How I Met Your Mother

[Avaitor]

I recently took it to myself to rewatch the entire Victoria arc last night. These six episodes are among the best episodes of the show, and shockingly influential to the course of the series.

I mean, while Ted and Victoria were dating, Marshall took his job at GNB, while trying to accept that he's selling out his beliefs by doing so, Lily's doubts towards getting married were starting to rise, Robin started to confess her feelings for Ted, and, oh yeah, the very first signs of Barney and Robin's relationship were present. Barney even nails why they're perfect for each other. All of this gets delved into later on in the show, and some of it is still being worked out on now. Crazy.

I also think this is when the show really started to become something special. "Drumroll, Please", the first ep with her, especially is proof of that. Only someone as dopey Ted would think that having a one-off night with no sex or even kissing would make for a great romantic experience, and thankfully everyone else makes fun of that for us. It's a great character examination for Ted, builds Victoria up to be one of his most likable exes, and has a really dynamite ending.

And I'm also making a playlist out of songs used and/or referenced in the show, started up by hearing "Groove is in the Heart" in the premiere. I think my obsession with this series is back in full swing.

[Spark Of Spirit]

I know I've stated that I'm not really a fan of the show, but I would really like to talk about this for a bit here.

How I Met Your Mother is a success because as a sitcom, it does everything right. Every character is distinct and avoids being a cliche, the show has it's own sense of style and identity, and it never forgets that it's a traditional sitcom.

What most sitcoms seem to miss nowadays is the point of it. Sitcoms succeed because they take the mundane and simple and blow them up to cartoonish or grand proportions almost like a stage play (which is what the sitcom basically is) which this show frequently does. The ones that don't succeed are the ones that try to be "real" and "in touch" with current trends. See; all the Friends clones that poured out that missed the key reason Friends succeeded (another show I'm not into, but it succeeded because it never forgot what it was supposed to be) and pretty much every sitcom that has come out in recent years. Every character is either a stereotype, boring, and the plot always features some kind of a hip couple living in the city featuring the same things over and over.

This show doesn't really do any of that stuff. The reason I don't care for it (I don't dislike it, I just don't care for it) is purely because it doesn't really hook me, but what I do like about it is that it is one of the few current shows to get the medium. Unlike Chuck Lorre shows that pretty much feature repetitive jokes and character beat downs every episode with little of anything in the way of story.

I know that was a weird rant thing, it was just something that was floating in my head and I figured I might as well put it out there.

[Avaitor]

That's fair. I think the show is best appreciated when viewed in order, but nothing's for everyone.

As for me, I love HIMYM because it's rare to have a sitcom with a continuity as rich and rewarding as it, but won't bite you in the ass if you don't watch every single episode again and again on a regular basis like Venture Brothers. It has it's deeper moments, but at the same time loves to make fun of itself at its more pretentious moments, particularly when Ted is involved. And there's a lot of heart in the cast and humor, but there's enough spite and teeth in the show so it's not overly sanitized.

It's how I want more sitcoms today to be like, but aren't able to pull off anymore without going too far along one of these paths. It could probably fit in with most of the other 90's greats, but is proudly a 21st century product. I just really like it.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Yeah, it's a sitcom obviously made in the 21st Century and it's very modern, but it manages to understand how the single camera sitcom is supposed to work.

You can lose with NPH either.

[Avaitor]

And I might as well take this gush to talk about the new episode.

I had a feeling that this was going to be the closure that Ted and Victoria deserved, but never really got. And I'm happy that it ended as it did, with the two getting a chance to talk about everything. You can see that there's still some sparks between the two, and there always will be, but at the same time, Ted's too hotheaded and Victoria is too chill for the other.

I was not, however, expecting the bombshell at the end. I have no idea how the season is going to turn out, but rest assured, it will be a big year for Ted, Barney and especially Robin.

Meanwhile, the subplot was great. Who doesn't want to see Lily's boobs?

[Avaitor]

I've been watching some of the syndication runs lately. They do keep in most of the good stuff, but a lot of great bits still get cut out.The missing of this scene especially saddens me.

Anyway, new episode tonight!

[Kiddington]

Episodes like last nights really make regret not making a point to catch this show every week. Ted's "fantasies" about what was wrong with Janet were classic.

Also; HERMAPHRODITIC BURLAP SACK

[Avaitor]

"I lied; I only kind of liked Annie Hall"

Deal. Breaker.

T'was a good one. I'm not liking the therapist as Robin's boyfriend (although I tend to not like most of the character's significant others. However, Victoria was an exception, and while I want Barney and Robin to just go out already, I am liking Nora for the most part), but I liked how he called out the gang for their insanity, especially Barney. They really needed a shot like that.

I'm also not surprised that Marshall and Lily are having a boy. Somehow, I was expecting that all along.

[Avaitor]

Shit, tonight's ep.

Totally called it. Everyone did.

[Avaitor]

Despite the fact that this week's episode is easily one of the saddest, it gets major points for having one of the funniest moments in the show's history.

But seriously, this show is such a fucking cock block. And tearjerker. Saying that it's both sounds kind of weird, in hindsight.

[Spark Of Spirit]

To clear up a rumor: Canada was NOT like 1986 in 1993. As someone who was around for both years (well, I actually remember 1993, anyway)  I can confirm that we were not behind the US culturally. We were behind in getting TV shows, videogames, and sometimes appliances, but music and fashion was not that far behind otherwise "Brian Wilson" by the Barenaked Ladies would not have been a hit up here while you all were bopping to Bananarama. 

I will retreat back into the shadows.

[Avaitor]

So according to tonight's episode, Ted will definitely be married and have at least his first kid by 2015. Meaning that it isn't going to last forever, considering how tight the writers are with its continuity.

Also, loved the Rear Window parody in the beginning and the end.

[Avaitor]

In other news, holy shit, this season has been eventful. The finale's gonna be BIG.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Why didn't Barney go in to meet her parents? He clearly wanted to.

[Avaitor]

Nora's? He did, but left shortly after.