Why HIMYM Is Better The 2nd Time Around

Hey People,

I never write about comedies on my blog because they're too subjective. You either laugh or you don't and you really can't create theories for them so I don't think there's a point in writing about them on my blog. However, writing my PLL rant made me think of How I Met Your Mother rants I read exactly a year from today. I remember like it was yesterday. I was in Philly just finishing up a tutoring session at school and decided to stay extra hour to get more money (you know you would do it too). I knew I had missed the episode, but I couldn't wait to get home to see what happened so I decided to read the comment section to see everyone's reaction. When I read Ted and Robin ended up together, I started laughing so hard, then I saw the numerous rants about how horrible the season finale was that I couldn't wait to get home, I had to watch it right then and there. I had exactly an hour to watch the show before the computer lab would close and I watched the entire thing and then I got kicked out and took the train home.

There were numerous of things wrong with the finale:

• the pacing
• Ted meets the mother and then she dies
• undid character development
• the whole entire season was pointless because of the finale
• finale made it seem like they named the show wrong

There were probably more, but those are the biggies. Now I agree with all of these except for one. The finale could have been the whole season all by itself, which would have made more sense than the one we got since Barney and Robin get a divorce anyway. Finally, we got to see Ted meet the mother. The moment we've all been waiting for only for her to die a few scenes later. I was seriously thinking they would put a "step" in front of mother when the title of the show came up at the end and I wasn't the only one that was thinking that. This show really wasn't about the mother at all. I seriously think the writers wrote themselves in a corner when they announced in the pilot that Robin was the aunt. I don't think they banked on Robin and Ted having such great chemistry. But before I start my rant I have to tell you something about myself. I'm a Ted and Robin fan. Did you just gasp? Well I admit it and I have no shame. I was never into Barney and Robin and I thought they made better friends than lovers. Now before you curse me out and disregard what I say as complete bullshit just because I'm Team Ted, read what I have to say. You may end up agreeing with me.

Now I mentioned before that there was something above that I didn't agree with and that's undoing character development. When most people talk about this, they're specifically referring to Barney. He changed from a womanizer into a one woman man back into being a womanizer; however, I don't think he ever was a one woman man. Yes, he tried to change. He thought Robin was the one for him, the one that could make him be that type of guy, but that's just not him and that doesn't mean it undid his character. People try things all the time that doesn't mean they'll stick to it for life. And so Robin and Barney get a divorce and he goes back to the life he gave up for Robin. Now yes, I was upset about this because we spent the whole season on their wedding when their marriage lasted for 2 seconds; however, I forgave the show when Barney announced he was having a baby (with his record it was bound to happen). It took Barney to have a daughter to understand how to respect and cherish women. This is something Robin could never make Barney understand especially since she couldn't have children. Now if only we got to see who #31 was.

So why would HIMYM be better the 2nd go around? Because now you know the ending, silly. HIMYM is kind of like The 6th Sense if you think about it really hard. You notice things more the 2nd time than you do the 1st time because you know what you're looking for this time around. I remember reading a comment about how someone wouldn't watch reruns of HIMYM anymore because of the way it ends and I thought no, this makes me want to go re-watch it more because now I don't have to roll my eyes every time I see Ted ogling/pining over Robin. Yes, this Team Ted fan rolled her eyes every time because I thought Ted and Robin could never be, so it was pointless for me to root for them. During the infamous raining scene when Robin was looking for her necklace and Ted and her shared a moment, I was so upset with the writers because they were, once again, shoving in my face what I thought was the impossible, especially when there was only one season left and the mother was coming. How was I supposed to know that this would just be another great moment in their epic love story?

Can you really blame the writers though? They knew the ending well in advance so you could say they could have planned it from the beginning, but I don't think they were counting on so many people enjoying Barney and Robin together. But could that be our fault? What if Robin was never announced as the aunt and you watched HIMYM never knowing if Robin was the mother or not. Would you still have been rooting for Team Barney? I don't think most of you would, but it is a hypothetical and that's not how the show played out. I'm just trying to prove to you that if it weren't for the condition of Robin being the aunt, you probably would have been Team Ted. They definitely gave enough hints at Ted and Robin if you go back and watch. The fact that Robin and Ted kept having these special moments with each other even after Ted had "let go" was a huge warning sign that said "Barney and Robin's marriage will not last."

As a Barney fan (not a Barney and Robin fan), I have to say I definitely didn't want them to end up together after the first breakup and I definitely, definitely didn't want them together after Barney broke up with Nora for Robin, but Robin didn't breakup with Kevin. That was just a huge slap in the face. Since this post is a rant, let me just add that I hate Robin. She never knows what she wants and she keeps men like Ted and Barney on a leash just in case she changes her mind at the last minute. If there's anyone to be mad at, be mad at Robin. She's the root of all evil. I would have settled for Victoria. She was all kinds of awesome, but they had to just ruin her in the penultimate season. End of rant.

So what's the moral of the story? If you name a show, name it correctly. If How I Met Your Mother was renamed How I Met Your Step-Mother, I'm pretty sure most would agree with me when I say HIMYSM would be one of the best love stories ever written on TV. So the next time you watch a rerun of How I Met Your Mother don't think HIMYM, think instead HIMYSM.

Luv ya,
           Diva

P.S. I loved the rhyming episode, I know people complained about it because it was the last season and it was a filler, but it was clever and fun and if it weren't the last season, you know you would have loved it.
P.P.S. At least you have that alternate ending Team Barney fans.