Fargo Year Two

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: 'Fargo Year Two' on Blogcritics.

Last year, FX’s Fargo was a standout in a great year of television. With its Minnesota accents, oodles of charm, stellar cast and guest stars, and hilarious mayhem, it provided a unique, high-quality viewing experience. It was so good, I wondered if they could possibly recapture that same magic in the second go-round, since it’s an anthology series that isn’t reusing the same cast members. Thankfully, recapture it, they did, and the second season, which only recently concluded its ten-episode run, is now available on Blu-ray and DVD.

For season two, the action moves to 1979. It is still in the same part of the country, and has much of the same tone, but now has a period component added in. The music, the cars, the fashion, even Ronald Reagan (Bruce Campbell, Burn Notice), help sell that image. As such, it takes the specific spirit of season one and ups the weirdness even more, with great results.

In order to reach out to existing fans, Fargo Year Two does have two characters that connect it to the freshman run, and covers a case referenced in the premiere outing. Lou Solverson is the detective on the case. Played by Patrick Wilson (Watchmen) now, he is more than two decades younger than Keith Carradine’s version of the character. (There’s a bonus feature on the disc in which Wilson and Carradine discuss the shared role, and it’s a very welcome way to bring the stories together.) Lou’s daughter, Molly, the hero of last year, is five years old in this season. She doesn’t get involved much, but it’s still gratifying to see her.

Lou is going through a tough time when this season begins. His wife, Betsy (Cristin Milioti, How I Met Your Mother), is sick and, going by what we learned last year, doesn’t have a lot of time left. Thankfully, he has a good father-in-law, Hank (Ted Danson, Bored to Death, Damages), also in law enforcement, to help him out. This trio is by and large my favorite part of this run.

Once more, Fargo also has an average, quirky citizen mixed up in murder. This time, it’s Peggy Blumquist (Kirsten Dunst, Spider-Man), a hoarder, klepto housewife, and unlike last year’s Lester, her spouse, Ed (Jesse Plemons, Breaking Bad), is not the victim. Peggy doesn’t mean to do wrong, but she’s scared when events occur outside of her control. While she doesn’t handle them as well as we’d like to think most people would, it’s hard to hate her.

What’s interesting about what happens with Peggy in the first installment, which I don’t want to give away, is that it ties into a familiar urban legend. Fargo bills itself as a ‘true crime’ story, with words on the screen at the beginning of each episode proclaiming that what you’re viewing actually happened. It didn’t; that’s part of the conceit of the show, that it’s done in the style, but is not actually real, so those words are a lie. However, tying in something that lots of people think happened will only reinforce the believability of the premise.

For villains, there’s an entire mob family led by Otto Gerhardt (Michael Hogan, Battlestar Galactica). Otto has a wife, Floyd (Jean Smart, 24), three sons, Dodd (Jeffrey Donovan, Burn Notice), Bear (Angus Sampson, Insidious), and Rye (Kieran Culkin, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World), and a granddaughter, Simone (Rachel Keller, Hollidaysburg), and they have no small share of foes to compete with, including ones played by Brad Garrett (Everybody Loves Raymond), Bokeem Woodbine (Saving Grace), and Zahn McClarnon (Longmire).

The Fargo Year Two release has no shortage of interesting extras, going above and beyond what most shows are doing these days, despite its quick turn-around. I mentioned the Lou featurette already. There’s also a bit on “The Films of Ronald Reagan,” a Skip Sprang TV commercial, a two-part making of, and an extra about true crimes in the Midwest. In all, this is a lot more than the normal deleted scenes and audio commentaries, and all complement the set nicely.

Visually, Fargo is stunning. With lingering shots over desolate landscapes and a design and color palette that enhance the experience, it is worth it to shell out for the high-definition edition.

Fargo Year Two is available now

"Waiting for" FARGO Over

Article originally published as FARGO Review on Seat42F.

Last year, FX’s FARGO delighted. With its Minnesota accents, oodles of charm, stellar cast and guest stars, and hilarious mayhem, it provided a unique, high-quality viewing experience.

Tonight begins season two, and because it’s an anthology series that isn’t reusing it’s cast (unlike American Horror Story), none of the familiar faces are back. This provides a considerable obstacle for the show to overcome. However, overcome it, FARGO does, immediately hooking fans in to what promises to be another excellent miniseries.

Season two of FARGO is set in 1979, or at least starts there. It is still in the same part of the country, and has much of the same tone, but now has a period component added in. The music, the cars, the fashion, even Ronald Reagan (Bruce Campbell, Burn Notice), help sell that image. As such, it takes the specific spirit of season one and ups the weirdness even more, with great results.

In order to reach out to existing fans, FARGO season two does have two characters that connect it to the freshman run. Lou Solverson is the detective on the case. Played by Patrick Wilson (Watchmen) now, he is more than two decades younger than Keith Carradine’s version of the character. Lou’s daughter, Molly, the hero of last year, is five years old in this outing, so she probably won’t get involved much. FARGO season two is a case referenced in the first season and we know Lou will make it out alive, but that’s about all we know.

Lou is going through a tough time when this season begins. His wife, Betsy (Cristin Milioti, How I Met Your Mother), is sick, and going by last year, doesn’t have a lot of time left. Thankfully, he has a good father-in-law, Hank (Ted Danson, Bored to Death, Damages), also in law enforcement, to help him out. I’m not sure yet how the case will unfold, but if Lou and Hank are the primary investigators, sign me up for the season pass!

Once more, FARGO has an average, quirky citizen mixed up in murder. This time, it’s Peggy Blumquist (Kirsten Dunst, Spider-Man), a hoarder housewife, and unlike last year’s Lester, her spouse, Ed (Jesse Plemons, Breaking Bad), is not the victim. Peggy doesn’t mean to do wrong, but she’s scared when events occur outside of her control, and while she doesn’t handle them as well as we’d like to think most people would, it’s hard to hate her, at least at first. What she does next will determine if she remains sympathetic or not.

What’s interesting about what happens with Peggy, which I don’t want to give away, is that it ties into a familiar urban legend. FARGO bills itself as a ‘true crime’ story, with words on the screen at the beginning of the episode proclaiming that what you’re viewing actually happened. It didn’t; that’s part of the conceit of the show, that it’s done in the style, but is not actually real, so those words are a lie. However, tying in something that lots of people think happened will only reinforce the believability of the premise.

It’s less clear who the Billy Bob Thorton-esque villain is this year. There’s an entire mob family introduced in the premiere, led by Otto Gerhardt (Michael Hogan, Battlestar Galactica). It doesn’t seem like Otto will be long for this world, but he has a wife, Floyd (Jean Smart, 24), three sons, Dodd (Jeffrey Donovan, Burn Notice), Bear (Angus Sampson, Insidious), and Rye (Kieran Culkin, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World), and a daughter, Simone (Rachel Keller, Hollidaysburg), so it’s likely one of them will emerge as the bad guy. Or, it would be more fun if we’re left wondering who in the clan is the worst as the installments play out.

This year’s cast also includes Nick Offerman (Parks & Recreation), Brad Garrett (Everybody Loves Raymond), Bokeem Woodbine (Saving Grace), Zahn McClarnon (Longmire), and many more, so like last season, I doubt viewers will get bored or be hard up for a fresh face to come in and shake things around.

If the season premiere is any indication, FARGO has done it again, and I look forward to another excellent batch of television episodes.

FARGO airs Mondays at 10 p.m. ET on FX, beginning tonight.

A TO Z Tells Complete Story

Article first published as A TO Z Review on Seat42F.

2014 is shaping up to be the fall of rom-com sitcoms. NBC joins the party with A TO Z, which I mistakenly hoped to be the long-awaited original Star Trek spin-off following librarian Mr. Atoz, but is instead a charming tale of two people destined to be together, saddled with a slightly clunky premise.

In the pilot, we meet Andrew (Ben Feldman, Mad Men), a hopeless romantic who works for an online dating website because he actually believes in helping people find love. Unfortunately, his choice of companies may be misguided because his boss, Big Bird (Christina Kirk, Along Came Polly), would prefer her employees help people hook up, not find a spouse, since the latter costs them customers. Before Andrew’s spirit is killed, though, he meets the one he’s been searching for, Zelda (Cristin Milioti, How I Met Your Mother), a lawyer who works in the next building over who doesn’t exactly believe in dating.

A TO Z is the most obvious heir-apparent to the recently ended, popular How I Met Your Mother. It features a narrator, Katey Sagal (Sons of Anarchy, Futurama), telling a finite tale (she says in the pilot that Andrew and Zelda date for a little over eight months and this series is the story of that relationship) about a guy’s search for “the one” and some kooky friends.

But there are differences. I mean, could A TO Z really make nine seasons our of an eight-month timeframe? Well, admittedly, HIMYM stretched one weekend into an entire year. More likely, though, the narration refers only to the first season of the show, and then the couple will go from there in one of several different directions. Those could be a break up and restart in a seconding dating run or an engagement. Probably the former, knowing how network television likes to stretch things out.

I’m glad to see Milioti back on the small screen so soon. She really made an impression in HIMYM, and is pretty much the perfect girl for a sitcom such as this. Feldman is equally well-cast, not being as creepily obsessive as his Mad Men character, but still exhibiting some of the same traits that seem natural to the actor. Their parts are the more modern version of a couple, the emotional guy and the trust-troubled girl, the type I find relatable, even if the fact that they are together is a tad unrealistic.

So far, the other cast members are more punchlines than complex individuals. There is little impression made by Andrew’s co-workers, Dinesh (Parvesh Cheena, Outsourced) and Lora (Hong Chau, Treme), hopefully not in place just to make the group diverse, though that is certainly a benefit of their casting. Zelda’s friend, Stephie (Lenora Crichlow, the UK’s Being Human), and Andrew’s pal, Stu (Henry Zebrowski, Your Prety Face Is Going to Hell), have an unlikely history that is mined for laughs and forced drama. But presumably they will have to become full-fledged personalities if the show goes on for long.

Yes, destiny and coincidence are linchpins of A TO Z, which is what stretches believability more than anything else. In episode one, Andrew claims to have once seen Zelda across the room at a bad concert and fell head over heels at first glance, picturing a future together including children. It only temporarily sends Zelda scrambling for the hills, but it should do more than that. It’s a nice story if true, but whether or not it is, the fact that Andrew fixates on it so immediately and strongly seems more warning sign that sweet gesture.

Perhaps that’s the cynic in me, having once been like Andrew, but finding the world a little less idealistic. Ridiculous as some twists are, they don’t totally ruin my enjoyment of a show that is sure to be entertaining and heartwarming, if nothing else, and will probably get a season pass on my TiVo.

A TO Z premieres Thursday, October 2^nd at 9:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER Couldn't "Last Forever"

Article first published as HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER Couldn't "Last Forever" on TheTVKing.

I am deeply torn by last night series finale of CBS's How I Met Your Mother, "Last Forever." On one hand, it hit all the right notes emotionally and delivered a very satisfying tale for almost the full hour. On the other, the ending of the installment abandoned the basic premise and ruined a powerful love story, even negating the title of the show. Was this the right way to go?

"Last Forever" starts excellently. The gang says goodbye after the wedding, and after noticing the beautiful bass guitarist, Ted (Josh Radnor) departs. Much of the rest of the episode plays out in small bits over a number of years, showing the characters go through natural growth and nostalgically reviving many recurring jokes, with Ted still on the train platform talking to Bernice (Judith Drake). When we're close to the end, viewers finally get to witness the moment Ted meets The Mother, now revealed to be named Tracy (Cristin Milioti), and it's immediate sparkage.

Ted and The Mother's (Can I just keep calling her The Mother? It feels right) love story is a sweet one, full of coincidence and fate, a pair destined to be together. Their interactions in the various time periods hammer home why Ted ends up with her, and how perfect the casting of Milioti is. They have two children, and while they don't get married for quite awhile, they are happy together.

Similarly, Marshall (Jason Segel) and Lily (Alyson Hannigan) have a wonderful life, Marshall eventually getting to be a judge after all, and then moving out of the city after they have three children. Lily laments how the gang has drifted, but that is realistic, given the developments adult life and kids take one on. At least they mostly keep in touch, and we frequently see them get back together.

But then, as has been telegraphed, The Mother dies. Ted is telling the tale, what we've seen these past nine seasons, to his teenage kids six years after her passing. The daughter (Lyndsy Fonseca) tells her father that this story isn't about how he met The Mother, though, as she's barely in it. It's about how Ted loves Aunt Robin (Cobie Smulders), and with his children's encouragement, Ted grabs the blue French horn and rushes off to be with Robin.

This bit is a picture perfect moment that will warm the hearts of those stubborn hold-out Robin / Ted shippers, but it completely screws up everything else. Why is the show called How I Met Your Mother is it's about How I Met Your Stepmother? Why did the final season spend so much time convincing us Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) and Robin are right for one another if they aren't?

Look, I realize Ted has always been an unreliable narrator, and it's keeping with his character to not understand the point of his own story. But it's a big leap to ask fans to forget the path you've been trying to take them down for so many seasons and go in another direction. Not to mention, it cheapens the epic relationship between Ted and The Mother, who was right for Ted in every way. And the fact that The Mother makes a huge effort to get Robin to their wedding in an earlier episode, if we are to believe Ted always remained in love with Robin, now seems twisted and weird.

It also almost kills the character of Barney, collateral damage. Barney spends a lot of the past few years maturing and getting to a good place. Three years after the wedding, he's divorced and reverting to his old ways, chasing skirts. This goes on for many years until Barney is a pathetic, unlikeable character. True, he is saved in the end by a daughter, and that's fantastic, but it's still ridiculous that Barney never finds true, romantic love.

How I Met Your Mother has been uneven in the second half of its run. However, it has mostly been nailing this last season. To make such a slap in the face at the last moment to the fans who believed in the premise is disheartening. It's cruel and not the right choice. A small segment of the audience will be quite satisfied, but there are many, many more who will feel betrayed. If the creators knew nine years ago what their climax was, why spend all of this time convincing us the opposite was true? A near-perfect ending tainted by the final bits.

And if I can make one more complaint, when filming the kids' last moment several years ago, Radnor should have been on set with them. The way Ted's conversation to them is presented is two separate cuts that don't match feels awfully hokey. This should have been better.

I want to thank How I Met Your Mother for about seven great years worth of episodes over nine seasons. But I also want to ask "Why would you do this to us?" It's not the worst recent series finale by far, but it's also not way to leave the fans that believe in you.

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER Reaches "The End of the Aisle"

Article first published as HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER Reaches "The End of the Aisle" on TheTVKing.

CBS's How I Met Your Mother finally gets us up to, and through, Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) and Robin's (Cobie Smulders) wedding this week in "The End of the Aisle." When it was announced that this last season of the show would take place entirely on the wedding weekend, I assumed a great many episodes would occur at the reception after the wedding. This turns out not to be the case, with only next week's hour-long series finale left, an installment that has to focus on so much more than a party. But after watching this episode, it seems the perfect way to end the regular season before going into the big conclusion.

Half an hour before the ceremony, Robin begins to have serious doubts. She knows Barney, with his initials B.S., is a big liar, and how can she trust someone like that? Besides, he didn't do the big romantic gesture of finding her missing locket. Does he really care?

Robin confides these things to her buddy, Ted (Josh Radnor), someone she has a very strong bond with, then, after some locket-resolving scenes, says that she and Ted should run away together. This is the moment Ted wanted going into this weekend, and for fans who have held a torch for the couple all these years, despite being told right at the beginning that they wouldn't end up together, this turn validates those feelings.

Of course Ted refuses. It's taken this long weekend, but he now knows he isn't in love with Robin any more, nor is she in love with him. Sure, they could be happy for awhile, but they aren't meant to be together, and it would eventually fall apart. With Barney, on the other hand, Robin has a future, a partner in crime, and someone who will make her life great. Ted is wise enough to advise this and take a step back, thus ending a major story arc in the perfect way.

This isn't enough to assuage Robin's doubts, however, and she flees, only to bump into The Mother (Cristin Milioti), then Barney. It's with her fiance that she finally calms down, seeing the love in his eyes and words, and assuring herself that she's making the right decision.

Barney, meanwhile, has been having his own crisis. Fretting over his vows, he points out to a would-be-helpful Marshall (Jason Segel) and Lily (Alyson Hannigan) that they are the best couple he knows, and even they can't keep the promises they made on their wedding day. If they cannot, how can he be expected to?

But that's just it. Despite breaking their words, they are still the best couple he knows. The only major trouble they run into is when Marshall lies to Lily. Lying may be a major part of Barney's character up 'til now, but he will gratefully give it up for Robin. She's worth everything to him. When he bumps into her, he tells her this (and soon after about the ring bear), and this fixes them. Though, minor gripe, he does lie about the flower gorilla, even if Robin may never know.

Then we're up on the altar, Marshall delivering the final slap bet slap, Robin walking down the aisle to strains of "Sandcastles in the Sand," and a final dig at Patrice (Ellen D. Williams). It's a wonderfully crafted moment, all five main characters having been given their due in "The End of the Aisle," reaffirming not only who they are, but who they will be. While next week will likely jump around, showing us what happens after this point, the ceremony itself feels like the official tie up of the show's threads, and it does it very effectively, redeeming many of the bad years of story when the series floundered.

The only real complaint I have about the entire episode involves the shots of the guests smiling up at the happy couple during the wedding. It's not that not enough characters are included; many familiar faces are likely seen for the last time, as they should be. But it's very clear in the wide shots that none of these people are in the room. I understand that, with so many actors, it would be nearly impossible to schedule such a shoot. However, it does feel hollow to realize that all the cameos are added in later, not part of the wedding scene itself, and it's obvious this is the case. How disappointing.

Overall, though, "The End of the Aisle" is a terrific entry, serving the purpose it needs to serve beautifully, and setting up a heck of a series finale. If next week is as good as this one, viewers should be left very satisfied.

How I Met Your Mother's series finale airs next Monday at 8 p.m. ET.

"Sunrise" On Final Day of HIMYM

Article first published as "Sunrise" On Final Day of HIMYM on TheTVKing.

CBS's How I Met Your Mother has reached the final day of its three-day final season, meaning we're in the last third of the last year of the show. This week's installment, "Sunrise," resolved a few lingering issues between the main characters, and despite revealing that none of them are getting a realistic amount of sleep to actually function and enjoy the wedding day, it also nicely, if unevenly, sets up the concluding arcs.

Ted (Josh Radnor) has always been in love with Robin (Cobie Smulders). That's been a major plot of the show, and this last season would ring false if it didn't pay tribute to that, even as Ted serves as the Best Man for Robin's wedding to Barney (Neil Patrick Harris). The two don't need to end up together, but Ted must finally let Robin go.

This really has to happen before Ted meets The Mother (Cristin Milioti). Otherwise, his commitment to her wouldn't feel right, just replacing his feelings for Robin with those for someone else. Ted must be in a place where is open to meeting a soul mate. For most of the show, he has not been because of Robin.

And letting go is exactly what happens. Ted makes peace with the fact that he'll never be with Robin. The metaphor with the balloon is a little hokey, but it accomplishes what How I Met Your Mother needs to do. Ted and Robin are now firmly friends, never to be anything more. It's sad, but it's also a necessary, important step to take for both of them, one Robin kind of did awhile ago, and now Ted can follow in. This story is very well done and emotionally fulfilling.

As Ted confesses his feelings anew, thankfully in a way that doesn't sound like he's asking Robin to call off the ceremony, we flashback to Ted's recent activities, allowing guest spots for a few memorable exes including Stella (Sarah Chalke), Victoria (Ashley Williams), and Jeanette (Abby Elliott). It's gratifying to revisit those faces in a natural way, woven with a tale in which Ted is almost crazy enough to try to win Robin back, and then is convinced not to. Though, I do wish Zoe (Jennifer Morrison) had been a part of it, certainly the biggest relationship neglected here, perhaps because of Morrison's lack of availability.

The three girls aren't the only returning guest stars in "Sunrise." As Marshall (Jason Segel) argues with two imaginary versions of Lily (Alyson Hannigan), his deceased father, Marvin (Bill Fagerbakke), appears to off his two cents. I do feel like Marvin is underutilized in this episode. It may have played better had only Marvin been present, instead of the two Lilys, though it's reasonable to include Lily because she is a main character who would otherwise have sat the episode out and because Marshall's problem is with Lily. Still, having Marvin deliver a couple of lines, as resonant as they might be, isn't enough use for him.

"Sunrise" resolves in Lily returning and agreeing to stay in New York. This feels cheap. Perhaps because Marshall doesn't have the argument with the real Lily and we don't get her side of the fight, or perhaps because this seems like Lily is giving up her dream for Marshall, but this doesn't sit right.


It's interesting that Marshall brings up Lily fleeing to San Francisco as they fight about their future. This is something he should long have gotten over, and it's certainly well past a fair time to bring it up. But if he is still holding on to that incident, he needs to deal with it. "Sunrise" isn't clear about if he does or not. I assume this is supposed to balance the scales when Lily agrees not to go to Italy, but instead, it feels like their relationship is crumbling and surely a breeding ground for resentment. Not a great episode for them.

In order to keep Barney in the half hour, he has a strange side story where he basically sleepwalks drunkenly down the road and passes on his wisdom to two young boys, getting Tim Gun (himself) to suit them up. This seems like a perfect story for Barney, but the way in which it plays out rings a bit hollow. I'd rather Barney have made a conscious decision to ensure the survival of his player legacy, or come to an understanding that it should die. This is fun fluff that doesn't quite hit its mark.

"Sunrise" has some things going for it, such as the strong Robin / Ted bits, but it also doesn't live up to the best emotional heft of How I Met Your Mother. Will that continue in this last batch of installments, or will it find its way to a triumphant end?

How I Met Your Mother airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER Skims Other Side of the Story

Article first published as HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER Skims Other Side of the Story on TheTVKing.

For its 200th episode this week, CBS's How I Met Your Mother brushes over the past eight years from The Mother's (Cristin Milioti) perspective. In the installment, entitled "How Your Mother Met Me," we see where she was at the beginning of the show, how her path crossed with Ted's on multiple occasions, and the gaps where the narration previously mentioned her existing are filled in. It's a quick skim of her history.

The problem is how brief it is. The Mother jumps from one thing to the next, skipping years between scenes. It feels very disjointed, and there isn't really time to invest in any of the story's scenarios before it moves on. Even the theme song seems weak, making it more about one character than an ensemble, even though The Mother's story is clearly set up for a larger cast, though I would argue The Mother could carry a show on her own. This really needed to be multiple episodes, or have a narrower focus.

One thread that stands out in "How Your Mother Met Me" is of The Mother's broken heart. Her boyfriend dies in the beginning, and it takes quite a lot of time passing before she wants to date again. When she finally opens herself up and makes a relationship work for two years, it then abruptly ends. This is a sad story, and one that does touch the viewer emotionally, but because it's just one of a number of different elements, it isn't fully fleshed out.

The ending, when The Mother declines the marriage proposal, should be a really great moment. She tearfully talks to her dead boyfriend, and we're left in suspense of her answer, which ends up being a twist. But because we don't have enough of the back story and don't really see The Mother develop throughout her journey, it feels flat. I teared up, but not nearly as much as I should have given the actress's amazing performance.

Now, this could be solved in the potential spin-off, How I Met Your Dad. Should that go to series, all of the gaps can be appropriately filled in and we'll get the depth The Mother deserves. But I do worry that "How Your Mother Met Me" really limits the arcs of that series, as now there are a fair number of dots that must be connected at set points. And if it gets canceled early, we're robbed of the full tale, this outline preventing any quick tie-ups after only a couple of seasons.

Another problem for a potential spin-off is how the supporting characters are worked into this episode. The Mother's best friend, Kelly (Ahna O'Reilly, The Help), has series regular written all over her. But others, like Cindy (Rachel Bilson), Darren (Andrew Rannells), and the long-term boyfriend, show up much later in the timeline. Who knows what the availability of those actors will be in five years? It's a treacherous corner to be painted into. Unless that show unfolds completely non-linearly, which could be cool, but also very difficult to do well. Or if The Mother and Kelly are the only main characters.

I'd like to analyze the episode on its own merits, because I did really enjoy the half hour, finally getting to see more of Minlioti, who is excellent. I also really, really loved when Ted (Josh Radnor) hears her singing and falls for her, one of the best scenes of the whole series. But it's hard to separate this away from a possible expanded franchise. Should How I Met Your Dad never come to fruition, "How Your Mother Met Me" will be a decent entry, if a bit rushed in pacing. However, knowing what could be happening, it seems unwise to play this out in this manner.

How I Met Your Mother continues to wind down its final season Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER Doesn't Act Like "Bass Player Wanted"

Article first published as HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER Doesn't Act Like "Bass Player Wanted" on TheTVKing.

Despite some early reticence, I have to admit that CBS's How I Met Your Mother has had a pretty great final fall run. Two weeks ago "The Rehearsal Dinner" was super sweet, and this week's "Bass Player Wanted," which serves as the mid-season finale, brings things together nicely. There are complaints to be had (such as Marshall taking half a season to join the others), but overall, it's been an enjoyable, heart-warming, and occasionally funny batch of installments.

My biggest complaint is that we haven't had enough of The Mother (Cristin Milioti). After being added to the central cast and making an instant impression, we've seen her only briefly and sporadically. She is well-used when she appears, but she's missing for long stretches of time and that's disappointing because she is such a likable, interesting character.

In "Bass Player Wanted," The Mother meets Marshall (Jason Segel) when she picks him up on the side of the road. They have wonderful chemistry right off the back, quickly able to joke with and relate to one another. It's very similar to The Mother's meeting with Lily (Alyson Hannigan), and it's very easy to see how she will fit in the group because of this.

Picking The Mother was a very difficult task for the production. She not only had to be a good actress, but they had to craft a character that would enjoy hanging out with the others, not bring too much of her own baggage, but still be a well-rounded person who isn't a loner. Somehow, the exact right mix of this has been found in Milioti's role.

"Bass Player Wanted" introduces us to Darren (Andrew Rannells, The New Normal, Girls), The Mother's 'friend' who has taken over her band. The Mother mentions knowing him for a few years, so presumably he will have to be in the upcoming spin-off, How I Met Your Dad. But, since he's definitely not a pal, having him be a main player would be difficult, and that actor is in-demand, so he may not be free for a recurring part. It will be interesting to see if or how this plays out.

We also learn that The Mother has been in a band for years. This will also have to be an element in How I Met Your Dad. How much of the series might include her singing? We know Milioti has a great voice (she's been praised for her Broadway work), and knowing this gives us an interesting taste of the new project.

More important than The Mother, though, is how the central quintet of characters come together, even though this half hour sees them at odds.. Marshall finally arrives for the wedding, but Lily is very angry because he took the judgeship behind her back, dashing her professional dreams. Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) gets ticked off at Ted (Josh Radnor) upon learning of Ted's plan to move to Chicago. Lily is angry at Robin (Cobie Smulders) for siding with Marshall, even though Robin is only doing so because she doesn't want Lily to move away. Also, Robin thinks Lily is stealing her thunder.

Halfway through the series' final season, things are kind of falling apart for our protagonists. They have kept some secrets from one another, and not always put their friends first. "Bass Player Wanted" is the sweet moment when they all come together and work through those differences. It probably won't be completely smooth sailing for the rest of the season, but as the time of the wedding moves closer, these five need to stick together, and this is a good way to get to that.

There are some nice little bits in this episode, too. Linus (Robert Belushi, son of Jim) continues to get plenty of screen time, becoming a fun recurring part. The humor 'rule of three' is satisfied as a third bottle of extremely expensive scotch is broken. The Mother buys Ted a drink, and even though they don't meet, it's a cool start to their relationship, knowing as the viewers do that they will be together. And ending the episode with the fourth slap, cliffhanger-style, is appreciated.

How I Met Your Mother will return to conclude its run soon on CBS.

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER "Coming Back" In the End

Article first published as HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER "Coming Back" In the End on TheTVKing.

CBS's How I Met Your Mother started as a fantastic, hilarious comedy, then devolved into dumb repetition, before bouncing somewhat back by adding a thick emotional layer over the handful of laughs. With the show's ninth and final season upon us, all designated to take place over a single weekend, it seems a big risk that could go either way. Given the track record, despite the past few year's decent delivery, confidence is not high such a move can be pulled off.

However, with last night's two installments, "The Locket" and "Coming Back," it's sure off to a great start.

These episodes are not exactly designed as a two-parter, but don't really stand-alone, either. As the long tale begins to wind up, it seems How I Met Your Mother gets more meandering and less linear, which is actually perfectly fine. We know Ted (Josh Radnor) is at the place where he meets The Mother (Cristin Milioti); the end is in sight. Now, tone is more important than definition.

Thank goodness How I Met Your Mother doesn't make us wait the entire year in order to see Ted and The Mother together. Having them this close, already in the same place, it would be annoying to have them continuously narrowly miss one another. Yet, we also know they can't actually meet until the end of the weekend, most likely the series finale. The show solves this frustration by giving us a glimpse of the two of them one year later in "Coming Back."

Their first scene is positively electric. For anyone who wondered what kind of girl would finally satisfy Ted and still be likable to the viewer, The Mother is it. Perfect casting and writing come together and suddenly the whole effort seems worth it. One small moment glimpsed, and Ted and The Mother seem like they've been destined to be together their entire life. Knowing this, and getting the reward of witnessing it, makes the waiting not hurt so much.

I'm getting ahead of myself, though, because that is the at the end of the hour. First, Lily (Alyson Hannigan) meets The Mother. One thing I've wondered is how this stranger will fit in with the so-well-established gang that makes up the principal cast. The show solves this, too, by first having her meet and befriend Lily. They aren't quite perfectly matched as pals, but they are good enough, The Mother managing to calm Lily down, giving her a valuable skill set to be included in the cast.

Lily needs calmed for two reasons. One, Ted has played her so he can get to Farhampton alone. This is a tricky bit of twist that feels totally in character with Ted, since Lily assumes Ted will try giving Robin (Cobie Smulders) "The Locket," which could reawaken old feelings. We do get a glimpse of Ted crazily flying to L.A. to find it, but don't actually see if he did or not. Hopefully, this will be covered in a later episode, perhaps with return guest appearances by Sarah Chalke and Jason Jones. But it's likely Ted has it.

What may be slightly confusing is that Ted doesn't given Robin "The Locket" yet, instead presenting her with a picture of their group from season one (the one at the end of the show's theme song). Why does Ted need to ditch Lily if that's all he's giving Robin? Logic says he has "The Locket" and has not made up his mind, possibly intending to give it to Robin, then thinking better of it. His "of course"s are not sincere, and there's more to this coming. I'm glad it's being held for now, though, as we need something hanging over the next few weeks, and this does that well.

The second reason for Lily's distress is that she misses her family, but we'll get to that story in a minute.

Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) and Robin's thread starts out less than equal to those of Lily and Ted, beginning with an unnecessary incest scare in Ranjit's (Marshall Manesh) limo in "The Locket." I mean, Ranjit isn't unnecessary, but finding out that the bride and groom share a cousin is. However, it's made up for when Barney drops the "wait for it" from the word "legendary," culminating an arc nine years in the making for him.

Thankfully, "Coming Back" gives the pair something better, having to deal with James' (Wayne Brady) divorce. See, there's a Stinson curse, which we amusingly see cast on Brady and Harris in period-ish costumes back in 1807 Russia, and James' marriage is the only thing that makes Barney believe in lasting love. Robin doesn't want Barney to find out about the split, afraid he may break off their own ceremony, but when a drunk Lily does spill the beans, Barney remains calm, telling Robin she is now why he believes, and doesn't need anyone else.

While Robin and Barney have always possessed a strong chemistry, it isn't until last year, continued in these two episodes, that we see what really makes them work as a couple. They have changed one another in a very profound way, and the depth of their love is incredibly touching. "Coming Back" proves once and for all that this wedding should happen, which makes the anticipation of the impending nuptials all the sweeter.

Finally, we have Marshall (Jason Segel) running into all sorts of obstacles trying to get back to New York before Lily finds out he has been offered a judgeship, wanting to tell her himself. Most of his problems involve a fellow traveler (Sherri Shepherd, 30 Rock). This subplot is the one that works least of all, despite Shepherd being funny, because it wraps up too easily, sort of ruining the rivalry that has been building for an hour. Marshall puts his faith in the woman and she comes through for him, contrary to everything we've seen from her up to this point. It would have been preferable for Marshall to find a different mode of transportation and run into her again along the way. But honestly, as disappointing as the climax is, it doesn't detract too much from the overall enjoyment of the episodes, which are mostly quite good.

Other highlights of "The Locket" and "Coming Back" include: a wonderful turn by Roger Bart (Revenge) as a desk clerk; Ted saying to The Mother "Hey Beautiful," which is the name of the show's theme song; The Mother's cookies' moniker being Lily's catchphrase; and Barney's anniversary gift for James. All of these combine to make the first two episodes special, promising more goodness to come over the rest of the season. These little things are part of what made the show so good in the first place, and it's nice to see them well served now.

How I Met Your Mother's final season airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER Shows Us "Something New"

Article first published as HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER Shows Us "Something New" on TheTVKing.

Many were expecting "Something New," the eighth season finale of CBS's How I Met Your Mother, to show Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) and Robin's (Cobie Smulders) wedding, scenes of which we've already glimpsed in the past few seasons, and end at the moment where Ted (Josh Radnor) meets the titular mother, but not show her face. I was among those that believed I had the final half hour figured out, and we could not have been more wrong.

"Something New" details the week leading up to the wedding. Ted is not even thinking about meeting his wife at this point, ready to give up. He still has a torch burning for Robin, but has decided that, rather than wreck his friends' happiness, he will stand by and smile, then move to Chicago, avoiding his feelings.

It may be theorized that the reason Ted never meets anyone over the past eight years is because he is still hung up on Robin. Until she is wed, he thinks she is a possibility for him, and so no other girl is good enough. It may not be something he consciously admits, but it certainly seems like this is a problem hanging over Ted right now, and one that he needs to let go of to be happy.

In fact, Ted is even considering intervening, making a last-minute play for Robin, against his earlier decision. He has Robin's missing locket, and thinks giving it to her will make her happy. Lily (Alyson Hannigan) warns Ted to be careful, and it's certainly a poor decision for Ted to give Robin the missing jewelry. The act doesn't just give Ted hope, but might make Robin wonder if she is marrying the right guy. They both owe it to Barney to not let this happen, and given what we've seen of the wedding day, I don't think Ted will screw things up, thankfully.

Has Ted's love for Robin been played to death over the years? It sure has. And yet, there is something fitting about this being part of his last arc. It takes Ted back to the beginning of the story, finally giving closure to the pairing that never really happened. It bookends the arc in a very satisfying way.

They say you find someone when you least expect it. And Ted, agonizing over Robin, and intending to leave New York, isn't looking for love. He is finally at a point where finding the girl of his dreams is the last thing on his mind. At this perfect moment, enter the mother (Cristin Milioti, Sleepwalk With Me).

It's very surprising to see "Something New" reveal the face of the mother, a secret that is tightly kept under wraps until it airs. Milioti isn't a hugely known actress, though she's had success on Broadway, and done a handful of television guest spots in shows such as The Sopranos, 30 Rock, and Nurse Jackie, as well as some films. The first impression doesn't even afford us the opportunity to hear her voice, but she certainly looks the part quite nicely. I imagine, after this, a lot more people will know who Milioti is.

What will this mean for season nine? Well, presumably Ted will decide not to leave New York to stay and date the mother, but having given up his apartment, he'll probably move into his brand new house, which he has just finished. And then he'll begin dating her, and some time during the next year, he will realize that she's the one, and for once, it will feel right. There will also have to be a couple of missteps and goofs along the way. But this is Ted's end game. He, and we, who have watched for the past eight seasons, have arrived.

During this time, Robin and Barney are hanging out, torturing a snooty couple (Casey Wilson, Happy Endings and Keegan Michael Key, Key and Peele), and putting to rest any doubts about their union that may have come up in the previous installment. Watching them interact with each other, engaged in a common mission, proves exactly why they belong together. Plus, great guest stars! Ted doesn't stand a chance with Robin now.

Meanwhile, Marshall takes baby Marvin to visit his mother, Judy (Suzie Plakson), after she learns her son and his family are moving to Rome. Lily is worried that Judy will try to keep Marvin at home, or tag along, but Marshall keeps assuring his wife that Judy is only kidding when she says such things. Like many 'B' stories of the past few years, it's an amusing, though not particularly memorable, subplot.

That is, until Marshall gets a call offering him a judgeship. This is the sort of life-changing opportunity that he has been waiting for, it long having been his dream to sit on the bench. But that would mean he couldn't go to Rome to support Lily in following her dream. What to do is a real conundrum.

It stinks that How I Met Your Mother chooses to put this wedge in Lily and Marshall's marriage now. Sure, lots of shows screw with relationships when the end is near; look at the recent Jim / Pam story on The Office. But no one likes to see strife come into the marriage of a beloved couple, and this turn of events is a true no-win scenario. Will they try to make it work, living on two different continents? Or will one of them have to give up something they desperately want? Neither is very promising, even though glimpses of the future assure us that they will make it through.

"Something New" leaves the viewer with plenty of frustrating cliffhangers, but also a lot of anticipation. How will the tale play out in the final season? Next fall, we'll find out.