I just went through 31 Episodes of How I Met Your Mother (HIMYM). In 16 hours more or less. The first 10 was to watch half of season 1 with my son 2 days ago. My 9year old is now very taken with this show. Ever since I re-acquainted myself with it when it started airing on ETC (Cable), he'd also sit by my side to watch it with me. Then the other night, after dinner to midnight, we watched half of Season 2 and went ahead to finish the rest yesterday, at Mother's Day. (Well, almost finished. One more episode to go when it airs the finale this week.)Why am I letting my 9year old watch a show that's clearly not for 9 year olds? Because I'm a cool/bad parent (depending on where your values lie). Haha.
My son appreciates the goofy comedy. I think it's cool that this early, he already has an incredible sense of humor. So I indulge him and let him watch shows like this with me. It is also my high point as his mother --- we have this chance to bond together.
But I have to admit, I get uncomfortable when the characters talk of things that are more appropriate for viewers 18 and above. On a few instances, I've had to deal with orienting my son on some episodes of HIMYM, especially since they have stories like losing virginity or vibrators. Skipping these parts don't work with a 9year old anymore. Fast forwarding is not a good idea. So, yes... while I feel I may be polluting an innocent mind, on the bright side of things...at least he is learning it all through me.
Anyway, enough of Parenting 101.
So, haaaaaave you met Ted?
This guy is the lead character, Ted...who is looking for his true love.
From the official site:
HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER is a comedy about Ted (Josh Radnor) and how he fell in love. It all started when Ted's best friend, Marshall (Jason Segel), dropped the bombshell that he was going to propose to his long-time girlfriend, Lily (Alyson Hannigan), a kindergarten teacher. At that moment, Ted realized that he had better get a move on if he also hopes to find true love. Helping him in his quest is Barney (Neil Patrick Harris), a friend with endless, sometimes outrageous opinions, a penchant for suits and foolproof ways to pick up women. When Ted meets Robin (Cobie Smulders), he is sure it is love at first sight, but destiny may have something else in store. The series is narrated through flashbacks from the future.Other characters:
Lilly & Robin
Marshall & Barney
HIMYM premiered in 2005 to lukewarm reviews. People said it was a Friends copycat, which in truth was actually what held me back from liking this show. I carry a torch for Friends and no show can ever be like it. For some other show to be labeled as the next Friends? Kapal.
Alright, that was then. I take all that back now. It does have its Friends elements. (And now, I'm okay with that.) :
* The show takes place in New York.
My son: So mom, while this is happening all the time, in another part of New York, nandun ang mga Friends!
* They had an episode where they called Barney - Swarley and had everyone else call him by that name. Barney aka Swarley hated it.
Me to my son: Remember that episode where Chandler changed his name and Joey said from now on they will call him Gene?
* The hangout ---
Friends - Central Perk, coffee shop.
HIMYM - a bar (and I have yet to know its name.)
In one HIMYM episode: Ted, Marshall and BArney say meeting in a café isn't as much fun as in a bar, said café recreating the Central Perk flair. --- from IMDb
* Barney officiates his friends' wedding.
Just like in Friends, Joey gets a permit to officiate the wedding of his friends, Barney got his, too.
* Favorite movie ---
Chandler, Joey & Ross' best movie ever: Die Hard.
Ted, Marshall & Barney's best movie ever: Field of Dreams
* Marshall has his own game.
Just like Joey's Bamboozled, Marshall also has this really ridiculous game nobody understands.
So much like Friends, no? What's different then?
* HIMYM is more of a guy show than a chick show. Friends was a chick show.
* The treatment. Aside from the fact that the whole show is actually of a father (Ted) re-telling the story to his teenage kids, HIMYM loves to backtrack, fast forward, split two stories from different character's viewpoint (his story, her story) to define why the plot comes together in the end. In a way, I would say the treatment is the same as Coupling...which on hindsight, Coupling was at one point also referred to as the British version of Friends.
Incidentally, when credits appear on HIMYM, you would see the name Greg Malins...if you're a Friends fan, that name would be very familiar to you.
And finally, the best episode so far, had one of this:
(While they were watching the video)
Marshall: If this is the '90s, why does it look like 1986?
Robin: The '80s didn't come to Canada till, like, '93.
Hehehe.
How I Met Your Mother
Season 1 & 2
Original Airing: September 2005
Network: CBS
