How I Met Your Mother: Back on the Bubble
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times… Few of this week’s post-strike news items were as exciting as CBS’s prompt order of nine more episodes of How I Met Your Mother that are slated to start airing as soon as March 17th. There hasn’t been a new episode of Mother since the early December, and it’s absence is responsible for one of the most painful holes in the Jarlsberg that is my viewing schedule. Too bad my moment in the sun was short-lived. The eye network announced their series guaranteed pickups for the 2008/2009 season this morning, and Mother was notably absent.
I really can’t understand why this show has had such a difficult time finding an audience. It’s far superior to any other comedy on CBS, yet they all do much better. It would be understandable if Mother was more similar to Arrested Development or The Office, but there’s no sophistication here that might alienate potential viewers. It is, quite frankly, a formulaic, multi-camera sitcom - a dying breed of show. And while most in its shrinking pool of contemporaries are still finding a wide audience (see every other show in CBS’s Monday lineup), none of them offer Mother’s consistent humor minus the cliché. Their draw is something I will never be able to understand, and my frustrations are such that I could never fully communicate.
How I Met Your Mother will not be saved by a letter writing campaign or truckloads of yellow umbrellas. If it’s return next month isn’t marked by a solid improvement in ratings, it will probably not be back next year. I would blame the network, but it’s really not their fault. Three seasons have offered the show more than enough to time to grow an audience. The audience just isn’t biting. So if this really is the last season of How I Met Your Mother, the only ones at blame are the foolish people who wait to turn their dial to CBS until 8:30 and 9:00 every Monday to watch boring stereotypes and stale humor in favor of refreshing, intelligent comedy.
Posted: February 15th, 2008 under how i met your mother, cbs.
Comments: 8
Comments
Comment from Jennifer
Time: February 17, 2008, 2:44 pm
I don’t really get why this show hasn’t caught on either. I think it’s immensely better than Friends, but for some reason that show was a massive hit and HIMYM is always on the bubble. I know a lot of people have stopped caring about the “how I met your mother” aspect of the show but I really hope that the show doesn’t get canceled before we finally do get to meet the “mother”…
Comment from Katy
Time: February 17, 2008, 7:28 pm
HIMYM is one of the funniest and inventive comedies in years and sadly has not caught on. Where are all the other Freaks and Geeks fans?! Surely they would love to see Jason Segel as the adorably dorky Marshall. And Neil Partick Harris as Barney is truly amazing to watch. I hope against all hopes that people will tune in this spring in support of this great show, if only so that I may continue to enjoy it.
Pingback from the TV addict » Blog Archive » TV Talk From Fellow TV Addicts
Time: February 17, 2008, 11:40 pm
[…] With all of this early news about the Fall 08 season, Mikey wonders why How I Met Your Mother still hasn’t found an audience after three years on the bubble. (Mikey Likes TV) […]
Comment from Scooter McGavin
Time: February 18, 2008, 2:45 am
I wouldn’t call The Big Bang Theory “boring stereotypes and stale humor” as that after a subpar premiere has become more consistant than HIMYM which has been hit or miss the last two season after a solid first one (I have theorized that the Jump the Shark moment was when Ashley Williams left for Paris). But when it comes down to it, HIMYM is just a telivised verson of a chick flick that is saved by the occational Barneyism.
Comment from Michael O’Connell
Time: February 18, 2008, 6:49 am
Big Bang Theory just bugs me. And though I completely agree that HIMYM hasn’t been that consistent this season, I still think it’s an improvement from the first season. Things didn’t fully click for me until two, and I’ve been completely on board since.
Comment from Joe
Time: February 18, 2008, 11:37 pm
I bought seasons 1 and 2 of HIMYM and sort of forced it down my friends throats. None of them really gave it a chance originally, but after watching a few episodes ALL of them were hooked. I think this may be the problem, no one’s giving it a shot.
Comment from marky d
Time: February 22, 2008, 6:00 am
I find “Mother” a great comedy, always entertaining, with an ensemble that seems to enjoy working together aka Friends, I could be wrong since I have no behind the scenes proof….Lets hope they pick it up for next year!
Comment from Johnny
Time: February 24, 2008, 11:48 pm
I love the show….the break has given me the chance to catch up on the first 2 seasons and I would hate to see CBS not keep the show on the air. The humor is great and there is really nothing else like it that I have found on any of the major networks right now.
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