Oct 16 2009
Why ‘How I Met Your Mother’ is a One Man Show, and Not Much Else
It’s clear to most people that the era of the sitcom has been dead for a while now. Some say it ended with Seinfeld. Some with Friends. Some with Frasier. But there’s always one vocal contingent, who’s always yelling “But wait, How I Met Your Mother is awesome!”
I’ve been listening to this cry for a long time now, and though I’d only caught a few snippets of the show here and there, I didn’t know much about it, but hey, Jason Segel, Alison Hannigan and Neil Patrick Harris? I’ve heard of worse casts. So I decided to see what all the fuss was about and check out season one.
My general rule for a show is, if it can’t get me hooked in four episodes, it’s not worth watching. I’ve done this with Grey’s Anatomy to realize it was just horrendous, and I’ve done this with Lost, where the first four episodes made me a fanatical believer for life.
Well, since How I Met Your Mother is only a half hour, I figured I’d give it the benefit of the doubt, and go for eight episodes. But by the end of the last few, I was dying, gasping for anyone to tell me just what they find so appealing about this show. I now quite literally cannot go on, as I sit stone-faced through 90% of the episodes, laughing only whenever Neil Patrick Harris says anything.
I just don’t know what people see in this show. When compared to the sea of just absolutely horrendous sitcoms that still miraculously populate the air (Till Death anyone?) it’s pretty decent, but compared to an actual good comedy show like The Office, 30 Rock or Curb? It’s just so far behind it’s almost painful.
So what’s wrong with it? First, the concept, which is stupid. A guy is telling his kids the world’s longest story about how he met their mother. It’s an annoying framing device that adds NOTHING to the story (after you figure out four seasons in, the mother is still as far away as ever), and only serves to provide the show with two minutes of awkward bookends, and when a show is only 20 minutes long to begin with, you’re not trimming fat, you’re cutting away at what SHOULD be meat.
And what is the “meat” of the show? There are five main characters, the lead being Ted, a lovelorn 27 year-old on a mission to find his true love, You have Jason Segel and fiancé Alison Hannigan who are like your friend and his girlfriend who are cool by themselves, but an absolute pain in the ass together. There’s another extraneous girl named Robin, who Ted falls for initially, but then becomes “just a friend” and part of the gang, but mysteriously grows up to be AUNT Robin. Hmm. And then you have Barney, Ted’s womanizing best friend played by Neil Patrick Harris, who is in fact, the only person ever worth watching on the show.
I have never watched anything on television where one character is so far above and beyond the rest of the cast in every way before. You get glimpses of that with Ari on Entourage, but NPH’s Barney is in a league of his own. Everything he says or does is pure gold, but unfortunately, someone decided to NOT make this show about him, instead focusing on sad sack Ted, the world’s most unlikeable main character. The other supporting cast members add nothing to the show, and you’re constantly waiting around until Barney gets his next line.
Neil Patrick Harris deserves much better than this. He has talent burst from every pore, yet he’s stuck in this dreary sitcom only because it’s become something of a “hit” among people who still need a laugh track to remind them when to laugh, and now he’s stuck here until the show dies, which knowing CBS, will be NEVER.
The show just is not that funny. The non-Barney jokes are all rehashed, and Ted’s mission to find “the one” should be incredibly relatable to someone like myself who finds all their close friends getting engaged and married, but he comes off as just plain creepy sometimes, and I find myself hoping that I don’t look like that in my dating endeavors.
The sitcom is dead, and How I Met Your Mother is nothing but a ghost of what used to be. Its brief moments of hilarity are overshadowed by a raging sea of lameness, and as tolerant of a TV watcher as I am, I can’t bring myself to make it to episode nine.
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I have a co-worker who RAVES about this show and I don’t get it either! I love NPH, I think he’s an awesome actor and he’s got mega amounts of charisma but like you said - if he’s not in a scene the show is just brutal to watch….I tried my hardest too out of love for Doogie but I just couldn’t.
Thank you very much, finally someone who agrees with me. Give the man his own show for crying out loud!
[…] Can ‘How I Met Your Mother’ save sitcoms? – Unreality Magazine […]
Love the 4 episode rule. I’ve found myself doing this with a number of new shows over the last couple years, and even some old shows. Tried out the Sopranos=loved it after 4, CSI-Vegas season 9=time to move on, Lie to Me & FlashForward-still keeping my interest, HBO’s Bored to Death=not sure yet.
It’s like a book, give it 2 hours, if you’re still bored, move on to something else. Unless it’s an assignment, then go online for plot details and summaries!
I agree with you about the show, but why is Ted unlikable?
I would say Barney is the unlikeable character here. Funny yes, but I don’t want a friend like that
That’s not the point Lagrange. We’re not talking ‘likable’ as in ‘would I want him to be my friend’. We’re talking zany bastard with catchphrases. Ted is bleak, Jason Segal’s character is so annoyingly whiny it makes me puke.
Right now I’m watching HIMYM just for Barney and Robin who is one of the hottest on TV these days (calm Down Olivia Wilde, your throne is safe)
i will honestly say i own the first 3 seasons of this show. i think it is hilarious. i do, however, agree with you about Ted being annoying. he is pretty lame. however, i disagree that NPH is the best. maybe not so much this season, but in the past, Marshall (Jason Segal) has been a scene stealer and has dropped some of the best lines. season 2 was really great. i think of this show the same way as It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Arrested Development. i just don’t get it when someone doesn’t like it. i have no problem with the premise of the show as i don’t care about who the mother is. i really don’t. i love the dynamic of the group and have grown to really like Robin and even Lily (a little). the jokes they make about Robin being from Canada are great.
it’s ok, though. we can just agree to disagree.
I’ve seen snippets but maybe only one full episode. I thought it was decent, but I don’t keep watching for a reason.
It’s funny that I should read this now, as I am in the midst of watching season 4 of HIMYM. There is no question that Barney is the true star of the show, but I will disagree in that fact that everyone else is extremely sub-par.
First off, Marshall is hilarious. As awesome as Barney is, Marshall is on the other end of the spectrum as to why he’s funny. Jason Segel is one of my favorite actors right now because he has a unique sense of delivery and poise. Robin and Lily are also quite funny in their own fashion. While it is true that Ted is a bit lame, it’s also one of the reasons I like him. He’s a very relateable character. While everyone thinks they’re awesome like Barney, in reality, you’re probably more like Ted.
I disagree
I agree. Ted just isn’t likable for me. For one thing, the actor just doesn’t have the charisma or talent to be the focal point of a sitcom. Also, he’s just too bland and mainstream for me to like him.
Now, if you want to see a great sitcom, then check out “The Big Bang Theory.”
Dude. Like.
The Big Bang Theory, dude.
This entire post is the most laughable Google Alert I’ve ever received. Note to self: don’t send me anymore crap read, Google. And next time, cross-checking the name spelling woud be great, it’s Jason Segel, not Segal. And…
“You have Jason Segal and fiancé Alison Hannigan who are like your friend and his girlfriend who are cool by themselves…”
It is good to know that you think they all suck and can’t even get the name right, or at least know their characters’ names on the show. Plus, I love how you complain the show is pointless ’cause we still don’t know who the mother is four seasons in, and you are a LOSTIE!! HAH!
Regards,
a LOST fan who appreciates the irony!
I absolutely agree. This show is pointless and lame, though I think it’s the women of this show that are the most bland.
NPH is the ONLY redeeming thing about this show, and he definitely is not enough to carry it.
Big Bang Theory is equally as bland.
It’s so hard to find a good sitcom, so unfortunate. Thankfully we have “the Office”.
The great thing about sitcomes is that they are no more driven towards men as they are women. My girlfriend is always busting my balls to sit and watch TV with her but all she watches is mindless love story movies and soaps.
Thankfully “How I met your mother” has hit British shores and myself and the Girlfriend have managed to get hooked. We’ve just about reached the end of Season 1 and I’m really enjoying it.
I’ll admit, there are some reall cringe worthy moments in there but I guess there has to be in order to get the girls watching.
From my point of view we have a womaniser, loads of Arnie worthy one liners and bucket loads of really tasty looking girls.
I’m afraid your problem Mr Tassi, is that you over analyze absolutely everything. If I’ve learned anything from reading the articles on this site is that “no-brainer” programmes arent for you.
HIMYM, is a show to sit and eat your dinner to. Glancing occassionally whenever the jokes come. Not to sit down and study as though you’re watching a JJ Abrams series.
In my opinion How I met your mother ticks all the boxes a mindless sitcom like Friends, 2 and a half men and King of Queens should. It’s got laughs, love and attractive cast.
Stick to your overhyped “drama” series’ mate.
And and Lost???…..*sniggers*
OMG i absolutely love this show!! Although it could be considered a rip off of Friends, but I love that show too!
Ah Paul. It makes me sad that you don’t share my love for this show. The sad thing about your 8 episode experiment (a good general rule to be sure) is that you may not have managed to get far enough into the meat of the series, and had the chance to see the creative ways that the writers take advantage of the opportunities to play around with the story structure that the “Flash Back” nature of the show allows them. They do some very interesting things with story structure on this show which I think is what helps elevate this show above standard sitcom fare. Also, sadly your abbreviated experience with the show has also not allowed for you to see the characters develop beyond the sort of “one note” characters that you take issue with in your review. I wish you would give the show more time to see the characters take flight and become more fully rounded people. (Even Barney)
My suggestion is watch the whole first season… The show was on the edge of getting canceled both at the 13-episode mark and at the season finale..the second season is arguably the best.
The reason for barney’s greatness is this..
The show is modeled after it’s creators, Carter and Bays. One of them is Ted (don’t really remember who) and the other is Marsall.They all lived together and Robin is the girl Ted(the real one) eventually marries. Barney is supposed to be all of the other friend they had condensed into one character.
Ok, I’m a fan of “How I met Your Mother” and “Friends” and I totally disagree with what your saying. First of all, yes, Neil Patrick Harris is a great actor and plays Barney soo well, but he’s not the only good thing about the show. I love Jason Segal, I thought “I Love You, Man” was amazing and I also love him as Marshell. Yeah, “How I met Your Mother” and “Friends” have a lot in come. Friends from college, a long awaited crush finally end up together and one character who can be a bit snobby and is always correcting people and a guy who’s a total lady’s man and the group of friends all hang out either in their apartments or have a ‘hang-out’ in New York. But tones of shows have hang-outs you could say “Hey, both of the people in “Friends and “Fraiser” hang out in coffee houses and the people in “Cheers” and “How I met Your Mother” hang out in bars but they’re not ripping each other off”. And the whole point of the show was that is was a love story in reverse and has the major question “Who is the mother?” It was kind of obvious so if your not into a storyline like that then just don’t watch it. You learn bit by bit and don’t get just chucked into a story. And honstely speaking I started watching the show in the second season, and I think the fourth and fifth are tided for the best. And if anything Friends is dead, I mean how many of the cast have done anything? I mean, yeah I think Cougar Town is ok and I liked Madagascar and 17 Again just fine but that show “Joey” wasn’t so good and I mean Jennifer Aniston really needs to get it all together. But Neil Patrick Harris was soo great in Harold in Kumar and I loved Buffy and Not Another Teen Movie. I don’t think Sitcome is dead, and if you do I feel sorry for you because there are alot of great shows out there. You can dwell in the “classics” or face the fact the “How I met Your Mother” just isn’t your cup of tea or give it another go because millions love it because they love to hear and read about “The Bro Code” or listen to ‘Robin Sparkles’ and ask the question to a fellow fan “Hey, Who do think the mother will be in How I met Your Mother?”