How I Met Your Mother

[Yamer]

Wasn't a fan. As soon as the story transitioned into "even when she got sick" I knew they were going to put Ted and Robin together somehow. Meh. Was expecting something better.

[AC]

Originally Posted by wittynickname

Basically if the show had lasted about 3 seasons, this ending would've been perfect. Too much has changed since 2005 for this ending to work.

Exactly.

They ultimately spent an entire season building up the idea that the mother is perfect for Ted in every way. Then the writers expect the audience to want to see Ted and Robin wind up together after they kill the mother off almost instantly. Without any time for the mother's death to resonate, the Ted/Robin ending makes no sense at all.

They did nothing to re-establish the Ted/Robin spark. The ending is only satisfying if you ignore everything between season 3-8.

Even then, its kind of a creepy story. How I Settled for Your Mother.

[SuperMatt18]

The thing is these characters keep developing.

After truly trying to change yet ultimately failing at his marriage Barney falls back to his old ways, not that surprising. His speech at the bar covered that. It wasn't until he had a daughter and wanted to succeed at being a father that he was able to truly want to change.

Robin questioned her marriage to Barney until the last second before the wedding. Her goal to be a successful news anchor was still her biggest priority and in the end it was only once she achieved that goal that she was able to see the errors of her previous ways. She admits this to Lily in the empty apartment.

Ted grew as a character too. In 2014 he was over Robin, at that time that chapter of his life was closed. Destiny had finally delivered his true love and him ending up with Robin did not change that. His monologue was supposed to show that. Ted loved Tracy more than anything, she was the mother and the woman that Ted was waiting for as a young man when he was still clinging to destiny.

However that love was ripped away from Ted and after that his character continued to grow in the 15 years after he originally met the mother and he realized the differences that held Ted and Robin back from being together were now irrelevant. Robin's career was no longer a barrier to her loving somebody, Ted was no longer looking for the "mother of his children".

At this point all Ted needed was a friend he wanted to spend his life with, somebody to grow old with, and somebody to help him move on. In that way the story was perfect.

Ted had found the love of his life, he found his destiny, and he found the mother. He didn't settle for the mother, he truly loved her just as much as he has ever loved Robin.

We have to remember that more time passes in this last episode, then what passed in the 9 seasons we saw the gang together. Over that time lots is changing and much more character development is happening. Due to how they tried to squeeze that in one episode you have to believe and read between the lines a little bit.

[Freeway]

The entire point of the show is about Ted becoming he had to be to find the Mother. The finale kind-of undid a LOT of that.

[corporatejay]

Basically, this:

Because this was horrible. This ignored everything that had happened between Ted and Robin, between Robin and Barney, between Ted and Barney and, especially, between Ted Evelyn Mosby and Tracy McConnell, all because once upon a time, this is what Bays and Thomas wanted to do.

Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/whats-alan-wat...7xUWFSmoIr1.99

[wittynickname]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

The thing is these characters keep developing.

After failing at his marriage Barney falls back to his old ways, not that surprising. His speech at the bar covered that. It wasn't until he had a daughter and wanted to succeed at being a father that he was able to truly want to change.

Robin questioned her marriage to Barney until the last second before the wedding. Her goal to be a successful news anchor was still her biggest priority and in the end it was only once she achieved that goal that she was able to see the errors of her previous ways. She admits this to Lily in the empty apartment.

Ted grew as a character too. In 2014 he was over Robin, at that time that chapter of his life was closed. Destiny had finally delivered his true love and him ending up with Robin did not change that. His monologue was supposed to show that. Ted loved Tracy more than anything, she was the mother and the woman that Ted was waiting for as a young man when he was still clinging to destiny.

However that love was ripped away from Ted and after that his character continued to grow in the 15 years after he originally met the mother and he realized the differences that held Ted and Robin back from being together were now irrelevant. Robin's career was no longer a barrier to her loving somebody, Ted was no longer looking for the "mother of his children".

At this point all Ted needed was a friend he wanted to spend his life with, somebody to grow old with, and somebody to help him move on. In that way the story was perfect.

Ted had found the love of his life, he found his destiny, and he found the mother. He didn't settle for the mother, he truly loved her just as much as he has ever loved Robin.

I really didn't see much development from Ted. All the way until hours before Robin was planning to marry Barney, Ted was holding out hope that she would change her mind, hence the BS locket storyline. If anything, all the last few seasons of "growth" from Ted showed me is that he's actually kind of a terrible friend. Supposedly Barney is one of his best friends, and up until the day of the wedding he's trying to win her back? And then after they're divorced he goes after her again?

The season finale just seems like it was really poorly written, they had to get to "The Ending" that they wrote 8 years ago, only "The Ending" didn't fit anymore, so they had to shortchange all of the characters in order to make it happen. Robin could've had her dream career and a happy marriage with Barney. Ted could've had a happy marriage and ever after with Tracy. To me, that fits better with the line of thinking of the show. You can want something, hope for something, try for something, but the universe has something else in mind. Ted wanted Robin so much, obsessed over her for so long, but the universe knew better. He deserved Tracy, she was his match. They spent an entire season showing us how good she was for him, an entire season+ showing why Barney/Robin worked so well together, only to wait until the finale to say "Oh wait we were joking!"

Just because you had an ending planned eight years ago doesn't mean you need to stick with it. Finish the story you DID write, not the story you PLANNED to write.

[corporatejay]

Originally Posted by wittynickname

I really didn't see much development from Ted. All the way until hours before Robin was planning to marry Barney, Ted was holding out hope that she would change her mind, hence the BS locket storyline. If anything, all the last few seasons of "growth" from Ted showed me is that he's actually kind of a terrible friend. Supposedly Barney is one of his best friends, and up until the day of the wedding he's trying to win her back? And then after they're divorced he goes after her again?

The season finale just seems like it was really poorly written, they had to get to "The Ending" that they wrote 8 years ago, only "The Ending" didn't fit anymore, so they had to shortchange all of the characters in order to make it happen. Robin could've had her dream career and a happy marriage with Barney. Ted could've had a happy marriage and ever after with Tracy. To me, that fits better with the line of thinking of the show. You can want something, hope for something, try for something, but the universe has something else in mind. Ted wanted Robin so much, obsessed over her for so long, but the universe knew better. He deserved Tracy, she was his match. They spent an entire season showing us how good she was for him, an entire season+ showing why Barney/Robin worked so well together, only to wait until the finale to say "Oh wait we were joking!"

Just because you had an ending planned eight years ago doesn't mean you need to stick with it. Finish the story you DID write, not the story you PLANNED to write.

It's like they had a really nice rug (the premise/title) and since the rug didn't work with the house, they decided to burn the house to the ground.

[Freeway]

The Final Page was arguably the best episode they ever did, as it had Ted self-lessly putting Barney & Robin's happiness ahead of his own. Him falling in love with the Mother in the finale should've been the pay-off. It wasn't.

[wittynickname]

Originally Posted by Freeway

The Final Page was arguably the best episode they ever did, as it had Ted self-lessly putting Barney & Robin's happiness ahead of his own. Him falling in love with the Mother in the finale should've been the pay-off. It wasn't.

That entire episode was fantastic (although I despise the trope that a man has to "Let Her Go" as if she needs his approval for anything).

They gave Barney and Robin these gorgeous moments, that episode, the beautiful speech from Barney in Splitsville, etc. They arguably had some of the most gorgeous, romantic moments of the entire series, and all of it for nothing in the end? For Barney to just go back to the way he was in Season 1?

[Freeway]

Originally Posted by wittynickname

That entire episode was fantastic (although I despise the trope that a man has to "Let Her Go" as if she needs his approval for anything).

They gave Barney and Robin these gorgeous moments, that episode, the beautiful speech from Barney in Splitsville, etc. They arguably had some of the most gorgeous, romantic moments of the entire series, and all of it for nothing in the end? For Barney to just go back to the way he was in Season 1?

I felt it was more of an excellent Ted/Barney moment (hit home by Barney's narration of The Robin to close out the episode).

And then? Yeah, Ted goes after his best friend's ex-wife just cause they shot some stuff in 2006.

[SuperMatt18]

Why does this ending change any of that? It is 16 years after the wedding and after meeting the mother.

Ted still was self-less. He still stepped aside and let Barney be with Robin, and in the end he still gave the locket to Barney to give to Robin.

Barney tried to change and like he said he truly loved Robin but in the end it wasn't going to work out. Both were too strong and too similar for it to work.

They lauded to it in the episode prior to the finale. Sure Barney had all these romantic gestures but they were still things the old Barney would do. They were deception and misdirection, in the end the only truthful moment was when he promised to always tell Robin the truth.

I was never a fan of the Barney and Robin combo, that is the relationship that felt forced to me. They both like scotch, sex, and hate commitment so they should be together. They actually spent a lot of this season telling us reasons why Barney and Robin wouldn't work out, it was just overlooked because we knew it was there wedding.

[wittynickname]

Originally Posted by Freeway

I felt it was more of an excellent Ted/Barney moment (hit home by Barney's narration of The Robin to close out the episode).

And then? Yeah, Ted goes after his best friend's ex-wife just cause they shot some stuff in 2006.

And I'd imagine Ted didn't try getting Barney's go-ahead to go after Robin in the end.

The more I think about it, the less it makes sense. I just can't fathom why on earth they spent so much time on Barney/Robin's relationship, and especially their wedding, if it completely flew in the face of the endgame. They had flashforwards of that wedding starting when, in season five? So you give this wedding parts of four seasons--including your entire final season--only to break up the marriage to force the ending that you planned a decade ago?

If you stopped watching after Season 3, this is a fantastic ending. Otherwise, everything from the first episode of season 4 until the next to last episode was inconsequential.

[Khel]

I liked it.

Everything pointed to it ending like this. The kids were right, this was the story of how he wanted Robin, and they called him on his BS.

Even the long running but between Marshall and Lily about who Ted ends up with, despite Marshall paying up in the background subtly hinted to this.

But it doesn't mean the message was lost. Ted got his happy ending with the Mother, and the family he always wanted. Then she got sick and died, which happens, and he made the most of it.

I felt cheated right until the kids called him on the real reason behind the story. That was the twist moment for me, not the mother dying which we knew was coming a few episodes ago, but the kids encouraging their Dad to be happy.

Yeah it may have been a cop out, but I liked it.

Sent from my SGH-I747M using Tapatalk

[SuperMatt18]

In the year 2030 does anybody think Barney opposes to Ted going after Robin. .

It would be 13 years after the divorce , and about 10 years after the birth of his daughter changes his life. Clearly there were no hard feelings between the two when Robin came back for Teds wedding.

It would be 6 or 7 years after he would have witnessed his best friend go through the toughest moment of his life when he had to sit at his true loves bedside as she tragically passed.

Also Barney would remember how Ted stepped aside to allow him and Robin have a chance 16 years earlier.

And season 4 until now do make sense. It helped explain why Robin and Ted didn't make sense in 2014 but why they do in 2030.

The nine seasons make less sense if you don't end it this way. If you just end with Ted and the mother living happily ever after all you really need is this season (Mother meets all Teds friends) and maybe the episodes where the whole yellow umbrella background is started.

The backstory, the details of Robin/Barney/Ted love triangle, the tales of heartbreak with Victoria/Stella, none of that is relevant if he just ends up with the mother.

The ending is almost too clever because they did such a good job of selling why Ted and Robin weren't right for each in other in 2014, that people are overlooking how the events that occur in 2014-2030 shape the ending we have here.

[Alberta_Beef]

I thought the ending was fantastic, one of the best series finales yet IMO.

Six Feet Under still has the best ending ever though.

[corporatejay]

Originally Posted by Alberta_Beef

I thought the ending was fantastic, one of the best series finales yet IMO.

Six Feet Under still has the best ending ever though.

This statement has made me re-think the six feet under finale in my pantheon.

[djsFlames]

Sooo. Just finished. I actually thought I was just watching part one of two (was going to watch just half tonight and break before watching the end), but it happened to be both parts in one segment.. I guess I was so sucked in and didn't even notice. #####..!

The onions were in high volume, and few finales have done that to me.

I really wanted to see some of the last moments with Ted and the Mother to give a proper sendoff if the cancer/sickness storyline was going to turn out to be true, and then have them show Ted and Robin re-connecting again in a few scenes before that final scene. It would have made it just that bit better and hit all the feels. But really, the mother should have dominated a couple more scenes just to give some gratification to fans for waiting so long for her arrival, and all that she was amped up to be.. but instead, much of her and Ted's relationship is left off screen, even through the finale (I guess that wasn't the point to the story...but still)

I have been re-watching the early seasons though and just lately have realized again how much chemistry Ted and Robin had in comparison to the shoehorned Barney/Robin relationship. Even when he claims time and time again that he should move on or needed to move on, including their scene where she gets cold feet, you just get the sense that they needed to end up together. It's never stated in the narration, but you saw it every time they had their moments without the other cast. It actually works, because as we know Ted wanted kids and Robin didn't. Robin wanted to live abroad and Ted didn't. They worked together so well, yet they had their differences that they weren't going to budge on. There was a time for them but it just wasn't then - 2030 Ted doesn't state this because their reconnecting as a couple doesn't happen until after that point in time. Ted meeting the mother and her going on to report internationally allowed them both to get what they wanted, so that they were able to cross those differences/needs off, which then allowed them to get together in the end. It's actually quite fitting when you think about it. Plus, this ending.. It's a real life kind of ending. Those that got into the show to see some kind of fairytale, heart warming finish didn't realize how much real life #### the show put viewers through all along the way, to the point where you have to reflect and ask, should we really be surprised that the ending didn't turn out a completely and entirely different way? Because the writers kept to a real, relatable story even to the end, while showing us that good moments DID happen, and he did meet the perfect woman who had his children, only to eventually reconnect two characters that had the most obvious on screen chemistry of any throughout the entire show (Marshall and Lily aside). While it may seem sudden crammed into a single episode, it is 6 years after, and he has just received the blessing of his children. Just as the Mother's storyline showed with the passing of her ex, eventually you just have to move on and live. And as explained above, Ted and Robin absolutely work as a couple further down the road, when they've already set out and accomplished much of their dreams. It's clever, it works, and best of all, it's realistic. And keeps to the spirit of the show, and that makes me appreciate it more.

So yeah, I enjoyed it, though perhaps I would've given certain things more attention in the finale to help it unfold in a more respectful way to the mother.

You kind of figure out the ending not half way through the episode, it's actually hard to believe I didn't see it coming much earlier. I guess I was just wanting to be surprised. Definitely enjoyed this episode and the treatment of Barney, as I (nor just about anyone else) bought him being tied down by any girl. The daughter idea definitely works better.

If it were up to me, I would've spread the events of tonight out over the past 2-3 episodes, getting away from the wedding and leading up to tonight, and spent the finale basically sending off the mother and bringing back Robin into the fold. Cause damn, that was really rushed!

[PeteMoss]

Regarding the Barney truly changed with the baby....they just showed that he didn't change after making grand gestures the entire season. Kind of ruins the idea that one moment means change.

[Bigtime]

Best online comment I have read about the finale:

"The Scherbatskies send their regards."

[strombad]

I wasn't a fan.
I didn't hate it, but I didn't really connect with it at all.

Here's the problem: As has been said already, this episode disregards years or character development. They've had this ending filmed for what? 3-4 years? That's totally obvious, because it destroys the relevancy of the last 3-4 seasons. The whole Barney/Robin thing was dumb from the start but you kind of thought that if they were going to go for it and go to all this trouble, then fine, I'm in. WRONG! They obviously knew it was dumb and wouldn't work, so they divorce them ten minutes later. Seasons of telling us how weirdly perfect for each other they were, and how everyone has to overcome hurdles in their relationship, and a season-long wedding followed by "just kidding!"

The problem with that, is that it makes everything between them look like some contrived gimmick to keep the story going. It has no real relevance to the story.

I also had a real problem with Lily in this episode. Her sole purpose was to let the audience know what things were sad by specifically saying "no no no this is sad!". Ted leaving, SAD! The divorce, SAD! Gang drifting apart, SAD! Barney going back to season 1, SAD! Robin losing touch, SAD!
I mean, those things were all sad, but Lily served zero purpose outside of pointing that out. They even wasted perfect moments of reflection, Marshall turns and says "You know what happened here?.... lots of stuff." No kidding Marshall, great speech for a member of the Supreme Court.

I'm ok with the mother dying. Life happens. It wasn't a show about the life of the mother, but rather just about how Ted met the mother. That's cool with me. Does it explain the random coupling with Robin at the end? No, because they've spent like FIVE seasons going over why Robin and Ted aren't right for each other. While they both may have changed, it's still doesn't change the fact that without any proper development post-drift, their coupling makes no sense.

I don't know. As I said, I didn't hate it really, it just negated way too much of the story for me to like it. It felt cheap, contrived, and the easiest way out of everything. Good riddance I guess. Thanks for cheapening all the best moments of the last season in one episode.