As I attended a work conference this past week, ACPA, where I saw many friends I rarely get to see but twice, maybe once, or maybe every couple of years, I have to say I liked the honesty within the How I Met Your Mother series finale. In my own life I have grown to realize that there is not always a "happily ever after" but there is an ever after. Ever after is the reality, or time spent with the people you love and care about, as Robin said in the finale the friendships still exist, but sometimes in life you have to move forward, move away, do something that takes you away. No ending to things are perfect and like in life there always some questions left unanswered. Some things work out, and you get the precious time you deserve with the people you love.
Why the end Made Sense
1-Ted met the Mother-Ted met a woman he fell in love with; she was similar to him, gave him two children, and the life they had together was happy. The moments throughout the final season gave you a great glimpse into their life. Did you want more, fans? I understand that, to some extent, but this show was always about Ted, and his journey to how he met his wife, the kids mother, and you see that, and got to meet some fun characters along the way. I know its hard not to get caught up in the fairytale aspect of it all, especially since Ted was a romantic, but he got two solid experiences with love. You also got to know the mother's name, Tracey.
2-Barney and Robin's ending make sense-Yes I understand people are frustrated the show spent a season focusing on their wedding weekend, and the creators made the audience root for them as a couple. I never bought it, I do not think Craig Thomas and Carter Bays did that. If you read the show Robin and Barney were there for each other, during the rough times, and it started out of devastation, Robin being dumped by her Canadian boyfriend played by James Van der Beek. Even in the third to last episode you can hear Robin complaining about Barney to Patrice on her radio show.
In the end no woman could tame Barney but a young daughter, that moment was beautiful. Robin wanted her career to be her baby, and it was she was a successful journalist. Props to Bays and Carter for creating a show whose characters maintained their sense of self while still growing in the end.
What Questions Remain?
Where did the pineapple come from?-In a night full of drinking there was pineapple left in Ted's room, we never did find out where that came from.
Why did Ted and the Mother take so long to get actually get married?-At wrestlers vs robots in 2019 it was announced the two still were not married, although we did later get to see their wedding.
Who is Ted's soul mate?-Early on in season one Ted goes to a company that has guaranteed match rate, but Ted never gets to meet her. In the end the brilliant aspect of the show was that it tested the concept of love, and what defined destiny.
Why no Bob Saget voice in the last episode?-My biggest complaint of the finale is the fact that there was no voice over, it could have been cleverly handled with Saget talking, Radnor lip synching (at the end) clearing his throat and talking normally. I think the narration missing was the one thing I did not like.
How did the mother die?-Simply put, I would have liked to know this, but you don't get to know. I can give fans the benefit of the doubt on this one.
At the end of the day, every finale has its flaws, you want "your show" to end the way you wanted, but the cut to black and the scene leading up to the end in The Sopranos was epically great, Seinfeld a show about nothing, ended the way it began, these two endings are the most complained about in recent years, and in hindsight they are good. The only one I will not cut any slack is Dexter.
At the end of the day How I Met Your Mother was true to its nine year history, while its title means one thing, the show was an on and off again story of Robin and Ted. The show was never a fairy tale, Marshall's dad died, Robin couldn't have kids, Barney searched for his father, Ted's parents had issues. Bays and Carter gave the audience laugh, mixed with some gut punches. I guess I was prepared because this was the exact ending I predicted. If you go back, and re-watch, you could probably predict this too. Audiences wanted their faith restored in the love built up between Ted and Tracey, well they did. Sure Ted, runs after Robin in the end, his wife has been dead for many years, and while the editing at the end is poor, and the kids seem too happy for their dad to move on from their mom, in the end Ted gets two "happy endings."
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