Season 5, Episode 23: The Wedding Bride Discussion
This episode has a lot of build up. It was hinted we’d see something like this as far back as the end of last season. Did all that build-up payoff? Did the Wedding Bride deliver?
No.
What I Liked
Malin Akerman. She’s wonderful. I first saw her in Entourage, then again in Watchmen, and most recently in Couples Retreat (which, surprisingly, is an enjoyable movie). She is to me what I think everyone has been getting from Cameron Diaz. She’s beautiful, earnest, and really compelling. I’m a huge fan.
Sadly, there’s not much else that was good here.
What I Didn’t Like
The acting. Look at the scenes from The Wedding Bride. First of all, why play it so broad? If we’re to believe it is a worldwide commercial success in the show’s universe, why is all the acting so bad? Is it supposed to be funny? If so, are we supposed to laugh at the bad acting in the rest of the episode? I mean, Chris Kattan is always bad, but even Tony’s character seems like he’d be more comfortable in Ted Mosby: Sex Architect than a blockbuster romantic comedy.
How has Judy Greer not been on the show already? She’s on every show, ever. Despite that popularity she never delivers for me. The most I’ve liked her was on Modern Family earlier this season. On this show, she didn’t demonstrate any cause for the kind of romance Ted delivered. Go back to Double Date and see how good Lindsay Sloane was and you’ll see that Greer doesn’t hope to compare. Her delivery of the line “I think you owe us an apology” was so stiff it made Kattan seem like Anthony Hopkins. Also, who were those other people at the table? I know they’re supposed to be her friends but a) could they be any more generic and b) why were they necessary in the scene? That should’ve been a dramatic scene, it was Ted starting to crack, instead it was as vanilla as anything else in the episode.
A lot of you have been complaining about Barney this season. I hadn’t noticed until tonight that he is a caricature at this point.
Marshall’s big motivational speech already happened this year when he talked Ted into keeping the house, we didn’t need it again here and it wasn’t nearly as good.
The major plot climax with the scene in the movie theater was trying way too hard to be clever and precious too. Sure, the dialoge was echoing, but only superficially. Thematically, metaphorically, what was the point? It was too broad, even for Ted, and I was uncomfortable for him, like I was watching Curb Your Enthusiasm, not pulling for him to win the girl like I did through the earlier seasons of the show.
Then in the end, the girl is just super crazy and Ted kicks her out? That’s it? Really?
Lastly, there’s a difference between callbacks and reusing old jokes.
Favorite Moments
“What’s the problem? Is it too much? Or too little? Or is a problem of access?”
Closing
I’m not sure what’s happened with this show. It seems to be suffering on almost every level. Writing, performance, plot progression, humor. The show that once was has eroded away. Flashback scenes don’t remind us of how great the show has always been anymore, they remind us how great the show was. What does it say about a show that a cameo from Chris Kattan doesn’t stand out as any more terrible than anything else?
The show used to know how to walk the line between drama and comedy. Now it has mixed them together to form a dull gray. The dramatic moments are slapsticky and the comedy moments are just boring.
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Brody | May 18, 2010 @ 9:21 pm
i agree 90% jd
this episode was a disappointment. i’ve never seen an episode where the acting was this forced. especially from judy greer whom i love. I kept wondering the entire time why the wedding bride was such a success when it was so bad.
I don’t really know where I stand with Barney right now. He has gotten more ridiculous, but it hasnt bothered me to the point where i need to complain. he’s still funny to me. I think his behavior is just because the character has lost his magic after dating robin.
still love the show, everything has its weak moments and im forgiving. the season has been a low point for the series, but that doesn’t mean it can’t pick it back up next season.
Ari | May 18, 2010 @ 9:49 pm
I think I’m depressed now. I mean, I thought the ep was bad but the show still makes me laugh from time to time. But reading this review, I feel like really bummed out. Yes I think the show is going downhill but I think there’s hope for it still.
I hope anyway.
taryn | May 18, 2010 @ 10:20 pm
i agree about your assessment of the episode, but I completely disagree with you about the show as a whole. I find it a little disturbing the way you demeaned it to sound as if it’s sold out. This show is still great, there was just one really awful episode out of 5 seasons of funny, heartwarming, heartbreaking moments.
I hope you were just disheartened by the episode and let it temporarily affect your opinion of the show. I still have faith, even if it made the same mistake America made in the 90s: allowing Chris kattan on screen.
FrankQB | May 18, 2010 @ 10:45 pm
I wasn’t crazy about this episode, especially after the year-long build up. But I watched it a second time and it kind of grew on me a bit. I think the casting of Chris Kataan was meant to push the unlikability of Jed Mosley even further simply because I’ve always found Kataan very unlikable as an actor. Maybe that’s just me.
In this way, it’s possible, but, I admit, farfetched, that the whole episode was meant to be over-the-top and hammy much like those syrupy formulaic romcoms hollywood keeps producing. Viewed like this, the episode is at least a little more enjoyable.
Barney was funny, but unnecessary. As for him being over-the-top, see my comment above.
Marshall’s “he’s too nice” B-plot had no place in this episode though and should have been cut in the first draft of the script, frankly.
So while it was clearly a falter from the last few great episodes, I thought the overall “dealing with baggage story”, while not totally original as I expect from HIMYM, was nonetheless another important milestone for Ted’s story. And, c’mon, some of those baggage titles (and the popping sound they made as they arrived in Ted’s living room) were funny. Cubs fan? Funny. Slept with Barney? Funny.
Zidge Dog | May 18, 2010 @ 11:20 pm
I just watched it a second time with my wife, who missed it Monday. It grew on me more the second time, but I’m still disappointed with the show as a whole. This show still makes me laugh quite a bit, which most shows don’t. (The suitcases are pause-worthy – my favorites, besides Slept With Barney and Cubs Fan, were Tri-Polar and Still Thinks Ska Band Will Make It and Four Gay Ex-Boyfriends. Barney chanting “**** her” is funny to me, too.) However, funny is not enough. This show used to be more about story and heart, and now it’s about laughs. You can’t beat Thirty Rock as far as laughs go. We need to recapture the characters and their stories. I think Bays and Thomas need to focus on finishing up strong with this show before it gets forgotten entirely.
And, non-sequitir – I love pulling the naked Man on my wife whenever possible. I have a slap remaining from a slap bet on a co-worker that I intend to use Thursday. I imagine glass breaking whenever I realize a person’s major flaw. This show gave us these bits and so many others. I’ll stick around until the end because it is still one of the funniest shows on TV. I just want it to be more than that, like it was before.
Joni | May 18, 2010 @ 11:43 pm
While I’m not particularly crazy about this episode, I kind of assumed the narrator bias was the reason why the movie was so exaggeratedly terrible. I mean, it could still have had that plot and absurdity (i.e., the character personalities and Ted as antagonist), but considering how Ted (rightfully) feels about the movie, it wouldn’t surprise me if his perspective of it is waaaay worse than it really is. Kind of like how he remembers Bob being an old man in the Slapsgiving episode.
I personally was really hoping Stella or Tony would show up somewhere — a phone call or something, I don’t know. I realize Tony’s not an exemplary guy, but I really couldn’t imagine him being malicious enough to make Ted such a terrible character. So I’d kind of thought maybe the script went through the usual Hollywood transmogrification and that Tony (and indirectly, Stella) never meant for the final result to come out how it did.
Buxton | May 19, 2010 @ 12:18 am
The Wedding Bride in reality would’ve been a B-movie at the very best. But within the show would Ted really care about a B-movie falsely depicting his life where no-one really sees it? Also the writers probably don’t have the time and money to create a proper Hollywood-like rom-com.
I know I sound like I’m defending this episode/show but well honestly, I am. I’m also annoyed at the lack of story development but ever since I have read from this forum (start of season 5) everyone here is way too analytical of the show. My friends also watch HIMYM but they seem to enjoy the show more than ever.
Also does anyone believe that after The Rough Patch, we could just shuffle all the episodes in different order but the season will still look in place? (minus Thanksgiving and Robin/Don).
John Darc | May 19, 2010 @ 12:24 am
More like Malin “Can’t Act”kerman, m i rite?
John Darc | May 19, 2010 @ 12:26 am
Also, speaking of callbacks, there was a lot of them but it all felt hollow.
And they reused the “but?” joke from another bad episode, Little Boys.
Fabio | May 19, 2010 @ 12:30 am
i was also hoping for something different in this episode. Aside from the bad acting in the movie, which didnt bother me, i think they should’ve brought stella or tony back for this one…
i usually agree with your reviews JD, but i think you were a little too harsh in this one…. it kinda bummed me out. i know the ep wasnt as good as we built it up to be, but diminishing the show as a whole seems to harsh to me.
agree with you with the very end though. Her turning out to be crazy is just ridiculous.
well, we’re still on for dopplegangers. Hopefully it’ll bring us one step closer into the mother story.
Peter | May 19, 2010 @ 1:43 am
one thing i DO like in this episode (and in How I Met Your Mother in general) is when they poke fun at themselves. Robin calling Ted cheesy with all his big romantic gesture is great, because in reality, it’s true. thomas and bays have acknowledged that Ted wouldn’t really work well in real life, so it’s always funny when someone in the show says what we’re all thinking.
katie90 | May 19, 2010 @ 1:54 am
i agree wholheartedly with EVERTHING you wrote, JD
sweet haircut bro | May 19, 2010 @ 2:02 am
I agree. It was obvious that the movie actors were acting bad on purpose, and I got that, but the problem was that it wasn’t funny. They showed that exaggeration can be funny in the scene where Marshall is walking down the street and we see him “break-dancing”. It was so ridiculous that it was funny.
I also don’t think there is a problem with Barney. I don’t like when people complain when the show is becoming too much about Barney and then when they tone his character down, people complain that he’s irrelevant. So he’s not the problem.
I thought that Ted was too over-the-top in this episode. It hurts to say that cause Josh Radnor is usually really good. This season is by far the weakest season. With the finale coming up, I was expecting more.
This one was simply cheesy and flat.
Corey | May 19, 2010 @ 2:43 am
Joni I think nailed it. They have shown with previous episodes that Ted is a biased and sometimes unreliable narrator. So of course it’s bad, he hates it. I liked the very end, I just wish they would’ve done a callback to season 2 with Ted finally having the “Oh,” moment.
High Hoper | May 19, 2010 @ 2:58 am
I think the same as JD. Himym is on its knees and if I keep watching, I don’t really know why, maybe for not having spent so much time in vain. This season had a few good episodes, and even those, they had ridiculous stuff I didn’t like.
This is the closer I am to never watching the show anymore. The episode felt rushed. And the acting, the writing, the characters, are not what they showed us through the series.
Definitely, this is going down. Please, end the series next season…
Jan | May 19, 2010 @ 8:04 am
Tru dat!
Sarah | May 19, 2010 @ 8:46 am
I really don’t agree with this write-up at all. There were some GREAT moments in this episode…it’s started taking the piss out of itself a little to accommodate some changes.
Marshall’s speech was beautiful, and, yes it has been shown already, but when have you ever only had a motivational speech once? That’s the glory of this show – it’s real. Everything about it is reflecting on reality, although at times, like with The Wedding Bride (the actual film within the episode) it goes a little far, it still sticks to it’s roots.
Robin’s “A little Creepy” (can’t be bothered looking up the actual quotes mid-rant) are great at *showing* that they know sometimes they go a little far, a little soppy, but at least they show that.
This show has *ALWAYS* relied on it’s fans to make it what it is. Heck, I know if it wasn’t for me there wouldn’t be around 30 people watching it now. This show was a viral success, and if you’re all going to sit back and wash your hands of it then it *WILL* go down the gutter! Where’s that passion that everyone used to have? You’d quit so easily because they’ve thrown a few not-so-good episodes at us?
I’m appalled. We used to be a community – all lovers, remaking how many people we’d made watch the show, rejoicing in recaps or mentions on other series. It will get there again, but for it to get there, you have to be behind it.
Don’t give up so soon. Please.
FrankQB | May 19, 2010 @ 10:27 am
Gotta agree with Joni. Ted’s reaction to the film has to be filtered through Future Ted’s recollection. That might explain why the movie was such a success. (Though, that would imply, perhaps, that perhaps he never got over his baggage if he’s still upset about the film 25 years in the future).
Starney Binson | May 19, 2010 @ 11:02 am
Oh come on, not a great episode by any stretch, but obviously the way the movie is is a result of a) satire, and b) the unreliable narrator.
Michael | May 19, 2010 @ 11:28 am
Couldn’t disagree more. I thought the episode was great. Finally getting back up there after a few slow episodes. What exactly were you expecting that got your hopes up so much? What hints were you referring to of something big? Did you really think that just because the episode was called “The Wedding Bride” that we’d get some kind of revelation about the mother? Not going to happen this soon.
And calling Marshall’s moment a “motivational speech” just betrays the kind of superficial modernistic thinking that Marshall’s character is set against. He wasn’t giving a speech, nor was he trying to be “motivational”, whatever the heck that means. He was trying to be a genuine and good human being, not the kind of clammy-hearted, cold, calculating creep who would give motivational speeches.
Math Geek | May 19, 2010 @ 11:50 am
Is there any chance at all, ever, that we will meet the Mom? That’s my pet peeve of the moment.
As for this show, it was funny. Contrasting it with last one, it really shows how annoying and insane Ted really can be. Seeing Chris Kattan act horribly is not a stretch for him, and that was a boon for the episode. The end of the episode where the girl’s baggage was revealed was funny. It’s not the worst episdoe I’ve seen, but it’s no Wrestlers vs. Robots.
Scuba | May 19, 2010 @ 11:50 am
I hated this Episode! My first Instinct after seeing scenes from “The Wedding Bride” would´ve been to fly to California and beat the crap out of Toni, and Ted doesn´t even think about it. Also, the Scenes from this movie were so hillariously bad, i couldnt even watch them. I hope the last Episode of this Season is better, the final Episode of Season 4 is still my all time Favourite.
Jordan | May 19, 2010 @ 1:13 pm
100% Agree. There have been a few gems this season (double date, girls vs suits) but overall this season has been a big ‘ol F-
What I can’t help but notice the most is that the show was, until this season, actually kinda realistic. Now it is simply “sit-commy”. Make sense?
BGeo | May 19, 2010 @ 1:14 pm
After watching this episode a second time, I have to admit I liked it much less.
I tried to focus on the acting this time instead of the story, and it was obvious that this was a weak episode.
Example: Marshall falling in his chair at the bar. Enough said.
The more I think about it, the more I am let down by this episode. Looking back at all of the previous second-last episodes, this is by far the weakest, and I don’t think it’s a good sign going forward. I really hope that I am wrong.
(P.S: JD you don’t like Curb Your Enthusiasm???)
@Joni | May 19, 2010 @ 1:53 pm
I bought into your narrator bias argument until I remembered that there is an equally awful trailer on the “official” site. So, unless that is biased too…
katie90 | May 19, 2010 @ 4:32 pm
DUDES AND DUDETTES!
Singing, doing magic tricks.. I’m psyched!
You need to see last night’s Glee episode. Neil Patrick Harris is in it and he is awesome
Arxel | May 19, 2010 @ 5:34 pm
What is the song about the end of episode..?
After Ted speech in cinema..
mattu | May 19, 2010 @ 5:49 pm
I agree with the vast majority of you guys and JD, I thought after the last couple of episodes that we were going to see some real progression in terms of the characters. Robin and Don moving in, Ted’s house and Lily and Marshalls inevitable baby.
Instead, it was like any other sitcom, easy to watch but nothing compared to I’ve come to expect from this really great show.
Had it been a first season episode The Wedding Bride would have been a more realistic indie flick that stormed New York and Ted realising that he had to get rid of his baggage. Meanwhile Lily and Marshall would have to get past their baggage to be ready for a baby. (they could even have had Barney and Robin get past some stuff) But no, instead we got a run of the mill episode and an incredibly cheesy ending. [I couldn't watch the cinema scene again.]
Don’t get me wrong I love the show and will continue to watch but I want a return back to form, fingers crossed for the finale.
Sidebar: I thought Barney’s scenes were back on track though I would have preferred some sort of theory on a girls baggage, along the lines of the lemon law or chain of screaming.
Maaaatt | May 19, 2010 @ 6:00 pm
I think we all know how HIMYM can be saved – more Brad. That fella is redonkulous. I mean, what does he have to do to get more air time? Put a gun to their head?
pushpinder | May 19, 2010 @ 6:11 pm
sure can doosville baby doll
he he – what a jolly good episode – monday’s have never been better
pushpinder | May 19, 2010 @ 6:13 pm
I suggest you put a rating widget on every episodes discussion
sandyrivers | May 19, 2010 @ 10:15 pm
Well I thought the episode was REALLLY funny
and yes…Brad needs to come back, and whatever happened to Kara?
Sleeks3000 | May 20, 2010 @ 1:28 am
I agree with JD. This episode was so disappointing. They totally used the callbacks as filler for the episode, and that’s sad. The acting was pretty bad on almost all fronts. Marshall’s speech was not beautiful. It had the potential to mean something but failed. I didn’t believe at all that Ted still had baggage from Stella. That came out of NOWHERE. Barney, Marshall, Lillie, and Robin seem to all be on the sidelines with no important role anymore. I haven’t given up on the show, but if I did, it wouldn’t be “too soon” as someone else commented. I’m actually surprised by the amount of fans that have stuck through and held on to their patience with Season 5. I don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes, but it’s affecting the show. This close to the season finale and we still DON’T have a freaking storyline. We just keep getting these random episodes where the writers keep inventing random problems and forcing cameos by random actors/actresses. ::sigh::
Butler BullDawg | May 20, 2010 @ 2:15 am
After a repeat viewing, I agree that you might find it less painful. While this episode failed to hold up to my hopes of what I wanted it to be, I also realized that a show can only do so much.
After the website going up at the end of last year, I expected there to be hints throughout the season about the movie, not just “Oh, I took this girl to see a movie and it’s about me”, the lack of effort to build up to it really let me down, but then again, so has a lot of this season.
I feel like a lot of people’s problems with Barney is that he’s not the guy from the prior seasons. What would have made him FANTASTIC in this episode would of been him introducing girls who liked the movie to Ted and then claiming that he’s Toni and Stella left him. That would bring back the successful, clever Barney we know and love.
Overall, this episode had moments of good, and moments of weird (which, if you think about it, has been this season) I really hope this season finale puts it all back together, and season 6 is a focus on the end and the mother.
Gravity | May 20, 2010 @ 4:36 am
Oh jesus, does no one understand satire?
This episode was excellent. The movie scenes were some of the best cliched rom-com BS I’ve ever seen.
Oh, and the fifth highest grossing movie argument? Transformers 2 made a bajillion dollars, I can buy that movie doing well in a comedic universe.
Lighten up guys. I can’t believe people dislike this episode.
Rainy | May 20, 2010 @ 6:29 am
Sorry, I can’t see what’s wrong with this episode! Why are you being too serious, we’re not watching CSI or crime series so chill out! I know everyone’s been hoping that this episode will rock you world like it did on mine. Yes, I know there’s many things in this episode that are lame or whatsoever, but I really don’t understand why people are so hard on it. There are memorable scenes in this episode too, & if you try to forget the opinion of the show getting worse, then you’ll realise that this episode has the sense of the original HIMYM!
Thomas | May 20, 2010 @ 7:54 am
This was definitely a flawed episode and I’d have gone about it differently myself. I think my main problem was that this movie just popped up suddenly in Ted’s world. I think it would have been a lot funnier to have him realise there was this movie about a big part of his life about to come out, and the subsequent interaction with Tony and Stella. But I’m not too fussed, the episode still had some funny moments – I’m thinking the banter at the bar which is always one of the strong points of any episode.
But I can’t get on board with the overall disappointment with HIMYM right now. I’m not going to pretend that every episode has been strong, and there have certainly been a couple real disappointing ones. But out of the 23 episodes so far I’d count maybe 14 or 15 as being very entertaining, with a good 6 or 7 being up there with the best of the show (I’m thinking especially ‘The Window’, ‘The Perfect Week’ and ‘Robots vs Wrestlers’, three I’d easily count among my favourites). For me thats not a bad return for a sitcom in its fifth season.
RAHUL | May 20, 2010 @ 7:59 am
though its not real, but i am very much attached to this TV series, whenever i get sad, i watch it, whenever i am happy, i watch it, i watch many a times in a day. i also love forcing my friends to watch it.
Really a brilliant stuff. Ted, Robin, Marshal, Lilly and Barney, you all are my favourites..i love you.
i always wanted to see ted and Robin together but story writer never wanted this.
@Robin and Ted. you were perfect together, you should have moved to Argentina and get married and have kids and BlAh..blah..i didn’t like TEd and judy together. she is not of your type. i”ll not complain about your acting and all, after doing so much good, you have a right to do bit bad also..so chill..!!!
I love TEd because, i and TEd are very much alike.
@Robin, i liked/like you because Ted liked/likes you..i always wanted you to stay with TEd..you will never find anyone like him..i also hate you Robin, you start bitching around with other males, so stop bitching around.. i feel so bad, don’t know, how bad Ted must have felt. i always had a feeling that Ted and Robin are meant for each other but you ppl betrayed, you almost made me cry when you both broke up.. “Robin: you stole a blue frnech horn for me, Ted: i would have stolen you a whole orchestra”. you ppl were perfect together..and moreover you are sexy Robin and barney is a Jerk, stay away from him.
@Lilly and Marshal: you ppl are perfect match, really, i wish if i were in such a relation with the one..you people rock together, always stay together..
lilly don’t pee so much.. 
@Barney: hi son of a bitch!!!!, Mr. awesome. legen..wait for it..dary
, you just broke my heart when you slept with Robin..ted must have felt very bad..you son of a bitch, stay away from Robin or or or…i’ll kill you..
you rock man, you are my favourite, but i hate you when you go near Robin
love you all..
LiamG | May 20, 2010 @ 10:36 am
I go with Thomas. I think Season 5 is overall way better than most of season 4 (though I think, the final wont beat “the leap”, which is one if my all time favorites). Think of it: the playbook, the letters to future ted, the unreliable future ted as a narrator. All classy himym stuff.
Even if the wedding bride couldnt meet all the high expectations, i still really like it. Barney screaming “kiss her, kiss her”, the overdone acting in the movie, which was probably due to Ted as telling the story how he sees it, very funny stuff. I think the problem that most of you have, is that you are watching all the trailers and expect the next “best episode ever”, instead of simply watching and enjoying it. Just my opinion
.
Joni | May 20, 2010 @ 12:45 pm
re: the website…I dunno, I suppose that’s a matter of how aligned you consider the sites to be with the show’s reality. Personally, I’ve always perceived them as kind of a bonus winkwink nudgenudge kind of thing. Fun extras.
Even if you consider the site to be part of the show’s universe, it becomes pretty obvious that the movie is written from the parody/satire angle. The reviews read things like “not formulaic…in ANY way…!” and “thank God this isn’t based on a true story because MAN, Chris Kattan’s character Jed Mosely is SUCH a douchebag!”
PaKo89 | May 20, 2010 @ 2:25 pm
Man this was bad. I mean this is second last episode and still no plot development. They could’ve have just left out the whole Ted is a teacher as there is no story develpmont. Where is Don??
I was hoping for a two part finale like the one in Season 2 that was the best finale ever.
Also Barney isnt funny anymore, and I dont like it one bit.I remember a scene (i believe from Game Night) where Barney entered the bar and just said “Yo guys What Up” that kind was just hilarious.
I almost don’t care for the finale, as the last good episode was Of Course and that is 6 episodes ago!!
Now if you’ll excuse me I will watch the best show on t.v. right now and that is Chuck.
katie90 | May 20, 2010 @ 2:59 pm
@gravity: this is not about (not) understanding satire – it’s about a show that has gone from possibly the funniest half hour on tv (with clever writing and a LOT of heart) to a run-of-the-mill sitcom, as bad as they come
At | May 20, 2010 @ 6:08 pm
I agree with you 100%! I was shocked how bad this episode was (I tried hard to like it but it’s one I’ll never watch again). The whole 5th season wasn’t great but this feels like they finally arrived at the point where it hit its all time low.
I doubt they can recover from this one…
Most sitcoms I watched in previous years stopped being funny around season 5 and 6 and pick up at 8 again. Let’s hope there will be a final season 8. Until then we have to endure some mediocre humor.
Toby | May 20, 2010 @ 11:37 pm
I kind of disagree with most of the ppl here. I liked this past weeks episode.
I thought the movie was lame and ridiculous and I can’t imagine in what universe it would be a box office hit, but I liked the whole baggage concept, and I liked how that chick (I forgot her name) turned out to be nuts.
I do think it is kind of weird that Robin kind of came back into the group after the whole big deal about moving in with Don and not being able to be around her two exes.
I do think that Marshal and Lily have not had good moments this season, and this continues throughout this episode. I didn’t really buy ‘nice guy’ marshal at all.
Katie09- I LOVED Glee this week. I thought NPH was great, although I hate to admit it but Matthew was a stronger singer in the Dream on Duet. I especially loved him trying to seduce Sue Sylvestor.
Pamitron | May 20, 2010 @ 11:49 pm
Does anyone know what the sentimental song that was played throughout the entire episode? … I know its from the soundtrack of a lame romantic comedy but can’t place it …
Buxton | May 21, 2010 @ 12:12 am
I have hope the writers are going to write a script that explains all of these fillers in the finale. I hope.
@ Pamitron umm i think its from love actually? I’m not sure, I’ve just read comments about music being from Love Actually.
Gravity | May 21, 2010 @ 1:43 am
The music was definitely from Love Actually. One of my favorite movies.
Rachel | May 21, 2010 @ 1:44 am
i concur about the series. this entire season to me has been . . . different. i don’t want to write that it has been terrible, although i’ve thought it, because i truly love those characters and actors and the writers so much. of course, we all have our favorite episodes. but “slapsgiving” or “slapsgiving 2: revenge of the slap”? “return of the shirt” or “the rough patch” (that connection seems strange, but they are both about funny break-ups)?
now, i’ve loved a few episodes this season. “definitions” i remember watching over and over again on my computer because i just couldn’t.stop.laughing.
and “girls versus suits”? forget it. himym at its finest.
but i have discarded many more than i have loved this season, and it’s just…disappointing to me. a show that was so fresh and hip and different in its humor is now boring. that’s what it has been lately. just boring.
and that is the most heartbreaking thing of all.
and please spare me the people who say “oh if you hate it don’t watch it” or “this isn’t a drama show, ala csi”
because that will only solicit the following responses –
to sentence 1 – GIVE ME A BREAK. are we not allowed to criticize and converse about the shows we love? that is what makes entertainment artistic. and trust me, these actors, writers, directors want to be thought of as artists. not just “entertainers.”
to sentence 2 – whatever, snob.
Steve | May 21, 2010 @ 3:20 am
Obviously I’ve been coming here for several years now and posted in discussions a good number of times. This show has had some epic runs of excellence even in the last couple of seasons…
…but for the last two months I’ve been certain that it jumped the shark, the latter half of this season is simply PROOF of that, and I’m trying to figure out where it jumped.
HIMYM hasn’t had a decent episode since Of Course (guest starring J-Lo) and even then hasn’t had a GOOD iconic episode since Perfect Week. The last six have been god-awful, all easily in the bottom 10 to 15 of the show’s entire run and rivaling the crap we saw off-and-on before the Pineapple Incident.
I want to say it jumped at Little Minnesota.
I want to say it jumped later in that season.
But clearly it HAS jumped.
LiamG | May 21, 2010 @ 3:31 am
no, it hasnt jumped the shark. I agree, that season 1 and 2 will never be reached again in its quality, but its still great.
@toby: the movie itself was probably a standard romantic movie with some funny stuff in it. The way we see it, is the way Ted sees it. And he hated that movie. So in reality, its probably a pretty good romantic comedy.
katie90 | May 21, 2010 @ 2:27 pm
Toby: I agree! Great episode and NPH was amazing – but it wasn’t his strongest song. Wish they would’ve had him sing Daydream Beliver longer and i hated that they had the two of them sing piano man with the jukebox in the background -they would’ve rocked that song. And how great were Idina Menzel and Rachel? Oooh i love them. This week’s Glee restored my faith in good TV after himym shattered it so badly
I know this is another one we disagree on..but I just expect more from the show. Hope the season finale can compare to season 4′s at least a LITTLE..cause the leap was seriously amazing!
Toby | May 21, 2010 @ 2:35 pm
OMG Katie, I think the Idina Menzel story line is ridiculous!!!!!! Everyone I know saw it coming, but I didn’t believe it. It would have been nice to have more NPH singing, but he was so good it Dream On!! I am excited for the Lady Gaga episode next week.
This season has fallen short in comparison with other seasons, but I think the finale will be good. I am not worried.
LaMe4eVr | May 21, 2010 @ 3:40 pm
I was sitting here reading these comments, thinking about how awful season 5 has been, when I decided to go to IMDB and see just exactly how man “awful” episodes there were. Turns out I think we’re all just in a bad mood lately! Season 5 had some really great ones!
For example, the following episodes, IMO were fantastic!
-Definitions
-Double Date
-Robin 101
-The Playbook
-The Window
-Last Cigarette Ever
-Girls vs. Suits
-Jenkins
-Rabbit or Duck
-Hooked
-Of Course
-Say Cheese
-Robots vs. Wrestlers
Now I know no one is going to agree with me 100%, and we all have criteria for what we consider a “good” HIMYM episode vs. a “bad” one, but let’s be honest…all in all, out of 23 episodes thus far, we aren’t doing too bad here people! So while they may have had some misses as of late, let’s not forget there were some really great episodes this season. I think we should all buy season 5 once it releases and relish in the still-amazingness that is HIMYM. While it’s undoubtedly no Season 1 or 2, it’s still a far better show than what’s out there now-a-days.
Also, maybe watching them all without annoying month-long breaks will do some good.
P.S. HATED “The Wedding Bride” episode. For my comments and thoughts, look to previous entry.
LaMe4eVr | May 21, 2010 @ 3:49 pm
Also, @Maaaatt
“Brad” is now heavily involved in Season 3 of True Blood as a wolf, so I don’t think we’ll be seeing much, if any, of him anymore. Sad day.
KJO | May 21, 2010 @ 5:13 pm
Jeez what a downer JD. I actually thought this episode was pretty funny. I’m pretty sure the acting in the movie was bad on purpose and the whole thing was supposed to be an indictment on the fact that horrible rom-coms do better at the box office than most critically acclaimed movies. If you’ve got nothing good to say how about passing the torch off to someone else.
Gravity | May 22, 2010 @ 3:03 pm
I’m rewatching this season lately, and I too have been finding a lot of great episodes. I think…
Definitions
Double Date
The Rough Patch
The Playbook
Girls Vs Suits
Rabbit Or Duck
Of Course
Robots Versus Wrestlers
and The Wedding Bride
are all great episodes that I’ll go back to a lot. With the exception of season two, all of the season have pretty much been hit or miss, this isn’t really new.
katie90 | May 22, 2010 @ 3:12 pm
@toby: heck, yeah, the idina storyline was obvious! but, seriously – how could they have NOT made her the mom? they’re basically one and the same, at least their faces and voices are. still love her and want to hear more from her (actually, there’s already the two of them singing a slow version of lady gaga’s “poker face” on youtube, which is kind of cool)
two those who posted the lists: nooo way, i thought most of these sucked. robin 101 and the rough patch were two of the worst episodes himym has ever given us, imo, last cigarette ever was really bad, too. i liked definitions and double date, the playbook, the window, rabbit or duck and of course. and that’s it. for a himym season that’s a pretty bad quota. i liked every single one of season 1, 2 and 3 and rewatch them constantly, season 4 had some suckers but also had many great ones and ended with a bang (missy the goat, anyone?!). i’ve just lost faith at this point. i know, i know, no one wants to hear more complaining but i’m sorry, that’s just the way it is.
katie90 | May 22, 2010 @ 3:13 pm
*when i say “that’s the way it is” i mean that that’s my opinion, not that everything i think is true
Eagle | May 22, 2010 @ 3:25 pm
can i know when season 6 is releasing?
please,
thank you
Gravity | May 22, 2010 @ 5:27 pm
I feel like I’m just more accepting of lackluster episodes than everyone else here, probably because I’ve seen the worst side of TV too many times. Even at it’s worst, let’s say Columns, Little Minnesota, or Robin 101, this show is still miles better than tripe like Big Bang Theory or Two and a Half Men, and for that reason I remain appreciative. Even the worst of episodes have some great gags, and are still VERY watchable.
Just enjoy the ride guys, not every sitcom can be this good, even on an “off” week. The overly critical attitude is really starting to make me care for this site a lot less than I used to.
Sleeks3000 | May 23, 2010 @ 1:09 am
I’m aware that the whole romantic movie thing was a satire, I just don’t think it was done well. I didn’t find it funny. It didn’t really offer anything new and refreshing, one of the reasons that made me fall in love with the show. Also, and someone else mentioned it, but it totally didn’t make sense that Robin shows up at the end of the episode, it was random. While Season 5 does have some good episodes, my major problem with Season 5 is that I don’t get a sense that there is really a point to it all. I refuse to believe that the Season Finale is going to make up for it all because that would just set my expectations too high.
Here is the major reason Season 5 cannot compare to the previous seasons, and probably the main reason people have been disappointed: All the other seasons did not rely on a season finale to make them great. Most of the episodes of the past seasons were stand-alone good episodes. We shouldn’t have to wait for a Season Finale to say the Season was good. That’s like saying it’s okay for our favorite restaurant to suddenly start serving crappy food for most of the year except our birthday. Not acceptable.
Tiffany | May 23, 2010 @ 2:44 am
You have to take into consideration that the wedding bride was a horrible movie because the story (as it has been mentions several times throughout the seasons) is told from Ted’s perspective. As with anyone, if you’re telling a story about the way something happened, there’s a change your memory is going to alter the way in which things happened, for memory is faulty. Since the story is from Ted’s perspective and he saw it as a horrible movie, we as an audience perceive it the way he does; horrible. Season 5 has not been a horrible season by any means. Do I feel as though this episode lived up to the hype it was given? No, I don’t, but this episode in no way epitomizes the way in which the season has gone. This may not be HIMYM’s best season, but it’s certainly not bad enough to insinuate a slippery slope is bound to occur.
Jenn- GCWOK Approved | May 23, 2010 @ 6:37 am
You know what would be AWESOME in Glee?! If NPH came back because Sue got pregnant during their angry sex! How awesome would a pregnant Sue Sylvestor be?! I swear, I should write a letter…
Toby | May 23, 2010 @ 10:56 am
Katie09 I heard poker face. I was pretty annoyed abt the slow version. Bad romance rocks though!
Jenn how sad r u that lost is ending tonight?
KJO | May 23, 2010 @ 11:36 am
pregnant sue sylvester? jane lynch turns 50 in july! lol
Himymrocks | May 23, 2010 @ 11:14 pm
I disagree I thought the bad acting in the movie was comical. Yes it wasn’t the greatest episode in history but it’s a lot funnier than it’s getting credit for
katie90 | May 24, 2010 @ 1:12 pm
jenn & toby: pregnant sue would be funny (NPH NEEDS to return, for whatever reason!), i’m also sad about lost but please don’t spoiler me, i’m going to watch it with my boyfriend tomorrow
aaaaaand i liked poker face!! man, toby, you and i can never agree on anything 
and @ kjo: that’d be like saying nph couldn’t have knocked her up cause they’re both gay in real life. well.. duh. plus, john travolta’s wife just announced her pregnancy at 47, in hollywood – and awesome musical parallel universes – anything is possible
Toby | May 24, 2010 @ 1:14 pm
Katie09: I know!!! Its ridiculous
. I am sorry, but poker face was not created to be in ballad form!!!!!
Toby | May 24, 2010 @ 1:17 pm
I don’t watch lost so I can’t spoiler you. I actually got yelled at last night for posting songs on facebook before the episode airs on Glee. People are crazy. BTW, I also thought it was weird that they are both Gay in real life and were having angry sex on the show.
Corey | May 24, 2010 @ 6:57 pm
I don’t get the argument that Ted wouldn’t portray the movie badly when telling it cause he shouldn’t have baggage over Stella. If someone made a movie about a situation you were in and turned you into the villain of the movie when you were the victim, I think that’s gonna piss ya off.
KJO | May 24, 2010 @ 9:23 pm
@Katie90 How is that the same thing? Sue Sylvester is straight, Jane Lynch is gay, but they are both the same age aren’t they? She is presumably in her late 40s and pregnancy at that age is rare and not to mention very risky.
DiceK | May 25, 2010 @ 7:42 am
It’s getting really painful to watch. Surely Bays and Thomas can tell the difference between the magnificent first three seasons and the attrocious 4th, and latter half of the 5th season?
Luis Cotovio | May 25, 2010 @ 4:02 pm
I haven’t been around this blog since last year so i didn’t know if it was just me but after reading JD’s review i see i’m not alone in thyinking that HIMYM has somehow lost its spark. Last season by seasons end we were at the edge of our seats, we got the Goat’s pay-off and it was awesome. This wasn’t even close. The previous seasons used to play in my TV over and over, this one… i watch the weeks episode and wait for the next, it seems the show has lost it’s heart. I defended a lot of criticism before but, despite a good start, this season is just geting all the good things this show had dragged in the mud. Hopefully season 6 will be better. Apreciate the chance the show was given, FlashForward (The best show this year) didn’t and was way better than this season of HIMYM.
Rainy | May 26, 2010 @ 10:13 am
@ Rachel
I’m really sorry that I offend you. I was boiling at that point.
@ LaMe4eVr & Gravity
Definitely agree!
I can proudly say that they only 2 episodes I can’t bear in this season is ‘Zoo Or False’ & ‘Slapsgiving 2′. Others are ok for me, & some of them were rocking! Maybe the reason we are disappointed on this season is because we have a lot of high expectations for it. But I’m not saying that you have to love them, but I just want to say that I believe this show still have what it takes!
Me | May 27, 2010 @ 4:06 pm
This season has been a total disappointment.
First it was Barney-Robin thing, which I’m sorry to say, sucked. They were both totally out of character. WHY would Barney look at other double-couples and think how awesome they are?? I mean just doesn’t make sense !!
The episodes have just gotten worse. The script is getting worse. Marshall, whose character I like a lot, refuses to lose weight.
‘Say Cheese’ episode was SUCH a let-down. First of all they call the girl who bakes them a cake, a skank, and Marshall shouts at her and kicks her out of the house…? Come ON !
Among the latest episodes, I liked ‘Home Wreckers’ the best. We got to see the ‘Ted’, ‘Marshall’, ‘Robin’, ‘Barney’ !!
, and ‘Lily’ we knew from s01e01.
‘Wedding Bride’ was a total flop. How can that awful a movie be a worldwide hit?? How could the sweet Stella divulge all the intimate, sweet things between her and Ted to Tony?? Like, him proposing her with the orange kangaroo, the 2-min date and the other things.
‘Zoo or False’ was the worst episode of the entire series. I LITERALLY slept off after the first segment.
I think the whole HIMYM team needs a creative rest. They need to take a break and churn out something truly amazing. It HAS to involve “the mother” somehow. After all, Ted says (rather, implies) that the Maggie-Adam love story was the 2nd greatest love story he ever heard (the 1st being his own !).
Come on guys, buckle up !!
GReactor | May 31, 2010 @ 4:55 am
Partly agree….what u havent took at all into account is that this is who Ted is eein it!!!!That’s all with the bad acting etc…
SophiaVonMatterhorn | June 14, 2010 @ 9:16 pm
I agree with sarah.
Still love the show, i dont measure the sow at what i would like to see, i love it how it happens. I think it was a nice season, maybe without the spark and magic of falling in love, but with the warmth and happiness of living together since 5 years
and the red cowboy boots? AWESOME, barney in the cinema?? AWESOME
thanks
sarah | June 24, 2010 @ 7:51 am
who is the mother ?????????? it is killing me and my boyfriend !!!!
rasa | September 5, 2010 @ 4:26 pm
love barney and ted<3
rasa | September 5, 2010 @ 4:29 pm
how can i speak with them?
they are awesome!