Ted Moseby is a Jerk!
May. 6th, 2008 09:09 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
arabianQuick thoughts on How I Met Your Mother behind the cut ...
I actually thought this episode was only so-so. I'm not talking in terms of Robin/Barney, but the episode over-all. It was just ... okay. There were funny moments to be sure (this IS HIMYM), but it was just overall okay. Actually, I liked the Robin/Barney stuff; unfortunately it highlighted my biggest issue with the episode: How Barney was pretty much completely cut off from the gang because Ted is being pissy. Look I get WHY Ted is pissy, I do, but it doesn't make him seem any less a jerk right now. So I was bothered how Barney was excluded because of Ted; really shows how unimportant he is to everyone else.
I HOPE it's a matter of the others just giving Ted space right now, and after a week or so, they'll be like, okay, we're going to spend some time with Barney now. Because otherwise, hello!? Worst friends ever. Except for Robin. Who pushed Ted about Barney; who looked upset when Ted dissed Barney; who spent some time with Barney, supposedly for blackmail -- but no, see below! -- helped him out, commiserated with him and was all-around great.
My other big problem. Hmm. HIMYM has shown me something I was unaware of. I didn't like Sarah Chalke as replacement Becky on Roseanne. But LOVE her as Elliot on Scrubs. So I thought, 'it was just because she was replacement Becky that I didn't like her. But, yeah, I don't really like her as Stella either. She annoys me as much as she did as replacement Becky, which means, nah, I don't like Sarah Chalke. I just really, really like Elliot. So, I really hope she is NOT the mother. Like REALLY, really hope ... but I don't think she is.
Random thoughts:
- Barney can totally NOT have a tape and Robin TOTALLY has to know that. Why? They were at ROBIN's apartment. Thus, no tape. Thus, Robin helped Barney just to help him and they both know it, but are being coy about it.
- I'm a tad bothered by HOW the sex is being handled. It's being treated like it WAS a one-night stand where Barney took advantage of a drunk, miserable Robin, and by the time they were making out, Robin was not drunk, not miserable, but was instead, giddy, laughing, smiling and sending flirty, anxious, DO!ME!DO!ME! looks Barney's way every five seconds. I'm having faith in Carter/Bays though. This is intentional. I'm just going to keep telling myself that. It. is. intentional. We WILL get pay-off. There was a reason they did their first time (first time, damnit!, not a one-time-thing!) was presented as emotional, as opposed to just a roll in the hay.
- Ted is just a jerk. Look, I like Josh Radnor, but I really think they could have done better casting if the plan was to write Ted this way. I say this because there have been times in the past where I logically get where Ted is coming from, but because of how JR plays him, Ted comes across as a jerk. It's just a vibe; he doesn't have the right level of vulnerability to play that would make Ted's jerky actions come across as understandable, rather than "TED MOSEBY IS A JERK!!!" There, I said it; I think they could have done a better casting job with Ted.
- I didn't like how Barney came across as vaguely pathetic at points. Barney is NOT pathetic, show!
Sigh, you know all of this could have been overcome, had it been an awesomely funny episode, damnit!
Well, I intended them to be quick ...
I actually thought this episode was only so-so. I'm not talking in terms of Robin/Barney, but the episode over-all. It was just ... okay. There were funny moments to be sure (this IS HIMYM), but it was just overall okay. Actually, I liked the Robin/Barney stuff; unfortunately it highlighted my biggest issue with the episode: How Barney was pretty much completely cut off from the gang because Ted is being pissy. Look I get WHY Ted is pissy, I do, but it doesn't make him seem any less a jerk right now. So I was bothered how Barney was excluded because of Ted; really shows how unimportant he is to everyone else.
I HOPE it's a matter of the others just giving Ted space right now, and after a week or so, they'll be like, okay, we're going to spend some time with Barney now. Because otherwise, hello!? Worst friends ever. Except for Robin. Who pushed Ted about Barney; who looked upset when Ted dissed Barney; who spent some time with Barney, supposedly for blackmail -- but no, see below! -- helped him out, commiserated with him and was all-around great.
My other big problem. Hmm. HIMYM has shown me something I was unaware of. I didn't like Sarah Chalke as replacement Becky on Roseanne. But LOVE her as Elliot on Scrubs. So I thought, 'it was just because she was replacement Becky that I didn't like her. But, yeah, I don't really like her as Stella either. She annoys me as much as she did as replacement Becky, which means, nah, I don't like Sarah Chalke. I just really, really like Elliot. So, I really hope she is NOT the mother. Like REALLY, really hope ... but I don't think she is.
Random thoughts:
- Barney can totally NOT have a tape and Robin TOTALLY has to know that. Why? They were at ROBIN's apartment. Thus, no tape. Thus, Robin helped Barney just to help him and they both know it, but are being coy about it.
- I'm a tad bothered by HOW the sex is being handled. It's being treated like it WAS a one-night stand where Barney took advantage of a drunk, miserable Robin, and by the time they were making out, Robin was not drunk, not miserable, but was instead, giddy, laughing, smiling and sending flirty, anxious, DO!ME!DO!ME! looks Barney's way every five seconds. I'm having faith in Carter/Bays though. This is intentional. I'm just going to keep telling myself that. It. is. intentional. We WILL get pay-off. There was a reason they did their first time (first time, damnit!, not a one-time-thing!) was presented as emotional, as opposed to just a roll in the hay.
- Ted is just a jerk. Look, I like Josh Radnor, but I really think they could have done better casting if the plan was to write Ted this way. I say this because there have been times in the past where I logically get where Ted is coming from, but because of how JR plays him, Ted comes across as a jerk. It's just a vibe; he doesn't have the right level of vulnerability to play that would make Ted's jerky actions come across as understandable, rather than "TED MOSEBY IS A JERK!!!" There, I said it; I think they could have done a better casting job with Ted.
- I didn't like how Barney came across as vaguely pathetic at points. Barney is NOT pathetic, show!
Sigh, you know all of this could have been overcome, had it been an awesomely funny episode, damnit!
Well, I intended them to be quick ...
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2008-05-06 01:52 pm (UTC)I agree with you 100% on the casting of Ted. I have always just tolerated Ted and it is very much a result of the way Josh Radnor plays the role. He just lucked into this because I do not see any levels beneath the surface acting he gives. He does okay, at times better than okay, but mostly just okay. Sigh.
I don't like Sarah Chalke either (and I fear that's heresy since so many people obviously do like her). But then I don't like her on Scrubs either - the few times I've watched it.
I'm trying to keep the faith but last night was a big smackdown.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-05-06 11:05 pm (UTC)Well, I've liked Ted on most occasions, it's just that when he has to do anything even remotely asshole-ish (which is part of human nature), he comes across as REALLY unlikable and that's being highlighted once again and it's all the fault of Josh Radnor.
See, I do like her on Scrubs but I think now I realize that I just think it's the perfect character for her strengths as an actress that she works for me in that role ... and that role alone.
It's a shame that at this point where a lot of people are more emotionally involved than normal they had a very subpar (for them) episode.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-05-06 02:45 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-05-06 11:05 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-05-06 02:47 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-05-06 11:06 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-05-06 03:20 pm (UTC)Good point about Robin's apartment! I hadn't even thought of that.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-05-06 11:06 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-05-06 03:33 pm (UTC)I hated the way he is treating Barney. Also the whole deal with Stella. Yeah Ted you were wrong. You don't share those things. I hated that they had her say Ted was right.
Ugh...
And if we don't see Marshall and Lily soon with Barney I'll be MAD! Hello!! Who went and got Lily back?
(no subject)
Date: 2008-05-06 11:08 pm (UTC)Right, we BETTER see Lilly/Marshall with Barney, because if we don't it shows them as being really, really shitty friends because if it wasn't for Barney, they wouldn't even be together right now possibly. (And there's no way that Lilly didn't tell Marshall the truth of it.)
(no subject)
Date: 2008-05-07 02:19 am (UTC)what you said!
Date: 2008-05-06 09:00 pm (UTC)and super word to wanting an unpathetic barney. barney is nothing but awesome. he is not could never be pathetic......
Re: what you said!
Date: 2008-05-06 11:08 pm (UTC)