I have not updated this in ages for one simple reason: I quit. I may have watched How I Met Your Mother some eight or so times over, but there is a point at which it is no longer worth it. The show degrades highly with each re-watch. While the show early on had a lot of fun gags and jokes, they are not the kind of jokes that are particularly funny on a second, and certainly not, eighth time through. My conclusion is that honestly, with all of the chicks Ted has gone on about over the course of this show, and how many times he goes hopeless and foolishly after Robin, he hardly deserves a person as wonderful as the Mother. Save yourself 4,247 minutes, and go watch Stephen Sondheim's Company on Netflix. It's pretty much the same story, except there's actual pot, more singing, and you actually feel happy when the main character changes at the end rather than this nonsense back and forth ping pong that happens with How I Met Your Mother. Good day.
On a post note, I strongly dislike Robin, and always have.
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Sunday, June 30, 2013
S1E6:
Season 1: Episode 6: The Slutty Pumpkin
Now, we're very specifically in October of 2005.
Robin having a boyfriend at the beginning of the episode really moves Robin away from being Ted's love-interest and even further towards just being a member of the group, which since we know she's not going to marry Ted, it's a nice shift. It also re-establishes her as not being ready for a serious relationship, and in fact, being quite solitary considering that she can't even bring herself to share dessert with a guy she's dating, all of which should in theory keep Ted away from her.
And added to Ted's list of women is The Slutty Pumpkin. Timeline-wise, he meets her in October of 2001. Ted's Cinderella-type search for her brings him back away from Barney-type of hookups and towards a real relationship, which as far as the title of the show goes, is a good direction. In addition, future-Ted doesn't clarify that The Slutty Pumpkin isn't his future wife for once (though it will be later in about season 6).
Now as far as Barney, his escapades with women are actually still quite entertaining despite how many times I have watched this show. Perhaps it is because he is consistant in his personality. While he constantly pretends to be various personas to sleep with women, he never seems to try to convince himself that he is any different.
I also still find Lily and Marshall entertaining. Maybe it is because they are consistently the epitome of true love as far as the show goes. While there are some rough points later on, they always work things out and get back together.
Focusing on Ted for a minute, his whole point in this episode is having faith regardless of the likelihood, waiting for The Slutty Pumpkin for the fourth year in a row despite that in all likelihood, she would not show up. It's this optimism that makes Ted a good protagonist, because it makes him likable. Interestingly enough, he has a romantic hopefulness as Gatsby does in The Great Gatsby. In both cases, the protagonists are focused on women who have moved on, and until they can move on, they are stuck (although in Gatsby's case, he can't move on). Maybe that's why Ted relapsing with Robin frustrates me so, even when the two end up on the roof together at the end of the episode because in the very first episode the audience is informed that Ted doesn't end up with Robin, and the him of the time can't see it, as much as they're ideologically opposed. But at the end of this episode, Ted is still the optimist.
Now, we're very specifically in October of 2005.
Robin having a boyfriend at the beginning of the episode really moves Robin away from being Ted's love-interest and even further towards just being a member of the group, which since we know she's not going to marry Ted, it's a nice shift. It also re-establishes her as not being ready for a serious relationship, and in fact, being quite solitary considering that she can't even bring herself to share dessert with a guy she's dating, all of which should in theory keep Ted away from her.
And added to Ted's list of women is The Slutty Pumpkin. Timeline-wise, he meets her in October of 2001. Ted's Cinderella-type search for her brings him back away from Barney-type of hookups and towards a real relationship, which as far as the title of the show goes, is a good direction. In addition, future-Ted doesn't clarify that The Slutty Pumpkin isn't his future wife for once (though it will be later in about season 6).
Now as far as Barney, his escapades with women are actually still quite entertaining despite how many times I have watched this show. Perhaps it is because he is consistant in his personality. While he constantly pretends to be various personas to sleep with women, he never seems to try to convince himself that he is any different.
I also still find Lily and Marshall entertaining. Maybe it is because they are consistently the epitome of true love as far as the show goes. While there are some rough points later on, they always work things out and get back together.
Focusing on Ted for a minute, his whole point in this episode is having faith regardless of the likelihood, waiting for The Slutty Pumpkin for the fourth year in a row despite that in all likelihood, she would not show up. It's this optimism that makes Ted a good protagonist, because it makes him likable. Interestingly enough, he has a romantic hopefulness as Gatsby does in The Great Gatsby. In both cases, the protagonists are focused on women who have moved on, and until they can move on, they are stuck (although in Gatsby's case, he can't move on). Maybe that's why Ted relapsing with Robin frustrates me so, even when the two end up on the roof together at the end of the episode because in the very first episode the audience is informed that Ted doesn't end up with Robin, and the him of the time can't see it, as much as they're ideologically opposed. But at the end of this episode, Ted is still the optimist.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Welp, Voice Shift
I realized that there is no reason for me to write these views as if I'm not watching these episode for the sixth or so time. In fact, that's my voice. I can look at these episodes through my special eyes and comment as to their contribution knowing what I know. Instead of trying to give a non-hindsighted viewpoint, I can give the kind of future viewpoint that future-Ted gives in being able to tell his stories knowing what happens later. So, that's an update of voice shift. As of episode 6, I'm writing with that in mind, but I'm going to still keep season 8 spoilers to myself so no one can get all chuffed about not knowing things.
S1E5: And this relates... how?
Season 1: Episode 5: Okay Awesome
The episode starts of as future-Ted tells his kids that this will be the story of, "The Time I Went Deaf." Now, how on earth does this relate to how he met their mother? Well, I don't know either.
Alright, well first off, the separation of Lilly and Marshall from the rest of the group is kind of interesting. It does kind of make sense that since they're going to get married, they might want to be a bit more serious in their outings, yet at the same time they realize that like Ted a couple episodes back, trying to be a couple that they're not doesn't work for them.
Personally, I like to think of this episode as, "This-Is-Why-We-Hang-Out-At-A-Bar." By showing how loud, awkward, and potentially-crown-loosening a club can be, it seems like an episode dedicated to explaining why the gang always meets up at McKlaren's (however you spell it).
Now, if you listen, you can actually hear the people shouting what their subtitles read, which is kind of funny to me for some reason. Why Ted decides he's going to shout ridiculous things however, is debatable.
As far as Robin getting kept out of the club, it's a little bit at odds with the last episode. In the last episode, Robin felt like her job was unimportant, but realized that it was to the people she interviewed, despite the low viewership. Robin suddenly feeling like being invited to be a VIP at a club getting to her head, like this happens to her all the time, feels off. If this sort of thing had happened a couple of times, it would make more sense that Robin should get a reality check as to how famous she is. Even if these episodes were released a week apart, that's an awfully fast turn around of character considering Robin is still working at Metro News 1.
As far as Barney, when the girl he's been dancing with all night turns around and the two freak out, I thought she was going to just be some random girl that he had hooked up with before, as would be most people's first assumption based on the last four episodes. The fact that it's his cousin instead, is actually a pretty funny turn around. It's also interesting, because Barney swears Ted he'd never tell what happened, and future-Ted is telling his kids. Future-Ted not commenting on it however, is interesting. It's also interesting that once again, the girl that Ted gets interested in right off the bat is stated as not his future wife. Clearly, this won't always be the case, or all we'd ever have to do is wait for the one girl that he doesn't clarify this about.
~spinedjellyfish
The episode starts of as future-Ted tells his kids that this will be the story of, "The Time I Went Deaf." Now, how on earth does this relate to how he met their mother? Well, I don't know either.
Alright, well first off, the separation of Lilly and Marshall from the rest of the group is kind of interesting. It does kind of make sense that since they're going to get married, they might want to be a bit more serious in their outings, yet at the same time they realize that like Ted a couple episodes back, trying to be a couple that they're not doesn't work for them.
Personally, I like to think of this episode as, "This-Is-Why-We-Hang-Out-At-A-Bar." By showing how loud, awkward, and potentially-crown-loosening a club can be, it seems like an episode dedicated to explaining why the gang always meets up at McKlaren's (however you spell it).
Now, if you listen, you can actually hear the people shouting what their subtitles read, which is kind of funny to me for some reason. Why Ted decides he's going to shout ridiculous things however, is debatable.
As far as Robin getting kept out of the club, it's a little bit at odds with the last episode. In the last episode, Robin felt like her job was unimportant, but realized that it was to the people she interviewed, despite the low viewership. Robin suddenly feeling like being invited to be a VIP at a club getting to her head, like this happens to her all the time, feels off. If this sort of thing had happened a couple of times, it would make more sense that Robin should get a reality check as to how famous she is. Even if these episodes were released a week apart, that's an awfully fast turn around of character considering Robin is still working at Metro News 1.
As far as Barney, when the girl he's been dancing with all night turns around and the two freak out, I thought she was going to just be some random girl that he had hooked up with before, as would be most people's first assumption based on the last four episodes. The fact that it's his cousin instead, is actually a pretty funny turn around. It's also interesting, because Barney swears Ted he'd never tell what happened, and future-Ted is telling his kids. Future-Ted not commenting on it however, is interesting. It's also interesting that once again, the girl that Ted gets interested in right off the bat is stated as not his future wife. Clearly, this won't always be the case, or all we'd ever have to do is wait for the one girl that he doesn't clarify this about.
~spinedjellyfish
Monday, June 24, 2013
S1E4: Holy Cow
June 24th, 2013
Season 1: Episode 4: Return of the Shirt
Starting by telling your kids that not every story can end happily-ever-after, and that people get hurt, is a good way to explain an episode, and since this hasn't been the main point of a previous story, I'm cool with that. As far as the idea of changing tastes, it's pretty interesting. Whether or not the idea should be applied to people as well things however, seems a lil less likely, especially in the sense of with Natalie, since the whole issue that happened was Ted being completely oblivious. Going back to a girl whose heart he broke by breaking up with her on her answering machine on her birthday, seems pretty doomed from the start. Wanting to apologize however, definitely necessary. As far as Marshal's argument that answering machine is okay, that's not okay. I most definitely agree with Lily that Ted needed to say it to her face. It's just an all around bad situation.
Also a lil sketchy that they slept together right after getting back together as far as the time seems to go. Especially considering how Ted broke up with her. :l Also the idea that cliches is fine is dumb, that's why they're cliche. Plus Ted's complete inability to repeat what the gang talked about to Natalie screwed him over too. Really he shouldn't have tried to repeat so much as say what he was thinking. :l It seems like he should have remembered her birthday or something so this whole mess couldn't have happened again, but eh, such is.
As for Barney trying to get Robin to say weird things on TV is actually pretty funny, especially considering the first time she says something, it seems to have been an accident. At the same time, it's kind of sad to think that Robin feels that her job is so useless. That is until the end. I think the carriage driver saying that he's so happy to have his story told is really sweet, and it does give some purpose for Robin. It makes what has been a joke the whole episode kind of deep in a sweet way, that is nice, despite, you know, Robin falling in horse crap to end it off. I also like that his kids have their own comments at the end of the episode.
I mean really though, internet on his phone, and Ted can't find out the birthday of his girlfriend?
~spinedjellyfish
Season 1: Episode 4: Return of the Shirt
Starting by telling your kids that not every story can end happily-ever-after, and that people get hurt, is a good way to explain an episode, and since this hasn't been the main point of a previous story, I'm cool with that. As far as the idea of changing tastes, it's pretty interesting. Whether or not the idea should be applied to people as well things however, seems a lil less likely, especially in the sense of with Natalie, since the whole issue that happened was Ted being completely oblivious. Going back to a girl whose heart he broke by breaking up with her on her answering machine on her birthday, seems pretty doomed from the start. Wanting to apologize however, definitely necessary. As far as Marshal's argument that answering machine is okay, that's not okay. I most definitely agree with Lily that Ted needed to say it to her face. It's just an all around bad situation.
Also a lil sketchy that they slept together right after getting back together as far as the time seems to go. Especially considering how Ted broke up with her. :l Also the idea that cliches is fine is dumb, that's why they're cliche. Plus Ted's complete inability to repeat what the gang talked about to Natalie screwed him over too. Really he shouldn't have tried to repeat so much as say what he was thinking. :l It seems like he should have remembered her birthday or something so this whole mess couldn't have happened again, but eh, such is.
As for Barney trying to get Robin to say weird things on TV is actually pretty funny, especially considering the first time she says something, it seems to have been an accident. At the same time, it's kind of sad to think that Robin feels that her job is so useless. That is until the end. I think the carriage driver saying that he's so happy to have his story told is really sweet, and it does give some purpose for Robin. It makes what has been a joke the whole episode kind of deep in a sweet way, that is nice, despite, you know, Robin falling in horse crap to end it off. I also like that his kids have their own comments at the end of the episode.
I mean really though, internet on his phone, and Ted can't find out the birthday of his girlfriend?
~spinedjellyfish
S1E3: Already Has Depth
June 24th, 2013
The butterscotch and vanilla ice cream I'm having surely tastes better than the Liberty Bell. :P
Season 1: Episode 3: The Sweet Taste of Liberty
Same time as episode 1 (2005).
One thing that I like about this episode is the scenes with Lily and Robin at the bar. It serves to start solidifying the idea of Robin as a part of the gang without her being romantically involved with Ted, as well as establishing both Lily and Robin further as characters.
Overall, this episode is fairly Barney-centric however. From the start of the episode, Barney is trying to get Ted laid. Ted going along with Barney's plan isn't quite a, I'm-trying-to-find-the-mother-of-my-future-children escapade, but it does show the dynamic between Barney and Ted considering Ted states that he's not sure why he was friends with Barney. I also like that it highlights the negative impact of Barney's choices. In this and the last episode, Barney trying to hook up with random women, ended up resulting in unnecessary grief, and in this instance, Ted's wrapped up in it too. Not only that, it's severe enough that the two of them have to deal with police because, unsurprisingly, this isn't the first time that Barney's tried to pick up chicks at the airport.
I also like that Ted is reluctant to continue with Barney after the incident with the airport security. Once again, it's the internal back-and-forth that drives the conflicts. It's also cool to see Marshall really want to have fun with the guys, but still being really dedicated to Lilly. Plus, it's pretty funny that he tries to be all tough and then says he's never been in a fight before.
It's also cool to see that Barney has a deep side, to the extent that his friendship with Ted is so important to him. Even the most ridiculous, shallow character on the show has depth to him, and that's interesting.
~spinedjellyfish
The butterscotch and vanilla ice cream I'm having surely tastes better than the Liberty Bell. :P
Season 1: Episode 3: The Sweet Taste of Liberty
Same time as episode 1 (2005).
One thing that I like about this episode is the scenes with Lily and Robin at the bar. It serves to start solidifying the idea of Robin as a part of the gang without her being romantically involved with Ted, as well as establishing both Lily and Robin further as characters.
Overall, this episode is fairly Barney-centric however. From the start of the episode, Barney is trying to get Ted laid. Ted going along with Barney's plan isn't quite a, I'm-trying-to-find-the-mother-of-my-future-children escapade, but it does show the dynamic between Barney and Ted considering Ted states that he's not sure why he was friends with Barney. I also like that it highlights the negative impact of Barney's choices. In this and the last episode, Barney trying to hook up with random women, ended up resulting in unnecessary grief, and in this instance, Ted's wrapped up in it too. Not only that, it's severe enough that the two of them have to deal with police because, unsurprisingly, this isn't the first time that Barney's tried to pick up chicks at the airport.
I also like that Ted is reluctant to continue with Barney after the incident with the airport security. Once again, it's the internal back-and-forth that drives the conflicts. It's also cool to see Marshall really want to have fun with the guys, but still being really dedicated to Lilly. Plus, it's pretty funny that he tries to be all tough and then says he's never been in a fight before.
It's also cool to see that Barney has a deep side, to the extent that his friendship with Ted is so important to him. Even the most ridiculous, shallow character on the show has depth to him, and that's interesting.
~spinedjellyfish
S1E2 : And That Was Quick
June 24th, 2013
It's relatively early, so I'm gonna do another one of these.
Season 1: Episode 2: Purple Giraffe
Same time as episode 1 (2005).
Right away we're continuing on with Robin ('course, if he really was in love with her, she'd be around as a love interest for awhile). I'd also like to state, a "mushroom cloud of casual" does in no way sound like a good thing. :l Personally, I found it entertaining that Ted would try to throw not one, but three parties just to run into Robin, in addition to running all the way around town just to invite her in the first place. Besides it being ridiculous, there is a hint of the idea that he's a romantic. It pretty much just goes to show you that you can't plan out anything entirely; something is bound not to go the way you plan. Not to mention that trying to be something you're not ends up causing you more grief than being honest with yourself in the first place. Three parties worth of grief.
Then there's Barney being his Barney-self, trying to get Ted to hook up with random chicks as he does. On the plus side, he's pretty funny. Especially when just hooking up with a random girl ends up not working out for him when she comes back at party #2. Not to mention that he uses Ted's unfortunate declaration to Robin, to break up with her.
Marshall and Lily are fairly entertaining themselves in between what is happening between Ted and Robin, and I like that to some extent they are relevant to what happens, rather than just wall fixtures. I also found the reference back to the crane machine from Robin's interview a cool way to express Ted's thoughts behind him going up to that roof.
The fact that Robin states that she may never want to get married, in addition to future-Ted's declaration that she's "Aunt Robin," makes it seem that we've closed up the Ted and Robin arc, with Robin becoming one of the gang, especially since Robin states she's going to help Ted find his woman. Unfortunately, with the look that Ted gives Robin in the last some 30 seconds of the episode, it's pretty clear we're not done with this. How Robin ties into Ted meeting the kids' mother however, is a question, assuming that future-Ted isn't just commenting on "Aunt Robin" before he begins to explain how she joined their little gang.
Where the next episodes can go, is pretty open-ended, especially with 20 episodes to go in the first season alone.
~spinedjellyfish
It's relatively early, so I'm gonna do another one of these.
Season 1: Episode 2: Purple Giraffe
Same time as episode 1 (2005).
Right away we're continuing on with Robin ('course, if he really was in love with her, she'd be around as a love interest for awhile). I'd also like to state, a "mushroom cloud of casual" does in no way sound like a good thing. :l Personally, I found it entertaining that Ted would try to throw not one, but three parties just to run into Robin, in addition to running all the way around town just to invite her in the first place. Besides it being ridiculous, there is a hint of the idea that he's a romantic. It pretty much just goes to show you that you can't plan out anything entirely; something is bound not to go the way you plan. Not to mention that trying to be something you're not ends up causing you more grief than being honest with yourself in the first place. Three parties worth of grief.
Then there's Barney being his Barney-self, trying to get Ted to hook up with random chicks as he does. On the plus side, he's pretty funny. Especially when just hooking up with a random girl ends up not working out for him when she comes back at party #2. Not to mention that he uses Ted's unfortunate declaration to Robin, to break up with her.
Marshall and Lily are fairly entertaining themselves in between what is happening between Ted and Robin, and I like that to some extent they are relevant to what happens, rather than just wall fixtures. I also found the reference back to the crane machine from Robin's interview a cool way to express Ted's thoughts behind him going up to that roof.
The fact that Robin states that she may never want to get married, in addition to future-Ted's declaration that she's "Aunt Robin," makes it seem that we've closed up the Ted and Robin arc, with Robin becoming one of the gang, especially since Robin states she's going to help Ted find his woman. Unfortunately, with the look that Ted gives Robin in the last some 30 seconds of the episode, it's pretty clear we're not done with this. How Robin ties into Ted meeting the kids' mother however, is a question, assuming that future-Ted isn't just commenting on "Aunt Robin" before he begins to explain how she joined their little gang.
Where the next episodes can go, is pretty open-ended, especially with 20 episodes to go in the first season alone.
~spinedjellyfish
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