We’ve said in the past on more than one occasion that the sitcom How I Met Your Mother has, whilst starting strong, as long ago peaked. Years later we find that it is still airing and more out of habit than any real entertainment value we’re still watching it. Part of the reason why we stick it out is because they’ve promised to get Ted and the mother together and wrap this shit up. I mean, the last season ended with the mother turning up on the scene. Then the new season opened with Lily meeting her on a train. And then…
…they kept dragging it out. Let’s take a pause at the sixth episode and discuss what exactly isn’t working here.The first problem – the gimmick. How I Met Your Mother has endured through changing up the locations for new wacky hijinks. There’s a reason why the action in later seasons has moved from the apartment to Barney’s workplace, Marshall and Lily’s house and whatnot. It’s because the new locations are the easy way to create new stories and conflicts. For this season the story has been caged in the one (rather dull) setting. This is a double edged sword, in that it also takes away the familiarity of the show. From a purely technical standpoint the new locale seems to have rather small rooms (except for the lobby, which they rarely use) giving everything a claustrophobic feel.
With the limited setting comes the limited plotlines. The show is struggling to come up with stories that last out the 22 minutes. An entire episode focuses on Robin refusing to giving back James’ wedding ring. Why is this a stretch? Because there’s no reason not to give it back. It’s not worth stealing a dudes wedding ring to try and prove a very slim point. I don’t understand why she didn’t just give it back. Not to mention every single story revolving around the wedding in some way is dragging the material down, especially as wedding plots have been done and redone on this show.
Hyping up old jokes up isn’t a good start.
Not that all the characters are chained down to this locale. Marshall is, for some reason, on the other side of the country. With the strength of the show being focused on the interaction between the principle cast it is downright silly to be taking one of them and putting them elsewhere. Instead of the old gang we have Marshall and…someone. Sitting in a car. And I don’t care. They keep building up to the conflict between Marshall and Lily’s different career paths but they’ve done nothing to develop this story.
Look at that classic Marshall and…some person…dynamic!
So long as it’s funny, right? Except it’s not funny. To be fair the show has been flagging for a while but we’re at the point where you can get through an episode without it raising a chuckle. The show is determined to please fans by dragging out every insignificant cameo from previous seasons. Simply seeing someone who has been in the show before doesn’t do anything to advance the story or make a joke funnier. It feels desperate.
While writing this we’re watching up the sixth episode – the one where Ted is stuck looking after an upset girl. Is it just me or is that the real version of Lola Bunny?
