Review: The "Mother" of All Episodes
James Canellos ’17/ Emertainment Monthly Staff Writer
What makes this episode, titled “How Your Mother Met Me”, so uniquely fresh wasn’t just the presentation of The Mother on her own, but how the writers (Carter Bays and Craig Thomas) so smoothly transition her into the main character’s lives in such unexpected ways. This episode almost feels like a re-pilot, as it opens on the first episode of the show back in 2005 as The Mother’s story runs parallel to Ted’s (Josh Radnor). There’s even a completely new opening sequence based around The Mother. Throughout this episode it’s revealed that The Mother had met her own true love back in 2005, but he tragically died, leaving his girlfriend unable to recreate such feelings for years. During these flashbacks in time, the wide eyed future Mrs. Mosby brings back some of the show’s most memorable moments from her own perspective. It’s even shown that she’s the one who ended The Naked Man’s (Adam Paul) winning streak.
Aside from the comedy and the slightly darker tones, what HIMYM has done so well is fuse such a charming level of romance that never feels too cutesy. While Ted and The Mother never meet it’s shown so nicely how they do belong together. It can be very in- your-face, but those moments where The Mother says the lines Ted has said makes the moments so sweet. It’s like how people finish each other’s sentences, except they don’t even know they’re doing it.
Milioti fits the role like a pair of red cowboy boots. She has such a likability about her that makes me believe she’s meant to be Ted’s wife, she’s not afraid to declare herself as part of the gang without forcing her way in. Milioti uses her deadpan humor and eyes as her greatest tools in laughter, while saving her lovely voice for a beautifully bittersweet rendition of Edith Piaf’s ‘La Vie En Rose’. It was obvious that she had the approval of all the characters who have already met her, but now she’s won the approval all those who have been waiting for eight years. This episode was so pivotal because it needed to let the audience know that there will be a great payoff if they hang in there. Thanks to sharp writing and an excellent Milioti, they prove that some people are worth waiting for.
“How You Mother Met Me” Overall Grade: A