9.2/10. One of the things that elevates this show above the average sitcom is how it plays with the timeline and form. Telling three stories at the in three different points in time, having them nest and relate to one another pretty perfectly, and centering it around a frame story in the present day that ties into the rest of the season is sharp storytelling.
Plus, despite the fact that each of the stories is working its way through Barney's progression, each manages to have its own distinct flavor on the "not where you eat" principle. Robin's is the traditional story (as often seems to be the case on HIMYM), Marshall and Lily have two twists when it's another couple and a neighbor instead of a coworker, and Barney and Wendy the Waitress has the added stakes of McLaren's plus Barney's general awfulness. It creates interesting parallels that never feel dull or repetitive, and the crackerjack editing keeps everything moving and interesting.
And then at the end, Ted is in the least insufferable and most sympathetic shade of his personality (despite his labor-intensive disheveling of his own hair). He acknowledges that there's a good chance things with Stella won't work out, but that he's putting himself out there and taking risks despite that, and even if it doesn't go perfectly, the risk of failure is worth trying to find love, regardless of what the rules are. If anything, that's the message of the series in a nutshell, and it's one of the more down-to-earth yet optimistic versions of Ted we've seen in the series so far. Big thumbs up.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParentSpoilers2016-03-10T06:07:47Z
9.2/10. One of the things that elevates this show above the average sitcom is how it plays with the timeline and form. Telling three stories at the in three different points in time, having them nest and relate to one another pretty perfectly, and centering it around a frame story in the present day that ties into the rest of the season is sharp storytelling.
Plus, despite the fact that each of the stories is working its way through Barney's progression, each manages to have its own distinct flavor on the "not where you eat" principle. Robin's is the traditional story (as often seems to be the case on HIMYM), Marshall and Lily have two twists when it's another couple and a neighbor instead of a coworker, and Barney and Wendy the Waitress has the added stakes of McLaren's plus Barney's general awfulness. It creates interesting parallels that never feel dull or repetitive, and the crackerjack editing keeps everything moving and interesting.
And then at the end, Ted is in the least insufferable and most sympathetic shade of his personality (despite his labor-intensive disheveling of his own hair). He acknowledges that there's a good chance things with Stella won't work out, but that he's putting himself out there and taking risks despite that, and even if it doesn't go perfectly, the risk of failure is worth trying to find love, regardless of what the rules are. If anything, that's the message of the series in a nutshell, and it's one of the more down-to-earth yet optimistic versions of Ted we've seen in the series so far. Big thumbs up.