The ending of How I Met Your Mother is widely considered bad primarily because it undid years of character development, minimized the long-awaited story of the Mother, and controversially reunited protagonist Ted Mosby with Robin Scherbatsky. This conclusion disappointed many long-time viewers who felt it betrayed the show's central premise and its characters' growth.
Core Criticisms of the HIMYM Finale
The controversial finale, "Last Forever," aired in 2014, sparked widespread debate and a strong negative reaction from a significant portion of the fanbase. The dissatisfaction stemmed from several key issues:
- Undoing Character Arcs: Viewers felt that the finale negated much of the character development built over nine seasons. For instance, Barney Stinson, who had a significant arc towards commitment and family, ended up divorcing Robin and reverting to his womanizing ways, only to find true love with his daughter. This felt like a reset button that ignored his previous growth.
- Minimizing The Mother's Role: Tracy McConnell, the titular Mother, was finally introduced and beloved by fans in Season 9. However, the finale quickly killed her off, making her feel like a plot device rather than the ultimate love interest. The highly anticipated first meeting between Ted and the Mother, a moment built up for nearly a decade, was notably brief and somewhat glossed over.
- Ted and Robin's Reunion: After Ted's long and arduous journey to find "the one" and Robin's clear stance against marriage and children (which was consistently a reason she and Ted wouldn't work), their eventual reunion after Tracy's death felt forced and contradictory. Many viewers believed Ted had moved past Robin and that their relationship had run its course.
Factors Contributing to the Controversy
The creators' approach to the finale was a significant factor in its reception. The show's unique storytelling concept and the fact that the ending was planned very early in the series' run (filming scenes with the children in Season 2) left little flexibility for adapting to character evolution or fan sentiment over the years. This rigid adherence to the initial vision meant that even if characters grew in different directions throughout the series, the pre-determined ending had to be met, leading to plot choices that felt unnatural or forced by the time they aired.
This table summarizes the primary reasons for the negative reception:
| Aspect of Criticism | Description |
|---|---|
| Character Arcs | Characters like Barney and Ted appeared to revert to earlier versions of themselves, negating their personal growth and development (e.g., Barney's journey towards commitment and Ted's quest for his soulmate beyond Robin). |
| The Mother's Fate | Tracy McConnell, who was finally introduced and embraced by fans, was quickly written out by death, diminishing her importance and the significance of Ted's long search for her. Her on-screen story felt rushed and secondary. |
| Ted & Robin's Ending | The final decision to have Ted end up with Robin contradicted long-standing character traits and relationship dynamics, especially considering Robin's consistent aversion to the family life Ted desired and the show's emphasis on Tracy being Ted's true "the one." |
| Production Choices | The show's unique storytelling framework and the decision to film parts of the ending very early in the series' run limited the creative team's ability to adapt the narrative as the characters and audience evolved over nine seasons. |
Ultimately, the How I Met Your Mother finale faced a backlash because it prioritized an early-conceived narrative conclusion over the organic development of its beloved characters and the emotional investment built around the journey to find the Mother.
