Amongst the situational comedies of the noughties was one that revolutionised the way these stories could be told. How I Met Your Mother stood tall as a trailblazer in television, seamlessly blending comedy, romance, and camaraderie. Its time-bending narrative created more opportunity for creativity and mischief among its beloved ensemble cast. But then came time to wrap the story up in a neat little bow, and things went sideways. But how does the show's ending fare a decade on?
For nearly 10 years, How I Met Your Mother had its audiences in a tight grip as they awaited the answer to the big mystery the show posed from its very first episode: who is the mother? Across 208 episodes, it captivated audiences with its quirky characters and layered narrative. Finally, in 2014, the answer arrived in the two-part episode ‘Last Forever'. Tracy McConnell, played by Cristin Milioti, emerged as the long-awaited solution to Ted Mosby's (Josh Radnor) romantic odyssey. Against the odds, Milioti's portrayal struck gold, and she proved to be the perfect choice. Her ability to slide between a charming persona and being effortlessly funny was her strength, embodying the perfect counterpart to Ted's journey. And Ted was finally happy—but the writers had other ideas.
Following an on again, off again relationship between Ted and Robin Scherbatsky (Cobie Smulders) over the course of the show, the story had done everything to establish their fundamental incompatibility. After all, the pair wanted different things from life. Ted wanted kids, Robin didn't. Robin wanted to travel, Ted wanted to settle down. Audiences had become used to the idea Robin wasn't meant for Ted. Nevertheless, the writers opted to disregard this, dispatching Tracy via an untimely demise and rekindling Ted and Robin's flame. The response to this ending was both fierce and unrelenting. Fans rushed to social media to vent their frustrations and air their grievances, condemning the decision to upend years of character development for a rushed resolution.
Tracy's death – which occurs in 2024 in the show's timeline – challenged the show's central premise, picking apart the story that had woven the series together. Never had audiences questioned why Ted was telling the story of how he met their mother, or why the mother never appeared during his tale—her identity was a mystery, so why would she? Some would argue that her death reflected life's complexities, but for an escapist television series it wasn't welcome, especially at the show's conclusion.
How I Met Your Mother was special because it had the capacity to balance these difficult events with its light tone. A certain moment that comes to mind where the show nailed realism was in season six's ‘Bad News' when Marshall Eriksen (Jason Segel) finds out about his father's abrupt passing. It made for a heart wrenching moment for his character and for viewers, and it was even later revealed that Segel wasn't told what the scene would entail so as to create a raw moment for the actor. This was where the series thrived—and yet Tracy's fate seemed, ultimately, unreasonably cruel. While some defended the realism of such a plot twist, others decried its imposition on what was, at its heart, an escapist series.
The final season, centered on Robin and Barney Stinson's (Neil Patrick Harris) wedding, marked a departure from the show's established locations and dynamics. While Robin had her ups and downs with Ted, she also had her fair share with Barney—the inventive womaniser who we watch come up with scheme after scheme to get women into bed. Barney and Robin's shared fear of commitment eventually draws them together, both realising they are ready for marriage and life together.
While the rest of the seasons centre themselves at MacLaren's Pub and Lily Aldrin (Alyson Hannigan) and Marshall's apartment as well as a handful of other locations, the final one focuses on the wedding venue, spanning across one weekend. This shift in location also resulted in movement in the dynamics of the group. So much time was spent in anticipation of the wedding, complete with a sequence establishing Ted finally letting go of the idea of being with Robin. By the time it arrived, it felt like the conclusion audiences had been waiting for, especially as Ted finally meets Tracy, the bass player in the wedding band.
There is, however, a turn of events in the final episode which sees a return to MacLaren's as well as everything we know and love. Events speed up and before we know it, Ted is a father twice-over and Tracy has just received a life-ending diagnosis. Not only that but Barney and Robin have divorced, deciding married life isn't for them. While the anticipation built over countless episodes promised a satisfying climax, the eventual resolution felt hollow and forced. The rushed nature of all of this is jarring when compared to the seasons of build-up. The rapid unraveling of relationships, the abrupt dissolution of Barney and Robin's marriage, and Ted's hasty return to Robin's arms all served to undermine the emotional investment cultivated over the show's extensive run.
Rushed pacing spelt danger and wrecklessness in this case. Audiences had been through too much to watch half the plot be thrown away in such a meaningless manner, and viewers made sure to let showrunners know. Ted's journey to find true love ultimately felt cheapened by this decision making, ruling out all of the progress made between himself and Robin about their futures together. Clinging to the original idea of how this series would end was its own downfall, when showrunners should have been focusing on developing the story naturally and coming to a more fitting and logical conclusion.
In the end, How I Met Your Mother stumbled where it once soared. The rushed pacing and reckless narrative choices undermined the careful groundwork laid over nine seasons, leaving fans disillusioned and disheartened. Ted's quest for true love, once the beating heart of the series, was reduced to an echo of its former self, overshadowed by a contrived reunion with Robin.
To calm outraged fans an alternate ending was released on the DVD box set of the series, which cuts much of the last moments of the episode, opting for a simple ending of Tracy and Ted meeting for the first time. In retrospect, the show's finale stands as a cautionary tale, a reminder of the perils of sacrificing narrative integrity for the sake of a tidy conclusion.
