How I Met Your Mother has been a sub par show now for the better half of 2 plus seasons. However much enjoyment someone gets from the show, they would at least have to admit that these last few seasons were no where near where the show was in its first few seasons, be it from an emotional or comedic standpoint. While the last 3 or 4 episodes may have pointed to the writers MAYBE being able to right the ship, "Weekend At Barney's" once again demonstrated that this group of writers are just struggling mightily to write for these characters this late in the game.
This episode gives us one of the most false and ridiculous lines that anyone on this show has ever muttered. We finally get to see the scene where Ted is sitting on a stoop with all of his belongings in ruin because of an ugly break up with Jeanette. That's all fine and well until narrator Ted tell us that he is ready to stop dating and settle down, and here's the kicker "And kids, for the first time in my life, I really meant it."
Excuse me? That line was a joke a right? The writers have to be just trolling me now. Last time i checked, Ted Evelyn Mosby has been looking to settle down since the pilot episode of this show 8 years ago. It was not only the single most defining aspect of his character, but it was also what made us love him and root for him to find happiness. Even as Ted morphed into an insufferable jerk over the last few seasons, we still remembered that this has always been the journey of Teds happiness, and that happiness was tied to his desire to settle down. This man would have been married to Victoria by the end of season 1 had she not moved to Germany and would have been married to Robin by the end of season 3 if she wanted kids. Heck, he could have been living the married life in JERSEY had Stella not gone back with Tony. This kind of short sighted writing has been a theme of recent HIMYM but its usually on a smaller level to manufacture a laugh. It is quite sad that it has come to a point where now they have to manufacture emotion.
As for Robin and Barney, what is left to say really? This will always be a horrible couple that is getting forced fed to us. Constantly reminding us that this is a horrible couple isn't funny and doesn't help. There is a version of this couple that could work, but at this stage of the show, both characters seem to be in their worst forms. Robin is annoying and shrill and Barney is not going to stop lying anytime soon, because he still has to be Barney as long as the show is going on. The fact that we can still get a laugh or two from Barney's hijinks is the only redeeming quality, but not enough for me to care about them as a couple.
Marshall and Lily's story in this episode was largely a throwaway story but it was also the one i enjoyed the most. The highlight being the Skittles gag, not only because it was funny, but because this writing team was actually able to set up a joke and pay it off in the same episode, instead of making us wait 2 years for a payoff that falls short of expectations.
But on the plus side, THE RED COWBOY BOOTS ARE GONE!
