'How I Met Your Mother': Satisfying Twist
Phew. [Spoiler Alert].
So, as we learned last night, Stella isn't the mother. I can't say I'm surprised; she and Ted were so clearly mismatched, even though I love Sarah Chalke. And, as "How I Met Your Mother" made clear, the kids would probably look quite different if Stella were the mom. Plus, it was obviously too early in the series to have us meet the mother and solve the Big Mystery. (Oh yeah, and I was TOTALLY so very, very wrong in my theory of last season, that maybe Stella's sister was the mother. Stella's sister is a dud.)
But it was a good episode that ended the Stella story satisfyingly, even though the whole quick-wedding-this-weekend construct was kind of forced and Stella's ex was too pathetic the first time we met him. But I liked the psychology at play. The fact that Stella was so anxious about inviting exes to the wedding said everything we needed to know about her own unfinished business, and nothing about Ted and Robin (or is there more to that, too?). It was the classic "protesteth too much" scenario, but it still worked for me.
Into the fourth season of this series, which is doing better than ever in the ratings, I still care about who will be the mother. That surprises me. Usually, when a sitcom keeps playing around with will-they-won't-they type questions, like "Friends" or "Cheers" did, I get tired of them quickly. And so I continue to be a fan of this show, and look forward to forthcoming developments.
I also look forward to seeing Sarah Chalke back on "Scrubs," when it returns this winter on ABC. More on that return later, except to note that, in the forthcoming "Scrubs" premiere, Zach Braff points to the ABC logo bug in the corner of the screen and says, "That's new." It's the kind of heavy meta humor that "30 Rock" does so well, but that has been in evidence on "Scrubs" for years.
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That episode was legen-wait for it-dary! I love the fact that Barney really really tried to hold out for Robin (and wait a minute, did he just win the "belt" for riding the tricycle??). I'm rewatching episodes from the last three seasons, and even in the first season, there was always a hint of a Robin-Barney attraction (like when Ted and Robin are moving in, Barney's trying to talk them out of it, and he realizes that Robin's not wearing make-up - "You're beautiful!"),, but somehow it never crossed our minds, because it seemed so impossible.
By the way, I always thought the kids looked like Robin - especially Ted's daughter...
Ugh! This show. You got tired of Cheers and Friends, but you still like this? If it wasn't for Big Bang ahead, and the even more repulsive 2 1/2 Horny Dopes after, nobody would watch this show.
this series capitalizes on bawdy, boy humor; the show has no brain, no soul. it was written for teenaged boy, much as charlie sheen's puerile and ever-so-predictable potty humor. the CBS show, THE CLASS was much wittier and NBC's CHUCK is intelligent and very witty. it doesn't need to hammer you with cleavage and peepee references.
When Ted talks to the kids, however, he refers to Robin as "Aunt Robin" -- how would they get around that? Just hope we forgot...?
But we already technically met the mother. She was at that St. Patrick's Day party. It was a blink and you'll miss it moment, but she was there.
We have known for a long time the Robin is not the mother because she is always referred to as Aunt Robin...
The most unrealistic thing about this show is that two teenage kids would sit still that long and really give a flying ^&%$## about how anyone met anyone's mother. Just tell them already and let's move on.
Absolutely the best of the season, possibly the best ever...the episode (which honestly reminded me of "Lost" with the twists and flashbacks) was phenomenal. I was laughing from start to finish, except for the chills I got when Robin saw Stella/Tony on the boat and realized what happened. All the actors were really at the top of their game, even Marshall, who I feel has been fading in recent weeks. Oh man, do I have my standards set high for the rest of the season!
I thought Stella was the mother because she referenced, one of the first times she met Ted, the fact that she never goes out because of her daughter but hadd been recently at a St. Patricks Day party. That was presumably the same party Ted was at. Guess not.
I found the twist predictable. The signs were forced and if you could not see them, than don't cross the street, you might get hit by a truck. It was obvious that Stella was going back to her ex. When she was warning Ted, she was warning herself. Again, it was so obvious. I need surprises.
OH... MY .... GOSH.... THIS SHOW... WAIT FOR IT.......SUUUUCCCCKKKSSS... MOST UNFUNNY AND OVER-RATED SITCOM ON TV BY FAR.
Wow, what a great episode. I was crushed when Ted was reading the note from Stella at the end. Ted is such a hopeless romantic, and the only hope we have is the title of the show... What great writing and acting! This is definitely my favorite TV show.
For anyone who bashes this show, please just cut the crap! If you don't like it, don't read about it. Apparently you haven't watched it from episode one, because if you did you would love the show.....Go back to watching Lost or Dexter or whatever bull crap drama that you fanboys watch.
I'm amazed at the negative comments, considering that it takes quite a bit of effort to find this page just to write something negative. Nothing better to do, huh? Anyway, I LOVE this show, and I'm SO glad that Ted didn't marry Stella. My husband said that if they got married and then the writers had to write in a divorce, he'd quit watching...and we NEVER miss an episode. Ted's just like several of our great friends from college who we keep hoping will meet "the one." Thanks for keeping us hoping!
AMAAAZIIING Episode.
I really felt it when stella ran away......
What I don't understand in "How I met your Mother" is why he'd start 3 years or more BEFORE he met the Mother. When my parents told me the story of how they met they didn't start 3 years earlier about who my Father was sleeping with before my Mother.
Just because Robin is called Aunt Robin doesn't mean she is not! That is not a hard thing to overcome. It could be Ted saying Aunt Robin to suprise the kids so they don't figure it out early in the story. Also, look at every photo for the show, Ted is always looking at Robin!!! Plus, the daughter looks alot like Robin.
so you are saying the kids wouldn't know their own mother's first name?
I still watch this show, but it's not anywhere near as clever as it thinks it is. The whole concept is silly (for one thing, two teenage children should have been well-aware long before how their parents met, plus there's no possible excuse the father could give for including so much silly and extraneous material in his "story"). All the anachronism problems (caused by 30-something writers piling their tastes and interests into people 10 years younger than they are) and the increasingly unfunny and annoying Barney character are making me less-interested, too. This episode was an okay way to end the "Stella arc," but each dead end makes the overall problems more apparent.
I agree with all those positive comments...and to all you haters out there i have a newsflash for you...IT'S A TV SHOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! so of course it's not going to be realistic...the reason tv shows exist is so we have something entertaining to watch...they are supposed to be exaggerating because it makes people laugh, cry, whatever...so i'm sorry if you don't think that kids can listen to a parent for that long or that you shouldn't start a story from three years before it happened but hey it's only a show!
This Episode was quality, the episode a few weeks ago when ted was debating moving to New Jersey wasnt that funny but the last two weeks have been back to the usual high standard! I thought this might be the last season but now im hopeful of a season 5... hopefully
If you can be passionately for this show, I can be passionately against it. I'm not looking for realism, I look for COMEDY... funny, thats what the COM in Sitcom stands for.. this show has cheesy joke after cheesy joke and zero wit. The only thing remotely good about it is Neil Patrick Harris ..
ok i LOVE this show, but to the guy who said lost sucks.....
LOST IS THE BEST SHOW EVER! YOU SUCK!!!!!
Anyone who does not like this show must simply have never gotten to experience "young" adult life. It is the perfect example of being in your late 20's, early 30's in this time period.
for all the negative comments why are you watching the show?
YOu watch it to hate it?
lol
its a great show. Its a funny show. its a good way to escape all the meaningless crime series / lawyer shows that are out there...
And if its not your cup of tea or you find it unfunny or not as clever, then change the channel :)
It's a great show... I was so bummed that there wasn't a new episode tonight! I wonder what's going to happen from here... and it's obviously Barney will marry Robin.
How about Stella's sister
Three reasons I didn't think Stella was 'The Mother'...
1) The kids don't look like her (as per the potential flash-forward) & if Lucy was there the daughter would look older whereas the son looks older.
2) Lucy isn't there, why wouldn't she be there to know how her 'parents' met?
3) When they flashed forward on the episode where Robin is dating the guy with the kid, there's a picture of the two kids with "Aunt Robin"
I love this show & I really wonder if the Barney/Robin thing will take-off since Robin said that Ted is basically her Plan B.
The mother definitely CANNOT be robin. He always refers to her as AUNT Robin to his children, whenever telling the story.
To Rob of #18.. Of course they know who "Aunt Robin" is.. the kids even wrote it on the drawing with Aunt Robin.
THIS SHOW RULES ALL. YOU JUST NEED TO HAVE SOME HEART AND WAIT FOR IT....WAIT FOR IT.........ITS JUST AWSOME
I'm a recent convert, and I am head-over-heels in love with this show. After randomly watching one episode online, I quickly became addicted and bought seasons 1-3 on DVD. This show is like "The Wonder Years" for twenty-somethings. The haters who don't "get" the show must have missed out on the fun, drama, and adventures of being this age. I actually feel sorry for those people who can't connect with a phase of self-discovery and soul-mate searching. I'm not too anxious to find out the identity of the mother because I'm thoroughly enjoying the ride.
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