i know i'm one of the only people on ilx who watches *how i met your mother* on a regular basis, but did anyone else see the robin sparkles episode? where robin didn't want people to know that she had

And the reveal at the end that he's a surgeon. Oh, man.

yeah jimmi simpson killed it

what was everyone WEARING in this episode

it looked like a bbc show

This could just be the shellshock from Terra Nova talking, but was that actually a really good episode?

Or was I just remembering Victoria and the time that I did really like this show? Was the "Spit on a Stranger" cover too much?

robin's hair is bumming me out in these new episodes

it looks like i will get to test out my theory that last season just wasn't funny because everyone (marshall, robin, lily) got fat. since they're all slimmed down again.

xpost i like her hair!

segel's weight has fluctuated over the years but i don't think i'd call either of the girls at any point fat (not counting pregnancies obviously)

well no but that is in fact what i'm counting.

This could just be the shellshock from Terra Nova talking, but was that actually a really good episode?

No it really was! Though I guess it could be because of Victoria too - she's always been my favourite Ted girlfriend.

It felt like an early season episode as well, and not just because of Victoria. The bet scenario was well done and always twisting, and I liked the way it would take away attention from Ted trying to tell his story but he never seemed bothered by it. The bus scene also had a feeling of a genuine emotion I haven't seen on the show in a long while, although that might just be Victoria making everything better. I just hope they do something with the Robin/Ted/Barney situation quickly, because I liked the idea of that development.

Preparing for it to drop off next week, and once again teeter on the edge of "I'm giving up".

Robin and Barney must be the ones getting married no? We haven't seen the bride iirc and the trio as friends "wasn't working" yet the kids know Uncle B and Aunt R?

i always thought Victoria was a little overwhelmingly cutesy-wutesy but now i don't mind her as much, at least in this storyline -- maybe seeing the actress play a villain on Warehouse 13 just gave her a little more of an edge in my mind?

xpost re Barney and Robin: yeah I think that's not really going to be the surprise, but just how they end up there. It was hinted at in the first ep of the season anyway which ended with the bride asking to see Ted - no one Barney marries except Robin would do so, right?

I liked the idea that they weren't working as a group too - that seems really real among people I know who have dated, broken up, and started hanging out with each other immediately again. Someone will always have residual baggage.

Right - I forgot the bride asked to see Ted too. My friends and I have a similar group - one of my bridesmaids dated my husband in high school, as did a few of our other guests/friends. But I wasn't there in high school so can't comment on how immediate the breakups/hangouts were.

kinda getting off-topic, but i get the sense that there's kinda a pride that people have about hanging out with their ex's that i never really understood (and that I think Ted has demonstrated in the show). not that i think it's something to be shameful about but i never really quite understood why ppl were proud about things like still being friends with an ex, or having an ex at their wedding. is it because they think there's something virtuous about, or indicates some kind of strength of spirit/will, to remain friends w/ someone despite all the baggage? Or are they trying to signal that they don't get baggage from strongly charged emotional events? Because the latter doesn't sound like something to be proud of! You must be pretty emotionally superficial to not have any baggage from the traumatic ending of a relationship. Or maybe it's that they feel more evolved bc they are able to not let their emotions get in the way of their relationships? But why would that be a sign of being 'evolved?' It's a totally normal, natural, healthy human thing to feel emotionally affected by serious relationships and the repercussions of those relationships dying. Anyway, I hope himym deals with some of these questions.

ok i understand where it is going and agree with you all but blimey that ending was incredibly sad.

Yeah, first time I've cared about Ted at all in ages. Really hit that "what if" note well, probably because I also thought Victoria was his best. And I also feel old realising that it was 5 years ago.

Mordy: I guess it depends on the length of the time between break-up and friendship. I don't hang out with any of my exes every day, but some I would hang out with on a pretty regular basis and it was good. I think it's better to be able to accept a moment as passed than it is to be hung up forever.

Yeah, the time away between dating and being friends again is crucial imo. Part of is pride def - like there's a need to prove to the other party that they're not as badly hurt or affected as they might really be, deep down. also there's this idea that the ability to carry on a friendly conversation following a break-up is the "mature" thing to do.

Anyway, the Victoria episodes were on re-run here a few weeks ago and it seems right that she's the one who points this out to Ted - Robin was in the way of their relationship from the start, not just when she went to Germany.

Awesome episode. The "what if" scene was done really well, and was kind of heartbreaking, especially as it seems most people here (myself included) were thinking how Victoria really was Ted's best girlfriend.

Ewok Line Presentation

i can't believe i'm still invested in what happens to these characters

man this show

hate being in a position where i have to be like "the first three seasons were really smart and funny! i swear!!! no really!!"

The sandwich plot was pretty funny. "it's a sign!" SLAYED me once video was shown.

Annoyed the entire episode. Then felt bad for Barney at the end. Guess I'm gonna tune in again next week. *sigh*

it's not at peak level but it's still a pretty good show imo

Now that they've laid off Ted's finding a girlfriend thing again, it's pretty watchable. Marshall and Lilly baby-stuff gets on my nerves, but Robin and Barney has held my attention more than I thought it would. Aside from the Victoria episode, all aspects of which they absolutely nailed, I've barely laughed at all this year.

last week's slap bet episode was hilarious

i dunno, i thought it was still good, and then i went back and watched some episodes from season 2 and theres no comparison, way funnier, quicker, less sentimental, characters more believable (and likable)

today i downloaded the last couple as a 'aw shit i guess i should keep up' manner but considering i hadn't thought about the show for about 2 months is v. telling.

might just wait until this bookmark comes up and says 'oh guyz he met the mother' if i watch the bunch i dled and they all suck.

uh Barney and Robin kinda broke my heart u guys.

agree that the show is no longer as funny as it was in earlier seasons but it still has its moments. It's just that they've run out of stuff to reveal about the characters and keep on rehashing old tropes and gags. So much of the fun of earlier seasons was about encountering character moments for the first time like Robin Sparkles, or college douchebag Ted, or the Hot/Crazy Scale (and other Barney theories) which have all been done to death at this point.

characters more likeable otm too - I mean it was funny when Ted's douchey side turned up occasionally but it's gotten to the point where it's really hard to root for him finding the mother because he's basically a whiny pretentious ass now.

characters more likeable otm too - I mean it was funny when Ted's douchey side turned up occasionally but it's gotten to the point where it's really hard to root for him finding the mother because he's basically a whiny pretentious ass now.

I think this is true -- any time I end up watching this show I feel like Ted deserves to be forever alone.

I haven't noticed any major change in quality tbh but maybe I should rewatch the earlier seasons.

uh Barney and Robin kinda broke my heart u guys.

OTM

The best thing they could do is introduce the mother and show them getting to know each other - more room for first-time character moments and progression for the main characters.

But the show is still the best sitcom at emotionally investing the audience in the characters, whether that's Marshall's dad dying or Barney having his heart broken. That the core characters like and care about each other in real ways is what I liked best about the show to start with and that hasn't fallen apart.

Tbh, the show was kind of a guilty pleasure for me from the beginning. I always thought it was sappy as hell and hit-and-miss with jokes. The best things about it imo are the emotional investment in the characters and the way it plays with narrative. Neither of those has deteriorated.

I don't get the 'believable' thing at all. It was never that realistic. If anything, the current Robin and Barney are probably much more believable than Robin Sparkles (whose accent might be the least believable thing about the show!) and the Playbook author. Less funny perhaps, thought I was never that charmed by Robin Sparkles. Everything that I remember from the last couple of episodes seemed like something that could happen.

"... though I was..."

The best thing they could do is introduce the mother and show them getting to know each other - more room for first-time character moments and progression for the main characters.

will never happen -- adding a 6th character to the old gang of 5 for the last season or two would just invite so many shark-jumping accusations even if it was the most awesome character played by some actress everybody loves. too risky.

Maybe Ted will turn out to be gay, end up with Kumar and this is the story of how they found the kids' surrogate.

oh come on introducing the mother on 'how i met yr mother' is jumping the shark?

Show of bad faith w/r/t the title?

I'm pretty sure he's telling the world's longest-ass story, making shit up as he goes along, cuz he's in denial/delaying telling the kids their mother just died.

Or she left him to join the circus or something.

oh come on introducing the mother on 'how i met yr mother' is jumping the shark?

― GOIT BUZZ TOYS (a hoy hoy), Tuesday, November 15, 2011 8:06 PM (7 minutes ago) Bookmark

well obv it's gonna happen but i feel like people who always want it to happen NOW NOW HOW ABOUT NOW or really any sooner than the last 6 episodes of the final season haven't thought about the logistics of basically adding a new character to a pretty small cast.

ok but considering its got sucky i kinda want a last awesome six episodes.

Kumar! Ok one new actor and I immediately love this show again. Man I love Kumar. Love him so much that one day maybe i'll wikipedia him and learn his real name.

he is a pretty good fit for the gang, i admit

super black girl that ted dates is super hot too.

kal penn! i cant believe i forgot his name! i am ashamed.