All of a sudden? They've been moving those two together since Season 3. I can see you not wanting them together, but to argue it was done haphazardly and at the last minute doesn't seem to jive with the history of the show, which has always posited that these two are the male/female equivalents of one another.

And I think the two characters do a lot to show they are over each other, but it's never convincing. They are not over each other, and they fall into the concept of "soul mates" that HIMYM keeps dipping into. They fight against their fate, but it is still their fate.

The show keeps going back and forth on events because it has to have narrative tension or there is no show. You already have one couple that has narrative tension, Lilly and Marhsall. You can't have a whole show of people in established, functional relationships or the show is over.

3 ...

Report Post

Posted by Cap Crunch

Fire Alleva

Member since Dec 2010

54189 posts

Posted on 9/25/12 at 10:32 am to Baloo

I agree with Baloo that Barney and Robin do make sense together, I just feel like its kinda forced. Basically the writers say, we have these two single friends, lets start to put them together. I think they've done a good job of showing that, but I liked them more with the other characters they've dated (Kevin, Nora, Quinn, etc.)

1 ...

Report Post

Posted by CocomoLSU

Inside your dome.

Member since Feb 2004

151028 posts

Posted on 9/25/12 at 11:02 am to Baloo

Well frick...I had just typed out two long paragraphs in response to this, and then accidentally clicked back and lost it.

quote:
The show keeps going back and forth on events because it has to have narrative tension or there is no show. You already have one couple that has narrative tension, Lilly and Marhsall. You can't have a whole show of people in established, functional relationships or the show is over.

My basic point was that maybe I was missing something when I started watching the show (because I didn't have the first three seasons' worth of history to draw upon), but I don't think Robin and Barney have been being "pushed" since then. Maybe I was off on reading that though.

But in a show that tries to be so self-referential and tries so hard to make sure that minute details matter to the overall plot of the show, it sure as hell seems to do things solely for filler. They've built this huge vault of information that is crucial to the plot of the show, but then they go and fill half seasons with irrelevant shite. I can understand the "I don't really care about the plot or who the mother is, I just like the show because it's entertaining" argument, and I actually pretty much agree with that viewpoint. I just don't like how they finally let Barney grow up a bit (with his relationship to Nora) and finally let him meet the girl of his dreams, only to have that rug pulled out. Same thing with Robin and Kal Penn (although admittedly, that was always seeming to go nowhere). They're together, and it doesn't seem to feel right. Then they're not. Then they are. Going back and forth is one thing, but at some point it almost seems disingenuous...like they are just toying with the audience knowing they're just gonna pull the rug out from under them again (and again). Like I said, I can understand why that would upset/frustrate viewers. It's like they want to do things and set up certain things just so they can be like "HAHA, frick you." Perfect example is it wasn't but about 5 or so episodes ago that Ted was confessing his undying love for Robin. WTF?

1 ...

Report Post

Posted by wildtigercat93

Member since Jul 2011

112469 posts

Posted on 9/25/12 at 12:38 pm to Baloo

quote:
All of a sudden? They've been moving those two together since Season 3. I can see you not wanting them together, but to argue it was done haphazardly and at the last minute doesn't seem to jive with the history of the show, which has always posited that these two are the male/female equivalents of one another.

I could argue for days that you couldnt be more wrong. The show has evolved Barney in a way that makes him getting together with Robin, completely against everything that he has done up to this poit in the show.

When Barney and Robin first got together it was purely a fling and it was based on sex. As soon as it moved past that, they realized how terrible they were together sp they broke up. Past that point the only time Barney has ever "wanted" Robin was because someone else was with her and he couldnt have her (this shows his immaturity). Examples of this are when Robin got serious with the news anchor and when Ted and Robin started hooking up to stop fighting (Barney threw TVs and everything about this)

Then later Barney finally starts to grow up and move on from Robin when he dates Nora. Shes awesome and he likes everything about her and wants hmeverything he thought he didnt want before (kids, marriage etc). This is where he develops past just a womanizer to someone you can tell wants more than that. After all that Barney sleeps with Robin again and now has a want for Robin again. At this point he breaks up with a great girl that loved him to be with Robin, and what does she do? Tell him she cant break up with Kumar, which she has no real feelings for.

Here is his breaking point. Thats his closure for Robin. He broke his heart with making him break Noras. At this point, he is completely over her. He realizes in his head that they are too similar in some ways and too different in others (wanting kids). He has grown past what should be a phase (Robin). He has matured and is now really looking to settle down. This is proven to me when something was going on with Robin (i think when Ted told her he loved her for the billionth time) and he asks Barney how he feels about it, and Barney says with a straight face in complete truth that "I really dont care, dont have feeling for her." Now this is the same Barney that had shown no ability over 8 seasons to hide his emotions. That means he truely felt that way imo.

So now you have last seasons finally where Barney finally decides he wants to marry Quinn because shes perfect for him. He spends 29 minutes of the show proposing and growing truely past the point of being a manwhore. He has settled down, he has come full circle from where he was after he and Robin broke up. He is a mature person now....OHH WAIT NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN ROBIN AND BARNEY ARE AT THE WEDDING ABOUT TO GET MARRIED. Whattt??? Why couldnt you do that 3 seasons ago?? Whats the point of all that growth of Barney if hes just going to go back to a girl that has broke his heart countless times, wants completely different things in life and have shown to be terrible together.

They made the last couple season pointless. And if Ted cant be with Robin because they want differwnt things, then why is that not the same reasoning for Barney??

3 ...

Report Post

Movie/TV Board - Replies to Post

Return To Board

Page 1

Return To Board