Sarah Chalke Returns for Season 4 and a Preview of Season 5
By JD
There’ve been a few more tidbits in the news recently. Thanks to elusive reader Motherhead (who has gone by many names on this blog, but always the same, fake email address) for the links.
Sarah Chalke
It was recently confirmed in a press conference that Sarah Chalke would be returning for a multi-episode arc sometime in season four. I’m glad that she’s coming back as I liked what little we saw of her last year and hope that with a less limiting schedule we’ll be able to explore her character more. The question is when she’ll appear. The logical guess is in the first episodes since we were left with the cliffhanger proposal last year. Can you think of any way she wouldn’t show up till, say, November sweeps?
Season 5
There is a lot of chatter over comments made by Carter Bays recently that season four will be the end of the serialized nature of the show. Bays and Thomas have had “fun writing a soap opera for the past three years” but are planning, after season four, to write more self-contained episodes, like a regular sitcom.
The first thing you’ll likely think is “why?” but before you call betrayal, realize the hidden meaning in that quote. What he said is directly implying that the show will have seasons beyond this one. Imagine a world where we know that the show is renewed before the last possible second? Sounds good to me.
Also, before you pick up the torches, keep in mind that the first season had some very sitcomy moments. It was really season two that was highly serialized. I think the show can continue to be good without a long-term story line. Look at other serialized comedies like The Office, at some point the characters are so fully realized you don’t need the long-term plots anymore, you can just show the adventures of these people that you’ve come to love after so many years.
Does this also imply we’ll learn the identity of the mother? I can’t see how they’d make fully self contained episodes if the plot was still driving toward meeting the mystery girl. What do you think?
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10 Comments to “Sarah Chalke Returns for Season 4 and a Preview of Season 5”
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dckatiebug | Thursday, July 24th, 2008 11:20 am GMT -4
It’s really interesting to me that you think the second season was more serialized than the first. The second half the first season (with the Ted-Robin-Victoria love triangle and Lily’s cold feet) feels very serialized to me, but because of the stability of the two central relationships in the second season, more of the episodes have a stand-alone, sitcom-y feel. I don’t think it takes any previous knowledge of the show’s mythology to enjoy “Swarley,” “Slap Bet” (though that’s an idea that has carried over to other episodes), “First Time in New York,” “Lucky Penny,” and “Arrivederci, Fiero.” The wedding planning/wedding is serialized over several episodes, of course, but still think it would be easier for a first time HIMYM viewer to understand “Something Borrowed” than “Nothing Good Happens after 2 AM.”
Also notable is that this isn’t the first time Bays or Thomas has made a comment re: stand-alone episodes. I rememebered a TV Squad interview from January 2007 with Carter Bays that includes the following paragraph:
“The goal is to make more episodes that stand on their own. “Ideally you want to reach the point where you can tune in and watch a rerun of How I Met Your Mother and enjoy it from start to finish without having seen any of the others.” Hmm… concerned about reruns… that makes me wonder if they realize the show is on solid-enough ground that they’re looking towards the day when the show is syndicated…”
If it’s going to bring us more episodes like “Swarley” and “Slap Bet,” I’m all for it.
The Mix | Thursday, July 24th, 2008 05:27 pm GMT -4
I’m feeling a little conflicted about this. On one hand I definitely feel like there have been some strong episodes that stand on their own very well and that I love watching. On the other hand, the episodes that hold very special places in my heart “Slutty Pumpkin”, “Slapsgiving”, etc. are not episodes that I would generally say stand on their own all that well…or at the very least, wouldn’t hold the same importance to someone seeing it as a one-off.
That said, Carter and Craig and their subsequent writing team are very good at providing adventurous, one-off episodes like “Sweet Taste of Liberty” that have provided the basis for an innumerable amount of jokes that I still love
So I think I trust them enough to keep the show plenty interesting.
Jason
john darc | Thursday, July 24th, 2008 07:14 pm GMT -4
screw new fans. they did 2 1/2 seasons without them. here’s to 2 1/2 more.
Kevin | Friday, July 25th, 2008 06:56 pm GMT -4
I feel like some of the best episodes of the series have been stand-alones. I think that if you asked anyone what their favorite episodes were you would get answers like Okay Awesome!, The Pineapple Incident, and How I Met Everybody Else. The story arcs have been what has made this show unlike any other, but it is the stand-alone episodes that have given us some of the funniest jokes and most creative situational comedy.
John | Saturday, July 26th, 2008 12:47 am GMT -4
Personally I’d prefer for the show to run for fewer seasons and be more serialized. I don’t want Thomas & Bays to sell out! I loved S1 & S2 of HIMYM the most. In my opinion they have generally been the most serialized of the three. Although S3 did have a couple of longer-term arcs (LAME’s debt, Ted/Stella), it seemed more generic than the first 2 seasons, and I don’t want to see HIMYM continue down that path. Possibly the best thing about HIMYM is that, while being extremely funny, there are sotrylines and characters that you as a fan become involved in and opinioted about. And I really don’t want that to change.
Mothership | Saturday, July 26th, 2008 09:37 am GMT -4
Spice up your life
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TusJ8HSLaUs
No comment whatsoever.
Mothership | Saturday, July 26th, 2008 09:43 am GMT -4
Ok, now there is a comment.
Where is that hospital of hot woman because I would break my leg to go there!!!!
Mothership | Saturday, July 26th, 2008 10:03 am GMT -4
4 SEASON 4 PROMOS
Barney and Robin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vM36CqewRMc
Star Wars – The Phantom Menace
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pT8LlhQMJjg
HIMYM Ethics
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WN6rmrcdJgs
Miracles
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZEOuBZBCkQ
Aperntly it is video week.
Ae | Saturday, July 26th, 2008 10:59 am GMT -4
Wouldn’t they have to reveal the mother or have Ted and Robin back together in a long term relationship if they were to make the episodes self contained?
Jess | Saturday, July 26th, 2008 01:42 pm GMT -4
I’m torn on the idea of more standalone episodes… I love the serialized nature of the show, but I have faith in Bays and Thomas to keep giving all us fans what we want
But I do agree with you ae, something big has got to change for this to be able to work. I wonder what it is? Maybe Ted stops looking for her altogether. And you know what they say: love often finds you when you aren’t looking for it.
PS That Old Spice clip made my day Mothership hahahah NPH is my hero