Most regular readers of my blog know that I was a huge fan of the show How I Met Your Mother. Well that’s a “was” not because the show ended but because of the way it ended.
Spoilers to follow, so if you haven’t seen the episode, I beseech you to go away.
You see, the reason why I loved the show was because, for me, it symbolised hope. That it doesn’t matter how long you wait, that all those years of waiting will mold you into the right person who will meet the one when the right time comes. And when she comes, all that waiting will be worth it.
But no. All that waiting for the one to arrive, and when she arrives, you only marry her after 7 years and 2 kids, and then she dies, and you go running back to your ex who rejected you many times and was wrong for you on so many levels.
It felt like the slap of a thousand suns to my face.
I wanted to go:
I could say a lot of things, but I am too mad to be coherent. So I’ll just quote some of the reviews I agree with.
I do not want to dwell on how we had, by my rough guess, about 45 seconds to learn Tracy’s name, see her meet Ted, mourn her, and get the hell over her so the kids could laugh it off and tell their dad to get out there again so we could return to Status Quo 2005. (For the audience, it was How I Met, Then Quickly Moved Past Because Remember She Was Not the Original Love Interest, Your Mother.) I do not want to dwell on how it all ended with a surprisingly unmoving reunion, some clumsy editing of Future Ted and the kids, and wigs. {Time}
If How I Met Your Mother had only lasted three seasons and Ted and Robin had ended up together, I think I’d be writing a very different review of “Last Forever.” As it stands, I’m terribly conflicted by the end of a show that I hold near and dear to my heart, not to mention one that, by all accounts, was having a really great final run of episodes in the lead-up to the finale. {TV.com}
The HIMYM finale was heartache for the sake of heartache, gut-ripping for the sake of gut-ripping. It was the Red Wedding with no point or purpose. It’s the story of how Robin and Barney grew to fall in love, fall apart, fall in love, and be torn apart; of how the woman Ted spent his entire life searching for actually didn’t matter because creators were too wrapped up in their original concept to accept the growth and evolution of their characters over the nine-season show. Disappointed can’t begin to cover it. Legendary? I’m still waiting for it. {Bookish}
We also know that the show took approximately two beats to convey this. It was brutally quick. It was Red Wedding sudden. La la la la we find out The Mother’s name is Tracy. La la la, Tracy gets sick and then that’s f***ing it. Now suddenly we’re in the living room and it’s the year 2030 and Ted somehow magically does not have the voice of Bob Saget and his kids are giving him dating advice and reminding him that his wife has been dead for six years. For them she’s been dead for six years. For us, she’s been dead for six seconds. {Jezebel}
Additional thoughts:
* What was the point of having an entire season of 20+ episodes leading up to a wedding, only to have that same wedding dissolved in 20 seconds? I was never team Swarkles (that’s Swarley + Sparkles. You know, Barney and Robin), so it’s not about that, it’s just not right.
* I love Robin. I think she’s really pretty, but that’s it. She was never meant for Ted. I liked them together in season 1 and 2 but after that I moved on, as I thought Ted did too! I actually cringed when Ted did the whole “I love you” thing with her in… was it season 7? I just didn’t buy it. Blargh.
* I don’t mind sad endings. Some of my favorite stories ever have main characters dying in the end, like About Time, One Day, The Time Traveller’s Wife. But I only like those if they have a good point. And this one so did not.
See what I said about not being being coherent? Ktnxbye.
UPDATE! Apparently the creators reacted to fan outrage and have decided to make an alternate ending which will be included in the DVD set. Read all about it here.
This post is part of the A to Z Challenge, a blog hop that goes through the alphabet for all the days of April except Sundays.
I haven't been a loyal viewer and didn't watch the finale. However, I'm disappointed for you- I know you loved this show! Do you think you would have been happy with any ending?
I hate bad endings. Particularly when you've invested so much time in a show and it's been really good , it leaves you very flat and disappointed and wishing you'd never seen it. Thankfully, i've never watched this series so I can't share your views but only empathise.
I don't even watch the show regularly but catch episodes here and there- saw the finale and thought it was awful. My roommate, who JUST spent weeks watching the entire series, had a fit. I hate bad endings! It's like they get lazy!
I completely agree!! Amazing how they managed to ruin 9 seasons of a good show with one episode!
I hated it while watching it, but I've been watching some of the previous seasons, and a few things have me rethinking. One, Barney was NOT meant for a relationship – I'm happy he didn't stay married to Robin, although I agree, I'm sad the whole season was devoted to their wedding. Two, although titled HIMYM, the show has never been about their mother… it has always been about
Yeah your bf's right. They shot that scene with the kids back in 2006 coz that was their plan all along. Why didn't someone stage an intervention to stop them??
I have to admit that the Barney with baby scene was really sweet. I know it wasn't about the mother, but the journey, but the ending killed that particular point for me.
Exactly!
I pity your roommate. We went through the same thing.
Thank you for understanding! Have you experienced with another show, though? Which one?
The spinoff is supposedly about different characters completely. But I don't wanna watch that anymore, coz I bet the dad dies in the end too.
I so so so agree! In fact there was a guy who made a video of that alternate ending. He cut out the part that says she got sick and then he put the scene with Ted saying "and that is how I met your mother" before showing the two of them on the platform again, then the train tracks. Fade to black. Perfect.
I gave a comment but it disappeared !<br />anyway I heard reviews and similar comments from others . I some how missed the finale season but now on reading it — I lost interest 🙁
Yeah, it's not worth watching the show for that ending. 🙁
Yeah, I would have been happy if they didn't kill her off and they lived happily ever after. Oh well.
havent seen the show, so cant say much about it 🙁
So totally agree!!! Ah! there is a whole lot of you thinking in the same lines.. I loved your picturarisation and visualisaton btw.. damn funny. Wish it was the writer we were giving that slap to.. but all said and done … it was fun while it was on… and now totally going over to watch the episodes of ONCE…… (once more…)
Agree with everything you said. Some people argue that life doesn't always have happy endings, so the show is reflecting reality. Most classical literature are tragedies and they are excellent! But HIMYM handled it very poorly. Since season 8, the show has been really bad. I've been forcing myself to watch it so I can see the ending…not a smart idea. <br /><br /><br />Message from the
OMG! I had stopped halfway in very early seasons, but it sounds so sucky to know it ended this way! I agreed with you on the hope thingy. Disappointing, disappointing.
It's ok, thanks!
Glad you like the pictures and visuals. <br /><br />I am not familiar with Once. Is it the musical where the mother – sorry, Cristin Miliotti – stars?
You might need Ted's gadget for avoiding spoilers.
I haven't watched the last ep yet!! I am too devastated by the way they end it. WHYYYY!
And now I have no hope. Blargh.
I hated the ending of Lost – it didn't have enough closure on all the things that had happened on the island and I thought it was weak. It was horrible to leave a show that I loved on that feeling.
Ah yes, a lot of reviews kept comparing this disaster of a finale to Lost, and a few other shows.
I love your use of HIMYM gifs to define so clearly what all of us are feeling. As someone who wasn't a shipper Barney/Robin or Ted/Robin, though I liked how fun Swarkles were together unlike T/R, I did realise early on, that T/R just were not right for each other. And honestly, the characters regressed in the bloody finale. Romantic, cheesy, ILU-at-first-date Ted waits 7 years and two kids to
Yes, they ruined the entire show for me too! Now I don't even want to watch the earlier episodes anymore. But maybe this feeling will go away eventually. I hope. When the alternate ending goes out I might change my mind.
I was pretty disappointed with the finale, but probably not as upset as most people. I feel like the entire series led up to nothing. The last episode moved way too fast. Instead of having an entire season be about the wedding, they should have broken up everything that they put in the last episode into the last season. I don't understand why they would do that to the mother or why they would
I agree, it was all too fast. They wasted an entire season on that wedding weekend when they should just have spent it on the finale instead. Maybe if they had, we wouldn't have felt so cheated when the mother died. She should have gotten a proper grieving, at least, not just a few seconds saying she got sick.
I was pretty disappointed with the finale, but probably not as upset as most people. I feel like the entire series led up to nothing. The last episode moved way too fast. Instead of having an entire season be about the wedding, they should have broken up everything that they put in the last episode into the last season. I don't understand why they would do that to the mother or why they would
I love your use of HIMYM gifs to define so clearly what all of us are feeling. As someone who wasn't a shipper Barney/Robin or Ted/Robin, though I liked how fun Swarkles were together unlike T/R, I did realise early on, that T/R just were not right for each other. And honestly, the characters regressed in the bloody finale. Romantic, cheesy, ILU-at-first-date Ted waits 7 years and two kids to
Yes, they ruined the entire show for me too! Now I don't even want to watch the earlier episodes anymore. But maybe this feeling will go away eventually. I hope. When the alternate ending goes out I might change my mind.
I agree, it was all too fast. They wasted an entire season on that wedding weekend when they should just have spent it on the finale instead. Maybe if they had, we wouldn't have felt so cheated when the mother died. She should have gotten a proper grieving, at least, not just a few seconds saying she got sick.
havent seen the show, so cant say much about it 🙁
It's ok, thanks!
So totally agree!!! Ah! there is a whole lot of you thinking in the same lines.. I loved your picturarisation and visualisaton btw.. damn funny. Wish it was the writer we were giving that slap to.. but all said and done … it was fun while it was on… and now totally going over to watch the episodes of ONCE…… (once more…)
I haven't been a loyal viewer and didn't watch the finale. However, I'm disappointed for you- I know you loved this show! Do you think you would have been happy with any ending?
Yeah, it's not worth watching the show for that ending. 🙁
OMG! I had stopped halfway in very early seasons, but it sounds so sucky to know it ended this way! I agreed with you on the hope thingy. Disappointing, disappointing.
Agree with everything you said. Some people argue that life doesn't always have happy endings, so the show is reflecting reality. Most classical literature are tragedies and they are excellent! But HIMYM handled it very poorly. Since season 8, the show has been really bad. I've been forcing myself to watch it so I can see the ending…not a smart idea. <br /><br /><br />Message from the
I don't even watch the show regularly but catch episodes here and there- saw the finale and thought it was awful. My roommate, who JUST spent weeks watching the entire series, had a fit. I hate bad endings! It's like they get lazy!
I hate bad endings. Particularly when you've invested so much time in a show and it's been really good , it leaves you very flat and disappointed and wishing you'd never seen it. Thankfully, i've never watched this series so I can't share your views but only empathise.
I completely agree!! Amazing how they managed to ruin 9 seasons of a good show with one episode!
I have to admit that the Barney with baby scene was really sweet. I know it wasn't about the mother, but the journey, but the ending killed that particular point for me.
I hated it while watching it, but I've been watching some of the previous seasons, and a few things have me rethinking. One, Barney was NOT meant for a relationship – I'm happy he didn't stay married to Robin, although I agree, I'm sad the whole season was devoted to their wedding. Two, although titled HIMYM, the show has never been about their mother… it has always been about
Yeah your bf's right. They shot that scene with the kids back in 2006 coz that was their plan all along. Why didn't someone stage an intervention to stop them??
The spinoff is supposedly about different characters completely. But I don't wanna watch that anymore, coz I bet the dad dies in the end too.
I gave a comment but it disappeared !<br />anyway I heard reviews and similar comments from others . I some how missed the finale season but now on reading it — I lost interest 🙁
Thank you for understanding! Have you experienced with another show, though? Which one?
I pity your roommate. We went through the same thing.
Exactly!
I so so so agree! In fact there was a guy who made a video of that alternate ending. He cut out the part that says she got sick and then he put the scene with Ted saying "and that is how I met your mother" before showing the two of them on the platform again, then the train tracks. Fade to black. Perfect.
Yeah, I would have been happy if they didn't kill her off and they lived happily ever after. Oh well.
I hated the ending of Lost – it didn't have enough closure on all the things that had happened on the island and I thought it was weak. It was horrible to leave a show that I loved on that feeling.
And now I have no hope. Blargh.
Ah yes, a lot of reviews kept comparing this disaster of a finale to Lost, and a few other shows.
Glad you like the pictures and visuals. <br /><br />I am not familiar with Once. Is it the musical where the mother – sorry, Cristin Miliotti – stars?
You might need Ted's gadget for avoiding spoilers.
I haven't watched the last ep yet!! I am too devastated by the way they end it. WHYYYY!