Hey everyone, Jeremy here, with my first post on this new, unpretentious snob blog. I suppose it's a little ironic that my first post is a review of a primetime television sitcom. No, not a fine wine, foreign film or craft beer, a sitcom. I guess that goes to show what has been taking up my (and now Gwerin's) free time. Well anyway, here it goes. I promise, more pretentious posts in the future, read only through spectacles or even a monocle. Black tie only.
How I Met Your Mother (HIMYM) is a primetime sitcom that airs at whatever o'clock on random network. Details aren't important. The show starts with Ted sitting down his teenage children to tell the story of how he met their mother. This is a loose premise since after 4 seasons we never even meet this so called 'mother'. Anyway, the story he tells is of him and his friends in their twenties living in new york city. The ensemble includes Ted, his roommate Marshall, Marshall's fiancee Lily, Ted's on and off again love interest Robin, and Barney, a suit wearing man-whore who met Ted at a urinal and is his self-proclaimed best friend. It is here that I should point out that Barney is played by Neil Patrick Harris and is absolutely hilarious. Also, Marshall is the guy in 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' among other films, and Lily is played by the girl who was Willow in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and also the girl in 'American Pie'. So, a pretty good cast thus far. Now the review:
HIMYM is, after all is said and done, a fluffy sitcom. It doesn't try to be any more, and it shouldn't. With that in mind it is still great fun. The comedy and characters match this generation of television viewers like no other sitcom I've stumbled upon. It is as if you can picture yourself hanging out with the characters at their bar and joking around with them while becoming alcoholics (they spend a lot of time at the bar).
It isn't, however, without it's flaws. These flaws are present in most sitcoms, especially those that last more than 2 seasons. The conflicts don't seem to evolve much, especially for Ted, who is constantly and irritatingly searching for the woman he is going to marry. He's so melodramatic it makes me throw up a little in my mouth. Just now that happened. A little. Moving on. The writers do manage to develop the rest of the cast sufficiently slowly that you don't get too bored with them, though Barney's awesomeness is at risk were it not for it being so awesome.
Definitely if the main character arc was only Ted (with or without his relationship with Robin) this show would not be a success. However, Barney keeps it hilarious and light and Marshall and Lily keep it accessible. In fact, Gwerin and I relate ourselves to the married couple even easier than we did with the cast of Friends. I'm totally Chandler, and not Ross, damnit. Aaaaaanyway, it's good fun and makes me want to turn off the tv and go hang out with my friends (counter-productive for a tv show, I know).
Gwerin is next to me as I write this and she agrees with everything I say. It's a well spent half hour (or ten hours of you marathon a season) and pretty refreshing when you consider all the other crap on tv.
So check it out sometime. Let us know how it is. We just canceled our cable. Bye!
Rating: Snow Day
