HIMYM and sweeps

[jlh]

So originally, the digital television switch happening in the US was going to go live as of this past Monday, February 17. (Congress just pushed the date back to June 12.) Because the analog to digital transition was going to affect local stations more than anyone, and because it's the local stations that care about sweeps, Nielsen moved February sweeps to March. Reruns in February, new episodes in March, and the mid-season stuff has time to build an audience before sweeps.

Speaking of which, HIMYM was supposed to show 4.15, "The Stinsons", on 9 February, but it was preempted by POTUS, so now it will air on 2 March. So for those of us who saw that episode (it leaked because the decision to preempt was made so late), no new HIMYM til 9 March.

Oh my god, oh my god you guys. First, Barney's mom is Ruth Fisher! And totally believable as having been passed around like a bong by Grand Funk Railroad; nice to know Barney comes by it honestly.

I was saying last night to ziggy1278 that I love it when Ted is a tool; it's rare that the central character in a sitcom is allowed to be that interesting. But Ted's ability to be a totally obnoxious snobby tool is awesome, and his bad acting was pretty fabulous. I loved him and the actress and that whole bizarre story he made up with Barney.

I also liked the actress coaching Lily through a fake call with Marshall's mom, after Marshall's freak out about Lily not liking her. I love how the show sets up heartwarming moments, and then undercuts some of them, as if to say: these people are kind, and caring, and have hearts, but they aren't pushovers.

I also loved the kid and Robin, and the kid going in for a kiss with Robin. It was actually pretty perfect, offsetting the weird way they were bonding through most of the episode. But where did he disappear to at the end?

Speaking of which, omg, his mom's advice to Barney about not being afraid, and then Robin coming in the door, and the look on Barney's face! ali_wildgoose and I discussed this and on other shows, such a sweet set up might never be paid off—and in fact the barneyrobin comm didn't freak out as much as you think they would. Yet again we see bad television ruining people's ability to read a narrative.

According to Kristin at E!, there will be some movement on the Barney-Robin front by the end of the season, which is like them; HIMYM finales are always important, always shift the relationships of the five characters in some way. (S1, Ted and Robin get together and Marshall and Lily break up; 2, Ted and Robin break up and Marshall and Lily marry; 3, Ted and Barney make up and Barney finally realizes he loves Robin, also Ted proposes to Stella.) I'm excited to see what happens this year!

Also, omg I can't wait to hear the commentary tracks for this season, and what Craig and Carter have to say about Barney and Robin!

Comments

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

I have not seen this episode but it sounds hilarious from what you're saying. However, I did want to comment on how Ted can be such a tool--he's a serious tool when he wants to be, which is great. There's no excuse for it, and it's not even always played completely for laughs. Sometimes he just looks stupid, which makes him seem like a real person. Especially when they flash back to college!Ted, who was totally the same guy. (Except with more hilarious hair and those glasses.)

[jlh.livejournal.com]

I love college!Ted and his absurd hair. LOVE.

[jenncho.livejournal.com]

YOU DO NOT GET A CATCHPHRASE!

That episode was so great. I loved that small Barney/Robin moment. I liked it more because of how quick it was. It wasn't a loooong gaze. It was quick and adorable. I have a feeling I'll be crushed if these two don't end up together.

I love Marshall so much. The part at the end when he was like hysterical while Lily was on the phone with "his mother"... I was DYING!

Ted IS duch a douche. But in a way that makes him likable. I love this show because all of these characters could soooo easily be over the top, but they always ending up getting it just right.

[jlh.livejournal.com]

It's true, they really know where the line is between them being people and them being caricatures, and so many characters on sitcoms are really caricatures.

I'm so gun shy about shipping in continuing canons that I'm trying not to worry about where it's going to go. But I think even if it ends up in that unrequited but nice space of Joey-Rachel I would be okay with it, because it's clearly changing Barney as a person.

[jenncho.livejournal.com]

I really wish Joey/Rachel worked out damnit! lol

[scrabble.livejournal.com]

I, too, love tooly Ted and his pronunciation of encycloPAEdia. I think one of the many things I like about it is that it is a far more true character trait to me than many other sitcoms would go for (for instance, I'm so glad this show does not have an over the top, unrealistically dumb character a la Chrissy from Three's Company). Pretentiousness is underused as a character trait. Plus, I love how they've evolved the characters by adding these little quirks late in the show that still work with the earlier seasons. Ted being a pretentious douche outside of college wasn't specifically mentioned by anyone until S3 and S4 but it's not like an invented quirk. If you watch S1 and S2 he's totally doing it with his Empire State Building facts and even his grand love gestures toward Robin.

[jlh.livejournal.com]

OMG, yes, that they are all unapologetically smart! Though I saw the Empire State Building facts as being more architecture-geek than pretentious; you know there's a building geek in there someplace or he wouldn't have that job. But the grand love gestures—heck, all the OTT romance stuff. I also love that Barney calls him out on it: "This is what you're like when you're in a relationship." YES.

[annearchy.livejournal.com]

Did you and I see the same episode on Monday? (Ted and Stella and New Jersey?) Or did I miss an extra episode last night? Waah.

[jlh.livejournal.com]

I mean this very nicely: I really need you to read the posts before you comment to them, because when you ask questions that are already answered in the post you're commenting to, or comment in a way that shows that you only paid attention to part of what I wrote, it can be very irritating, and I don't mean to be short with you. But it happens often enough that I wanted to say something.

In this post I said:

Speaking of which, HIMYM was supposed to show 4.15, "The Stinsons", on 9 February, but it was preempted by POTUS, so now it will air on 2 March. So for those of us who saw that episode (it leaked because the decision to preempt was made so late), no new HIMYM til 9 March.

To restate: 4.15, "The Stinsons", was supposed to air on 9 February. It didn't because the president had a press conference. It leaked onto the internet, and some people have seen it including me; it's available on the torrent sites and some of the himym comms. It will not air until 2 March.

[annearchy.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry :( I didn't understand what the "leaking" meant. I don't watch TV on the internet.

*slinks away*

[shakespearechic.livejournal.com]

*scrolls through spoilerish portions*

I might have to go out and download this ep early because I have been seriously craving a new one. Just yesterday I looked up the February sweeps thing because I noticed so many shows were on hiatus this month... Anyway, knowing the premise of this ep and getting the gist of your reaction I am SUPER EXCITED NOW! I guess if I don't manage to download it the new ep can be an early BD present. :-P