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The Three Strike Rule: “How I Met Your Mother” (CBS)

Started by popdose · 1 year ago

In honor of the Three Strike Rule move to Mondays, I want to highlight the best series airing on Monday nights. No, I’m not talking about Heroes, which pretty much blew for the duration of its 13-episode run in the fall. That they managed to make Kristen Bell seem like a mediocre actr ... Continue reading »

8 comments

  • Old_Davy

    1 year ago

    I watched this show a few times during the first two seasons and kept wondering how it stayed on the air. It was terrible. And there IS a laugh track (or at least there was one when I watched the show) but it was a very weak laugh track which only emphasized how lame the jokes were.

    And am I the only one who thinks NPH is terribly miscast as Barney? Yeah, Barney is a sleazebag, but Harris' performance is so overly-smarmy that I cringe every time he's on screen. Don't get me wrong, I think Harris is a very good actor, but totally wrong for this character.

    I haven't watched it this season, so maybe the writing is better (the "2-Minute Date" scene linked above was pretty cute). And if they did indeed dump the stupid laugh track, it would make things better. Perhaps I'll give it another shot.

    As far as renewal, having a loyal fan base means nothing to CBS. Remember "Jericho" and "Joan of Arcadia"?
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  • DwDunphy

    1 year ago

    CBS, and network TV in toto, learned a big lesson with the writer's strike - their ratings really didn't change much without them. The zombies who ate up reality TV and game shows continued to feast upon the flesh of the braindead. Those who watched certain dramas tuned in for reruns - House did pretty well during the strike, all considering.

    With all that in mind, CBS doesn't want a loyal fan base. They want compulsive consumers who go with the flow no matter what's flowin'. Essentially, this means we'll never ever, ever, ever be free of Survivor.
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  • DwDunphy

    1 year ago

    I know, House is on Fox but you get my gist.
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  • Dan

    1 year ago

    This show makes shows that suck seem like shows that merely blow. This show is horrible. Sorry. I can not imagine a more unpleasant group of people to spend time watching. Every character's "wacky" traits are forced and unnatural. The writing isn't up to the level of crappy shows like Still Standing or According to Jim.
    NPH is a good actor and Alyson Hannigan came to this show with a lot of good will from Buffy, but this show is a waste of their time and my time. But at least they get paid.
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  • JonCummings

    1 year ago

    Springing to the defense--the comments below are wrong, wrong, wrong. HIMYM is not a perfect show, but it is wonderful and inventive in a way that most of the mouth-breating crap that passes for network sitcoms could only hope to be. Neil Patrick Harris is the funniest thing on TV right now--"right now" meaning until "The Office" returns in a couple weeks--and the Rashomon plots are always welcome.

    Josh Radnor's central character is a bit soft, but when he gets a good plot (like last week's 2-minute-date) he and the show are irresistible. They need to develop some new tension to replace the Ted-Robin dynamic, but I'm sure that's coming soon.

    I'm with Scott--HIMYM is appointment TV, and I never let it go more than an hour (once the kids are in bed) before fetching it off the TiVo.
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  • GrayFlannelSuit

    1 year ago

    I enjoy the show, but also think that its timeslot partner from last year (The Class) was much funnier. There was a great piece on the AV Club awhile back that went into the difference between shows that are truly good as pieces of entertainment, and those that are "TV Good", in other words good enough to kill 1/2 hour but not particularly memorable.

    I would say that HIMYM is TV Good. I enjoy it while I'm watching it but don't think it has much to recommend repeat viewings. Time may prove me wrong though.
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  • DwDunphy

    1 year ago

    The reason why Mother never caught on with me is a mystery. Never had anything against it, certainly nothing on an Everybody Loves Raymond scale (I effin' HATE you, Raymond) and it features a lot of the qualities I look for in my entertainment... Yet I still end up watching Antiques Roadshow instead.

    I give the show high marks for trying. It could very well be one of those insipid Fox ensemble IEDs like "The Loop" or "Unhitched", but the creators (who, oddly, emigrated from Family Guy and American Dad) are intent on actually building characters with histories. Great move for sitcoms that often play fast and loose with details (Oscar met Felix seven different ways).

    Still, it's Antiques Roadshow for me. Allison Hannigan is yet another Dw. crush, but she pales in comparison to Suzanne "Appraise this porcelain knick-knack" Perrault.
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  • Ken (Gaper's blog)

    1 year ago

    I'm a newcomer to HIMYM this year and I love it. It almost makes me forget those other thirtysomethings who lived and played together in NYC.

    I like the single-camera, non-laugh track stuff but more importantly, the characters are well definied. Neil Patrick Harris is superb as is the always reliable Jason Segel and Alison Hannigan and Josh Radnor are new to me (except for Amercian Pie) but great. And tell me Colbie Smulders (Robin) isn't one of the hottest women of television.

    The strike allowed me to aquaint myself with a lot more episodes from past seasons, so I'm almost caught up. I hope it gets a chance to have one more season.
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