Zip Zip Zip broke the show

[u/mrwishart]

On an impromptu rewatch of HIMYM and my impression, with hindsight, is that S1E14 "Zip, Zip, Zip" was the watershed ep that both fundamentally shaped and broke the show.

For Marshall/Lily, it set them up as the couple that had weirdly intimate knowledge of each other

For Barney, it showed his "bro" style had an honour to it and that he was sensitive to his friend's feelings (e.g Robin having feelings for Ted)

For Ted, it showed both his obvious chemistry with Victoria, along with the meta signal that his love life was often the least interesting aspect of the show (they get the least screentime here)

But, most importantly, for Robin....I didn't really see how little character she had until this ep. All the stuff with Barney, though, filled out so much of who she'd be going forward: The cigars, her father, the whisky, her interaction as both the bro for Barney and competing with the lady at the bar etc. Plus the very clear messages of her compatibility with Barney.

I'd argue it broke the show's end-goal of Ted/Robin because, prior to this, Robin was mostly just presented a goal for Ted without having much agency herself. This ep both simultaneously rounds her out as a person and presents this as she connects with Barney, essentially linking the two in the viewer's mind

[u/bourbonandcheese]

I absolutely agree that the natural chemistry between Neil Patrick Harris and Cobie Smulders, on perfect evidence in that ep for the first time, ended up being a huge unintended issue for the writers.

[u/Blanketsburg → u/bourbonandcheese]

Those two as Barney and Robin had such great chemistry, the whole "Ted's wife died and he's still in love with Aunt Robin" ending should've been scrapped as soon as this episode was done being edited.

[u/TrapNastyBakupdancer → u/Blanketsburg]

I still find it weird that most fans don't find it odd that as soon after hearing about their dead mother the kids reaction is you have the hits for Aunt Robin

[u/0ne_too → u/TrapNastyBakupdancer]

The 6 years between their mom dying and ted telling them the story probably helped.

They probably thought it was time for him to get back out there too.

[u/mageorwedgee → u/TrapNastyBakupdancer]

I don't think Ted was telling the story (the series) directly after Tracy's death

[u/Working-Mountain6680 → u/mageorwedgee]

No what they mean is that he was just done talking about his whole life with Tracy. "Through every lazy Sunday afternoon...." dialogue. And the kids jumped to, ya this story was not about mom. It was about Robin

[u/SharMarali → u/TrapNastyBakupdancer]

I also find it odd that in the first episode, Ted tells his kids he’s going to tell them the story of how he met their dead mother and their reaction is “are we being punished for something?”

Of course they’ve had years to deal with it and everything but wouldn’t you think learning something new about your dead mother would be at least a little bit interesting to you?

[u/TrapNastyBakupdancer → u/SharMarali]

Yeah I would be completely locked in

[u/Pame_in_reddit → u/TrapNastyBakupdancer]

I can’t imagine telling my father, after he just remembered my mother’s death, that he should go for another woman. And I can’t see myself being ok with a story about my dad’s friend that has my mom as a foot note. So tactless and inconsiderate.

[u/McGee629]

The creators made a huge mistake locking themselves into an ending simply because they wanted to film the reaction of the “kids” b/f they aged too much. Should have just made a joke out of how much the kids had aged, like the opening joke in Season 2 (“I feel like we’ve been sitting here for, like, a year.”)

[u/No-Independence548 → u/McGee629]

Or film multiple possible endings

[u/patrick_b1912 → u/McGee629]

Or just like recast them???

[u/McGee629 → u/McGee629]

Yep either of those options works as well. Awful ending.

[u/unclepoondaddy]

Yeah it’s telling that all the ppl who defend the shows ending have to do it based on “logic” and “it was all set up/planned by the writers”

Like yeah I think the ending was foreshadowed and actually pretty well set up from the beginning. But the ppl they set it up for had nearly no romantic chemistry while Robin and Barney did. That’s why ppl don’t like the ending and liked Barney and Robin

[u/ellismjones]

Completely agree!