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How I Met Your Mother's Tracy is a perfect match for Ted, and kind of perfect just in general. But, as we learn in the finale, the show’s framing is a red herring, because this series isn’t actually about Tracy. This pivot turns Tracy into a “stepping stone” love interest, just a plot device along the way to the main event.
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I actually have an interesting theory: In season 5 Marshall reveals the only way he can fantasise about other women is to first pretend Lilly is dead and he's waited the appropriate amount of time, So what if the ending to HIMYM is a fantasy Ted is playing out in his head so he can fantasise about Robin the one who got away. He's making up a way for Robin & Barney to break up AND why he can't be with Tracy so getting together with Robin doesn't feel bad. But none of it really happened, it's all in his head. Yeah it's a cop-out but when the official ending sucks so much I honestly think it's way better.
Any chance you guys will do Jane the Virgin at some point?? :) sorry just had to be cheeky and put in a request here!
I didn't even watch the whole series and I thought it was a bad that they just switched it to the other lady.
Just discovered this channel! Going to check out some other videos of yours! I love your deep dive into stuff, keep up the good work!
Love the fact your playing Roxy Music mother of pearl in the background. I thank this show for exposing younger generations too Roxy
They built her up for 9 seasons and actually exceeded expectations only to conclude the story with Ted and Robin ending up together. It will never not make me mad…
What's up with all these loser guys that end up with women with heads on their shoulders? That trope I never got
Precisely, how did they ever expect that NOT to majorly backfire on them?!
True , I prefer the alternate ending
They really didn’t trust themselves when it came to the mother. Cristin meshed so well with the cast, the moment they realized that - they should’ve scrapped the Robin ending.
@@tobiaslawrence8928 It’s typically men who are writing these stories. So there’s your answer
The craziest thing to me was how they spent two whole seasons giving Barney character development and making his transformation so believable only to suddenly have him get back to square 0 at the very last second
That's why they gave him a daughter
Yes he is my fave character and one of the last compelling, interesting, flawed, controversial characters we've seen on TV only for them to ruin him in 2 eps.
It's more realistic. He was right about women, "love" and relationships in the first few seasons.
When your world crumbles you return to the version of yourself you know the best as its a less uncomfortable way. Thats him handling the divorce
Would he have ditched her by the start of the next episode too? Cause that's what happened when they gave him a wife.
I honestly think Robin and Barney splitting up after we just spent an entire season watching them get married was worse than the mother dying. Her not being there anymore being the reason that Ted tells his kids all those old stories was a nice ending and I don't think people would have been as upset with it, if she wasn't just cast aside so Ted could end up with Robin.
100% agree. And to split up for such a stupid reason! Gee, after spending literally seasons on developing Barney/Robin and an ENTIRE season on their wedding, I wonder why people would be mad when they divorce for seemingly no reason in the space of a single episode. And as other have said, that + the T/R ending felt like it undid so much character development. And to have Ted make some grant romantic gesture with the blue french horn again -- like, that underscores for me how he didn't develop at all. It's been awhile since I watched it so some of the details are rusty, but I remember that sticking out to me when I watched the finale originally.
I hated that the made the entire last season about the wedding. We all knew the wedding was tops an episode or two. The writers really could have spent the last two season letting us get to know the mother and showing us Ted grow. But no, we got the worse season of a show I have ever seen
@@spacebutterfly_ but they didn't even spend a single episode on Robin and Barney's divorce. Explaining what happened and letting us down with at least some reason. All it was was Robin said, "... And then we divorced." To which Barney shrugged and said, "yeah. I'm good with it." For me, and I'm going to believe thousands of loyal fans (from what it sounded like then and has since), that was the moment that the entire show, the entire series was ruined. And past that moment, it wouldn't have mattered what happened. Everything was gone. The fact that he then married Robin instead of her staying with Barney where she belonged.. it was just insult upon insult.
This all of this!!! I wanted to get a chance to see the mother!!! And not a wedding that dragged for a whole season for them to be divorced moments later!!!
The ending cheapened not only the mother's character but Robin and Barney's as well. Did Robin all of a sudden want to move to the suburbs and be a stepmom to two teenagers, what about her career and not wanting children? From the beginning of the show, that wasn't Robin's character, and that was one aspect of her that didn't change. In the end all the character development Barney went through just went out the window. A better ending would have been Robin and Barney staying together and travelling the world, and then Ted either being with Tracy to old age or if they so wanted to kill off her, have Ted say to his children, it didn't matter how little time he had with Tracy, it was all worth it, because she was the one for him. If they wanted Ted to end up with someone else, then they could have had Ted ask his children if it would be okay for him to start dating again, hinting Ted's search for the same idealistic love would start all over again. The story treated Robin's unwillingness (then inability) to have children as the reason why neither Ted or Barney could have a happy ending with her. Both of them found someone else that could make them happy by giving them children. It made it seem like not wanting or being able to have children meant you could not have a fulfilling relationship.
I honestly don’t mind Tracy dying. I think it gives the arch the emotional edge that really characterized the show. That being said, sending Ted after Robin really cheapens the whole thing. It makes it feel like the mother was just a baby machine and a consolatory prize for Ted because Robin was unavailable. It’s icky, and about a dozen other routes would have made for better television.
yup, her dying didn't really upset me that much, but her being a baby machine and placeholder for Robin did.
perfectly said!
Robin was perfect with Barney!! They wrecked it so bad.
Same. Tracy’s perfection could have been easily explained by rose colored glasses. But ruining Robin/Barney _plus_ undoing the endless episodes about why Ted/Robin should stay platonic was a terrible move.
Yeah, I really liked the idea of Ted getting the fairytale he wanted, but life came in and unfairly cut it short. The show was sooo good at hitting those sad real life points with Marshall's dad dying, Lily struggling with being a mother and giving up on being an artist, Barney dealing with his dad leaving, etc. But I can't believe they thought shoving Ted and Robin back together once again was gonna work or be at all believable
I never understood how the kids were somehow fine with their dad sitting them down for a long winded story about how he never got over his ex from 20+ years ago
exactly.
Precisely, and they're weirdly on board with him going after Robin again. While it's not inherently a negative thing to have your parent date again after the death of your other parent, they don't even mention the mother, aside from saying "She's been dead long enough", which is just so disrespectful.
@@trinaq and moreover if I was a teenager that lost my mother tragically I would scream yell and lose my mind over my father having the disrespect to basically tell me my mother was just a vehicle for him to have kids that he used on his way back to his ex??
Because they were already there emotionally. There's an episode that ends showing shitloads of crayon pictures the kids draw about spending time with 'Aunt Robin'. She'd already been their mother for years. And she never hated kids; she was only uncomfortable taking care of Babies. They're teenagers at the end of the show; and can fend for themselves. Yes, Tracey is their mother. But so is Robyn.
Well they do like Robin and Tracy had been dead for years. Besides, Ted is always talking about how great life would be when he's old. But life when he's old would not be great as he had lost his wife and his kids would probably want to move out so he'd be all alone for most of his remaining life.
I'll NEVER forgive the writers for unceremoniously killing off Tracy just so Ted and Robin could get back together. And even worse, the kids don't seem to care, they're just all "Mom's been dead for six years, now go get with Aunt Robin!"
"weirdly enthusiastic" that killed me 💀👀😹
I agree with the first statment, but why would the kids not be ok with their dad moving on? Like, it's he supposed to stay single forever cause he's wife died? Then the kids would be just depriving his father of new experiences for no reason. So, although I agree with how Tracy deserved much better from this show, I don't see the problem with kids being happy for their father happiness. It's like "the sound of music" the kids are also happy that the father found someone to be with again, even though his love for their mother and for them was not less strong or important because of it and they were not angry or mad by it either. Edit: I read the replies, and you guys gave me a new perspective on it. Thank you, I can see how weird it was put on the show now, from a new point of view.
@@Ana_Paula.Frasson i know, personaly the part where, instead of the kids displaying a suportive atitude similar to "its ok dad, we understand" they flat out went "OMG DAD, get together with our aunt Robbin NOW!" its the execution thats buckwild
Yeah, no kid would act this way in this situation. Maybe they would be supportive and empathetic, but not to this degree, nor would they be so callously dismissive of their deceased parent.
I always watch the alternate ending
That scene where Ted tells Robin he's not that guy with the blue french horn anymore was really satisfying. It was the most mature Ted has ever been. I felt like it also made people who had unrequited love in their life feel less alone and feel better about letting that person go. I feel like it would've been a beautiful lesson to give the audience. The ending now makes that scene meaningless.
This. I can’t think of another sitcom that handled it as maturely. Ted and Robin loved each other enough to not only want the best for each other but to stay together as friends despite their disappointment and frustrated romantic feelings. That’s a super healthy take that comedy shows hardly ever showcase.
That was the first moment I felt REAL character development in Ted. It closed the arc that started on the first episode with a message of "I loved the idea of Robin for many years. On the day I understood, in my heart, that she wasn't for me, that exact day was the day I met your mother". And they threw it away in a matter of minutes.
The show begins pretty similar to Friends: A group of New Yorkers hang out, one of them expresses his desire for a serious relationship and a family, a character is introduced to take that role. It was Ross and Rachel all over again. But then we learned that character is just an obstacle and/or a stepping stone to the person Ted really was supposed to meet. I love Friends, but I can just rewatch that if I want to. HIMYM promised to do things differently, and I was drawn in by that promise. Then what happens? Ted and Robin is just a Ross and Rachel copy. Man gets another girlfriend (Julie/Victoria), learns Woman has feelings for him, they don't get together because of some break-up complications (the list/Victoria calling), they finally manage to get together and stay a couple for a season. Then they break up and occasionally relapse, but never really get together again. The womanizer of the group (Joey/Barney) falls in love with Woman, but they eventually break up again and in the last episode Man and Woman finally get together. Clearly, "the mother" could have been cut entirely from what turns out to be the main romantic plot without missing anything. She is not even a complication - she is just filler. Instead of writing something original that fans would have loved, they decided to write something derivative that fans ended up hating. I just don't understand that choice. As I said, I love Friends and don't mind that HIMYM repeated quite a few jokes that its spiritual parent had already done. But I wanted another storyline at least. Yet they were so high on their own idea of turning things upside down at the end that they didn't notice this would reverse them turning things upside down at the start. As a result, HIMYM is less compelling than both Friends and the show it could have been.
The scene in question isn't about unrequited love and it doesn't lose meaning. He did the right choice in the right moment.
It's like how Scrubs had an episode where JD and Elliot realize they're no longer attracted to each other romantically and actually real friends but then they have them get back together like the next season.
The sociopathic way the kids act about their mother was mind boggling . Especially such a sweet mom.
the PERFECTLY FINE PERFECTLY REASONABLE:(total opposite of polar opposite from pathetic obnoxious whiners): way the kids act about their LONG DECEASED mother was them being shown to be empathetic smart decent people:(they've clearly been raised well again the whole stuff about them being empathetic and smart and stuff total polar opposite of and/or from utterly insufferable egotistical crybabies): especially with such a LONG GONE:(reunited with her Max):
@@monabohamad2242 what are you even trying to say? Ted says he wants to talk about their mother in the pilot and they ask if it's a punishment.
@@monabohamad2242OR it reflects that kids don't really have many memories from before the age of 6 or 7 so in reality they barely even knew the woman.
@@r.rodriguez4991 I know someone who would've been 2 months away from her 9th birthday when her youngest sister was born now currently the youngest sister is literally a big 13 year old teen while the oldest sister is nearly 22 years old and doesn't really remember all that much from back then so then you're kind of either underestimating or overestimating just how far back kids/people can really remember from earlier years so whatever
@@r.rodriguez4991 either way we seem to not completely disagree?
It’s insane that they made Tracy the perfect person for Ted while constantly showing how wrong he and Robin are to misdirect us then switch it to make it all about him ending back up with Robin.
I know like they were RIGHT, Ted and Robin weren’t right for each other. I immediately knew that three days after the finale of the series Ted and Robin would be arguing about something and Ted would throw what a good wife Tracy was in Robin’s face
Yes! @MyStringSnapped and Abbigail Carr! To Abbigail's point, it would probably be a career thing, as that was the CONSTANT complaint about Robin from Ted, next to the children thing. Tracy was murdered for nothing just so Ted could get Robin one last time.
Love isn't about who is right for you its about who you choose to be with.
@@Chris-rg6nm Yes, well, Tracy was the better choice because years later, who knows what Ted will do to destroy his relationship with Robin this time.
It’s weird I feel like the writers liked Ted & Robin together more than the audience. There were so many episodes that showed why they didn’t work…but the writers almost seemed to think the audience didn’t notice & still would want them to be end game. I don’t know a single fan of the show that actually thought Ted & Robin were a good match - even before we were introduced to the mom.
Just bc they hadn't filmed an alternate ending scene with the kids doesn't mean they couldn't have changed the ending up after their original one stopped making sense. They literally could've just filmed a bit where Ted finally ends telling the story only to realise that his kids have left the room a while ago bc he was taking too long. It can be played in a comedic way and it frees them up to do whatever they want with the finale.
Idk, I think it would have been hilarious to refilm the ending with the kid actors all grown up. The son with a beard lol like Ted's really been telling this story for years 😂
@@daniellefaith47 the did a sketch with the original actors addressing that back when the last season was airing. It's somewhere on yt I think
i think they rlly thought ppl would be totally on board with this, which is WILD. how did no one in the writer’s room say something??
@@suha8242 it’s possible they DID but the creators/higher ups didn’t want to be challenged
That would have worked.
The writers did all of us dirty because in the span of about 20 episodes, Ted goes from “in exactly 45 days from now, you and I are going to meet and I want those extra 45 days with you” to basically “oops ur ded now, guess I’ll get back with Robin” and I have NEVER been more furious with a plot twist in a show.
Actually, that just subtly hinted that the mother died. But yes, I get why people are frustrated about Ted chasing Robin again, however that has been setup since Season 1, and why having an ending before the actual end is bad for the series.
the whole “45 days with you” was hinting that she died hence why he was anxiously begging for more time with her
The title of the show should be *"How I Barely Knew Your Mother"* or *"How I Used Your Mother's Womb".*
It just blows my mind that they knew what the ending would be, and then wrote a story where every single plot line leads you away from that ending. All these years later I cannot understand the logic of that.
Yeah, it feels as though because they were so sure of what the ending was, they became over-confident & felt like they didn’t need to think about it anymore. It’s like it was self-sabotaged. Kind of like if you know the answer to a math question, but the process you used is completely wrong.
It feels like the writers were more focused on subverting expectations than telling a cohesive story. That whole season was a misdirection.
YES YES YES AN EPISODE ABOUT THE MOTHER she was such an incredible character, and actually lived up to the hype. A big part of that for me is cristin millioti’s charisma : she’s phenomenal.
Precisely, Cristin was the perfect choice, and she fit in with the rest of the cast, like she'd been there all along. They really did both her and Tracy a HUGE disservice!
@@trinaq HUGE DISSERVICE! I think they very much underestimated how well Cristin blended in with the cast. While also believing the audience wanted to see Ted & Robin get together…when we did not.
She was amazing. Ted didn't deserve her at all.
@@UrbanDecayLova247 totally agree. The writers just like TGOT refused to change their minds
she's such a great actress 😭😭 i loved her in Modern Love, i legit CRIED like a baby
What I really hated about the reveal of the mother was that Ted didn't really need to try. He literally just found the exact female version of himself. He didn't really need to learn how to love someone else's flaws or get along with her despite their differences. And in the end, he still somehow got the girl he'd been pining for for decades. Only this time, he was able to get the two kids he's always wanted without her infertility or hatred towards young children being an obstacle. He had his cake and ate it too. And honestly, that kinda makes it feel like he never really grew or changed as a person.
Totally agree. It would have made the whole show if Ted had to realise he needed to let go of some of his romantic ideals in order to find a good woman to settle down with.
Perfectly said
It's like the writers pictured themselves as Ted and expected all the good things to just fall from sky without the guy having to give anything to earn it. What they expect from women and children are frankly offensive. No child should have to be force fed their dad's entire sexual exploits history, find out the story supposedly about their dead mother isn't actually about their dead mother, and then be expected to respond enthusiastically with you gotta go hit on our aunt! I mean is that what the writers expect of their kids? God I hope they never father any child! This is not about widowers can't move on! He moved on plenty by telling his children in details all the other women. The ending shows an utter lack of respect and empathy, not just to the mother but also to the children and audience.
@@aquariusmirky I completely agree, You can't convince me that Ted wasn't a self insert for one or both of the writers. And as a pervious video here showed, Ted isn't a good guy like he thinks he is. I hated that finle with passion, cause I have been on the receiving end of a guy who just wanted to be with his dream girl🙄
@@jacquelinelugo5518 Apparently Ted, Marshall and Lily were inspired at least partially by the creators, Bays and Thomas, and the wife of the latter, while living in New York, so Ted kind of is an insert!
Fun fact: when Cobie Smulders did the read-through for the series finale, she ran out of the room crying. She and NPH were Ride-or-Die for Barney and Robin. The HIMYM showrunners learned what happens when you refuse to evolve your idea from 10 years earlier and don't keep up with your audience.
where'd u see that? i saw her recently defending the ending
@@moonlightmemories959 Did you not read? They said she was a ride or die Robin and Ted fan, she got what she wanted so she was probably crying of joy at that point.
@@lilymae7516 yeah i did actually, did you not read? because that’s not what they said
Really? Bc all the actors defended the ending but it's assumed they didn't like it either. Neil Patrick albeit always talking fondly of it even said his character can't appear on HIMYF due to his antics (playboys have always existed?) and he didn't change
I'm not even angry at them for killing the mother, I'm angry at them for splitting Robin and Barney! They were so perfect for each other and they helped each other grow so much only for the writers to throw all that character development to the trashcan in the finale, Robin deserves better!
When it revealed Robin and Barney split, my reaction was "I object"
I'm not angry because the two being "perfect for each other" was never a thing in the show.
Yes she deserved better, better than Ted. This was again an excellent example of an average male main character gets not only ONE great female partner but TWO. Also notice how she dies (young and beautiful) after giving him what Robin couldn’t/wouldn’t and Robin is then only absolutely “chosen” in a middle life stage of his life where he already had all what he wanted in a traditional sense.
I don’t think 2013 Ted was less than she deserved. 2005 Ted was, 2009 Ted was as well. But by that point Ted wasn’t just some average guy. Also, the show is basically Ted Mosby’s favorite book “Love in the Time of Cholera”, where the two main characters meet, fall in love, then fall out of touch, one gets married and his spouse dies, and 20 years later they meet again. Also, one can argue that her and Ted really were perfect for each other. She’s every bit as nerdy and crushingly romantic as he is (also she would have married another guy, but he died). Robin in 2013 isn’t really ready to marry anyone, but she loves Barney. In 2030, she’s finally at that point where she and Ted are in the same space for a relationship. Just because you hated the final answer doesn’t mean that the math getting to it didn’t make sense.
Looking back on the show, Ted is a villain in the stories of almost everyone outside his friend group he interacts with.
@@ryanedwards7487 how about it not making sense to me? And nice of you to assume that my opinion is simply because I didn’t like the ending. The ending taking in consideration most of the plot actually makes so much sense, for most people actually I believe. My issue is with the way it was depicted/presented. We are talking here about the way this specific character was shown as a plot device, we barely saw them together as a “real couple” , and the parallels with “Love in the Time of Cholera” are not an enough justification for me, for there we saw the points of view and lives of both characters. Sure I know HIMYM is supposed to be a lighthearted show but if that’s the parallel it’s very superficial and simplistic at best. And my saying that she deserved better is also very much to the fact that (as said in this video) the character is simply presented as “perfect”, unrealistically so. Hardly any man would have deserved her. This all in contrast with Robin who not only is a character which was far more developed but also more realistic like Ted, who in his defense is a realistically flawed character.
@@morantNO1 definitely not the one of Stella
@@louis-stephane1391 To be fair, the way he treated Stella, and several other past women, was abysmal.
Let's talk about the real tragedy: Robin's haircut on that last scene
They did her so dirty with her whole styling in the last episode
The wigs they put on Cobie looked like somebody skimped out and went to Party City for it and Ted's gray hair looks like that shitty Halloween color hairspray or baby powder.
💀💀
You're right
All the wigs in that final episode were criminal. Whoever was doing the styling that day went to party city...
i remember someone pointing out that Tracy dying wasn't the exact problem, it was that Ted and Robin got back together after all that. if it had *just* been the death, it would've still been sad and shocking to a lot of viewers, but narratively it would reframe the entire show in a way that was at least meaningful. it'd be a story about a dad working through his grief by telling his kids ALL the ups and downs of the journey towards meeting the mother, and as long and insane and chaotic it was, and even though the story would end in tragedy and grief, it was all still so worth it because that was how he met the love of his life; a lesson to his kids to treasure every moment, perhaps. it'd bittersweet if but imperfect, at the very least, and i imagine some people would grow fond of the idea after the initial shock. (and yeah take out the Barney & Robin divorce while you're at it...because what was the point of making the whole final season about their wedding if they were just going to break up?)
Yeap. I prefer your ending to the nonsense that was aired. Life is hard. Sometimes you find someone that is perfect for you only for them to die a few years later - but, even that is a blessing. Not everyone finds love, ever.
It doesn't matter that the show ended over 7 years ago, the strong betrayal the fans feel still burns strong 😭
😩😩😩🤣🤣 right
HATERS ya mean
The sad thing is that HIMYM had both versions of finding the perfect soulmate and growing into the person that becomes your soulmate in Lily/Marshall and Barney/Robin. Lily and Marshall are a long-term aspirational couple that met at the right time and is perfect together. Meanwhile, Barney and Robin are the couple that had issues but became better versions of themselves. Ted is a stepping stone for Robin and we repeatedly see why they are terrible together. It makes absolutely no sense for Barney and Robin to break up but expect Ted and Robin to work. HIMYM will always be the worst TV finale for me.
I think Dexter's final episode (before the reboot) was waaay worse but I completely agree with the rest 😉👍
At least they made a canon alternate ending that you can watch instead.
Together with Dexter and GoT’s entire final season.. I agree
its horrible, but can't top GoT sorry :D
The ending cheapened not only the mother's character but Robin and Barney's as well. Did Robin all of a sudden want to move to the suburbs and be a stepmom to two teenagers, what about her career and not wanting children? From the beginning of the show, that wasn't Robin's character, and that was one aspect of her that didn't change. In the end all the character development Barney went through just went out the window. A better ending would have been Robin and Barney staying together and travelling the world, and then Ted either being with Tracy to old age or if they so wanted to kill off her, have Ted say to his children, it didn't matter how little time he had with Tracy, it was all worth it, because she was the one for him. If they wanted Ted to end up with someone else after Tracy, then they could have had Ted ask his children if it would be okay for him to start dating again, hinting Ted's search for the same idealistic love would start all over again. The story treated Robin's unwillingness (then inability) to have children as the reason why neither Ted or Barney could have a happy ending with her. Both of them found someone else that could make them happy by giving them children. It made it seem like not wanting or being able to have children meant you could not have a fulfilling relationship.
Tracy deserved SO much better. It was shameful how the last episode just killed her off so unceremoniously by some ambiguous fatal disease. That whole finale was a mess. They also completely retconned all the character growth of Ted, Barney and Robin. In one episode.
Exactly. They brought everything back to where the characters were in s5. Right down to Barney being a womanizing sleaze again. Making Ted look like he was just with Tracy to get kids yet STILL pinned for Robin in the back of his mind. And Robin…..oh man. Terrible, soulless writing.
Precisely, and even worse, an earlier episode revealed that Marshall kills Lily off in his mind so that he doesn't feel guilty flirting or fantasing about other women. It's kind of funny at first, yet it just seems like poor taste when you realise that they killed Tracy off in a similar way.
Robin literally says that "you can't just go back to something just because it feels familiar, it's a mistake" and tells Ted to his face that he doesn't love him. This is narrative contradiction and that's why it's so hard to accept. Speaking of that messy final season, what was up with drawing out that wedding to last 20 LONG, AND BORING EPISODES??
@@FeministCatwoman thank you! Arggg and they don't even stay together grrrr
I actually REALLY like the Barney regression. ESPECIALLY because Robin couldn’t provide Barney children. Look at how life changing having a child was for Barney, and it’s almost tragic that Robin couldn’t be that life changing catalyst for him. For me Barney and Robin will always be the “what if” for me if Robin could’ve gave him children. Hell I’d argue, Robin and Ted are only a possibility because Ted had his kids already.
This show got at my deepest insecurity, having a seemingly wonderful relationship while your partner is secretly longing for someone else. Even if they're %100 faithful, darkest fear territory for me.
This show is always pointed out as an example of "don't have a pre determined ending" but I always saw it as "if you have an ending, keep it in mind when you write." They spend so long proving that Ted and Robin were wrong for each other (as you pointed out) and didn't do anything to imply that was no longer the case. But if they always wanted Ted/Robin to be endgame, they needed to develop both of there characters that way. Show Ted coming to love the idea of exploring the world. Show Robin not want young children, but find herself growing to teenagers. (Just because they aren't little kids doesn't mean Ted still isn't a parent, and a life with him is going to be child free.) I will never understand why they both said: this is the ending and we're sticking to it *and* we'll just let the show go where it wants too. You cannot have your cake and eat it too.
Planned endings are fine if you know how long your story is. The issue with TV shows like this is they don't plan for it to be long and then it goes off the rails (also Supernatural)
Tracy being dead in the present day should have been revealed much earlier so it isn't a last minute twist. They could have interspersed present day scenes throughout the season ultimately building up to him meeting Robin again. That way while you're watching Tracy scenes you aren't eagerly awaiting for them to have a happily ever after. Instead the focus is on finding love again after loss the whole season. The memory of Tracy could function more of a "spirit guide" for Ted.
@@PapaphobiaPictures Even with unpredictable runtimes, the writers still didn’t keep the predetermined ending in mind. It seems like they knew the ending but forgot how it would get there.
A common writting advice is to "write the ending first and then start telling your story as close to the ending as you can", this is not a set-in-stone rule but advice to avoid de-railing your series to the point of not knowing where it's actually headed. JKR famously had the final chapter of Harry Potter writen before even finishing the first book but as the story evolved so did the ending chapter, I don't remember who it was but some famous writer said that you should never fall in love with what you already wrote because that leads to mediocrity.
@@pyro2708 Completely agree. Having an ending in mind is very helpful when writing, but that doesn't mean it's unchangeable.
By the end of the show I actually felt like it was justifiable to tell this whole lot to the kids - it's a story about Lily and Marshal, Barney and Robin and Ted learning through his mistakes and finally letting Robin go before he met Tracy! And then they ruined it. RUINED. Never will not be mad about this stupid ending
When the kid was like, "This wasn't a story about how you met Mom, it was about how you're in love with Aunt Robin" I never got that impression. It was all connected and tied to the weird connected events Ted and Tracy had throughout those years. Robin was as much a bit player in the story as Barney and Marshall in terms of the story being "about" her.
@@Nightman221k exactly! That ending was just slapped on just because it was already filmed but it did not feel like it fit at all!
Ugh yes. I’ll never understand why they couldn’t just find a way to leave that old scene of the kids on the cutting room floor and figure out a way to write an ending that makes sense with all 9 seasons, not just the first two.
I wish the writers would come out and admit they fucked up the ending
Seriously, I can't stop being mad about it. It's just completely ruined the show entirely and I cannot rewatch this show.
Does anyone else find it weird that Ted's children are okay with Ted going after Robin? Like, if you found out that your father secretly loved your aunt his entire life (an aunt who you know specifically did not want a family), wouldn't you be a little upset? Because it doesn't seem like Ted tried dating anyone else. It seems like Tracy died and Ted specifically stalked Robin for 6 years plotting the right time to get his kids' blessing to go after her.
dang good catch. i hadn't thought about how it's been 6 years since Tracy died...so is the implication he didn't try to date anyone at all for 6 years?! that does not sound ted-like
Well its not their real aunt
@@Chris-rg6nm close enough
I thought it was strange too 😅
My first question would be "did you even really love mom or was she just a baby making machine for you?" I would be so upset that I would accuse him trying to manipulate me by telling that story to fish out a permisson to date our "aunt" .
The simple fact is: Ted giving Robin the blue French horn at the end doesn't hold a candle to the "I got off the plane" line from Rachel to Ross. It doesn't feel authentic after we see the genuine chemistry between Robin and Barney.
The ending reduced the mother to a vehicle to have the kids Robin didn’t want
And later couldn't have because God forbid she might change her mind. It's offensive. Basically they say if she's not THE mother, then she'll be nobody's mother in any form.
Couldn't have*
The writers achieved the unlikely, Herculean task of getting the casting right. I had a little too much time on my hands while this show is on the air, and I can remember commenters lamenting how a known actress could be too polarizing, or an unknown lacking wow factor. But once she was cast, she seemed universally loved. That should have been the hard part. Why not put in some overtime and give them a decent ending.
The mother was "too perfect" because she was strategically written to be so. Over the years we learned about Ted's choices and preferences on what he wants in a girl by sharing bits and peices about her character off screen, so by the end of 8 seasons when finally the mother showed up it was just the writers simply filling in the blanks. Her character was simply written based on Ted's checklist and whatever info Ted has told us and the kids about her. Likes renaissance fairs, coin collections, paints robots playing football, own a yellow toy bus, a yellow umbrella, wears driving gloves, likes the exact same specific nerdy stuff that ted likes, to the t. Nobody can find a person that specific in who they want. It almost seems caricaturish. A unicorn person who has literally no flaws. La vie en rose indeed. But Cristin Milioti played her to perfection and that makes us love her. Victoria seems more realistic because she was originally written to be the mother in case the show was cancelled after 1 or 2 seasons. But that didn't happen and they brought her back only to ruin her character in the end. I mean she was suddenly a slob in season 8? Nobody noticed that before? It could have done another, more respectful way if they were so desperate to get rid of Victoria. It was just poor and lazy writing. And she was completely right about the whole Ted and Robin thing. But Ted never evolved from his almost childish stubbornness. They did Victoria bad too imo.
I agree! They ruined Victoria to justify her and Ted's incompatibility, and I get it, though I feel like it could have been done better. I also believe that her "flaws" weren't so terrible. It always felt weird to me (even if I love Tracy, she IS the one and only mother) because her main "flaw" was being messy, something, I feel like, Ted could've found out after some dates... Idk, I've never bought that 😂
To be fair they didn't break up cause of Victoria messiness. Victoria pulled an emily and told Ted he couldn't be friends with Robin which was a little of the blue. Although she was I guess right. I liked her and Ted though
I have a different reading of why she seemed so perfect. To me it made sense because Ted is telling this big, romanticised version of how he fell in love with this specific woman. So all the extra, perfect things he wants become the things that he loves about her. The way he’s telling the story and the things he focussed on are reflections of who he ended up with - it’s a biased narrative. That’s (one of the reasons) why the death of the mother and Ted & Robin ending up together doesn’t work - because Ted IS the narrator, even retrospectively, he knows that Robin wasn’t a good match for him.
FR. They should have made a few flaws about Tracy's character. Also, they should have developed Ted's character more. For example, after every one of his relationships end, he should learn more and more about trying to be less picky about the woman he'd probably want to settle down with one day and realise that no one is perfect and that's okay. He should've also realised more and more that he's not as good of a guy as he thinks he is and should try to become a better person and boyfriend.
Although the ending wasn't the best, it did teach a valuable and realistic lesson. That life is not perfect as terrible things happen and one has to learn to cope with them and move on.
What surprises me most is that the writers were so damn careful when actually introducing and setting up the actual character of Tracy. The myth of the mother has been set up for 8 seasons and they had one season to make us fall in love with a brand new character and make her falling in love with Ted believable. And they did. And she was. And it was beautiful. They carefully crafted this perfect character and THEN they turned around and made the biggest mistake of the entire show. How could all of that happen in the span of the same damn season???
so basically it was never really actually believable at all and as for as with Ted and Robin VASTLY more believable so basically SCREW little miss perfect Tracy
The writers, the directors and Cristin Milioti did the impossible! They exceeded the impossible expectations for the mother! Her death was completely fine in my opinion, it actually made sense. It explains why Ted would be so hung up on the past and wanting to share it with his kids. What doesn't make sense is how the show broke up Barney and Robin, and having Ted chase after Robin at the end...
When the show ended, one explanation I saw was that Ted and Tracey ended up with who they really loved. Ted was with Robin, and Tracey was with her partner who had died. Either way, the problem I have with HIMYM is not the ending, but that it's basically Ted telling his kids all the women he slept with before their mother and acting as a "nice guy" the whole time.
@@JuanWayTrips I loved HIMYM including the last serries. I do like your happy ending about that but also I don't think this video is completely right we live in a world that changes. People change what was compatible 2 years ago isn't now, or vice versa, humans are weird.
Exactly this. They had an impossible task that doesn't normally work out for creatives, and they pulled it off! And I don't mind the mother dying. It's sad, but HIMYM did okay with having dark underlying themes at times. Ted and Robin were the part that didn't make any sense, even to the very end, because Robin hadn't changed.
@@dudds6699 yeah but they don't show us that change and they said that a soul mate is instantaneous, that you don't grow into it, that he hadn't met his soul mate. Making it clear that the mother is the soul mate, and implying Robin is Barney's and even after years ted still says this, that they don't work. But we are supposed to believe that they are end game and Barney never changed until he met his daughter. In the real world people do change, sometimes was just bad timing. But the show established a fairy tale, soul males falling in love at first sight and living happily ever after. Even the mother dying and Robin/Barney breaking up then Barney knocking someone up; could work, as Marshall's father died and him/Lilly did break up for a time. But according to the established themes of the show, Robin should have gotten back with Barney not Ted, like Lilly and Marshall getting back together. Since it's implied that they are soulmates and they always find their way together, and Barney gets his daughter. The road doesn't have to be easy but they find their way together/back together, even when death separates them.
Didn't expect to see an Oscar Stinson comment but should not be surprised. Also, absolutely agreed. Tracy's death was heartbreaking but beautiful, him turning around and chasing after Robin again was the real nail in the coffin
Honestly, the way the show ended is so frustrating, especially considering how little you had to change to make a perfectly satisfying ending. For me it's kind of a good example to why it's important for writers to be flexible and follow the natural development of their stories, even if it's not what they imagined at the beginning.
I agree, I cried the night of finally because I was so upset about the ending.
Fr it was so unnecessary and for what? "It's realistic", nothing on that show was and it was the last 2 eps. They used an ending from S2
Being the daughter of a widow I am definitely happy that my father has found love after my mother has passed. but I would be grossed out to hear all about his escapades and how he has had feelings for an old flame and good friend for decades... But ok maybe it's just me
This. I'd have been fine with the idea of my dad dating an old friend. But being told a long-ass story about how he chased her for years and years, right up until the day she married someone else, all as a justification for why he now wants to date said old friend? Yeah, no. Suddenly I wouldn't be all that enthusiastic for him to 'go for it' with "Aunt Robin".
@@cardwitch91 as much as i didnt like the ending sadly ive seen friends do this after a spouse died
@Frappa Canu thats cool but the term is widower
@@LPF7 literally no one cares bro. They both mean the same thing
@@edadragneel1569 I care
I think something that's interesting in this is that the fans (at least that I ever saw) didn't want Ted to end up with Robin. The show went out of its way of showing how they weren't good together and that the theme with Robin was that even if you WANT someone to be the one they aren't, and that you have to let go of your IDEA of the person to actually find someone who is the one. They did an amazing job of casting cristin millioti as the mother, a character I thought would never live up to the hype of the show and absolutely exceeded all of my expectations. I will never understand 1) how they didn't recognize that Ted ending up with Robin didn't make sense and 2) how they simply didn't use an old clip of the kids look at the dad as old Ted says "and that kids, is how I met your mother" as Tracy comes in and gives him a hug "are you still talking about this?" as Ted hugs her back "Of course, I waited a long time for you to come into my life"
Damnnnn Man that's wholesome 👏👏👏
One aspect that is missing here: While we witnessed Ted’s various relationships, Tracy experienced the trauma of her fiancé dying and only getting over this by the time she meets Ted. Showing an incredible double standard: the perfect women is somehow pure and virginal waiting for the perfect guy while it’s never questioned how he is treating the girls he dates.
This has ALWAYS bothered me! They made her as close to being a perfect virgin princess without making her a virgin princess - patiently waiting for ted to be done banging half the city so she can be saved by him and have his children She was too good for him
Which is kind of funny, when you binge watch the series, versus watching it week to week, season to season (Had an ex a couple years after the finale who hadnt seen it, so we watched it), is that all of them except Marshall are kind of pieces of shit. Although even he had a couple dubious moments... his "8 or Higher" one immediately comes to mind. Watching the seasons like "Damn, Ted's banged like 45 girls in this show..." Not sure what the actual number is, but still.
Omg yes
The writers thought oh so ted want kids let's give him a womb and after that he will get robin
omg that’s exactly what happened. you put it perfectly lol
Yes, absolutely! After waiting so long for the mother, there were so many high expectations for whoever was going to play the role. And we were deprived of her character by only featuring Tracy in the final season, and then killing her off in the end because the writers were too lazy to rewrite the ending they planned after season 1 and consequently undid all the character development the cast had. They expected 2 seasons and were lucky enough to get 9. They shouldn’t have kept their ending just because they filmed it when the actors for Ted’s kids were still young.
Lmao is that why everything “resets”??? Because the episode was shot ages ago?!
@@DeathnoteBB Yup. The Take mentions it at 12:00. They filmed their ending during the production and filming of season 2 and decided to keep it for the ending of season 9. They clearly did not care about character development and ultimately ruined the legacy of their show.
@@KitKatLag you should watch HIMYF they introduce the father in the first episode
Honestly, it felt to me that the show creators were just like the version of Ted they ended up portraying. They were completely unable to let go even when they had something so much better already. It was as easy as ending things with that meeting, so what you didn't explain why Ted spent a decade telling this story? That's not the point, the point was that he got the fairytale romance he wanted and now was telling it. And if you wanted a resolution with the kids, it was as simple as having the kids being relieved that its finally over just for Tracy to come in and say "Ok, so this is the story of how I met your father", the kids then sigh in defeat because Tracy being Ted's soulmate would also spend 10 years telling her version of the same story and the kids know this. Cut to black and everyone laugh. You end your story on a sweet romantic joke. The end.
hmm then thank you show creators for ending the story on a sweet romantic note the end indeed with Ted&Robin:(maybe they might adopt and maybe perhaps Robin simply was just uncomfortable of with the idea of like taking care of babies toddlers little kids and/or maybe it might be basically a case of oh ya can't have your own biological children basically but then still oh I've like conceived my own bio child/ren and maybe the show was indeed actually not ever truly about the mother after all and the mother might have been Robin after all or eh whatever and I might have read the stiff I've mentioned some while ago and did not ever actually come with up with.........):their friends Marshall&Lilly:(with their own kids):and the um uh well um how do yall how would yall put it philanderer womanizer player whatever he's got his beloved dearest daughter Ellie and Tracy's reunited with her Max and I might have already mentioned like some of that like DOZENS of times maybe as a sort of trying to like knock some sense into yall
One of the most egregious uses of the red herring in this show is actually in the pilot. It has the narration telling the kids "im going to tell you the story of how I met your mother." You know, their beloved, loving, cool, warm, angelic mom who adored them and passed tragically six years before? And their response amounts to "ugh... do you have to?" Like its such an inconvenience to hear fond stories about their late mom.
Hearing you on this. My mom passed in 2021 and I crave more stories about her.
It might be because he's a bad storyteller that's off topic. He's telling them how he fell for their aunt, and its possibly not the first time they are hearing this story. Idk I like theories.
@@chaosspy6723 Kids didn't know anything, as they believed for a second that their mother was a stripper, also named Tracy (1st season). And they said it before he started on rambling, they didn't know it would take that much time, they were disappointed with the first episode's story turning out to be about aunt Robin. So yes, they're basically ungrateful brats, who didn't care for their dead mum (I obviously get why they'd get impatient with Ted with time, but this was the very beginning).
I honestly thought it was because he goes in long winded, boring anecdotes, chock full of nerdiness, so the kids are more thinking "ANOTHer one...?" More so than it being a reaction to hearing about their mom.
Robin and Barney were already a better fit for eachother in season 1, when they did their bro night.
totally!!!
Robin and Barney's chemistry was fantastic, the dynamic between Robin and Ted always felt like he was forcing it and could never just chill and relax because she was wrong for him.
@@Nightman221k whats really ironic is barney the "player" was the faithful partner and ted cheated many times
They're endgame even if Ted and Robin get together they'll never last
After all these years, I am still angry. They murdered her! They made the kids suggest something stupid! They ruined the show!
The ending where Barney and Robin stay together and Ted moves on for real would have been so satisfying, because it would communicate this larger theme that people grow! Life often isn't like a TV show where you end up with the first person you meet! Ted needed to learn some serious lessons about love and being a better partner, which was really cheapened by finishing out the show with Robin. And as you pointed out, they treated a lot of other Big Life Things with a lot of complexity and seriousness (the scene where Lily gets out of the cab to tell Marshall his dad didn't make it STILL makes me cry, even just seeing the clip in this video made me well up), which was part of why the ending was so frustrating - there was a lot about this show that was written and executed so well!!
Her being dead is a good explanation for why Ted is telling the story, the fact that it wasn't even really about Tracy makes Ted an asshole. I saw a meme that showed a fake title card that said "Cristin Miliotti as uterus." It's funny because it's true. Also, breaking up Barney (who I maintain isn't a total sleaze; Ted is an unreliable narrator) and Robin is BS.
NOT breaking up Barney:(who I maintain kind of IS a total Ted's the frickin protagonist like it or not stupid haters):and Robin is BS indeed so bravo well done:(nah I'm not like being sarcastic or whatever): writers creators directors eh whatever
All I can say is Ted had believable and way more chemistry with Tracy in the span of short time than 'Ted & Robin'..
"How I met your mother" is the a prime example of a show being totally ruined by it's ending. What was once a generation defining sitcom, is now one of the most infamous pieces of media out there. That now the only time people talk about it, it's about how much we hate the ending or how terrible Ted is.
The Game Of Thrones of sitcoms
Exactly, I used to watch the show all the time I haven’t seen a single episode since the finale.
@@tlahmed yup, seriously, me too.
It was my FAVORITE when it was airing, but I haven't watched a single episode since the finale.
How was it once in a generation?
While watching the show as it aired, my dream scenario for finally introducing the mother would include at least one season (after they met) where we would see her integrate herself with the group dynamics while they were dating. I wanted classic episodes at the apartment, McClaren's, etc. except with her present. Instead we spent all of the final season at this wedding, or getting to the wedding, and only snippets of how she met the others. Then when she and Ted finally meet, immediately they are married, and we only get a few more snippets, and it's over. She never really got to be part of the cast. We never got to see that love grow between them. We didn't get to see her own personality mix in with the others. "Too perfect" is one thing, but I argue she only seems that way because they didn't give her enough time in the script, and could only show us the distilled down parts of her that "make her work" for Ted and the gang. The whole final season felt rushed and unlike the other 8 seasons, and I think that's the main reason I felt cheated, personally.
15:27 What's an extra twist of the knife is if this show is really saying Barney was destined to be a Dad and what would make him good that would imply him being with Robyn was wrong because Robyn can't have kids and doesn't want them. Robyn would be tearing up a happy father/daughter family that doesn't even exist yet by not choosing Ted and deciding to stay with Barney.
They had to make Robin's inability to give birth a constant deterrent to her happiness and the happiness of the men that love her.
I never considered that but when you explain it that way it does seem offal the way robins relationship with Barney and Ted very hostile to infertile women though I kind of suspected it
@@Nightman221k and made her pin after a married man with kids for then waiting to he noticed by him
@@Nightman221k Which was the writers revealing some misogyny directed at women who don't want a traditional domestic life. Robin is punished for not wanting what Ted wants. Which says too much about the show's inherent politics.
@@cherylhulting1301 Yeah, it was such a lame way to end the series. Barney and Robin being childless adults who enjoyed their life and just were good Uncle/Aunt figures to Ted, Tracey, Lilly, and Marshall's kids would have been satisfactory. The ending they did was cheesy and reduced their characters to season 1 versions of themselves.
I cannot help but feel like Tracy was just a handmaid, that is kind of depressing but it had to be said.
True!
Yup. Now Ted has done the traditional family and raised children he can be with Robin without their different wants being a problem. Tracy deserved better than being a placeholder and baby maker.
Yep :(
*Ding Ding Ding* This is why I hated the ending and it didn't make as much sense.
This is why the ending was so bad, they built her up throughout the whole show only for him to get back together with Robin? A move that goes against the literal title of the show.
They should have made robin the mother
@@Missmagazinebura exactly! if that’s how they were going to go about their relationship, they should’ve just made her the mother. There was no point for Tracy aside just being his kids mom 🥲
@@Missmagazinebura but then that would go against robins character 😭
Not just that but the entire series just went on about how Robyn was not the right person for Ted, how they were not compatible and then pulls a "sike"
When I originally watched the finale of How I Met Your Mother, I remember being so angry and upset on how it ended, I think I cried. Throughout the show, they gave us numerous reasons as to why Ted and Robin would never be able to work, so shoehorning them in at the last minute was awful. My favorite episode is How Your Mother Met Me, because you see how wonderful and how she's perfect for Ted and how he would be perfect for her. And that is the real tragedy that they threw away all away for Robin, who never wanted a traditional domestic life.
The funny thing about that last point is that despite the shows nostalgic tone , quite a few episodes had a theme of not living in the past and that moving on in life was paramount . Then in the last 10 minutes of the final episode they just go “ nah actually do live in the past and if you just hold out long enough eventually all obstacles to you getting back with the woman you dated 23 years ago will magically remove themselves “
HIMYM should have just filmed multiple endings. One where he ends up with Robin, and one where the mother doesn't die and they live happily ever after. Then they could have used the ending that best suited the show and would be most satisfying to viewers when they got there. I'm still mad about that ending.
They did make an alternate ending on the dvd where they completely leave out any mention of Tracy getting sick and dying and instead has a heartwarming montage of all the steps Ted took to find her, showing how far he came and allowing the audience to relive every great moment.
@@TheITinFIT Yeah but they did Barney and Robin there dirty too for some reason but at least it's hinted they get back together. I take these crumbs
HIMYM writers killing off Tracy is almost like the weird fantasy Marshall has to make up in his head when he sees a woman he might be attracted to, where he first has to have Lilly die due to a long illness and he waits an appropriate number of years before pursuing the other person..
Lol, I thought about that too. Makes you wonder if that was intentional on the part of writers, since that part was played as a joke.
Yes yes 😂
Robin should never have ended up with someone who asked her to give away her dogs.
Imagine if HIMYM had ended with the alternate ending how much praise it would have received....
We all deserved better. The show deserved better. The producers didn’t have to stick to that ending they made 7 years prior. They could’ve come up with something that would satisfy the world and characters they built. Instead, we got a finale that retconned everything back to s5 and made almost everything from s6-9 completely pointless!!!! I’m not kidding: you can watch the show s1-5, skip to the finale AND NOT MISS A THING!!!!! Worst finale in tv history imo
Nailed it. One of the biggest killers of a good series is when a writer sticks resolutely to an ending that just isn’t good in light of what they’ve since created. Their original ending could have been good FOR A DIFFERENT SHOW but everything they made in between made it a stupid idea. The chemistry between certain characters, the spiritual/fairy tale themes that shone through and resonated with the audience, all these things were shot to shit with that garbage fire of an ending
Absolutely agree.
THANK YOU! I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO POINT OUT THE PART THAT SOME OF THE MIDDLE SEASONS DIDN'T MAKE SENSE AFTER WATCHING THE FINALE.
I was thinking about this the other day.. robin is the "cool girl", dream woman of ted and he's crazy about her. The thing is they want different things in life so, he wants family she doesnt, and they split. At the end, he gets everything he wants in life -family, kids and success in career. But the mother is not his forever dream girl robin so its kind of like some fantasy where the mother dies so he can both have the kids robin didnt want and _robin_ .
It kind of reminds me of that episode where Marshall says he can't fanatize about other women because he's feels guilty about cheating on Lily in his mind. So he first imagines her dead and going through the whole process of grieve and moving on with undertone hints of everyone supporting his deserve to bang.
@@pixelpulse0755 thats so funny, but yeah its kinda like that lol
Yep - and a lot of men don't marry their "first choice" for a multitude of reasons.
Shhhh! The Take girls are OBSESSED with Gone Girl and find any excuse to sidetrack a video and make it about the fucking Gone Girl lady; don't give them ideas.
What we all need to remember is that this story is being told from teds perspective. So the mother is perfect. Because that's how he sees her. And robin is cool because that's how he sees her.
I felt so cheated. It's like he used Tracy to play out the script of the life he wanted, while Robin was the person he wanted all throughout.
I will never understand how this show somehow managed to pull of this ridiculous feat of having the perfect mother and ending for all of the characters only to subsequently destroy all of that hard work and character development painstakingly created over 9 seasons in less than 45 min…
a long needed sequel "How I lost your mother" showing how living with the perfect soulmate was not what Ted wanted. It displays his true failed character, Even though the Mother announces to be terminally ill the only thing Ted can think about is Robin. This breaks the mothers heart and will make the kids despise him forever. They only sit there listening to his made up lies in order to collect evidence to sue and make Ted pay for abandoning their mother.
I'm not crazy about Ted either, hate the finale, and hate Robin/Ted as a couple... but I don't think he began feeling affectionate to Robin again until after Tracy died.
Bro what😂 Sue for what?
well Ted literally says so himself he doesn't want perfect he wants Robin the heart wants what/who(m) what it wants I guess and nah pretty much none of that's really needed
@@Nightman221k he's clearly ALWAYS felt affectionate to Robin long long before ever meeting the female version copy of himself Tracy I think the hate is completely stupid
Literally like 2 weeks before the series ended my dad asked casually "so why is he telling the kids this story, did she die?" And I immediately was just like Oh No because part of me knew that would be a terrible ending and was probably going to happen.
There is a lot to be upset about in the ending, but the part that gets me the most is something I have seen in too many shows. Ted said that no matter where life took Robin, she was never alone. It was a touching sentiment about the commitment to that friendship over the years. But because he ends up with her it's just the shadow of what their relationship ends up being. People can have friends that they love and care about. But anytime you see a show with a man who cares about a woman they have to date. The only time they can be friends is children's shows. For some reason they trust their audience. Everything Ted ever did for Robin has less value because they end up together. A beautiful friendship thrown away for a subpar romance.
There is a "Tracy problem", too, which is that they go out of their way to make Tracy too perfect. She's practically an angel. It's also the trope of the Dead Mom Sitcom, where in most sitcoms with a widower, the mom is remembered as perfect, but in HIMYM, you actually see how perfect the dead mom is for the whole final season. It's so forced, having her encounter all the other characters and solve all their problems. The alternate ending at least makes it a bit tolerable because our investment in Tracy pays off.
If the finale ended 5 mins earlier, it would have been great. I didn’t mind the fact that the mother died-it made sense for the story. However, Ted’s kids callously disregarding their mum mere seconds after we hear of her death was very wrong.
The writers refused to change the pre-written ending to fit with all the character development they achieved in NINE seasons. AND they still "stand by their ending" to this day despite all the feedback. Both of these facts show that the writers were not flexible at all. That's the most disappointing part about HIMYM.
the writers are ADMIRABLE indeed not letting pretentious whiners stupid haters pathetic crybabies stop them from what they've apparently really wanted and SCREW the "disappointment" BS
Fr have you seen Robin's appearance in the new bad spin off
@@monabohamad2242🤡
The problem with being dead set on a certain conclusion right from the beginning is that you need to make sure all future decisions will make that ending work. The show turned into something different from what it started as, and with an idea that's much more challenging than what Hollywood normally gives us: Ted found the right relationship *because* he was in the wrong one first.
Like my husband said amd I agree, the problem isn't necesseraly ted ending up with robin, it's the so little amount of screen time we got from tracy. Jesus, they could give us at least one season with the freakin mother.
Finally a take on this show that I can agree with. I thought killing off Tracy was an unbelievably bad move. It kinda retroactively ruined the show. I thought Ted finally letting go of Robin was a good move and I feel like that should have happened a season earlier and so should the introduction of Tracy. Also, compared to Tracy, Robin is deeply unlikeable, which makes brushing her aside so that Ted can end up with Robin extremely irritating.
Hail Cthulhu. Love the name. I also wish Ted found and stayed with Tracy. That would have made it work. I did like Robin, but she wasn’t right for Ted and seemed more antagonistic than she really was because the whole relationship wasn’t right and they didn’t have the same views or wants. They were at odds all the time or had to sacrifice what made them the person they were to fit the other person. It’s killing the soul and no one deserves that. Tracy is a peach and she deserved so much better.
I love Robin. She isn't unlikable but we should have been introduced to the mother like 2 seasons before they introduced her
Robin is not unlikeable but her relationship with Ted does make HIM unlikable
If they wanted us to accept it they should have spent a season on their relationship and shown us why this would happen so easily. Why he would go right back to wanting Robin. Because yes this happens. Quite frankly a lot. But you have to show the progression for it to look natural and not monstrous. I mean it's way too quick to expect viewers to be on board.
I agree. And of course fans were upset when they break Robin and Barney up in 1 episode -- you literally spent the last few seasons building their relationship (with one whole season spent about their wedding!). Wow, imagine that -- people actually got invested in their relationship!
@@spacebutterfly_ yes! show me their demise so i believe it. It was just lazy story telling if you ask me.
I think that the ending made Ted even more insufferable. The hopeless romantic to an extreme degree was tolerable but his willingness to pursue Robin felt pathological, at least to me. The ending kinda carved it in stone. Still love the show though.
I haven't got over the fact that they threw away Barney and Robin's relationship in 2 minutes, despite making us fall for them over several seasons...
Yes The Mother died and nearly right after he ran to Robin with a Blue Instrument it was pathetic. She was screwed over BADLY.
Well, technically it was 6 years.
The one good thing about the final season was introducing me to Cristin Milioti. Been a fan since, and clearly the only reason why the Mother reveal wasn't the big letdown it was destined to be. I feel like the Robin reveal would have gone over better with people (not me. I hated them the entire time and would have been upset even if the mother was actively terrible) had they chosen someone else. Cristin played it too well.
Omg yes. She’s amazing in Once. I heard she’s on an HBO show as the lead and I’ve been wanting to check it out
@@binah7744 lol yes she does. It's called made for love and I've rewatched it like 5 times now.
She was also in “death to 2020” and proved she could be as dislikable as she can be likeable because she’s an amazing actress 💖
@@Mugruncher I think she prefers being dislikable, all the best people do. (Exept James Woods)
What would've been better if the producers should've just made the HIMYF series based from Tracy's perspective; having her own life before Ted, having a circle of friends that may or may not intertwined into key scenes in the original and well loved HIMYM series.
It would have been hilarious to see Ted ending his story and say: ''and that, kids, is how I met your mother''. Then, the camera turns to the kids and they're grown adults now because Ted took so long. 😂😂
Ted is also such a terrible character. Just as bad as Ross from Friends. Absolutely terrible boyfriend material. Why are we supposed to root for the "hopeless romantic" who's perfect partner is someone completely out of his league, and is a far better person than he has ever been. He's always so self-involved it's pathetic.
It's so weird to hear "Germans" in American series trying to pronounce German words xD and Lebenslangerschicksalsschatz is not even a real existing word in the German language that people use xD
Thank you!😊❤️ Just came here to see, if there was already a comment on this! It still makes me soooo angry! I mean we have beautiful words, why invent something new and then something soooo ridiculous! 😩
Exactly. The writers probably ran a phrase through Google Translate and then made it all one word so it would look more "German."
@@snuilala8500 Take it easy. Americans love the "sch" and the hard z. I guess that is why they chose that word.
@@dominator8245 I can understand Snui Lana, we do have nice words and that ain't one xD
Seriously, 90% of the time when characters are supposed to talk German it sounds like complete gibberish. I'm impressed anyone can actually tell what Klaus is supposed to be saying. Props to Atlanta and Better Call Saul for actually hiring German actors for German characters.
If there's one good thing I can say about the sequel, How I Met Your Father, is that the creators acknowledged the negative feedback to HIMYM's finale and made sure that the leading character's future kids exist only as a voice so that the show wouldn't be locked into a specific ending that no longer reflects the characters development
Why does it matter that the kids are a voice?
No show has let me down the way that How I Met Your Mother did. After years I'm still not over it! It was coming to its natural conclusion and was ultimately derailed by a 10 year old decision that didn't work any more.
I was so PISSED with the ending of this show!!!! What a creep to make his kids sit there and listen to this self involved story only to lead to the conclusion that their mother was nothing but a also ran, not really important in her own right. Can you imagine how hurtful that is? I'm sure when your mother died you cling to any memory, yours or someone else's, that you have of your mother.
I totally agree. I was so disappointed about how the mother was treated in the Episode telling her Story with Ted just in a few minutes 🥺
I choose to believe the alternate ending video where Ted and Tracy end up happily ever after is the real ending 😂
What really peeved about finding out the mother dies is that the fact early on the kids ask is this going to take long and are we being punished. My father passed away and I would love to hear stories about him. Also the fact that they thought they were going to hear about their mom and dad falllijt in love when it’s about their aunt robin. I can understand the kids wanting their dad to move on but hearing the whole story and their reaction seems very unrealistic.
bcuz he kept blabbering on blabbing on for so so very long Ted talks a lot too much DUH so really chances are he's told them like just about EVERYTHING about their mom already
himym is basically the biggest clickbait in the history
The German of Klaus is just so awful 😅👍 “lebenslanger Schicksalsschatz” is not a thing in Germany nor German language, I have to disappoint you 😉✌️ but there is something like „Schicksalshaft“ to describe meetcute or getting together in a very kitschy way
Oh the dreadful German in American films and TV shows. 😅
If I ever have to hear the "lebenslanger Schicksalsschatz" one more time, I'm going to scream! I am german and nobody in Germany EVER has used that expression in a relationship to descibe the love of his/her life!
Or pronounced those (separate) words that way
They simply used her to birth Ted's children so they could conveniently remove her and the writers could get their Ted and Robin endgame since she didn't want children
Love that this channel is still making HIMYM videos. It's been so long, but I don't think I'll ever be over how they tried to end this show. So bafflingly bad, I still can't believe it.
It's about ted's decades-long dangerous* obsession* on Robin There fixed the depiction of ted's real relationship with Robin They made Tracy this innocent and naive person who was clueless about ted's narcissism and thought it was enduring. Something that people, in general, are conditioned into by societal expectations
the creators of this show look like ted mosby, i think this was a vanity project by them and they got seasoned script writers to make it look romantic when youre 100% correct theres many psychology pages and videos on how toxic and dangerous ted is
I really enjoyed HIMYM. I watched it with my husband from the pilot on, and we were about the same age as the characters. But that horrible ending and the way Tracy was mistreated made me hate it retroactively so that I never wanted to re-watch even one episode after that.
Same. I watched every episode every week and all the reruns until that last episode aired and I have not watched an episode since it ended. It's my most hated ending of a show ever.
Whilst talking about Zoey trying to get Ted to give up his literal dream one of his highest life goals The Take decides it's not completely stupid to say "Ted is unwilling to compromise" No matter who you are or who is asking you NEVER give up your dreams for them. You instead find the person who is willing to help you live out those dreams.
I feel like what actually happened is that the creators of the show I had only planned for a certain number of seasons. The show became a hit and then they basically continued on with it not knowing that they outgrown their original plan. So during the final two seasons they tried to discreetly reset certain characters so that their original plan could work.
This, you seriously start seeing major character regression starting in season 8, and then it's full steam ahead for season 9. Barney's was especially egregious. Outside of Robin he already developed so much, even if they got divorced, I feel like season 7 Barney would have not gone full steam back into douchery (honestly I wouldn't have even minded if it was right after the divorce, then he deals with knowing that life moves on, and stops for himself; the child plotline felt like it was from season 2). Actually, the entire finale feels like it works better if it's at the end of season 2 with Victoria as the mother. She wasn't perfect, but she was nice and Ted liked her. Because Robin and him are currently incompatible, Ted moves on and loves Victoria. Then finale. During season 2, Ted and Robin still had a lot of chemistry. Idk how you spend 9 years putting a character on a pedestal, and then wonder why people are mad when they shoot her down. By the end of season 2, we hadn't spiraled into "this woman is so perfect angels sing" territory, Victoria was just a nice, regular woman with flaws and who Ted liked hanging out with. As an aside, Lily also got a bad ending. She was a wife and mother for the rest of her life. Marshall achieved his dreams, but it would have been nice to at least have seen Lily maybe able to make art for herself. She spends a lot of the series struggling with her identity, who she is outside of her 10+ year relationship, and her ending is watching Marshall win an election? Granted, this is Ted's recollection, and he seems to deify Marshall and crucifix Lily, I guess it's not surprising that all he knows of her is that she misses Robin, and loves her kids and husband. That's it.
I can't find the article, but I read a few years ago that the show had like a 4 season plan, but it was such a hit that CBS kept renewing it. Honestly, I think if the cast wasn't so ready to move on, they would have pushed for a 10th season. (The guy who played Marshall didn't want to be in the last season originally, which is why he's in a car for most of it)
Ever noticed that most of Ted's love interests have certain facial structures and are thin, sometimes with large eyes?
Like Virginia, his mom
Oh wow, now that I think about it, that true.
This is what the ending should be. Ted after telling how he and tracy started talking under the umbrella: And kids, that's the story of how I met your mother. Roll credits Post credit scene: Tracy comes in, camera shifts angle from the kids to her: hey kids, is dad bothering you with one of his long stories again? Kids chuckle Tracy: Anyway honey the gang is waiting outside, you didn't forget we had to go to robots vs wrestlers: finale today? Ted: of course I remembered. Bye kids! Ted and Tracy head outside, the gang starts talking. Barney: guys, this night is gonna be legen, wait for it... All together: dary! The end.
yes
To me Tracey actually looked like a mashup of Lilly and Robin.... that feels so odd, that I almost start to think about her being nothing more than a metaphor...
Ted is *The Worst*. The mother is awesome. The relationship with him and Robin is so blah and I was so incredibly MAD at the end of the show. I can't even watch it in reruns.
Agreed so much Robin does not fit with Ted I loved Robin X Barney they used a whole season the convinced me that Ted X Robin do not fit and he and Barney clicked very much... The original ending would work if the show ended when it was planned but after so many seasons they should have re cut the ending. The alternative ending did work a little better but as you said Trace was great :D
The way I see the time lapse at the end is that Ted is telling this story to his kids and they would have actually heard most of the actual life with the mother, the wedding, their own childhood etc. The story they did not know until being teenagers is who Ted was before their mother, so that's what the story focuses about. So for me, the entire premise of the show is him finally accepting that the love of his life died and revisiting an old love, explaining to his children why Robin is special enough for him to date her after their mother is gone