Eight years ago, I was starting my senior year of high school. I’d just had my first kiss (I was a late bloomer. Don’t judge me.). I’d never had a full-time job. I’d never been in love. I had no clue what a hair straightener was or how it’d eventually change my life.
Why am I telling you this? Because I’ve been watching How I Met Your Mother for eight years. I’m invested. I’ve grown up on this show. And I want each one of these goofballs to find happiness, and fulfillment and love. And I’m dying to learn more about “the mother.” I love this show (even though I know it can’t love me back… I’m in the denial stage of grief about that fact…).
So you can imagine how excited I was to see the two-episode premiere of HIMYM’s final season! I laughed… I cried… it moved me. To start things off, let’s give out some awards!
Best Comeback: Ted
As Ted and Lily’s road trip to the wedding takes a turn for the worse, Lily begs him to let her take the train instead.
Lily: Unlike any of your 18th century stops, at least the train will have a 21st century toilet.
Ted: You’re a 21st century toilet!
Good one, Ted. You tell her.
Barney informs Robin that his brother James performs at every wedding he attends. We get to see a flashback of James singing a Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton duet—where he performs as Kenny and Dolly simultaneously. This is epic.
As Barney and Robin try and figure out whether they’re related through a mutual cousin who has six fingers (total), they try to convince themselves that it doesn’t matter, they’re meant for each other all the same. They kiss. Barely. It’s terribly awkward.
They get us thinking that Ted is going to try to find Robin’s necklace to try to win her back (they had me going, it is Ted after all, it’s something he’d do). But it turns out that his gift for Robin is a picture of all of them together from 8 years ago. Classy move, Mosby.
Best New Character: Linus
“Thank you Linus.” Enough said.
Best Dessert Name: Sumbitch cookies
Who gave them this name first, Lily or the mother? I missed it. Either way, I need this recipe. For reals.
Ok, now let’s get to “the mother.” We still have a long ways to go before anyone can make any real judgments about her character and whether she’ll fit in to the gang we’ve come to know and love over the last eight years. But from just these two episodes, here are 3 things I love about “the mother”:
Over the years, we’ve seen Lily sabotage several of Ted’s relationships. If she can’t picture the girl sitting with Ted, Marshall and herself, they’re outta there. It’s a great sign that Lily and “the mother” hit it off instantly (despite Lily’s red-eyed cookie rage).
2. When Ted gets too quirky, she calls him out on it
Ok, she’s pretty quirky too, from the sound of it. She wears driving gloves and also likes boring roadside attractions. But in this episode, we get the impression that she also really enjoys teasing Ted when he gets too weird (like smoking a pipe and talking about Ulysses on New Year’s eve…). She makes fun of his slow driving, calling him Lady Tedwina Slowsby. She also asks if he was doing crosswords in a “show-boatey” way (he totally was). Sounds like she’ll be able to take his eccentricities in stride with a sense of humor.
3. She doesn’t take herself too seriously
Speaking of a sense of humor, this girl’s got one. And she doesn’t take herself too seriously, which I love. In the final scene when she said, “I just ate a croissant crumb that I found in my bra. I’m disgusting.” I died.
Also, a side note: Are they seriously gonna make me call her “the mother” all season long? I sure hope not, this lady needs a name.