How I Met Your Mother season 7 (spoilers if you're not watching on US schedule)

[zobothehobo]

Spoiler

I am not a Barney/Robin shipper. I knew that they'd be endgame.... But I really thought I had more time. I REALLY hate how they got together. Barney about to meet Nora's parents... nervous from that being his comitiphobe self sabotaging his great relationship with Nora. And Robin taking advantage of that knowing exactly what she was doing. I know most of the fandom is jumping up with excitement... but last night I cried so hard.

Like I said, I knew they'd be endgame... but I was always so unhappy about it... and now... ugh. And it sucks more because I usually ship endgames. And what I mean by that... is this is the FIRST real time that I've been so disappointed at the endgame ship. So the heartbreak of seeing them get back together even though I feel it will be the demise of everything good is the first heartbreak of it's kind. When they first got together, they didn't fit with each other because they were too similar. The way I keep describing it to people is like they're the same side of the zipper. The don't compliment each other where they need to. They're essentially the same person. You can't have a relationship like that and that's why they fell flat when they first happened.

People always try to blame the writers for handling it poorly, but when you watch it... you see the writers realized pretty quickly that after the drama of getting them together was finished, they couldn't do much or go anywhere with the relationship without taking one or both of them way out of character. So the relationship stayed stagnant and then they broke up. Barney is one of my top five characters of all time. I'd be SO mad if they made him get all out of character just to make this relationship work and the fans happy. (And it should be noted I do feel the ONLY reason the writers are going down the Barney/Robin road again is the fans. And I do not respect that at all).

Sorry for the rant, I just feel very passionately about this.

 

[dexeded]

Spoiler

I am not a Barney/Robin shipper. I knew that they'd be endgame.... But I really thought I had more time. I REALLY hate how they got together. Barney about to meet Nora's parents... nervous from that being his comitiphobe self sabotaging his great relationship with Nora. And Robin taking advantage of that knowing exactly what she was doing. I know most of the fandom is jumping up with excitement... but last night I cried so hard.

Like I said, I knew they'd be endgame... but I was always so unhappy about it... and now... ugh. And it sucks more because I usually ship endgames. And what I mean by that... is this is the FIRST real time that I've been so disappointed at the endgame ship. So the heartbreak of seeing them get back together even though I feel it will be the demise of everything good is the first heartbreak of it's kind. When they first got together, they didn't fit with each other because they were too similar. The way I keep describing it to people is like they're the same side of the zipper. The don't compliment each other where they need to. They're essentially the same person. You can't have a relationship like that and that's why they fell flat when they first happened.

People always try to blame the writers for handling it poorly, but when you watch it... you see the writers realized pretty quickly that after the drama of getting them together was finished, they couldn't do much or go anywhere with the relationship without taking one or both of them way out of character. So the relationship stayed stagnant and then they broke up. Barney is one of my top five characters of all time. I'd be SO mad if they made him get all out of character just to make this relationship work and the fans happy. (And it should be noted I do feel the ONLY reason the writers are going down the Barney/Robin road again is the fans. And I do not respect that at all).

Sorry for the rant, I just feel very passionately about this.

Don't know about the bit about

Spoiler

Bays and Thomas only continuing B/R because of fan reaction. I remember them being enthusiastic in interviews, and the actors are fans of it as well (except maybe Aly). You have your own right to shipping, of course, and I can sort of see how you think they're too alike (which with B/R shippers would mean they're perfect together), but I have to disagree with you on the Nora point. Sure, it shows Barney being happy with Nora and all, but where was all the development? Like, he just saw Nora on Desperation Day, and suddenly liked her, love (not love, but still) at first sight-y--I could kind of understand that, since she was pretty sassy, but since then, her character has just been that of a British romantic. And acting all mushy around her... really? And he decided to change for Nora, when he seemed incapable of doing so with Robin, whom he had known for much longer and was in love with for a whole season. It isn't an issue of Nora interfering with my ship; I actually like the Kevin/Robin relationship, it's funny and interesting, and Kevin spends way more time with the group and works well with them. It's just that I think they neglected Nora's character, and Barney's character in his interactions and fascination with her. As for the part about the creators not handling the relationship right... they were great in Definitions, Dual Citizenship, even Robin 101, which shows that the B/R relationship could have gone and ended much better than the travesty that was The Rough Patch (the horrible, horrible fat suit).

 

[Buffy Summers]

People, you can't have a thread where you spoiler everything out - no one know whether what you're writing is actually a spoiler or not.

If it's been aired in the US, per the thread title it doesn't need to be marked. And if it's just you speculating on what will happen, you don't need to mark it.

 

[Buffy Summers]

zobothehobo agrees: Well I was just being nice... in case someone hadn't seen it yet because I know a lot of people don't have the time to watch the day of. It

It makes the thread really hard to follow, and as I said, people don't know what really is a spoiler. The thread is marked as spoilers for those who haven't watched the current US episode, that is enough.

🙂

 

[BananaBuffy]

Just jumping in here for five seconds even though I'm not totally caught up on season seven. I do still know what happened in the latest episode, sigh.

So I just recently got converted to the show, people had told me to watch it (Zoe!) and my Mum started watching it again so I finally sat down with her and was hooked by the first episode. Well, it was somewhere in the middle of the sixth season and I haven't got caught up yet, so that would require watching the first five seasons but I'm still watching along with the show because I simply can't help it. Plus, before I can start watching this I still have to finish my Buffy re-watch and season seven of Gilmore Girls.

But I love this show! And that's not even really what I watned to say. I didn't see the Robin/Barney relationship play out before, but obviously it didn't work out--they have both said that. What irritates me about the storyline between them and the idea that she will be the bride is that they gave it a try before and it didn't work. Yes, Barney is changing and yes, he is becoming a better man which is apparently attracting Robin and reminding her of her feelings. However, he did not change because of her. He changed because of other circumstances that were happening around him. His father, even Nora had big parts in these changes. Robin can't see that, mostly because she isn't watching from behind a screen.

Just because he is changing does not mean that a relationship with him would work now. He is still Barney, she is still Robin. Very rarely do two people who give it another try work out to be endgame, so it doesn't make any sense to me. I love Robin, I really do and I love Barney...ten times more and I want what's best for him and unless they can convince me otherwise...this isn't what's best for him. Because Robin and Barney are too similar, he may not stayed changed if he is brought into a relationship with her. And again, she can't see that.

I should shut up now, seeing as I am a brand new fan of about one week and don't completely know what I'm talking about. But I'm just throwing my opinions out there.

 

[dexeded]

Just jumping in here for five seconds even though I'm not totally caught up on season seven. I do still know what happened in the latest episode, sigh.

So I just recently got converted to the show, people had told me to watch it (Zoe!) and my Mum started watching it again so I finally sat down with her and was hooked by the first episode. Well, it was somewhere in the middle of the sixth season and I haven't got caught up yet, so that would require watching the first five seasons but I'm still watching along with the show because I simply can't help it. Plus, before I can start watching this I still have to finish my Buffy re-watch and season seven of Gilmore Girls.

But I love this show! And that's not even really what I watned to say. I didn't see the Robin/Barney relationship play out before, but obviously it didn't work out--they have both said that. What irritates me about the storyline between them and the idea that she will be the bride is that they gave it a try before and it didn't work. Yes, Barney is changing and yes, he is becoming a better man which is apparently attracting Robin and reminding her of her feelings. However, he did not change because of her. He changed because of other circumstances that were happening around him. His father, even Nora had big parts in these changes. Robin can't see that, mostly because she isn't watching from behind a screen.

Just because he is changing does not mean that a relationship with him would work now. He is still Barney, she is still Robin. Very rarely do two people who give it another try work out to be endgame, so it doesn't make any sense to me. I love Robin, I really do and I love Barney...ten times more and I want what's best for him and unless they can convince me otherwise...this isn't what's best for him. Because Robin and Barney are too similar, he may not stayed changed if he is brought into a relationship with her. And again, she can't see that.

I should shut up now, seeing as I am a brand new fan of about one week and don't completely know what I'm talking about. But I'm just throwing my opinions out there.

Which was why they had to break up, so that Barney could mature without Robin. You're right, they were too alike to work out at the time, but it's still almost certain they'll be endgame as both of them are maturing and getting character development.

 

[zobothehobo]

Which was why they had to break up, so that Barney could mature without Robin. You're right, they were too alike to work out at the time, but it's still almost certain they'll be endgame as both of them are maturing and getting character development.

But that is not the kind of relationship I want Barney in. One that holds him back. I've said it before in other places... maybe the fact that I'm a sucker for TV relationships where one (usually the girl) is catalyst for change for the other (usually the guy) and so when the guy has to change and THEN be a relationship with someone else, I feel like they've missed the point of the change and the person who changed him (Nora). And I really feel that way. I mean, Nora was his catalyst to change... she was THAT special to him. He felt THAT strongly. She was THAT right for him. And it all gets thrown away? Their relationship gets used for Barney/Robin to work? That is slapping viewers in the face.

 

[xfivebyfive]

But that is not the kind of relationship I want Barney in. One that holds him back. I've said it before in other places... maybe the fact that I'm a sucker for TV relationships where one (usually the girl) is catalyst for change for the other (usually the guy) and so when the guy has to change and THEN be a relationship with someone else, I feel like they've missed the point of the change and the person who changed him (Nora). And I really feel that way. I mean, Nora was his catalyst to change... she was THAT special to him. He felt THAT strongly. She was THAT right for him. And it all gets thrown away? Their relationship gets used for Barney/Robin to work? That is slapping viewers in the face.

Robin was the one that made him want to change in the first place. Long before Nora was ever introduced. Barneys feelings for Robin made him want a relationship something he'd never wanted before. So she was his catalyst.

 

[Washburne]

Not too happy about the Barney/Robin kiss but I'll wait and see how it develops before going crazy or just giving up. Way to try and be positive. 😛

I should shut up now, seeing as I am a brand new fan of about one week and don't completely know what I'm talking about. But I'm just throwing my opinions out there.

I feel the opposite. Fresh eyes are always welcomed. Share away.

 

[dexeded]

Robin was the one that made him want to change in the first place. Long before Nora was ever introduced. Barneys feelings for Robin made him want a relationship something he'd never wanted before. So she was his catalyst.

Exactly. [MENTION=10363]zobothehobo[/MENTION], even if he had met Nora instead of Robin, she wouldn't have been able to change him at that time. He just wasn't ready. But the time he fell for Robin was the first time that he wanted to change, even if he couldn't quite yet--not until he matured, which he was certainly doing in S6 with all the drama with his dad.

 

[Tueuse de Vampires]

I'm sooo happy with last week's episode! 😀 That B/R kiss was just the best!

To all the haters:
I guess I can see why you'd be upset about the kiss...I guess those people against the pairing were happy to see Robin and Barney break up, and the least they want is getting them back together.

(Although, on a site note, I think this is a very realistic storyline...friends that get together, break up but remain friends probably have the highest chance for romance revivals...feelings usually never go away completely, so if you still see someone regularly, it's just really likely something will happen at some point)

The thing with B/R is the fan outcry. Robin and Barney are both main charaters, so it's obvious fans would always rather see them together than one of them with someone who's not a regular and who we don't even really know anything about. And especially now that the Ted/mother story is so drawn out, the show needs a sort of will they/won't they storyline. And tough luck if you don't like the pairing, but I think the majority of fans want to see Barney and Robin together, at least in the eventually.

 

[dexeded]

^I don't think zobothehobo should be called a 'hater', as she said in her rep comment.


Oh, how I love angst. Spoilers for the most recent episode, "Tick Tick Tick".

The 'sandwich' gag was kind of drawn out and cheap, but it did make for a barrel of laughs, so I won't complain. And it was great when they revealed that Ted and Marshall had only been out for two minutes. I heart Sandy Rivers! I never cared much for him until I watched Angel and came to know the awesome Alexis Denisof, so Sandy Rivers is awesome. But let me cut to the meat of the episode--the B/R angst! As I said, I love angst. I thrive on angst. And angst there was. Barney breaking up with Nora, and Robin staying with Kevin (I actually do like Robin and Kevin together, so yay. But Kevin is an awful therapist, for the 'need to tell but not need to hear thing'. Plus, he didn't even realize Robin was in love with Barney, even when she said she was in love with someone during her therapy sessions), and finally the second that wouldn't end. This episode was just hilarious, and it stabbed me in the heart at its ending. (A good stab, since I love angst. I don't think I would've been pleased with an entirely happy ending.) And the last scene with Barney and the flowers and candles and bed and Ted watching? Awesome. I wonder if Ted will confront either Barney or Robin in the next episode.

 

[Buffy Summers]

Guys, don't make me close this thread. It wasn't a comment directed at anyone in particular or maliciously.

We should be able to discuss a freakin' tv show without a fight breaking out, so get it together.

 

[zobothehobo]

This week's episode... wow. The emotions. I am SO happy Robin decided to go forward with Kevin. He's such an amazing guy. She deserves that. His little speech... it was just plain beautiful. I feel so bad for Barney, but only because he threw away his relationship with Nora. He didn't let it go forward because he was stuck in the past. I hope now he can look forward. Ideally, Robin would be the one to tell him "you can't keep looking to the past. You have to look at the future now. You have to go forward, not back." But we'll see.

---------- Post added at 07:50 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:46 AM ----------

^I don't think zobothehobo should be called a 'hater', as she said in her rep comment.


Oh, how I love angst. Spoilers for the most recent episode, "Tick Tick Tick".

The 'sandwich' gag was kind of drawn out and cheap, but it did make for a barrel of laughs, so I won't complain. And it was great when they revealed that Ted and Marshall had only been out for two minutes. I heart Sandy Rivers! I never cared much for him until I watched Angel and came to know the awesome Alexis Denisof, so Sandy Rivers is awesome. But let me cut to the meat of the episode--the B/R angst! As I said, I love angst. I thrive on angst. And angst there was. Barney breaking up with Nora, and Robin staying with Kevin (I actually do like Robin and Kevin together, so yay. But Kevin is an awful therapist, for the 'need to tell but not need to hear thing'. Plus, he didn't even realize Robin was in love with Barney, even when she said she was in love with someone during her therapy sessions), and finally the second that wouldn't end. This episode was just hilarious, and it stabbed me in the heart at its ending. (A good stab, since I love angst. I don't think I would've been pleased with an entirely happy ending.) And the last scene with Barney and the flowers and candles and bed and Ted watching? Awesome. I wonder if Ted will confront either Barney or Robin in the next episode.

I don't think Kevin's an awful therapist. "just because something needs to be told, doesn't mean it needs to be heard" is true. In so may ways. I think he knows she was in love with Barney when they started their relationship. And I think he knows she's still got strong feelings for him. And that was why it didn't need to be heard. She needed to tell him. But he already knew. And hearing it wasn't going to change how much he loved her. But once something like that is out in the open... once it's been heard, it can't be unheard. It didn't need to be heard.

 

[dexeded]

This week's episode... wow. The emotions. I am SO happy Robin decided to go forward with Kevin. He's such an amazing guy. She deserves that. His little speech... it was just plain beautiful. I feel so bad for Barney, but only because he threw away his relationship with Nora. He didn't let it go forward because he was stuck in the past. I hope now he can look forward. Ideally, Robin would be the one to tell him "you can't keep looking to the past. You have to look at the future now. You have to go forward, not back." But we'll see.

---------- Post added at 07:50 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:46 AM ----------



I don't think Kevin's an awful therapist. "just because something needs to be told, doesn't mean it needs to be heard" is true. In so may ways. I think he knows she was in love with Barney when they started their relationship. And I think he knows she's still got strong feelings for him. And that was why it didn't need to be heard. She needed to tell him. But he already knew. And hearing it wasn't going to change how much he loved her. But once something like that is out in the open... once it's been heard, it can't be unheard. It didn't need to be heard.

I really did love Kevin in this episode, and his speech too, even though I'm primarily a B/R shipper. But as a therapist boyfriend, how can he let things fester like that? If he did know that Robin was in love with Barney, and if it didn't change how much he loved her (and that Robin did have feelings for Kevin), then I think that they should try work out the issues, rather than letting them go unresolved and grow until it all explodes in his face. Maybe it's easier to let unpleasant things go unsaid, but that's all short-term. It's like a ticking time bomb, and it won't just blow over and go away. Perhaps it wouldn't change how he felt about her, but it sure would screw with their relationship once everything's said and done.

 

[zobothehobo]

I really did love Kevin in this episode, and his speech too, even though I'm primarily a B/R shipper. But as a therapist boyfriend, how can he let things fester like that? If he did know that Robin was in love with Barney, and if it didn't change how much he loved her (and that Robin did have feelings for Kevin), then I think that they should try work out the issues, rather than letting them go unresolved and grow until it all explodes in his face. Maybe it's easier to let unpleasant things go unsaid, but that's all short-term. It's like a ticking time bomb, and it won't just blow over and go away. Perhaps it wouldn't change how he felt about her, but it sure would screw with their relationship once everything's said and done.

I think not talking about it is the resolving thing. I mean... it's easier to get over your feelings for someone when people aren't asking you about them. When you're not talking about them. When you can just live your life. It's part of the whole "going forward, or looking back" thing I feel like this episode was made of. I mean how do you know things are "festering"? What proof do you have that that's the way Kevin thinks about it? We have substantial proof in the form of Robin and Kevin's whole relationship that that's not the way he thinks about it. That not talking about it isn't going to be explosive... but rather, exactly what they need. There isn't ONE way to fix EVERY problem. Talking about it, in some cases, will only make it worse. And I think this is one of those cases.

 

[Tueuse de Vampires]

I'm really torn about this episode. I was pretty extatic when Barney and Robin actually talked about their feelings and mutually agreed that there was still something between them. At the same time, I was already suspecting something to stand in the way in the end. It didn't go the way I expected (I would've though Robin would have the breakup, and Barney not), but as I suspected, they did not get back together.

This makes the question of the wedding more interesting again. Is Nora now completely out of the picture? Or: who is now actually the bride? Everone just assumed I'd be Nora or Robin, but it's all wide open again I guess...

 

[zobothehobo]

I cannot express my disappointment with this season. Robin's pregnant? Really? How much of this lazy horribleness are we supposed to take? What happened to the writers who wrote 6 seasons of one of my top five favorite shows? I'm usually the one saying "guys, the writers have a plan. Trust them." But I just cannot think of a way this can make itself better. They're writing themselves into a cliche hole. And the fandom is FULL of opportunistic Barney/Robin shippers who see this as a surefire way that their ship will always have ties to each other. I have seen the "pregnant on a one night stand between people who "mean something" to each other" storyline done well once. That was in Friends with Ross and Rachel. This is not like Ross and Rachel. This is just bad.

So I'm effectively done. I don't expect much out of the writers. In fact, I don't expect anything. I now expect crap. Because that's what they seem hellbent on giving us. I'll watch two weeks from now, the next episode... But I am done caring. I'm done being emotionally invested in this show. I'm just done. If they're really doing this... I'm just done.

 

[dexeded]

I've loved this season so much... but really? Pregnancy? I want Barney and Robin together, but not like that. I mean, it would maybe be okay if it was near the end of the show and they were already together, but being forced together because of some kid is not fine. And if it's Kevin's, it's still not fine. I absolutely hate pregnancies. Lily being pregnant is great, because she and Marshall are the long-haul established married couple. Robin being pregnant? No no no no no no please no. It's not even a matter of who's the father. I just hate pregancies. I don't even read baby fics or pregnancy fics. The only way I see this resolved in an okay manner would be if it's a false positive.

 

[Washburne]

I don't keep up, is Cobie pregnant for real again and they're tired of trying to hide the actors behind various objects or is it "just" for the sake of the story? Just thinking out loud. My first reaction to the news wasn't a good one but I'll wait and see what they do with it. I'm not that attached to the characters to really bother either way as long as I enjoy the show.