Eight years ago, the world was introduced to five friends: Ted Mosby, Marshall Eriksen, Lily Aldrin, Barney Stinson and Robin Scherbatsky on a show called “How I Met Your Mother.” The show has told an epic tale filled with both laughs and tears. Later this month, the hit comedy will enter its ninth and final season. Viewers will bid farewell to the five friends and finally learn how Ted Mosby met his wife.
“How I Met Your Mother” initially takes place in 2030 when Ted Mosby (voiced-over by Bob Saget), tells his son and daughter the story of how he met his wife. Flashback to the year 2005, where a younger Ted (Josh Radnor), is driven on the idea of marriage after seeing his best friends from college, lawyer Marshall Eriksen and kindergarten teacher Lily Aldrin (played by Jason Segal and Alyson Hannigan), become engaged after nine years of dating.
Ted’s quest to find his ideal bride is a disappointment to his womanizing friend, Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris). During Marshall and Lily’s engagement, Ted thinks he has found the love of his life when he meets broadcast journalist, Robin Scherbatsky (Cobie Smulders). Ted and Robin have remained an on-again-off-again item throughout the series, but at this point, it is clear that Robin is not the mother of Ted’s children.
Viewers are taken on a comical ride as the five friends deal with past relationships, love triangles and interventions. The gang tackles every subject from Robin’s Canadian origins to a daring goat rescue. As Ted tells his children the story of how he met their mother, Marshall, Lily, Robin and Barney are always in the picture. Fans can therefore make the assumption that Ted’s friends must be involved in how Ted meets his kids’ mother.
Last season began when Ted visits Robin on her wedding day. This causes him to remember how he had reunited with his ex-girlfriend, Victoria, after she left her fiancée at the altar. Future Ted explains to his children about the “the autumn of break-ups” as he and Victoria call it quits over his friendship with Robin, Barney and his fiancée Quinn break up due to trust issues and Robin breaks up with her boyfriend Nick when she realizes how stupid he is.
Marshall and Lily still continue to figure out how to be parents and drift away from the gang as their baby Marvin needs more and more care. Lily achieves her dream job working in the art industry while Marshall applies to become a judge. Robin realizes her true feelings for Barney, but becomes upset when Barney “dates” her hated co-worker, Patrice. However, she soon realizes that his so-called “relationship” was a scheme to help her understand how much she loves Barney. This results in Barney proposing to Robin.
As Barney and Robin’s wedding creeps around the corner, Ted and Lily argue over hiring a DJ or a band for the wedding. Ted surrenders his battle with Lily, but unbeknownst to him, his decision to let Lily hire a band will be life-changing. The season concludes with the gang headed to Farhampton for the wedding. The last episode revealed the mother (Cristin Milioti) carrying a guitar case for her bass and the infamous yellow umbrella, as she buys a ticket to Farhampton.
The final season will focus entirely on Barney and Robin’s wedding. According to the Huffington Post, there are a few surprises lined up, including something to do with the wedding cake, Marshall’s eventful journey to the event, a Facebook photo, one of the friends meeting the mother, the Stinson Curse and the return of Wayne Brady. Viewers will also want to look out for an entirely different version of the “Bang Bang” song. Other questions arise: out of the gang, who will meet the mother before Ted? Who is returning for the wedding?
Kids, you’ll just have to watch the one-hour season premiere of “How I Met Your Mother” on Monday, Sept. 23, at 9 p.m. on CBS. Fans of the comedy show will finally learn the conclusion to Ted’s story of how he met his wife. Don’t miss out because it will be legen…wait for it …dary.
Nathalie Sczublewski can be reached at [email protected].
