In the series finale of “How I Met Your Mother” (HIMYM), Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) finally got the girl. He finally met his kids’ mother, and married her. After nine seasons, he finally did it. But did he end up okay?
The HIMYM series finale showed on CBS on March 31. The show was set primarily in the past, as Ted told his children stories of all of the escapades and adventures that he and his friends both struggled with and turned into memories in his efforts to find their mother. It was about the everyday lives of these five best friends, who have lived together, fallen in and out of love, suffered career problems, and all else that encompasses life, sharing their days in the bar MacLauren’s Pub. It was an iconic sitcom, and the series finale wrapped everything up beautifully.
*Note: there will be some MAJOR spoilers ahead, so read with caution.*
The entire ninth season revolved around Robin Scherbatsky (Cobie Smulders) and Barney Stinson’s (Neil Patrick Harris) wedding, and we got to see their wedding in the first 20 minutes of the finale. And in those 20 minutes, they were divorced because Robin’s career became too much of a strain on them. So what exactly was the point of the entire season? To show how everything is important to life.
Barney returned to his old ways, and impregnated a girl. This was the most brilliant thing the writers could have done. When he held his daughter for the first time, we saw a change in Barney. I think, artistically speaking, his child had to be a girl. It would not have had the same impact on him, had it been a boy. After objectifying and taking advantage of women for so long, he saw the flaw in his character. He wanted to protect her from the world. He kissed her forehead, tears in his eyes, and made a promise to her.
Lily Aldrin (Alyson Hannigan) and Marshall Eriksen (Jason Segel) had three children total, and were the epitome of the perfect family. They’ve had their fights, but they always came back to each other. Marshall has had struggles with jobs, morally speaking, and he finally got a chance to show the world what he can do. He was an underdog hero.
I think, above all, the show was life, its beauties and tragedies, loves and heartbreaks, family and friends and everything in between. It reiterated the belief that life is not about how it all ends, but everything that got you there, the glory of the journey.
It reminded us that life is hard and complicated, but it will be okay: You can follow your heart and make your dreams come true. And sometimes, the things you least expect will be the most beautiful and treasured parts of your life. Sometimes you never get over the person that you’ve been in love with all along. So embrace it: kick back in a bar with your best friends, make memories, and LIVE the stories that one day you’ll tell your kids.
The show debuted on September 19, 2005. The writers and directors were phenomenal, not just in the finale, but with the entire show. I believe (though some Twitter users will seriously disagree with me) that the finale was the only way for the show to end. One of the last scenes of it was actually recorded eight years ago, and the cast has kept the secret for all this time. And that was the best thing they could have done.
But was Ted really happy, in the end? Did he marry the girl of his dreams? Who WAS the girl of his dreams? Was she the mother of his children or someone he never expected? What really is true love? This is the one thing I refuse to ruin for you. Watch the season finale of this iconic show and find out!
