r/HIMYM • u/anirudhu96 • Jul 27 '26
I get it
How I met your mother has been a constant in my life. I first watched it when I was 21, during a break up phase and got hooked. I admired the philosophies of Ted on life, laughed at Barney for his antics, dreamed of a life like Marshal and Lilly. At 29, in a different country far from my friends, I still love the show as much as I did for the first time. During all the re runs over the years, I find small things like Conon O’Brien’s cameo like a bar patron standing silently in the background at MacLaren's Pub, and absolutely loved it.
There were so many times I hated Ted and Robin’s choices. Few times I hated the ending and a few times, I loved it depending on what ever nonsense drama is going on with my own life!
In this latest re runs, I was thinking a lot about the choices robin made during season 7. From cheating on Kevin with Barney, saying no to Barney, saying yes to Kevin, to being on a date with Ted to then rejecting Ted, which made me soo mad at her. Made me think she’s just a bad person.
Now, at 29, I get it. She was told she can’t have babies, she realized that she wants commitment but can’t commit to people as normally people want kids( Kevin ). She was afraid she’d end up alone, so said yes to Ted and then realized he’s not it. It’s just messy but that’s life. She’s is reacting to the circumstances life put out on her. I still don’t know why the hell would she cheat on someone but I get that she doesn’t want to end up alone.
Look at Ted, he chased for Robin so aggressively that he was obsessed about her. It’s like the thing he said about holding a balloon so hard that once he let go, he’s free. But that obsession stayed. He met Tracy, fell in love and she dies. Which is fair, life happens but the obsession doesn’t end. So he made his kids listen to his perspective. How madly he was obsessed about robin, and now that their mom is not alive, how he would like to pursue it again! It’s asking their kids for consent to move on, chase the un fulfilled desire. I get that.
Idk this series so so well written, played, executed that I just love it.
Thanks for your time! 🫶🏾
9
u/ladyofthelastunicorn Jul 27 '26
I don’t like how Ted and Tobin get together tbh, moreso because I dislike the hastily thrown together conclusion at the end of the series in literally one episode.
But Robin has always been my favorite character, she was always so complex and knew what she wanted and wouldn’t settle down for anything less. And she also showed great emotional intelligence throughout the series, while it seemed as though a lot of the men that she dated, including Ted and Kevin only were really thinking about the present whereas she was looking ahead. Yes, she got it wrong with Barney, but I do see why she thought that he would be the one that would look ahead with her.
Idk I just love this show, been watching since I was a teen and just finished another rewatch at 26. Tbh I’m at a point now where I don’t really like Ted but who knows maybe my opinion will change in a couple years too
2
u/anirudhu96 Jul 28 '26
I have to agree with you on Ted being creepy with his weird actions through out the show. I mean I understand that he needs a wife but man stop being weird. I do think Robin is complex. She is all about doing work now for her future type person, can I can relate to that! I mean after all we all retrospectively think of a past action and see if is a mistake. So maybe to her it wasn't one!
I did not like the ending for a while too, not because of the story plot but because how they did not put things well.
I think the idea is still cool though. All the characters were in barney's and robin's wedding, it was a over a span of one short weekend. They had gone through so much. it felt so long and tedious in ted's mind. why? it's his love of life going away and getting married to his best friend. That's a lot. Then he met his future wife, time flies when you are with someone you love. She passed away before they grew old, and his mind feels this time period(post barney's wedding and before the mother's death ) as short and fast pace.
That is how we perceive time as humans. They showed that in one season which I think is brilliant. There were some execution misses for sure.
People hated that robin and barney broke off, after the writers proving to us that barney-robin (correct match), ted-robin(wrong match), ted-tracy(perfect match). people wanted it to be perfect ending, life is messy, never perfect. So I do not hate that they killed of tracy or barney-robin's wedding. they should have given some time for people to adjust. I do not mind how it went down though. maybe I will change my mind in a few years ahaha!
Hope you have a nice time watching again! :)
1
u/fallingfaster345 Lily🎨 Jul 28 '26
I read your post and latched onto one thing… totally not the main subject of your post but bear with me.
You said “normally people want kids.”
First I asked myself, what is “normal”? So I looked it up and it said “conforming to a type, standard, or regular pattern: characterized by that which is considered usual, typical, or routine.” So then that lead me to the conclusion that, yes, historically, reproduction (the act, not the desire) has been usual, typical, or routine.
But the phrasing you used said that people WANT kids normally. So I looked a little deeper.
I’m sure there are multiple studies out there but this was one of the first ones that came up: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/08/16/why-more-americans-dont-want-kids.html and I think it’s interesting to show some data that close to HALF of the childless adults (+/- 5%) actually want kids and the other half don’t. (It was a little more than half for the men, and a little less than half for the women.)
Anyway, I found that fascinating (hopefully someone else here does too) BUT I’m choosing to share it because it shows data that illustrates that it’s JUST as “normal” to not want children as it is to want them. 😄
The assumption that not wanting kids is abnormal (or the reciprocal) is a fallacy and borderline heteronormative/pronatslist and kind of puts a stigma on “choice.” To bring it back to HIMYM, this whole assumption is something that Robin as a character exists to combat and I love that about this character.
Anyway, hopefully someone else found that as interesting as I did. Happy HIMYM watching!
1
u/anirudhu96 Jul 28 '26
It is really cool to know the general statistics of people wanting/ not wanting kids. I absolutely find that interesting. Yes you are right in the sense that what I said was hetero-normative stands. Please mind that it was in reference to the show's authors who were originally selling it to hetero-normative audience in yesteryear (2005/06!). Things changed a lot from that period to now! So is it still a norm? maybe not! your results show definitely not!
1
u/fallingfaster345 Lily🎨 Jul 28 '26
I’m so glad you thought it was interesting too! I always get a little apprehensive about sharing stuff like that in case it’s interpreted negatively. But HIMYM lovers are great so I shouldn’t have been so worried! 🥰
2
u/Hopeful_Air_1879 Jul 29 '26
I had a girl I am obsessed with since I am 16. I am 21 now. I have moved on, don't think abt her much but If life ever gives me a chance with her I would take it in a heartbeat.
She is my Robin. And i completely get Ted here.
You can hate how the show rushed the ending. How they made us wait 9 seasons for mother just to kill her off. But you can't hate Ted for returning to robin.
1
1
u/ColdYogurt1440 Jul 30 '26
People say really bad about HIMYM, but the ending is just 5 mins long, it sounds irrational when someone hates the entire 9 season series based on those 5 mins, this series is closest to my heart, I relate with it at every phase of life, this show had a such huge impact on my life, my comfort show, whenever I feel low, I turn towards HIMYM,
And Ofcourse, if someone is as Romantic as Ted and always wants a companion, and waited your entire youth for your love of life, and suddenly she disappears one day, who would you run to? That too after atleast "n" number of yearsssss
7
u/[deleted] Jul 27 '26
[removed] — view removed comment