that Ted is Barney's father. Search your feelings.
posted by The Riker Who Mounts the World at 1:49 PM on May 15, 2013 [5 favorites]
No - it's a flash back time travel episode. The final slap is the first slap, as Barney is delivered by Ted in a taxi cab and Ted is forced to give him the slap of life. Which he may slap a little too hard. Who's to say? Then we find out that Ted is Barney's father. Search your feelings.
posted by The Riker Who Mounts the World at 1:49 PM on May 15, 2013 [5 favorites]
When discussing people who are not the mother, I have yet to see a "not the mama!" reference.
Internet, I am dissapoint.
posted by Hactar at 1:49 PM on May 15, 2013 [8 favorites]
Internet, I am dissapoint.
posted by Hactar at 1:49 PM on May 15, 2013 [8 favorites]
I haven't seen most of this season (will prob. wait for Netflix), but I'm happy they confirmed that Robin is basically Alanis Morrissette.
posted by Sara C. at 1:52 PM on May 15, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by Sara C. at 1:52 PM on May 15, 2013 [4 favorites]
We haven't seen anything to show Robin and Barney together in the future. Robin's ring finger has also been carefully concealed in flash forwards.
Also, in the flash-forward at the end of the "trilogy watching" episode, NPH does not conceal his left hand well enough, and if you pause it just right, you will see that there is no ring on it.
posted by King Bee at 1:54 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
Also, in the flash-forward at the end of the "trilogy watching" episode, NPH does not conceal his left hand well enough, and if you pause it just right, you will see that there is no ring on it.
posted by King Bee at 1:54 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
Really? The longest awaited reveal in TV history?
So what's The Doctor's name? Waiting 50 years on THAT.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 1:56 PM on May 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
So what's The Doctor's name? Waiting 50 years on THAT.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 1:56 PM on May 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
They've only been teasing that for what, one year? One and a half? Before that it was generally accepted that his name was "The Doctor" and there was no reason to care about any other.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 1:57 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 1:57 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
His name is Doctor Hu.
posted by The Riker Who Mounts the World at 1:59 PM on May 15, 2013 [15 favorites]
posted by The Riker Who Mounts the World at 1:59 PM on May 15, 2013 [15 favorites]
I was disappointed that she is a pretty white girl with no particular distinguishing characteristics, just like every girl Ted has dated on the show...
I think the mother (Cristin Milioti) looks like a cross between Lily (Alyson Hannigan) and Robin (Cobie Smulders).
posted by carmicha at 1:59 PM on May 15, 2013 [5 favorites]
I think the mother (Cristin Milioti) looks like a cross between Lily (Alyson Hannigan) and Robin (Cobie Smulders).
posted by carmicha at 1:59 PM on May 15, 2013 [5 favorites]
I think the mother (Cristin Milioti) looks like a cross between Lily (Alyson Hannigan) and Robin (Cobie Smulders).
So what you're saying is that the Mother is actually the genetically engineered offspring of Lily and Robin who time travels from the apocalyptic future where the Machines know that the Son and Daughter will lead humanity's fight against them?
posted by kmz at 2:03 PM on May 15, 2013 [14 favorites]
So what you're saying is that the Mother is actually the genetically engineered offspring of Lily and Robin who time travels from the apocalyptic future where the Machines know that the Son and Daughter will lead humanity's fight against them?
posted by kmz at 2:03 PM on May 15, 2013 [14 favorites]
Resistance is futile. You will be sparkled.
posted by The Riker Who Mounts the World at 2:06 PM on May 15, 2013 [8 favorites]
posted by The Riker Who Mounts the World at 2:06 PM on May 15, 2013 [8 favorites]
But wait, did the Resistance send the Mother, or did the Machines? Hmm...
posted by kmz at 2:10 PM on May 15, 2013
posted by kmz at 2:10 PM on May 15, 2013
So what you're saying is that the Mother is actually the genetically engineered offspring of Lily and Robin who time travels from the apocalyptic future where the Machines know that the Son and Daughter will lead humanity's fight against them?
Correct.
posted by carmicha at 2:11 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
Correct.
posted by carmicha at 2:11 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
Here's how I want it to end:
Ted meets the mother at the wedding as stated, dates her for a while, falls in love, but it doesn't work out for her (because, let's face it, he's Ted) and she leaves him. He's devastated and remains infatuated with her for the next fifteen years while living a lonely hermit-like existence in his apartment. In the meantime, she has moved on, gotten married, and has the two kids (they're her kids, not Ted's). Crazy lovesick Ted cyber-stalks her and eventually tracks her down. One night he breaks into her home, ties her and her husband up with ropes and duct tape in the basement, then makes her kids sit on a couch and listen to a long, overly-detailed, and wildly inappropriate story about how he met "their mother".
posted by rocket88 at 2:16 PM on May 15, 2013 [71 favorites]
Ted meets the mother at the wedding as stated, dates her for a while, falls in love, but it doesn't work out for her (because, let's face it, he's Ted) and she leaves him. He's devastated and remains infatuated with her for the next fifteen years while living a lonely hermit-like existence in his apartment. In the meantime, she has moved on, gotten married, and has the two kids (they're her kids, not Ted's). Crazy lovesick Ted cyber-stalks her and eventually tracks her down. One night he breaks into her home, ties her and her husband up with ropes and duct tape in the basement, then makes her kids sit on a couch and listen to a long, overly-detailed, and wildly inappropriate story about how he met "their mother".
posted by rocket88 at 2:16 PM on May 15, 2013 [71 favorites]
... and wildly inappropriate story about how he met "their mother".
I'd watch that finale.
posted by fatbird at 2:21 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
I'd watch that finale.
posted by fatbird at 2:21 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
I've never seen the show, but now I am OUTRAGED.
posted by mrgrimm at 2:22 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by mrgrimm at 2:22 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
I'm really glad the daily favorite alottment was increased before this thread, because I am going to be using them for all the twist ending theories in this thread. They are better than the show.
posted by sweetkid at 2:24 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by sweetkid at 2:24 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
I know Cristin's aunt, and she is very happy that episode has aired, because keeping that secret was killer.
Thanks to the perfect blazer find, I may have gone as Robin Sparkles this past Halloween...
I'm assuming the final slap(s) are somehow instrumental in getting Barney down the aisle, but who knows.
posted by ilana at 2:30 PM on May 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
Thanks to the perfect blazer find, I may have gone as Robin Sparkles this past Halloween...
I'm assuming the final slap(s) are somehow instrumental in getting Barney down the aisle, but who knows.
posted by ilana at 2:30 PM on May 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
i think people are getting to caught up on the just one weekend thing - if you think about it, this season was technically minus 48ish hours since they started at the train station after the wedding and ended at the train station before the wedding.
i also know this isn't a popular opinion, but i am so glad we're done with the season or two of constant daddy issues. i enjoyed a lot of this last season and i imagine the next one will be fairly similar - putting the last few pieces into place.
posted by nadawi at 2:34 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
i also know this isn't a popular opinion, but i am so glad we're done with the season or two of constant daddy issues. i enjoyed a lot of this last season and i imagine the next one will be fairly similar - putting the last few pieces into place.
posted by nadawi at 2:34 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
Well, it's true, but you're misunderstanding. Each episode will be 1 or 2 hours of that weekend, and there will be 1 episode a week. "24" style.
They have to keep the tension wretched up to the very end, even if the end is s crushing disappointment (eg. Lost, BSG).
Yeah, it's kind of like how Friends had Ross and Rachel be on again/off again for so long
Huge mistake, sex tension is great drama. The writers had a horrible time progressing the main characters of Cheers after Diane and Sam finally shacked up. As much as the audience was rooting for them, actually being in a relationship diminished the show. You'd think Friends would have learned that by then.
posted by MiltonRandKalman at 2:36 PM on May 15, 2013
They have to keep the tension wretched up to the very end, even if the end is s crushing disappointment (eg. Lost, BSG).
Yeah, it's kind of like how Friends had Ross and Rachel be on again/off again for so long
Huge mistake, sex tension is great drama. The writers had a horrible time progressing the main characters of Cheers after Diane and Sam finally shacked up. As much as the audience was rooting for them, actually being in a relationship diminished the show. You'd think Friends would have learned that by then.
posted by MiltonRandKalman at 2:36 PM on May 15, 2013
Alyson Hannigan
HIMYM has almost made me dislike her, because her character is such a horrible human being.
posted by drezdn at 4:19 PM on May 15 [3 favorites +] [!]
I haven't watched through the series recently enough to go into more detail, but I've been following this show since about the 3rd season, so when I first got Netflix, one of the first things I did was watch through the entire series (at least, as far as Netflix had at the time) over the course of a week or so.
What I found interesting was, taken episode by episode, Lily's character comes across as 'spunky galpal who is cute when she is aggressive or profane', but in aggregate, it becomes frighteningly clear that she's constantly manipulating everyone around her, and is basically on some Sun Tzu shit. Seriously, for the first 6 seasons or so, almost nothing that happens to anyone on the show isn't either directly or indirectly (for good and for bad) caused or influenced by Lily. While sometimes it's overt and played as a plot point (when Ted and Robin find out she's been sabotaging their relationships) It's kinda impressive how subtle it is at times.
posted by Uther Bentrazor at 2:51 PM on May 15, 2013 [23 favorites]
HIMYM has almost made me dislike her, because her character is such a horrible human being.
posted by drezdn at 4:19 PM on May 15 [3 favorites +] [!]
I haven't watched through the series recently enough to go into more detail, but I've been following this show since about the 3rd season, so when I first got Netflix, one of the first things I did was watch through the entire series (at least, as far as Netflix had at the time) over the course of a week or so.
What I found interesting was, taken episode by episode, Lily's character comes across as 'spunky galpal who is cute when she is aggressive or profane', but in aggregate, it becomes frighteningly clear that she's constantly manipulating everyone around her, and is basically on some Sun Tzu shit. Seriously, for the first 6 seasons or so, almost nothing that happens to anyone on the show isn't either directly or indirectly (for good and for bad) caused or influenced by Lily. While sometimes it's overt and played as a plot point (when Ted and Robin find out she's been sabotaging their relationships) It's kinda impressive how subtle it is at times.
posted by Uther Bentrazor at 2:51 PM on May 15, 2013 [23 favorites]
Lily is the Smoke Monster.
posted by The Riker Who Mounts the World at 2:53 PM on May 15, 2013 [12 favorites]
posted by The Riker Who Mounts the World at 2:53 PM on May 15, 2013 [12 favorites]
re: lily the manipulator - totally agreed. maybe she'll get the chance to be selfless for a single second over the judge thing. the only worse person on the cast is ted. re: her puppet mastering everyone - it makes the question floating around about whether the mother and lily are related even more interesting.
posted by nadawi at 2:55 PM on May 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by nadawi at 2:55 PM on May 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
How I Met Your Mother Who Was Savagely Murdered By Lily Shortly After Your Birth
posted by The Riker Who Mounts the World at 2:57 PM on May 15, 2013 [17 favorites]
posted by The Riker Who Mounts the World at 2:57 PM on May 15, 2013 [17 favorites]
Really? The longest awaited reveal in TV history?
So what's The Doctor's name? Waiting 50 years on THAT.
It would be a shocking error if thy suggested it eas anything but The Doctor. However, there was a 30 year gap between finding out where Sarah Jane was left if she wasn't left in Croydon.
posted by biffa at 2:58 PM on May 15, 2013
So what's The Doctor's name? Waiting 50 years on THAT.
It would be a shocking error if thy suggested it eas anything but The Doctor. However, there was a 30 year gap between finding out where Sarah Jane was left if she wasn't left in Croydon.
posted by biffa at 2:58 PM on May 15, 2013
It would be a shocking error if thy suggested it eas anything but The Doctor.
For your own sake, don't watch anything after season 5 of the new series then.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 2:59 PM on May 15, 2013
For your own sake, don't watch anything after season 5 of the new series then.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 2:59 PM on May 15, 2013
Lily even manipulates in this season finale. She has Robin's missing locket*... Not only does she mention it to Ted, she mentions it in context of Robin complaining that Ted was marrying Stella instead of her.
Clearing the show is building to "And that's how I met your mother, and why I'm schtupping your Aunt Robin."
*How was the locket in Ted's pencil box, on his desk, without architect Ted ever noticing it?
posted by drezdn at 3:05 PM on May 15, 2013 [7 favorites]
Clearing the show is building to "And that's how I met your mother, and why I'm schtupping your Aunt Robin."
*How was the locket in Ted's pencil box, on his desk, without architect Ted ever noticing it?
posted by drezdn at 3:05 PM on May 15, 2013 [7 favorites]
This thread is even better with a laugh track.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 3:28 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by Potomac Avenue at 3:28 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
I heard a while back that the mother has been in the background of episodes for quite some time now. Has anyone gone back and tried to spot her yet?
posted by ckape at 3:40 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by ckape at 3:40 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
Narrative Priorities: "I am desperately hoping that this whole "Season 9 takes place over a single weekend" thing is some sort of misunderstanding and not actually true.
Because FUCK. THAT. NOISE.
...
I've defended HiMYM against the haters for a long time now, but this is some serious bullshit."
----------------
PRIORITIES!
posted by symbioid at 3:41 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
Because FUCK. THAT. NOISE.
...
I've defended HiMYM against the haters for a long time now, but this is some serious bullshit."
----------------
PRIORITIES!
posted by symbioid at 3:41 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
My prediction is that the final episode will be filmed in a black box theater, with each actor explaining via monologue the archetypical role their character embodied, then withdrawing upstage to perform an interpretive dance. The culmination will be a twenty minute long psychedelic freakout sequence (melting filmstrips, extreme closeups, WW2 propaganda reels, weird light patterns, etc) and finally a title card explaining that ALL ALONG IT WAS YOU, THE VIEWER, WHO WERE THE MOTHER.
posted by prize bull octorok at 3:44 PM on May 15, 2013 [22 favorites]
posted by prize bull octorok at 3:44 PM on May 15, 2013 [22 favorites]
Yeah, I should be clear. I love Alyson Hannigan and don't miss an episode of How I Met Your Mother. But with the exception of Marshall (most of the time), I have recently realized this is a show about seemingly likable characters who are all horrible people.
The show is much more fun if you accept this fact.
It's like the Entourage of hang out comedies.
And if you want to overthink it even more, you can actually forgive them for their horribleness because, as you learn about their lives through the never ending story, everyone (again except for Marshall and Ted*) have a really screwed up backstory with awful adult role models.
* who is just so damn smug and irritating that he makes Ross Gellar seem like a TV professor I'd want to have dinner with... and every time the show lampshades that, I like it even more.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 3:48 PM on May 15, 2013 [4 favorites]
The show is much more fun if you accept this fact.
It's like the Entourage of hang out comedies.
And if you want to overthink it even more, you can actually forgive them for their horribleness because, as you learn about their lives through the never ending story, everyone (again except for Marshall and Ted*) have a really screwed up backstory with awful adult role models.
* who is just so damn smug and irritating that he makes Ross Gellar seem like a TV professor I'd want to have dinner with... and every time the show lampshades that, I like it even more.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 3:48 PM on May 15, 2013 [4 favorites]
In Ted's defense the premise of the show's title requires him to be a motherfucker.
posted by humanfont at 3:53 PM on May 15, 2013 [14 favorites]
posted by humanfont at 3:53 PM on May 15, 2013 [14 favorites]
So, I never watched the show, and here's my opinion about it ...
hey! stop throwing things! ok, no shoes!
Anyway, with a show based on a premise of the time leading up to two people meeting, but from the perspective of only one of those people, then the other person is a device for storytelling, a MacGuffin, which has been mentioned. Even without seeing the show, it's easy to see the idea that we get to meet her in the end is always going to be a disappointment if it actually happens on screen. It's really best left to the imagination, and there are ways to write that (e.g., all the adults in Peanuts cartoons with their muted trumpet voices).
Another issue with sitcom endings is that the writing staff is often totally different by the last season, and usually not as good as earlier ones, especially by a show's 9th season. It's gotta be a thankless job to some degree. No matter what you do to bring closure, you're always going to end up bitterly disappointing many of the show's loyal fans. I still love the Seinfeld ending, though it baffled a lot of people, although it was totally appropriate for all the characters to end up in that situation. But at least they avoided the typical over-sentimental cliche of most sitcom endings, which wouldn't have been funny in the least.
posted by krinklyfig at 3:59 PM on May 15, 2013
hey! stop throwing things! ok, no shoes!
Anyway, with a show based on a premise of the time leading up to two people meeting, but from the perspective of only one of those people, then the other person is a device for storytelling, a MacGuffin, which has been mentioned. Even without seeing the show, it's easy to see the idea that we get to meet her in the end is always going to be a disappointment if it actually happens on screen. It's really best left to the imagination, and there are ways to write that (e.g., all the adults in Peanuts cartoons with their muted trumpet voices).
Another issue with sitcom endings is that the writing staff is often totally different by the last season, and usually not as good as earlier ones, especially by a show's 9th season. It's gotta be a thankless job to some degree. No matter what you do to bring closure, you're always going to end up bitterly disappointing many of the show's loyal fans. I still love the Seinfeld ending, though it baffled a lot of people, although it was totally appropriate for all the characters to end up in that situation. But at least they avoided the typical over-sentimental cliche of most sitcom endings, which wouldn't have been funny in the least.
posted by krinklyfig at 3:59 PM on May 15, 2013
Time travel canonically does exist in the show
Reeeeallllly. Maybe I need to watch a few episodes.
posted by Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug at 3:59 PM on May 15, 2013
Reeeeallllly. Maybe I need to watch a few episodes.
posted by Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug at 3:59 PM on May 15, 2013
I heard a while back that the mother has been in the background of episodes for quite some time now. Has anyone gone back and tried to spot her yet?
There is an episode where Ted is at this crazy new year's party or something, and he bumps into a woman and says "excuse me", but that's all the interaction you get. (Really weird for a thing that happens in real life to happen in a sitcom.) You learn later she was at that party. That woman is the mother (although not the same actress) as far as I'm concerned.
posted by King Bee at 4:02 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
There is an episode where Ted is at this crazy new year's party or something, and he bumps into a woman and says "excuse me", but that's all the interaction you get. (Really weird for a thing that happens in real life to happen in a sitcom.) You learn later she was at that party. That woman is the mother (although not the same actress) as far as I'm concerned.
posted by King Bee at 4:02 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
Even without seeing the show, it's easy to see the idea that we get to meet her in the end is always going to be a disappointment if it actually happens on screen.
Not so! If the mother turns out to be, say, a pool of primordial brine from which the children emerged parthenogenetically, that would impress me enough to go watch all nine seasons on Netflix.
posted by prize bull octorok at 4:06 PM on May 15, 2013 [7 favorites]
Not so! If the mother turns out to be, say, a pool of primordial brine from which the children emerged parthenogenetically, that would impress me enough to go watch all nine seasons on Netflix.
posted by prize bull octorok at 4:06 PM on May 15, 2013 [7 favorites]
Another issue with sitcom endings is that the writing staff is often totally different by the last season
while that is generally true of long running sitcoms, how i met your mother has some incredible consistency for 9 years. via wiki - It was created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays, who also serve as the show's executive producers and frequent writers. All but 12 episodes (out of over 180) have been directed by Pamela Fryman.
posted by nadawi at 4:09 PM on May 15, 2013
while that is generally true of long running sitcoms, how i met your mother has some incredible consistency for 9 years. via wiki - It was created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays, who also serve as the show's executive producers and frequent writers. All but 12 episodes (out of over 180) have been directed by Pamela Fryman.
posted by nadawi at 4:09 PM on May 15, 2013
One of the interesting tidbits, is the kids (in real life) are to old. So HIMYM basically uses stock footage of the kids every time Ted narrates and we see the kids. However, the creators have indicated that they did film the ending reaction of the kids, when Ted finally reveals how he met their mother.
So take that for anything, from Ted marrying Robin, those kids are not his kids, the mother is not the mother, who knows?
posted by hawaiitron at 4:14 PM on May 15, 2013
So take that for anything, from Ted marrying Robin, those kids are not his kids, the mother is not the mother, who knows?
posted by hawaiitron at 4:14 PM on May 15, 2013
I've tried to watch HIMYM since it is instantly streaming on Netflix, but there's just something about the whiny-quality of that guy that makes me cringe and get restless. Let's get a David Boreanaz-looking type in there, manly and muscular and not whiny and self-centered. Maybe a masculine guy that doesn't make me feel sorry for the woman he ends up marrying.
I'd watch that show. Luckily, Bones is also instantly streamable, so I can get my manly man fix okay. I just quit halfway through the second season on HIMYM. Maybe I should give it another go....
posted by discopolo at 4:26 PM on May 15, 2013
I'd watch that show. Luckily, Bones is also instantly streamable, so I can get my manly man fix okay. I just quit halfway through the second season on HIMYM. Maybe I should give it another go....
posted by discopolo at 4:26 PM on May 15, 2013
I actually like the conceit of a romantic comedy centered around a guy who just wants to settle down.
posted by Sara C. at 4:29 PM on May 15, 2013 [14 favorites]
posted by Sara C. at 4:29 PM on May 15, 2013 [14 favorites]
i would love that show - but what we have with ted is nice guy syndrome - he's just a sensitive man who cares about philosophy and literature and brunch and doing wacky things like stealing french horns - who behaves abysmally to the women he fixates on (and then stops fixating on in a flash). he doesn't want to settle down - not up until this point - playing like he wants to settle down is his fedora/piece of flair. i'm a big fan of the show, but i honestly feel sorry for the girl with the yellow umbrella.
posted by nadawi at 4:36 PM on May 15, 2013 [14 favorites]
posted by nadawi at 4:36 PM on May 15, 2013 [14 favorites]
Don't. The yellow umbrella is really a dart gun. Ssshhhhh.
posted by The Riker Who Mounts the World at 4:37 PM on May 15, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by The Riker Who Mounts the World at 4:37 PM on May 15, 2013 [5 favorites]
When we see the kids, does the narrator/ted/bob saget ever refer to himself as their dad?
Pretty sure they have.
posted by King Bee at 4:39 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
Pretty sure they have.
posted by King Bee at 4:39 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
Yellow umbrella? Maybe she's from Carcosa.
posted by prize bull octorok at 4:40 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by prize bull octorok at 4:40 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
Nadawi has totally articulated my feelings about Ted. That guy wants to mope in a fedora. So far, i've judged him to be a little less likeable than Ross from Friends and hardly anybody likes Ross.
posted by discopolo at 4:59 PM on May 15, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by discopolo at 4:59 PM on May 15, 2013 [5 favorites]
Am I the only one who read the title of this post like the characters from Arrested Development.
posted by PipRuss at 5:02 PM on May 15, 2013 [7 favorites]
posted by PipRuss at 5:02 PM on May 15, 2013 [7 favorites]
The mother is the pineapple or the cockamouse.
posted by drezdn at 5:07 PM on May 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by drezdn at 5:07 PM on May 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
what we have with ted is nice guy syndrome
Absolutely. Part of why I like to think the depiction of Barney is slanted by Ted's memories is that he comes off as a parody of what "nice guys" think guys who can approach women are like.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 5:22 PM on May 15, 2013 [12 favorites]
Absolutely. Part of why I like to think the depiction of Barney is slanted by Ted's memories is that he comes off as a parody of what "nice guys" think guys who can approach women are like.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 5:22 PM on May 15, 2013 [12 favorites]
Time travel canonically does exist in the show
Reeeeallllly. Maybe I need to watch a few episodes.
Maybe eat a few 'sandwiches' first.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 5:37 PM on May 15, 2013 [9 favorites]
Reeeeallllly. Maybe I need to watch a few episodes.
Maybe eat a few 'sandwiches' first.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 5:37 PM on May 15, 2013 [9 favorites]
Oh, man, I wish it had been slower at work and I could've joined this conversation earlier -- all the good points have been made!
*Stupid to make the whole season one weekend
*I, too, wanted the last season to be from the mother's POV
*I love this actress, she was HILARIOUS and bizarre in 30 Rock
*Ted has definitely become depressing, and when he and Robin held hands in the park, I let out a loud, tired GRRRRRoooAAAAAnnnnN. Enough!!!
*The season finale was fantastic, and if they hadn't let us see the mother, I'd've been out (well, I would've threatened *very* convincingly to be out)
Yeah, yeah, I won't get any +1s at all, since these points have already been made, but I wanted to play, too.
**smack**
posted by MoxieProxy at 5:50 PM on May 15, 2013 [7 favorites]
*Stupid to make the whole season one weekend
*I, too, wanted the last season to be from the mother's POV
*I love this actress, she was HILARIOUS and bizarre in 30 Rock
*Ted has definitely become depressing, and when he and Robin held hands in the park, I let out a loud, tired GRRRRRoooAAAAAnnnnN. Enough!!!
*The season finale was fantastic, and if they hadn't let us see the mother, I'd've been out (well, I would've threatened *very* convincingly to be out)
Yeah, yeah, I won't get any +1s at all, since these points have already been made, but I wanted to play, too.
**smack**
posted by MoxieProxy at 5:50 PM on May 15, 2013 [7 favorites]
Given how the entire show is a shaggy dog story, what if the ending was like that of Mass Effect 3? Including Buzz Aldrin cameo.
posted by Apocryphon at 5:57 PM on May 15, 2013
posted by Apocryphon at 5:57 PM on May 15, 2013
Turns out the Mom is pregnant with the kids already and Ted has to cut them out of her corpse after the wedding is attacked by coke-addled, scimitar-wielding hipsters!
Whoa, no Game of Thrones spoilers please.
posted by Apocryphon at 6:20 PM on May 15, 2013 [7 favorites]
Whoa, no Game of Thrones spoilers please.
posted by Apocryphon at 6:20 PM on May 15, 2013 [7 favorites]
Darn, I was sure Barney would clear up all his suppressed... stuff... and get the sex change.
posted by sammyo at 6:29 PM on May 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by sammyo at 6:29 PM on May 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
I want them all to be murdered by Jessica Fletcher/Angela Lansbury and the Scooby Do Kids to solve it. You know just like how Battlestar Galactica ended.
posted by srboisvert at 6:32 PM on May 15, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by srboisvert at 6:32 PM on May 15, 2013 [5 favorites]
When we see the kids, does the narrator/ted/bob saget ever refer to himself as their dad?
> Pretty sure they have.
In the S2 premiere, the daughter says "Dad, can't you just skip ahead to the part where you meet Mom? I feel like you've been talking for, like, a year."
why do I know this
I've wasted my life
posted by Elsa at 7:21 PM on May 15, 2013 [14 favorites]
> Pretty sure they have.
In the S2 premiere, the daughter says "Dad, can't you just skip ahead to the part where you meet Mom? I feel like you've been talking for, like, a year."
why do I know this
I've wasted my life
posted by Elsa at 7:21 PM on May 15, 2013 [14 favorites]
Am I the only one who read the title of this post like the characters from Arrested Development.
I don't understand the question, and I won't respond to it.
... I've made a huge mistake.
posted by Elsa at 7:24 PM on May 15, 2013 [14 favorites]
I don't understand the question, and I won't respond to it.
... I've made a huge mistake.
posted by Elsa at 7:24 PM on May 15, 2013 [14 favorites]
The show really should have ended two seasons ago. Every time it got renewed, I kept thinking "These kids are like, 15 in 2030. He HAS to meet the mother soon."
It reminds me, in a weird way, of Prison Break. The show is building to an inevitability. That's a limited time thing which can be cool if done right. Keeping it going past it's logical end, as US TV shows are wont to do, is just painful. I was also shocked when Prison Break was picked up for Season 2 "WTF?! Wouldn't that just make it 'BREAK'?!"
posted by sonika at 8:47 PM on May 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
It reminds me, in a weird way, of Prison Break. The show is building to an inevitability. That's a limited time thing which can be cool if done right. Keeping it going past it's logical end, as US TV shows are wont to do, is just painful. I was also shocked when Prison Break was picked up for Season 2 "WTF?! Wouldn't that just make it 'BREAK'?!"
posted by sonika at 8:47 PM on May 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
PRISON BROKE.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 8:51 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 8:51 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
It reminds me, in a weird way, of Prison Break. The show is building to an inevitability. That's a limited time thing which can be cool if done right. Keeping it going past it's logical end, as US TV shows are wont to do, is just painful. I was also shocked when Prison Break was picked up for Season 2 "WTF?! Wouldn't that just make it 'BREAK'?!"
That's why I'm not really sure what to expect from season three of The Killing. It's already Twin Peaks except not on acid, but now that it's also got the whole we're-done-solving-the-mystery-of-the-dead-girl-so-now-what thing going, which is where Twin Peaks got really bonkers, ... ?
posted by Sys Rq at 9:11 PM on May 15, 2013
That's why I'm not really sure what to expect from season three of The Killing. It's already Twin Peaks except not on acid, but now that it's also got the whole we're-done-solving-the-mystery-of-the-dead-girl-so-now-what thing going, which is where Twin Peaks got really bonkers, ... ?
posted by Sys Rq at 9:11 PM on May 15, 2013
A few things:
*I really don't see a trick ending happening, given that Ted has consistently described a "happy ever after" life with the mother and basically spells out that that's what happens only 3 or 4 episodes before the season finale
*The narrator, and some of Ted's exes, have been alluding for years that it was being hung up on Robin that was keeping him from moving forward in his life and sabotaging potential long term relationships. The finale finally showed him owning up to it. I understand the temptation to see it as a head fake, but I think it's just genuine growth in the character.
*The list of much loved shows with detestable main characters is pretty long. What's that show that's ending after many years? Oh right, The Office. I don't get why that's all of a sudden an issue for viewers of HIMYM. The characters have decided that they all love each other come hell or high water. Same thing with Pierce on Community (Chase's departure from the show notwithstanding). They're funny and flawed. Like most circles of friends.
*It's obvious how the show will end: a flash forward to the Mother, elderly, in a lawyer's office. Ted has died, and the lawyer opens his Will and reads the following: "Sam Malone's sperm count is normal."
Finally; are we confident that Marshall and Lily actually stay together? One of the big themes of this past season is that becoming a parent has taken a serious toll on their marriage. And that Lily isn't all that enthralled with motherhood.
posted by dry white toast at 9:14 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
*I really don't see a trick ending happening, given that Ted has consistently described a "happy ever after" life with the mother and basically spells out that that's what happens only 3 or 4 episodes before the season finale
*The narrator, and some of Ted's exes, have been alluding for years that it was being hung up on Robin that was keeping him from moving forward in his life and sabotaging potential long term relationships. The finale finally showed him owning up to it. I understand the temptation to see it as a head fake, but I think it's just genuine growth in the character.
*The list of much loved shows with detestable main characters is pretty long. What's that show that's ending after many years? Oh right, The Office. I don't get why that's all of a sudden an issue for viewers of HIMYM. The characters have decided that they all love each other come hell or high water. Same thing with Pierce on Community (Chase's departure from the show notwithstanding). They're funny and flawed. Like most circles of friends.
*It's obvious how the show will end: a flash forward to the Mother, elderly, in a lawyer's office. Ted has died, and the lawyer opens his Will and reads the following: "Sam Malone's sperm count is normal."
Finally; are we confident that Marshall and Lily actually stay together? One of the big themes of this past season is that becoming a parent has taken a serious toll on their marriage. And that Lily isn't all that enthralled with motherhood.
posted by dry white toast at 9:14 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
My prediction is that the final episode will be filmed in a black box theater, with each actor explaining via monologue the archetypical role their character embodied, then withdrawing upstage to perform an interpretive dance. The culmination will be a twenty minute long psychedelic freakout sequence (melting filmstrips, extreme closeups, WW2 propaganda reels, weird light patterns, etc) and finally a title card explaining that ALL ALONG IT WAS YOU, THE VIEWER, WHO WERE THE MOTHER.
I would watch this.
Or the last show starts the normal way, then we hear Jonathan Frakes say, 'computer, end program' and Majel Barrett says 'end program Riker Confidential Program G-1-1-Alpha' because if anyone would have a secret life in a sitcom it would surely be our boy chair-straddler.
THESE ARE THE VOYAGES INFINITE LOOP.
posted by winna at 10:45 PM on May 15, 2013 [5 favorites]
I would watch this.
Or the last show starts the normal way, then we hear Jonathan Frakes say, 'computer, end program' and Majel Barrett says 'end program Riker Confidential Program G-1-1-Alpha' because if anyone would have a secret life in a sitcom it would surely be our boy chair-straddler.
THESE ARE THE VOYAGES INFINITE LOOP.
posted by winna at 10:45 PM on May 15, 2013 [5 favorites]
I actually had no idea that a) the show was still running, and b) that it was eight years since the first season.
Eight years man. EIGHT years. Where did all that time go?!
posted by the cydonian at 10:54 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
Eight years man. EIGHT years. Where did all that time go?!
posted by the cydonian at 10:54 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
What if Ted and Robin end up together and the "mother" turns out to be a surrogate because of the fact Robin can't have kids?
/deepthoughts
posted by littlesq at 11:37 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
/deepthoughts
posted by littlesq at 11:37 PM on May 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
Again, Robin is referred to as "your Aunt Robin" repeatedly throughout Saget's narration.
It would be really creepy to call the woman who raised you "Aunt Robin" because she was technically not your biological mother.
posted by Sara C. at 11:43 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
It would be really creepy to call the woman who raised you "Aunt Robin" because she was technically not your biological mother.
posted by Sara C. at 11:43 PM on May 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
I'm really not getting the Christine Miloti dislike in this threat. She's a 'Broadway Actor', which as I understand it, is basically code for "insanely technically competent and battle-hardened." She's worked on 30 Rock and Sopranos, and she's in Martin Scorsese's next film: that's not so bad.
She seems more like an solid choice to anchor an important season.
posted by Ripper Minnieton at 1:50 AM on May 16, 2013
She seems more like an solid choice to anchor an important season.
posted by Ripper Minnieton at 1:50 AM on May 16, 2013
My two personal favorite unlikely twist endings are:
1) Barney is the mother
2) Barney and Ted are the same person, Fight Club-style
But there isn't going to be a trick ending.
posted by He Is Only The Imposter at 5:28 AM on May 16, 2013 [6 favorites]
1) Barney is the mother
2) Barney and Ted are the same person, Fight Club-style
But there isn't going to be a trick ending.
posted by He Is Only The Imposter at 5:28 AM on May 16, 2013 [6 favorites]
prized bull octarok: and the second act is all the actors taking turns saying, "moist."
posted by frecklefaerie at 8:04 AM on May 16, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by frecklefaerie at 8:04 AM on May 16, 2013 [3 favorites]
I actually like the conceit of a romantic comedy centered around a guy who just wants to settle down.
Then you, like .05% of the population, must have also enjoyed The Single Guy. Borgnine!
posted by mrgrimm at 9:10 AM on May 16, 2013 [1 favorite]
Then you, like .05% of the population, must have also enjoyed The Single Guy. Borgnine!
posted by mrgrimm at 9:10 AM on May 16, 2013 [1 favorite]
But there isn't going to be a trick ending.
No but the speculation is really fun.
posted by sweetkid at 9:14 AM on May 16, 2013 [2 favorites]
No but the speculation is really fun.
posted by sweetkid at 9:14 AM on May 16, 2013 [2 favorites]
What if Ted and Robin end up together and the "mother" turns out to be a surrogate because of the fact Robin can't have kids?
Good one. Even better: What if Ted isn't the father? Oh.
posted by mrgrimm at 9:15 AM on May 16, 2013
Good one. Even better: What if Ted isn't the father? Oh.
posted by mrgrimm at 9:15 AM on May 16, 2013
Good one. Even better: What if Ted isn't the father? Oh.
That Wikipedia article reads like it's written for a space alien with no understanding of our culture:
When talking about the roof, Barney quotes the Rock Master Scott & the Dynamic Three song The Roof Is On Fire, saying "The roof... the roof... the roof is on fire!", which is the chorus of said song
posted by sweetkid at 9:21 AM on May 16, 2013 [5 favorites]
That Wikipedia article reads like it's written for a space alien with no understanding of our culture:
When talking about the roof, Barney quotes the Rock Master Scott & the Dynamic Three song The Roof Is On Fire, saying "The roof... the roof... the roof is on fire!", which is the chorus of said song
posted by sweetkid at 9:21 AM on May 16, 2013 [5 favorites]
I've never seen How I Met Your Mother, but I figure some of you may get a kick out of this video of Cristin Milioti singing Pat Benatar's "Heartbreaker" from our high school's battle of the bands in 2003. The drummer's dad recorded it, I'm the guitarist on the right side of the screen.
posted by ludwig_van at 9:58 AM on May 16, 2013 [14 favorites]
posted by ludwig_van at 9:58 AM on May 16, 2013 [14 favorites]
Well, as far as Internet videos from someone's past go, she's no Robin Sparkles.
(I just said that for the cheap joke... a cheap joke that wouldn't make any sense to someone who has never seen the show. That video is actually quite awesome and pretty much would have made me fall in love with Cristin Miloti instantly if I didn't already admire her quite a bit from what I've heard on the Once musical cast recording. Sidebar: if you haven't seen that movie, see that movie.)
posted by MCMikeNamara at 10:21 AM on May 16, 2013 [3 favorites]
(I just said that for the cheap joke... a cheap joke that wouldn't make any sense to someone who has never seen the show. That video is actually quite awesome and pretty much would have made me fall in love with Cristin Miloti instantly if I didn't already admire her quite a bit from what I've heard on the Once musical cast recording. Sidebar: if you haven't seen that movie, see that movie.)
posted by MCMikeNamara at 10:21 AM on May 16, 2013 [3 favorites]
That's me on drums in Ludwig's video, lol. Ten years ago! There's also the Ice Ice Baby video, where our journalism teacher can be seen "breakdancing. "
posted by rbf1138 at 10:36 AM on May 16, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by rbf1138 at 10:36 AM on May 16, 2013 [5 favorites]
Don't leave us hanging... Who won the battle of the bands?
posted by drezdn at 11:30 AM on May 16, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by drezdn at 11:30 AM on May 16, 2013 [2 favorites]
Not us. (We also performed The Cars' "Just What I Needed" and Cheap Trick's "I Want You to Want Me," but I don't think there's any surviving footage, unfortunately.)
posted by ludwig_van at 11:39 AM on May 16, 2013
posted by ludwig_van at 11:39 AM on May 16, 2013
I really like HIMYM, but I hate every character except Marshall, who I love. Robin's okay, actually. I didn't realize until I read this thread that I hate Lily, though. I watch the show not really giving two shits about what happens to Ted. I just want to watch Marshall being awesome.
posted by Shohn at 1:24 PM on May 16, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Shohn at 1:24 PM on May 16, 2013 [2 favorites]
I didn't realize until I read this thread that I hate Lily, though.
I too learned that through this thread. I'm a very casual viewer though. I haven't seen any of the time travel episodes.
posted by sweetkid at 1:28 PM on May 16, 2013
I too learned that through this thread. I'm a very casual viewer though. I haven't seen any of the time travel episodes.
posted by sweetkid at 1:28 PM on May 16, 2013
(I don't watch the show either but) the problem I have with Marshall is why is he hanging around all those dicks?
posted by mrgrimm at 1:32 PM on May 16, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by mrgrimm at 1:32 PM on May 16, 2013 [2 favorites]
Like some other people in this thread, I haven't watched the latest seasons regularly, so I may be wrong, but as far as I know there's only one actual time-travel incident [not a flashback/forward], that being when Marshall had wings.
posted by ego at 1:37 PM on May 16, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by ego at 1:37 PM on May 16, 2013 [1 favorite]
I haven't seen any of the time travel episodes.
AFAIK this is a very recent thing and not a long standing aspect of the show.
The show flashes back and forward all the time -- like you do when you're relating a drawn out anecdote -- but the overt "time travel exists" thing started somewhere in the middle of this season unless I'm forgetting something important.
posted by Sara C. at 2:42 PM on May 16, 2013
AFAIK this is a very recent thing and not a long standing aspect of the show.
The show flashes back and forward all the time -- like you do when you're relating a drawn out anecdote -- but the overt "time travel exists" thing started somewhere in the middle of this season unless I'm forgetting something important.
posted by Sara C. at 2:42 PM on May 16, 2013
Um "The Window" might be a something important I'm forgetting.
posted by Sara C. at 2:43 PM on May 16, 2013
posted by Sara C. at 2:43 PM on May 16, 2013
Oh. I've seen the flash forwards and backs but I haven't seen any of this season so no time travel.
posted by sweetkid at 2:49 PM on May 16, 2013
posted by sweetkid at 2:49 PM on May 16, 2013
ludwig_van, this is awesome! One of my best pals is obsessed with HIMYM, this will blow his mind.
posted by Uther Bentrazor at 4:00 PM on May 16, 2013
posted by Uther Bentrazor at 4:00 PM on May 16, 2013
I've watched every episode of Friends multiple times, and most of HIMYM ditto, and I feel the need to disagree with some of the comments above, to wit
1) the implication that Monica and Chandler's story line was less interesting than Ross'n'Rachael is just wrong headed. Monica and Chandler are the whole reason "Friends" is worth watching
2) Lilly and Marshall are likewise much more interesting than Ted and Robin, and I don't get the Lilly hate at all. Selfish? She wants a baby; she wants an art career and to travel. The tension between those plays very much into the shows themes about why and when it is worth trading in youthful adventures for family and long term relationships. She's not any more selfish than any of the other characters. Lilly temporarily breaks up with Marshall because she wants to go to San Francisco -- Robin breaks up with Ted because she wants to go to "Argentina. Or Paris. Or Tokyo." Same thing.
3) I really like the theories about the kids' mother not being Ted's wife. If it weren't for the "Aunt Robin" thing -- and the paintings and the little yellow bus -- that would make the most sense. How the heck we can have a satisfying ending to a show about Ted pursuing Robin for nine years, where they don't end up together?
My prediction: this time Robin comes chasing after Ted, and he rejects her... After "The Universe" somehow makes it clear that they are not meant to be together.
posted by OnceUponATime at 10:10 AM on May 17, 2013
1) the implication that Monica and Chandler's story line was less interesting than Ross'n'Rachael is just wrong headed. Monica and Chandler are the whole reason "Friends" is worth watching
2) Lilly and Marshall are likewise much more interesting than Ted and Robin, and I don't get the Lilly hate at all. Selfish? She wants a baby; she wants an art career and to travel. The tension between those plays very much into the shows themes about why and when it is worth trading in youthful adventures for family and long term relationships. She's not any more selfish than any of the other characters. Lilly temporarily breaks up with Marshall because she wants to go to San Francisco -- Robin breaks up with Ted because she wants to go to "Argentina. Or Paris. Or Tokyo." Same thing.
3) I really like the theories about the kids' mother not being Ted's wife. If it weren't for the "Aunt Robin" thing -- and the paintings and the little yellow bus -- that would make the most sense. How the heck we can have a satisfying ending to a show about Ted pursuing Robin for nine years, where they don't end up together?
My prediction: this time Robin comes chasing after Ted, and he rejects her... After "The Universe" somehow makes it clear that they are not meant to be together.
posted by OnceUponATime at 10:10 AM on May 17, 2013
the implication that Monica and Chandler's story line was less interesting than Ross'n'Rachael is just wrong headed. Monica and Chandler are the whole reason "Friends" is worth watching
That's just like your opinion man. Wrong headed? That's such a weird thing to assert.
Actually, that also goes for your number 2) "Lilly and Marshall are likewise much more interesting than Ted and Robin"
Opinion. It doesn't matter how many times you watched the episodes.
posted by sweetkid at 10:21 AM on May 17, 2013
That's just like your opinion man. Wrong headed? That's such a weird thing to assert.
Actually, that also goes for your number 2) "Lilly and Marshall are likewise much more interesting than Ted and Robin"
Opinion. It doesn't matter how many times you watched the episodes.
posted by sweetkid at 10:21 AM on May 17, 2013
No, I have access to objective truth about the likability of sitcom characters. The Universe told me Ted is way better than Ross too, by the way.
posted by OnceUponATime at 11:00 AM on May 17, 2013 [6 favorites]
posted by OnceUponATime at 11:00 AM on May 17, 2013 [6 favorites]
How the heck we can have a satisfying ending to a show about Ted pursuing Robin for nine years, where they don't end up together?
As I recall, it was the very first episode where Ted said, "And that's how I met... your Aunt Robin." The show hasn't been about Ted pursuing Robin ever. It's always been about how you grow up and realize that no matter how much you love/want someone, that person may not be the best person for you or vice versa (the flip side, of course, is Lily and Marshall, who are the best people for each other).
My prediction: this time Robin comes chasing after Ted, and he rejects her... After "The Universe" somehow makes it clear that they are not meant to be together.
One main character dumping another is a very, very difficult step for any show to take, especially if it's for yet another main character. They probably could pull it off, but why take the risk that one of the three turns into the bad guy in the eyes of the fans?
posted by Etrigan at 11:59 AM on May 17, 2013 [1 favorite]
As I recall, it was the very first episode where Ted said, "And that's how I met... your Aunt Robin." The show hasn't been about Ted pursuing Robin ever. It's always been about how you grow up and realize that no matter how much you love/want someone, that person may not be the best person for you or vice versa (the flip side, of course, is Lily and Marshall, who are the best people for each other).
My prediction: this time Robin comes chasing after Ted, and he rejects her... After "The Universe" somehow makes it clear that they are not meant to be together.
One main character dumping another is a very, very difficult step for any show to take, especially if it's for yet another main character. They probably could pull it off, but why take the risk that one of the three turns into the bad guy in the eyes of the fans?
posted by Etrigan at 11:59 AM on May 17, 2013 [1 favorite]
The concept for the next season actually makes me hopeful. Having an end date has apparently given them inspiration for the first real time in a while. Also, it just makes sense. If Saget!Ted has been telling this story for this long, wouldn't the wedding take up a significant amount of the ending?
I imagine that we'll go into the story of the wedding weekend (we were left with 56 hours to go) in fairly intricate detail, with a lot of flashbacks to the mother's history, myself, and that in doing so we'll have it mean more when they meet at the end.
posted by Navelgazer at 10:36 PM on May 18, 2013 [3 favorites]
I imagine that we'll go into the story of the wedding weekend (we were left with 56 hours to go) in fairly intricate detail, with a lot of flashbacks to the mother's history, myself, and that in doing so we'll have it mean more when they meet at the end.
posted by Navelgazer at 10:36 PM on May 18, 2013 [3 favorites]
I bet (and hope) we get to see all those "close encounters" from the mother's point of view in the flashbacks. The party where he was a jerk, that she was at too. The classroom he accidentally taught in, that she was in. What she thought of his short relationship with her roommate, hearing about it from the roommate...
posted by OnceUponATime at 7:10 AM on May 19, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by OnceUponATime at 7:10 AM on May 19, 2013 [4 favorites]
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