HIMYM Season 8 Ep1: Farhampton Review/Rant

Dear Readers,

When How I Met Your Mother first started off, in my mind it filled the chasm left by Friends. It was a great comedy, with a likeable enough cast (I had a problem with adjust to Robin becoming a regular in the beginning). The show gave you your comedy fix, and some moments were so funny that you actually remembered them later. I  still can't get over the hilarity of The Pineapple Incident ( S E )which incidentally is also the most watched episode of the entire series.

Season 7 saw the show go from a comedy to more of a dramedy, which was disappointing. That is not its calling, its purpose, or the reason why I (or most of its fan-base) watch the show. The emotional drama between Barney and Robin not choosing each other, couples with Ted's quarter life crisis as he can't find 'The One' and start to feel pessimistic about his life, is too much.  Especially, as Ted's drama hits a bit too close to home, and instead of the providing an escape the show actually throws the very stuff I'm trying to hide from into my face.

Everyone I discuss the show with agrees that it’s turning into more of a drama interspersed with rare bits comedy provided reliably by Lily and Marshal- they are cute and entertaining even when dealing with serious issues.

What on earth could beTed be reading at this time?

In the Season 8 premiere, the drama continues- how could it not? It’s about 2 weddings, or at least 2 brides one runaway and another one who is on the verge of running away, at different points in time.

If Marshall can't stop Barney from running away. I seriously doubt Lil' Lily can help

So Robin and Barney are both freaking out about getting married-to each other, but we canbot understand how they ended up here until we here this other story first:

Love Robin's wedding dress, I hope she doesn't runaway it would be a shameful waste of a perfectly lovely dress

 As Lily and Marshall struggle to stay coherent due to going without sleep because of the new baby, Barney hides the fact that he has history with Robin from his finace Quinn, who gets upset. Robin is also upset because apparently Barney has removed all traces of their relationship by photshopping her out.

Barney and Robin continue the 'Ross and Rachael' dance, of not getting together when everyone can see they are perfect for each other- again its a standard feature of many a drama and or comedy ..but maybe after 7 seasons you wish they'd get together seeing that they get so sentimental and sad and the comedy doesn’t really overcome the drama.

Exhibit A: Robin has been photoshopped form the pic where they are both eating the same spagetti

But its Ted's drama which starts of innocently enough ...but you know from the opening scene its not going to end well. Due to Ted's being jilted at the altar he has to direct Victoria on how to 'runaway' correctly and on she has to leave the perfect note...that smells like her-of course.

Ted teaching Victoria on the importance of a runaway note

After overcoming various difficulties in depositing the note Ted encounters Klaus (no, not the invincible vampire werewolf hybrid from TVD) Victoria's fiance who is also running away. Ted replaces Victoria’s note with Klaus’ so that Victoria and him can runaway together guilt-free.

Ted climbs up the water spout..to place Victoria's note

Then Ted decides, he heeds to know why Klaus is running away from Victoria, I’m not sure if he’s having cold feet too, or maybe that’s  a very guy thing to do – or possible a very Ted thing.

Anyways, in a bilingual explanation Klaus explains to him the Victoria is very close to the one-but not the One...

Of course Ted asks how do you know when some person is the one... what if you think they are the one but they are not? Klaus sagely replies, ‘If you have to think then she’s not the one, with the one, you just know’.

The episode ends with us catching a glimpse of the mother of Ted’s future children. We see her shapely tanned legs, but her face remains obscured by that yellow umbrella, and in her hand is that her guitar case. 

Folks, it’s the beginning of then of HIMYM, this season will likely be the last according to producers mainly due to actors’ contracts. 

I really hope Season 8 delivers, Ted deserves a special ‘the One’, we all do, let’s just hope that it’s worth the wait. 

The girl with the yellow umbrella

Sources:
honestreviewscorner.com
tvguide.com
tvline.com
aceshowbiz.com
pastemagazine.com

Downton Abbery S03E01 Season 3 Premiere Reviewed

Dear Readers,

After the Season 2 Christmas special and season finale I didn't know how the time would pass and how I would be able to wait for Season 3.

But I've discovered time passes quickly regardless of whether you are having fun on or not... anyways on to Season 3.

I've mentioned this before, and I'll say it again but I really do love the title soundtrack for Downton Abbey. You immediately get this warm feeling inside you and you know the next hour is going to be a good one. downton is a family saga, and you once again start from where you left off with renewed interest in the family's and their servants' lives.

As expected this episode centred around Mary and Matthew's wedding, with Sybil and Branson..I mean Tom's arrival adding to the drama. I think Shirley McLane’s addition to the cast as Cora's mother was built up a bit too much, she rather disappointed, being plain old mean and not half as witty and entertaining as Dowager Countess

Enter the Wicked Witch of the West: Cora's m other Martha Levinson arrives at Downton Abbey, will her arrival 'put a pall over the bearings'

 Ok let me get the unpleasantness out of the way Sybill looked horrible, I know she's supposed to be pregnant and poor, but she had so much potential, and it just seems like a waste of a pretty face. Sigh!

Sybil Branson previously Lady Sybil not looking her best

The only good looking man to enter Downton Abbey since the late Mr.Pamuke in Season 1 shows himself to be a rather immature spoilt brat who spike's Tom Branson's drink to make him act out...quite a turn off.

I think the show needs to introduce a regular Tall Dark and Handsome young Prince or Lord or something-who seduces Sybill and marries her. She's already shaken the shackles of tradition by marrying below her class, now she might as well completely break them and by getting a divorce and remarrying!..Too sensational for Dowton Abbey?

  

Edith is desperately still trying to charm the old dude, she's now the only single Crawley girl. OK maybe they could give Edith a TDH, instead of an old, injured, fogey, I mean the two are sweet together but oh so boring...she will definitely have an affair once she's married so why not give her some one interesting to begin with??

Edith determined to woo old Sir Anthony Strallan- who after noticing her different hair do said ' Have you done something jolly with your hair?'!

Mary and Matthew do not disappoint by having an argument on the eve of their wedding and to add the usual will they or won't they drama. The bromance between Matthew and Tom is charming and he brings Matthew round-very convincingly.

Mary is an angelic vision in white on her wedding day (she looks so innocent). It was interesting to see how simple and graceful a Lord's daughter wedding was in those days...although in the county and village it seemed as big as an affair the Royal Wedding was in London or even in Britain as whole.

Mary  makes her appearance in front of her father and Carson, and quips: 'Will I do Carson ?

  

The woolly brained Lord Grantham has foolishly managed to speculate away most of Cora's fortune and Cora, like the superficial yet soft character that she is comforts him by telling him lets enjoy and have the best wedding ever- as this may be the last (extravagance of our lives). Maybe that's what's well-to do wife's role was (is?)? I dunno!  But it seems to work on Lord Grantham like a soothing balm! I'm just glad the writers have ensured that they both remained true to their characters..Even if they look silly to us now..I guess they intended to show how different things were.

 

The murder mystery of Mrs Bates remains and Anna is determined to keep looking until she gets to bottom of it ,I think that nasty newspaper empire owner prolly hired someone to mix poison in Mrs .Bates tea or something....although at times when Mr. Bates temper simmers just below the surface ...you do wonder whether...but no he's too good  a man-or is he?

Guilty or not?

Below stairs, a new footman has been hired, Mrsh Hughes nephew, and Daisy went on strike for a bit to protest that a new kitchen maid wasn't hired, and that she hasn't been promoted due to the new economical restraints on the household. Woosley is once agai nfeeling rather sorry for himself and insecure as Matthew refuses to take him on as his valet when he moves after the wedding, it looks liek they will be staying at Downton in the near future.

Episode two airs tomorrow in the U.K- Enjoy!

Source for the images:
http://downtonline.com/gallery
http://www.itv.com/downtonabbey/photos/series-three-preview-photos/