As writers, we strive to stir emotions, make a point, and ideally surprise our audience. The finale for How I Met Your Mother did all of these things, yet still left mixed emotions. Below I will complain, then justify the writers’ decisions, and then complain some more. If you need to read some spoiler-filled venting, read on.
Friendships Will Fade
If any credit can be given to this finale, it is the honest truth of growing up. The group (Ted, Robin, Marshal, Lily, and Barney) could not continue to see each other like they did the past many seasons. Children and work change everything. But really good friends will always come back around. True friends make time – when possible – to see each other. Then conversations continue like magic, as if they never stopped.
I couldn’t help but think: Ted and Marshal are truly best friends for life. I liked seeing different periods of their future friendship together.
Some Friends Will Disappoint You (Life isn’t Perfect)
When Robin and Barney revealed to the crew that they had divorced, I was disappointed with everyone else. Once again the writers hit a truth: some couples you watched come together will fail. We spent an entire season on that wedding weekend for what again? Barney returning to his old behavior after the divorce was the most disappointing aspect of his story.
Do People Really Change?
Barney’s womanizing made me wonder: Do we truly change? I never truly believed Barney was completely done with his wild days. The relationship with Barney and Robin always felt shaky. Was it doomed from the start?
Ted’s love for Robin never changed. Plot-wise, the ending of the story did justify Ted telling such a long (often inappropriate) story to his children. The story started and ended with Robin. Robin was the constant element the story organically needed. Yet, I hated it (What if Ted and Robin ran off before the wedding?).
Barney changed once he accidentally had a daughter (ironically, a child was the one thing Robin could not give him).
Can You Love Again (After Losing Someone)?
The tragic plays of William Shakespeare always make me mad. Why must someone find love, lose the love, and then die? Can’t a person continue on and find love again? I have tried to explore this theme in my own writing, so who am I to blame the writers for trying? However:
For a show that lasted nine years, we needed more time with the (Biological) Mother. All of the complaints from fans would not be as strong had we seen the Mother (Tracy) and Ted together more. The flash-forward scenes certainly helped, but not as much as a full season could have. (I am not suggesting a Season Ten, but a revised Eight and Nine).
I was starting to fall for the Mother, only for her to die. Her life in the show was too short. We had plenty of Robin screen-time already (I would be up for seeing more of Victoria).
The Bitter-Sweet Final Sting
The finale was thought-provoking enough to make me want to write this. I do always say that I love bitter-sweet endings instead of sappy/cheesy endings. The writers definitely did not choose the safe way out!
Now does Barney fade from the group instead of Robin? His previous best-man just married his ex-wife! What if he joined the cast of How I Met Your Father and was revealed to be the father. Just kidding. Maybe I’ll check on that new show in nine years – that might be easier.
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