How I Met Your Mother 6: Tomorrow and Tomorrow and...

[aceluby]

I think WAY too much emphasis is being placed on the ending. IMO, the mother doesn't really matter after season 1, it wasn't why the show was kept up year after year. The reason why is because of the shennanigans of the characters and their interactions as a group. What happened to the mother and how Ted met her became a side plot, so IMO, whether that plot was wrapped up nicely or not was completely irrevelant. The show was about the ride, not the destination.

[Harlaw's Book the Sequel]

I had a rerun on in the background. The one moment I actually pay attention to what is happening on screen, this exchange happens.

Robin: "If you're [Ted] not the guy I marry..."

Ted: "Big mistake. Go on."

Me: :bang:

[Jaxom 1974]

I think WAY too much emphasis is being placed on the ending. IMO, the mother doesn't really matter after season 1, it wasn't why the show was kept up year after year. The reason why is because of the shennanigans of the characters and their interactions as a group. What happened to the mother and how Ted met her became a side plot, so IMO, whether that plot was wrapped up nicely or not was completely irrevelant. The show was about the ride, not the destination.

Disagree. The entire show was, and always was, built on the premise of how the mother was met...Everything that did go down, sure that was part of the story. But from the creators on the pilot and Ted/Robin: "Although Ted is initially smitten by Robin in the pilot, it is quickly established at the end of the episode that she is not the mother, which according to Thomas was done so that the show would be different from the "will they or won't they" Ross and Rachel storyline on Friends." (Quoted from Wiki) If they'd filmed the kids and had them go on about how Ted was in love with Robin and then have him reject the notion, I could have bought into that. But having him go after Robin, after telling a nine year story about how he searched for his one true love? That cheapened everything.

[Ser Eric]

Saw this last night with the gf. A farcical last season finished off with a horrendous ending.

As a viewer I feel cheated with the crap they've served. To think I once used to like this show...

[aceluby]

Disagree. The entire show was, and always was, built on the premise of how the mother was met...Everything that did go down, sure that was part of the story. But from the creators on the pilot and Ted/Robin: "Although Ted is initially smitten by Robin in the pilot, it is quickly established at the end of the episode that she is not the mother, which according to Thomas was done so that the show would be different from the "will they or won't they" Ross and Rachel storyline on Friends." (Quoted from Wiki) If they'd filmed the kids and had them go on about how Ted was in love with Robin and then have him reject the notion, I could have bought into that. But having him go after Robin, after telling a nine year story about how he searched for his one true love? That cheapened everything.

I agree it was built on that premise, but I guarantee you didn't keep watching the show just to know who the mother is. Yes, it's a theme, but it wasn't why the show was good or why it was constatnly renewed for 9(?) years. I stick to my analysis and that if their mother ended up being aliens from outer space that it is fairly meaningless in the scheme of the show. The character interaction is what made the show, not the original premise. IMO, the weakest episodes were ones that concentrated on 'the one'.

[Ser Eric]

The title was always a plot device to stretch the story but making the viewers wait 9 season before he meets the mother only for us to be told minutes later that she's dead is bordering on insane.

[Jon AS]

I agree it was built on that premise, but I guarantee you didn't keep watching the show just to know who the mother is. Yes, it's a theme, but it wasn't why the show was good or why it was constatnly renewed for 9(?) years. I stick to my analysis and that if their mother ended up being aliens from outer space that it is fairly meaningless in the scheme of the show. The character interaction is what made the show, not the original premise. IMO, the weakest episodes were ones that concentrated on 'the one'.

I'd agree in so far that what originally hooked me on the show was that it was tremendously entertaining. The identity of the mother was unimportant to my enjoyment of the show, and they could have introduced her at any point during the series and I wouldn't have complained that having her on the show violated the basic conceit provided it remained a fun show. As I stopped enjoying the general shenanigans of Ted & friends I stoppped watching and only came back for the last season to see the resolution of what had once been one of my favourite shows.

But since I didn't detect a marked uptick in entertainment quality compared to when I stopped watching (I never bothered to watch the seasons I had missed), the resolution became much more important. And it sucked for the various reasons people here have mentioned. It didn't bother me all that much, in the grand scheme of things, but I think the show could have redeemed itself a lot in my eyes if it had nailed the ending.

[Clueless Northman]

I agree it was built on that premise, but I guarantee you didn't keep watching the show just to know who the mother is. Yes, it's a theme, but it wasn't why the show was good or why it was constatnly renewed for 9(?) years. I stick to my analysis and that if their mother ended up being aliens from outer space that it is fairly meaningless in the scheme of the show. The character interaction is what made the show, not the original premise. IMO, the weakest episodes were ones that concentrated on 'the one'.

Sure, the Mother was more a framing device than anything else most of the time - except when Ted seemed pretty smitten in some seasons.

Still, Tracy became a real character with interactions in this last season. I understand the need of showing how great, cool, and perfect-for-Ted she was, after all this wait, but considering the planned ending, it wouldn't have been worse if she'd just appeared for these last 2 episodes - probably with more screen time and future interactions with Ted.

That said, it's not the character development or interaction which is the real strong point of the show. It's always been the editing, non-linearity, storytelling of individual episodes and all the meta-stuff, which made something that basically was Friends in the 2000s, which takes itself too seriously, but is redeemed by not being as linear and pedestrian as romantic sitcoms are. Basically, taking the scriptwriting and movie-making progress of the 90s and 00s and using it for a sitcom.

Which is why, when someone asked earlier if he should watch the show because it looked mediocre to him, the only way I could reply would be to go back and check the episode lists and recommand not to watch a specific season, but specific episodes which stand on their own as very well-crafted. I haven't done it, but I'd say an episode like "How I met everyone else" would qualify, or the one where Ted is hailed as "Ted Mosby! The Architect!" (episode which might well be called "The Architect", or some episode with flashbacks or post-2013 scenes galore / interaction with current scenes.

[Mile]

I can't decide if I liked the ending or not. In terms of what happens, I am perfectly fine with it.

Everything kind of made sense, but I found the execution poor, or rather as a missed opportunity to

tell a really great story.

As for the mother...

I loved her :(

I disagree with everyone that says Ted settled for Tracy because he couldn't have Robin; for me it is

clear that Tracy is really the love of his life (or maybe they are both in different ways, but Tracy is

definitely his Lilly). I like how they contrast Tracy and Ted's previous serious relationships Stella and

Victoria who both wanted Ted to kind of cut Robin out of his life. The mother on the other hand was the one

to convice Robin to come to Ted's wedding. I thought that detail was great and it showcased how loving and

trusting and safe their relationship is. I also thought it's ok that the writers didn't dwell on Tracy's death;

they hinted at it in an earlier episode so I had time to emotionally prepare :(. Besides,

anyone can easily imagine the pain Ted was feeling, and how his friends were there for him, how Robin was there

for him, how they slowly fell in love again, now mature people wisened by personal tragedies :P. Though

I think he should have just called her hehe.

As for Robin...

I think her storyline is wonderful, but terribly executed. My interpretation is that she fell for Barney because

he reminds her of her dad (they were REALLY subtle about that :P). She longs for crumbs of love from an emotionally

distant and immature person. I guess she starts realizing she deserves more, a less selfish love, at the day of her

wedding. That marriage was over before it even started. The break up fight was ridiculously bad though. I think I would

have liked if they interspersed the entire season of the wedding weekend with flashforwards showing how the marriage was

failing. It could have been done great if there weren't the writers' wish to only have the resolutions in finale.

Barney...

I HATED his story. It was plausible that finally one of his one night stands resulted in pregnancy, but it bothered

me a LOT that even while the woman was giving birth to his child he was still calling her number 31. That he only fell

in love with his child when he saw her negates all of his growth in 9 seasons, and is only done that way so he can deliver

his little speech and have a clear Barney before and after line. Just felt fake to me.

Marshal and Lilly... third baby. Yay.

Penny and Luke. Bobbleheads speak and it's ... blah. I don't know why it would have been a problem to bring the actors back

to shoot a better scene than that really shallow one. Even though it's been 6 years since your mom died, guys, SOME emotions?

But overall, I'm pretty ok with the way it ended, and it was a really GREAT show. Worth a rewatch :D

[Datepalm]

That said, it's not the character development or interaction which is the real strong point of the show. It's always been the editing, non-linearity, storytelling of individual episodes and all the meta-stuff, which made something that basically was Friends in the 2000s, which takes itself too seriously, but is redeemed by not being as linear and pedestrian as romantic sitcoms are. Basically, taking the scriptwriting and movie-making progress of the 90s and 00s and using it for a sitcom.

Which is why, when someone asked earlier if he should watch the show because it looked mediocre to him, the only way I could reply would be to go back and check the episode lists and recommand not to watch a specific season, but specific episodes which stand on their own as very well-crafted. I haven't done it, but I'd say an episode like "How I met everyone else" would qualify, or the one where Ted is hailed as "Ted Mosby! The Architect!" (episode which might well be called "The Architect", or some episode with flashbacks or post-2013 scenes galore / interaction with current scenes.

Largely agreed, though I do kind of like the central conceit of this woman who the show puts together like a puzzle over the years...which is perhaps how it allowed itself the ending that it did. Anyway, which was the episode where Ted is wandering around all day with an entourage of an entire class he's messed up a study tour for, using them to randomly crowdsource opinions to win debates? That's my favorite ridiculous-awesome HIMYM moments, off of the top of my head.

[Jaxom 1974]

Thinking back, where Tracy comes into the bar the day after the wedding, and after Lily sees then together, she tells Marshall that its different...that, along with the scene on the train platform, that masse the none year wait to meet Tracy worth it. Then the effed it all up...I'm still streamed about it...

[baxus]

Thinking back, where Tracy comes into the bar the day after the wedding, and after Lily sees then together, she tells Marshall that its different...that, along with the scene on the train platform, that masse the none year wait to meet Tracy worth it. Then the effed it all up...I'm still streamed about it...

I agree with this completely.

How I met your mother has ended as badly as Dexter.

[AverageGuy]

Then the effed it all up...I'm still streamed about it...

Is Robin being Ted's second choice really that bad?

[baxus]

It's not that it's bad, it's not that it's even out of character for Ted to wait 6 years after his wife died to move on and needs his kids blessing to do so.

It's just that the "you're just telling us all this because you're hot for aunt Robin and want our blessing to date her" kind of devalues the whole story about meeting the mother and makes it all about Robin.

The show did focus more on Robin than on Tracy so that does makes sense but it still leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

[naz]

This may not be the best analogy to make, but I feel about the ending the way I would feel about the Ice and Fire books if George decided to end the series with a quick battle against the Great Other or whatever, and then spend the final chapter going back to Varys and Littlefinger scheming against each other and Tyrion talking his way out of some jam. Yeah, the scheming and stuff is all good and makes for excellent intrigue and characterization, but ultimately, we've been led to believe that all of these machinations and... uh... games of thrones... are all for naught because there's an underlying threat that will (or should) ultimately take over the narrative.

In a similar way, I've felt that HIMYM has had some great characterization and interactions between the friends - and between Ted and Robin - but we all know that the important thing is the underlying subtext that Ted and... someone out there... are made for each other, and that all these other events are not important in themselves but somehow contribute to the lead-up to this meeting. And then finally the meeting happens, but THEN we're told that this subtle underlying subtext was really not that important after all, and that the thing that started out as a cute interaction but annoyingly became the hammer over the head was the REAL point of the show.

Yeah, "cheated" is about how I feel.

[Black Wolf Smith]

Disagree. The entire show was, and always was, built on the premise of how the mother was met...Everything that did go down, sure that was part of the story. But from the creators on the pilot and Ted/Robin: "Although Ted is initially smitten by Robin in the pilot, it is quickly established at the end of the episode that she is not the mother, which according to Thomas was done so that the show would be different from the "will they or won't they" Ross and Rachel storyline on Friends." (Quoted from Wiki) If they'd filmed the kids and had them go on about how Ted was in love with Robin and then have him reject the notion, I could have bought into that. But having him go after Robin, after telling a nine year story about how he searched for his one true love? That cheapened everything.

Then the last ep makes even less sense. Damn that was dumb. Robin and Barney made sense, Ted not being w/ Robin made sense. Hell Victoria told him as much. Ted and the mother made sense, so why after all that to go back and put them together? And they knew it w/in the first 2 season that they were going to do it. If they were going to do that why wouldn't they have built that up all season long? Hell instead of 3 months are so of "at the wedding" they could have done other things (like instead of taking away 5 minutes to wrap up secondary characters they could have done that thru out the last season). I really wish I hadn't starting watching the last 2 season. It was pointless.

Did anybody else think the last ep was anything but funny?

[Clueless Northman]

Is Robin being Ted's second choice really that bad?

Surely not, pretty logical and expected, actually.

And I actually think it's obvious T.M. is his first choice. At least the whole season until the very last minutes made it quite clear - not to mention the bits from the 100th episode where Ted dates her roommate, and obviously wants badly to meet that elusive woman who fits so many of his own tastes. I've no doubt about this, and Lilly clearly undestands very well they're meant for each other from her previous meetings with Tracy.

What bothers me is mostly the execution. I'm not sure we actually needed the Mother's death and Ted going back to Robin. Feels a bit like a "gotcha" moment and not something carefully planned. And the way it's done obviously leads some viewers to really think Ted had the hot for Rogin all along and "settled" for Tracy (which is, as I've just said, fairly wrong).

I'm quite sure Ted really let go of Robin the morning of the wedding, and only considered it again way after Tracy's death. Heck, I'm even ready to assume Ted and Robin matured and changed a bit during these 16 years and are now less different, and could actually live together without it ending in disaster after a few months. But that's things you have to totally infer on your own, because the show really doesn't help.

[baxus]

Did anybody else think the last ep was anything but funny?

I don't think it was intended to be funny, and I have no problem with that.

They wanted to show how "the gang's" lives turned out and I'd enjoy that much more than another humorous episode, if only it didn't take THAT turn in the end.

What bothers me is mostly the execution. I'm not sure we actually needed the Mother's death and Ted going back to Robin. Feels a bit like a "gotcha" moment and not something carefully planned. And the way it's done obviously leads some viewers to really think Ted had the hot for Rogin all along and "settled" for Tracy (which is, as I've just said, fairly wrong).

I agree that Mother dying was not needed in the first place.

Why on Earth would they go there? I could understand if they made a heartbreaking story out of it, but leaving it at "and I loved her when she got sick" line is definitely not enough to excuse it.

To be honest though, this whole season was intertwined with Ted thinking about getting back together with Robin, so it's not something that came out of the blue.

That still doesn't stop the finale from leaving the bad taste in my mouth.

[john]

What bothers me is mostly the execution. I'm not sure we actually needed the Mother's death and Ted going back to Robin. Feels a bit like a "gotcha" moment and not something carefully planned. And the way it's done obviously leads some viewers to really think Ted had the hot for Rogin all along and "settled" for Tracy (which is, as I've just said, fairly wrong).

Well that whole "I loved your mother every moment even when she was sick!" line seems like a bit too much protest. :P You're not going to tell your kids "I kind of loved your mother but after a while I got bored with all the goofy mannerisms we share and started reminiscing in extraordinary detail about all the times I spent with your Aunt Robin."

Also, Tracy was much too blase about the yellow umbrella for my liking. It disappears for like two years and then just turns up again in your apartment and you're just like "meh." And clearly she's not into Star Wars since their daughter isn't called Leah. No, I'm glad they got rid of her and I'm just sorry Ted had to go through all this true love nonsense and get it out his system before he could finally get around to resurrecting his previously failed relationship.

[King Bob's Warhammer]

Should have ended it by all becoming lumberjacks.