xkcd

by **SomeoneElse** » Sat May 24, 2008 8:49 pm UTC

Anyone else watch this show and love it to bits? Easily my favourite US sitcom by far.

To anyone who hasn't seen it; do so - right from the start. I don't know if it's that popular in the US but over here in the UK its only shown on a couple of satellite channels, presumably at an irregular basis and out of order, and only the first season DVDs are available so you'd most likely need to watch most of it on the internets. I suppose as a quick description, i'd say it's a cross between Scrubs and Coupling.

Anyway, the third season finished a few days ago. Its been a bit patchy recently, to the point where they had a gratuitous guest star in the form of *shudder* Britney Spears. There have been some great episodes and some hilarious parts, but the narrative has took a bit of a turn for the worse. The events at the end of the last episode made me want to shout and scream; I just hope they haven't flew over that shark already.

by **btarlinian** » Sat May 24, 2008 9:33 pm UTC

HIMYM is pretty good. I wouldn't rate it the best sitcom on US TV though. The Office and 30 Rock (esp. 30 Rock) are better in my opinion. I like the show, and its premise is quite fun. In fact, everything about the show is quite good, but the Britney guest star didn't really help. Unlike most people, I don't think she was truly horrible. (If she wasn't Britney Spears, I would have just thought, "meh, that actress wasn't so great, oh well"). But if it wasn't for the ratings she brought in, the show would have likely been canceled. And as far as I can tell, HIMYM is far better than the other two comedies on CBS, The Big Bang Theory (which I sometimes find to be a little demeaning) and Two and a Half Men, which is just stupid, so the fact that HIMYM was not canceled is a very good thing.

I would have to agree that the last few episodes did seem a little forced, but I think that mainly stems from the show having been on the bubble. They had to be able to end with either a season finale or a series finale.

Spoiler:

by **SomeoneElse** » Sat May 24, 2008 10:04 pm UTC

btarlinian wrote:HIMYM is pretty good. I wouldn't rate it the best sitcom on US TV though. The Office and 30 Rock (esp. 30 Rock) are better in my opinion. I like the show, and its premise is quite fun. In fact, everything about the show is quite good, but the Britney guest star didn't really help. Unlike most people, I don't think she was truly horrible. (If she wasn't Britney Spears, I would have just thought, "meh, that actress wasn't so great, oh well"). But if it wasn't for the ratings she brought in, the show would have likely been canceled. And as far as I can tell, HIMYM is far better than the other two comedies on CBS, The Big Bang Theory (which I sometimes find to be a little demeaning) and Two and a Half Men, which is just stupid, so the fact that HIMYM was not canceled is a very good thing.

I would have to agree that the last few episodes did seem a little forced, but I think that mainly stems from the show having been on the bubble. They had to be able to end with either a season finale or a series finale.
Spoiler:
Hence the proposal to Stella.

Spoiler:

I suppose the problem with the show is that they have to get to the end of the narrative, and it might take a whole season for it to eventually unravel and become obvious. If they don't know whether they've got another season after the current one, things would get a bit difficult.

I don't really watch many american TV shows - what I've seen of The Office I don't like in comparison to the UK version, but i might check out 30 Rock if i get the chance. But the thing I love most about HIMYM is the fact that its actually aiming for a conclusion, and has an underlying story and narrative which has a heart as well as being awesome.

by **CHeMnISTe BOY** » Thu May 29, 2008 9:17 am UTC

I like this show, but I don't know why. I don't actually find it all that funny, it rarely makes me laugh out loud. A lot of it seems to be in-group humour which would be really funny if you were actually there with them (and, you know, they were real people and all that) but isn't that funny to watch. Like the episode that was on the other day when a waitress thought Barney was called Swarley, and they all picked it up and started taking the piss out of him.

Still, whatever the reason is I find the show quite addictive. I caught the last few episodes of season two, then the Cable channel I watch it on looped back and started showing it from the beginning and I'm nearly back to where I started. I don't know when they'll show season three so I might have to download that.

by **Melquiades** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 9:26 pm UTC

In reply to the previous poster, that style of group humour is exactly what hooked me onto this show, now that I think about it. It still is as wacky as any other sitcoms, but they pull it off much better, it doesn't feel forced -so to speak- as it does with other sitcoms, its just a bunch of friends figuring out how to be adults together. Not to mention the flashfowards, the flashbacks, the little hints that Ted throws in while he narrates, the call-backs to older episodes (like slapbet and the goat), its just a hell of a show and though I'm not prone to laughing out loud, its surprised me a couple of times.

What are your favorite episodes/moments :?:

I never get tired of watching that episode where Ted is pining after the Slutty Pumpkin and out of nowhere Top Gun's theme starts playing outside of his apartment and when Ted goes over to open the door, there's Barney pulling of his aviator glasses. Or on one of the latest episodes, where Barney takes Will Forte under his tutelage in order to turn him into the best wingman ever and they try to pick up the koala girl... xD

by **SomeoneElse** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 7:22 am UTC

Melquiades wrote:What are your favorite episodes/moments I never get tired of watching that episode where Ted is pining after the Slutty Pumpkin and out of nowhere Top Gun's theme starts playing outside of his apartment and when Ted goes over to open the door, there's Barney pulling of his aviator glasses. Or on one of the latest episodes, where Barney takes Will Forte under his tutelage in order to turn him into the best wingman ever and they try to pick up the koala girl... xD

One of my friends did the Top Gun entrance to one of his halloween parties. Two of them simultaneously, just as Barney intended. and they got the DJ to play the music as they entered. Genius.

There are plenty of moments I like, but my favourite that I can think of is Barney's play. "That's two..."

by **thecommabandit** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 3:58 pm UTC

SomeoneElse wrote:There are plenty of moments I like, but my favourite that I can think of is Barney's play. "That's two..."

" *clears throat* Moist. Moist. Moist. Moist. Moist. Moist." etc.

by **GodShapedBullet** » Sat Jun 07, 2008 2:21 am UTC

CHeMnISTe BOY wrote:I like this show, but I don't know why. I don't actually find it all that funny, it rarely makes me laugh out loud. A lot of it seems to be in-group humour which would be really funny if you were actually there with them (and, you know, they were real people and all that) but isn't that funny to watch. Like the episode that was on the other day when a waitress thought Barney was called Swarley, and they all picked it up and started taking the piss out of him.

Still, whatever the reason is I find the show quite addictive. I caught the last few episodes of season two, then the Cable channel I watch it on looped back and started showing it from the beginning and I'm nearly back to where I started. I don't know when they'll show season three so I might have to download that.

I really identify with this post. I enjoy watching the show, but I have no idea why I like it so much. Most of the shows I watch feature intensely clever comedy writing with funny jokes, and this show is all situational comedy. But I still like it, even before they put a Doogie Howser reference in there.

by **CHeMnISTe BOY** » Sat Jun 07, 2008 11:38 am UTC

Melquiades wrote:What are your favorite episodes/moments

I'm a sucker for anything Barney, he's my guilty pleasure. I know I really shouldn't his adolescent antics, but I can't help but love him (which I guess is exactly like his character, subtly clever writing there I guess). Like the bit when you find out his history and how he became a suit and the third season episode I watched last night, when Ted and Barney were competing to find out how had more game.

Spoiler:

Barney also has a touching, sad-side to him. Ted and Marshall are close friends and go way back, and sometimes you can tell that Barney is sad that he's not part of that.

SomeoneElse wrote:There are plenty of moments I like, but my favourite that I can think of is Barney's play. "That's two..."

I just like it whenever they slap each other, they really go for it!

GodShapedBullet wrote:I really identify with this post. I enjoy watching the show, but I have no idea why I like it so much. Most of the shows I watch feature intensely clever comedy writing with funny jokes, and this show is all situational comedy. But I still like it, even before they put a Doogie Howser reference in there.

Yeah, this show is generally nowhere near as clever as things like Arrested Development, 30 Rock, Always Sunny..., etc. Still, it has it's clever moments. I liked the "Ted Moseby...Architect" episode when Lily and Robin are following Ted's trail as he makes the most of his profession.

by **Nonmus** » Sat Jun 07, 2008 12:50 pm UTC

My brother picked up the first season of this show because it was on sale after Thanksgiving. I had never even heard of it before then, but I saw an episode (the first of the little Victoria arc) and was instantly hooked. I tend to be a pretty big romantic, so starting the show by seeing an episode about a perfect date pulled me in rather easily. I love the characters and silly humor.

I'm with SomeoneElse where my favorite moment of the series was Barney's "Suck It, Lily" play. Every scene with Barney in that episode was hilarious, but the play itself put it way over the top.

Spoiler alert:

Spoiler:

by **quantumz** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 8:54 pm UTC

This show is legend -- wait for it -- ary!

Definately one of my favorite shows.
I can never decide whether I like Barney or Marshal more. Barney is just concentrated awesome, but I really relate to Marshal on the ‘childish, college mind stuck in grown man’s body’ level. I think my favorite recent example of Marshal’s childish-awesomeness is the Super Bowl episode, when he gets revenge on one of Lilly’s kindergarteners that was blackmailing him.

Spoiler:

I love the episode where Lilly first returns from SF (that’s what we call San Francisco, Best city EVER) and Barney teaches Marshal to be a single guy:
QUOTES!
Ted: Trust me, I’ve known Lilly longer.
Robin: Trust Me, I’m a girl.
Ted: …Yeah, but you’re Canadian.”
Robin: Why do you always have to ... <arguing>

Barney: Being a single guy in New York is like being in a candy store, you just walk up to the counter and ... grab some Whoppers.
Ted: -Milkduds
Marshal: -Double Bubble
-can’t remember the others

Do you like … Magic

by **Sprocket** » Tue May 26, 2009 11:06 pm UTC

Holy shit the people who make How I Met Your Mother clearly love High Fidelity. Given my obsession with that movie it's really ironic that upon my recent break up I should find this show.

see my obsession with High fidelity (and John Cusack) begins in high school, 1997 Grosse Point Blank was about to come out, and I had just realized that John Cusack and Matthew Broderick were not the same person. 4 John Cusack movies came out that year in total, and I went to see all of them. Then one day walking into a library on Monroe Ave. in Rochester, NY I saw a VHS of The Journey of Natty Gan. I loved that movie as a little kid, and hadn't seen it in forever, looking at the cover I realized something, the cute guy in that film looked a lot like John Cusack. I turned over the box. Turns out I'd been in love with John Cusack since I was five years old. A few years later I saw Say Anything for the first time at a friend's birthday party. My sisters had gone and seen it without me when it was in theatres, but it was one of my sister's favorite movies. Ten years is really too long to build up a film. I didn't like it that much. There wasn't enough comedy in it, but what there was was pretty quotable, especially the Lili Taylor parts "Joe lies...when he cries." Anyway, flash forward to college. 1999. I'm sitting in the library when in my peripheral vision I see a boy who looks like John Cusack. From that point I am hooked on seeing him again. One day ....long story short, High fidelity came out the following Spring, and OTHER people thought this boy, whom I had met at this point, thought he looked like John Cusack now too (only in High Fidelity many of them claim). That boy about seven months later, became my first kiss. Also my best friend Maya had started making me mixed tapes maybe in middle school. Introduced me to elvis costello, made me realize who otis redding was...you get the idea, and we had rules and obsessive tendencies in these mix tapes. Anyway, everything came together in this film, and since then I've kind of seen it as a metaphor for my own life, except that I'm not cheating bastard shit head. I can only ask on the eve of my longest lasting and best relationship when I was most in love and certain about wanting to spend the rest of my life with someone I can only ask, "So why did I get dumped?"

PS Ted looks NOTHING like John Cusack, he looks more like my roomate, blech...

Neil Patrick Harris 4 Ever.

Gee Willikers! I just realized, I now I have TWO favorite Neils! :-D

by **GraphiteGirl** » Wed May 27, 2009 2:48 pm UTC

Sprocket, is the other favourite Neil Gaiman? I have three favourites: Neil Patrick Harris (because of HIMYM and Dr Horrible), Gaiman, and Neil Buchanan from Art Attack.

by **Sprocket** » Mon Jun 01, 2009 5:19 am UTC

GraphiteGirl wrote:Sprocket, is the other favourite Neil Gaiman? I have three favourites: Neil Patrick Harris (because of HIMYM and Dr Horrible), Gaiman, and Neil Buchanan from Art Attack.

Yes it is Neil Gaiman. Is your icon really old Faye?
I don't know Art Attack or Neil Buchanan, but I can look.

by **missbittens** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 1:17 pm UTC

In reply to the previous poster, that style of group humour is exactly what hooked me onto this show, now that I think about it. It still is as wacky as any other sitcoms, but they pull it off much better, it doesn't feel forced -so to speak- as it does with other sitcoms

This is one of the things that I love, too. The jokes and wacky dialogue isn't done as something that just comes naturally in their 'verse, but instead it's played as a dynamic that exists specifically within the group, as something that has largely grown out of their long-running friendship. I love that, it's realistic. It makes it feel almost as though these people could actually exist somewhere.

Which reminds me, I have a weird confession - for me, HIMYM is one of the most inspiring shows or movies I've ever watched.

See, most things that are called "inspiring," I don't find to be so. Okay, so if a Doctor makes a bunch of kids with cancer laugh, or a nice teacher gets some poor kids and teaches them to read or whatever... Well, that's nice and all, but it isn't going to become a widespread thing, and I'm not in any situation like having cancer or being poor and uneducated, so why would I find hope and inspiration in that? Not to mention that those movies are often quite unrealistic, which is odd since so many of them are true. Something got lost between real life and the screen, I guess.

But HIMYM is quite realistic, as sitcoms go. Most situations are perfectly plausible - sometimes exaggerated, but basely plausible, and the same can be said for the characters. The group's friendship and dynamic is realistic, as stated, which is necessary for what I find inspiring about it.

Ted, Marshall, Lily, Barney and Robin's lives aren't perfect by any means, and they do have problems with relationships and work and finding a good place to live and even their friendship. But they muddle through it, and during it all they're able to find an enormous amount of fun, love and joy with each other. Because of the show's realism in terms of their friendship and their lives in general, it gives hope that this can happen for the rest of us, too.

HIMYM isn't the kind of grand inspiring that most things called "inspiring," are shooting for. It doesn't tell us that we can save the world, or do extraordinary feats. It's more a reassuring, ordinary kind of inspiring. It tells us that we can be happy and truly enjoy life, even when shit sucks. Which I think is more important than what the others tell us. I mean yeah, don't give up on your dreams and all that, but if you don't get to fulfil them or be extraordinary... Well, that's okay too.

ETA: Geez, I hope I didn't freak anybody out and break the thread again. Five posts in? I think that's a record.

by **Sprocket** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 7:51 pm UTC

So you know the episode where Lilly finds out Ted called her a Grinch when she left Marshall? The word was actaully supposed to be cunt, right?

by **ArgonV** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 8:45 pm UTC

I thought it was 'bitch'. But I suppose both are applicable.

by **sugarhyped** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 10:17 pm UTC

ArgonV wrote:I thought it was 'bitch'. But I suppose both are applicable.

Bitch is not nearly offensive enough. Lilly calls Ted a little bitch in at least one episode.
I'm pretty sure it is cunt. (my auto-spellchecker doesn't recognize that word... weird.) I think he said it was a 4-letter word but I don't have the episode nearby for checking.

I started watching the show because I'm an Alyson Hannigan fan, but Barney has stolen the show. I just love him. Most of my favorite HIMYM moments are with him.
I don't care to write my tope favorites list right now though... I'll give it some thought... (I probably wont, just come back when I'm bored-er and have more time...)

by **Jesse** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 12:52 am UTC

Sprocket wrote:So you know the episode where Lilly finds out Ted called her a Grinch when she left Marshall? The word was actaully supposed to be cunt, right?

Entirely.

by **kevin_c** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 7:49 am UTC

I do adore HIYMM, and would say it's my favorite sitcom at the moment. 30 rock is so out there, and you can never relate to any of the characters at all. The british version is Office is good, but it has a limited run only.
I totally thought the jam and peanut butter joke was hilarious!

by **3rdmandown** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 4:11 pm UTC

I feel like the show used to be better than it is, when the subplot was more important than it is now...

30 Rock is great, my favorite episode being "Cooter" with Matthew Broderick.
The Office is good, too. Psych is one of my favorites, even though they postponed the season premiere.
Seinfeld is good, too, but now that I've seen every episode, it's not the same. And the way the series ended was horrible, almost as bad as the Deathly Hallows epilogue.

by **Mega D** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 6:54 pm UTC

I personally kind of wish they'd avoided the whole "How I Met Your Mother" premise in the first place. I love the characters and their interactions. That's all I need from the show. Every time "Mother" is brought up I find myself thinking, "Oh, yeah. That." It feels like a gimmick to me, and paints them into a corner.

by **el_loco_avs** » Mon Jul 13, 2009 12:04 pm UTC

Mega D wrote:I personally kind of wish they'd avoided the whole "How I Met Your Mother" premise in the first place. I love the characters and their interactions. That's all I need from the show. Every time "Mother" is brought up I find myself thinking, "Oh, yeah. That." It feels like a gimmick to me, and paints them into a corner.

The narrator does allow them to randomly switch back and forth between timelines as well as skip and skew things. Allows for some intricate gags too.

by **Mega D** » Mon Jul 13, 2009 2:55 pm UTC

That's true. The narrator does add a lot to the show, and I wasn't really thinking about that.

I guess I'm just dreading the introduction of a new, permanent character. Although I guess that could just be the logical end of the show and we won't have to worry about it screwing with the chemistry of the cast.

by **Hawknc** » Mon Jul 13, 2009 3:04 pm UTC

I think the show will essentially end once the mother is revealed. From memory (spoilered in case you're at, like, the first episode of the first season)

Spoiler:

by **el_loco_avs** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 9:35 am UTC

Mega D wrote:That's true. The narrator does add a lot to the show, and I wasn't really thinking about that.

I guess I'm just dreading the introduction of a new, permanent character. Although I guess that could just be the logical end of the show and we won't have to worry about it screwing with the chemistry of the cast.

Yeah. I think that last ep would indeed end with, "end that was how I met your mother".

Saget is hilarious with his swear-word avoidance. " STUFF! he said stuff. Yes. Stuff. "

by **fynthase** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 3:57 am UTC

It does suck that the show has to end kind of soon because of the whole 'mother' gimmick. I guess they did need a cool concept in order to get on the air and create the show, but now that it's established and is a good show with likable characters they should just abandon the premise so it can continue indefinitely.

This show is also unlike any other on TV in that it's tailored in large part towards young people with references to Sonic Youth, forums, and other things in pop culture relevant to young people.

by **Jesse** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:19 am UTC

I fail to see why. I mean, they've done plenty of episodes that revolve entirely around other people, not including any real romantic interest. It's just a link running throughout the whole show.

by **pseudoidiot** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 2:18 pm UTC

I seriously doubt any show's, let alone this one's, ability to go on indefinitely.

fynthase wrote:This show is also unlike any other on TV in that it's tailored in large part towards young people with references to Sonic Youth, forums, and other things in pop culture relevant to young people.

I don't know what other shows you watch, but it's far from the only show with references tailored to young people.

by **SecondTalon** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 3:10 pm UTC

Sonic Youth as a reference for Young People? I didn't realize the 30-40 crowd was still considered young.

by **Simbera** » Wed Jul 22, 2009 7:37 am UTC

And let's face it - once they meet the mother, and even reveal that this girlfriend of Ted's is indeed the mother, they can still take it on for another season or two while they date/are engaged/get married. And I'm assuming that at some point one or several of the main group moves away from New York (to start their family or whatever; the future-flashback things would indicate as much) so I foresee some sort of Scrubs-esque ending where it's sort of been happily-ever-after with the relationships for some time, then the series ends with the splitting up of the group.

Point is, it doesn't necessarily have to be all "...and that is how I met your mother, THE END" and indeed I seriously doubt it will.

<^>

by **headprogrammingczar** » Wed Jul 22, 2009 12:01 pm UTC

I think a great twist would be for the kids to be adopted, but that's just me.

by **el_loco_avs** » Fri Jul 24, 2009 9:24 am UTC

Ultimate mean twist :mrgreen:

by **Sprocket** » Wed Oct 28, 2009 7:04 am UTC

Ha.

Anyway, so far season 5 is kind of letting me down. Something starting to get wooden, pulling at straws. Sad cuz 1-4 really kept me happy. I'd expect them to let me down, but they wouldn't. :-)

by **novax6** » Wed Oct 28, 2009 11:43 am UTC

Sprocket wrote:Ha.

Anyway, so far season 5 is kind of letting me down. Something starting to get wooden, pulling at straws. Sad cuz 1-4 really kept me happy. I'd expect them to let me down, but they wouldn't.

Yeah, it's been ok. Not bad, not great. As always Barney and Marshall are the funniest characters on there. Robin was being a little weird this season at first, but it seems like maybe it's ok now.

My main annoyance is how long they've dragged on the whole 'meeting the mother' thing. It's gotten to the point where every time it's narrated that she was here or there or blah blah, I just roll my eyes and wonder how long they'll dangle that in front of us.

by **no-genius** » Sun Nov 01, 2009 4:27 pm UTC

Jesse wrote:
Sprocket wrote:So you know the episode where Lilly finds out Ted called her a Grinch when she left Marshall? The word was actaully supposed to be cunt, right?

Entirely.

I loved that episode, especially the little fundie kid at the end who goes "Grinch! grinch! grinch! grinch!". I think I might start using that...

Also the one where Barney tries to use the truck with all Ted's stuff in it for sexytimes was on last Friday. I love the bit at the end where he lists all the names he'd have had for it. "the winnebang-go"

edit: and the references to Robin being Canadian are pretty funny. Just the blank looks when she talks about something from Canada.

by **Sprocket** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 3:15 pm UTC

Yeah this is the only season I've watched live, caught the rest this summer as part of my "get over your ex" time-occupying program. This season has not caught me at all. Maybe I need to watch some old stuff to remember how awesome it was. Come on season five, get good!

It's like they decided that Barney can't be interesting cuz he's in a relationship? Not all of his craziness and awesomeness was based on having sex with women. Infact most of it wasn't!

by **ArgonV** » Tue Nov 23, 2010 1:28 pm UTC

Well, glad I'll never be The Blitz. I'm usually the last to leave

by **cephalopod9** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 8:45 am UTC

What I find most interesting about the show is that it's on Lifetime. (network for older women, well known for making movies about terrible things happening to women) It's on a lot of other channels too, and while I haven't followed the series, there are days when between the channels, you can watch a 6 hour block or so (like, 2 on WB, 2 on UPN, 2 on lifetime) and it's pretty interesting to watch which commercials run during it. I've seen both alcohol-partying-videogames-sexy ladies commercials aimed at dude-bros and bladder control-arthritis medicine-baby toys-multivitamin commercials aimed at grandmas throughout a single episode.
Watching episodes here and there, out of order, I don't know how much of the series I've actually see, so I'm not sure how my over all perception is.

by **Dark567** » Thu Sep 29, 2011 3:22 am UTC

Any one watching this season at all?

The last episode

Spoiler:

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