The Beginning of the End

After the first episode of season 9 of How I Met Your Mother, we’ve finally discovered who the mother of Ted’s children is! Nine seasons in the making, and HIMYM has managed to become a novel which Ted relays to his children to display how his wife was met. There’s just one problem, Ted hasn’t actually met her, she has just been introduced in the show.

                First off, I believe this is a great way to start off the season. Eight seasons is a great runtime for a show! However, viewers had to have been getting extremely anxious to find out who the mother was. According to the writers of the show, season eight was supposed to be the last season of the series. Yet there were so many unresolved factors in Ted’s life that had to be addressed, it seems it couldn’t be the end of the show. Without the new season, the show would be left off with many plot holes and dissatisfied viewers. The most important of these being that Ted still has romantic feelings for Robin.

                The last season left off with the imminent wedding between Robin and Barney. Prior to this wedding, Robin had a nervous breakdown – something not entirely foreign to her character. Rather than Barney, her fiance, being the one to help Robin in her marriage-related time of crisis, who else was there but Ted. Ted, who is the best man of Barney. Ted, who is the ex-boyfriend of the bride-to-be. Ted, who happens to be the hopeless romantic that jumps at any random occurrence of love-induced trauma and deciphers it as the universe’s sign that some type of involvement is imminent. This is just Ted’s character. He has to be the one who helps someone in their time of need. He’s the one who comes through at the last minute every time, especially for Robin. But Ted’s not stupid; he had to know that if he went to help Robin it would bring up old feelings. I SWEAR IT’S LIKE HE PURPOSELY COMPLICATES EVERYTHING.

                Anyway, Ted decides to become even more like Ross from Friends by quickly changing professions from an architect to an archaeologist. That is, considering he digs up ancient feelings he thought he had freed himself of. To make matters worse, he has checked into a couples resort for the wedding reception. “Oh dear God, does he want to torture himself,” is clearly the only proper response to this. However, this is just some of the typical and major humor presented in HIMYM. The writers put the characters in awkward and annoying situations constantly to show their atypical reactions and personalities. 

                In this particular case, the writers seem to be purposely pointing out Ted’s feelings for Robin throughout these new episodes. I believe that the writers want to emphasize his feelings in order to move the show in a specific direction. For example, after his intimate moment of holding hands in the park with Robin, Ted decides that he wants to move to Chicago. Literally a whole episode revolves around this one tiny detail in the story that everyone knows won’t happen. He cannot bear the thought of living in the same state as the woman he loves while she is married. He has decided to leave New York, an architect’s dreamland, a place he loves, to avoid someone he loves. Ted also attempts to avoid Barney due to his rediscovered love.

It’s a good thing Barney doesn’t know about Ted’s feelings because then- oh wait. Barney was watching Ted comfort Robin at the park whole time? Wow, this show really loves to throw the most awkward situations possible into the picture. The most recent episode deals with the rift driven between Barney and Ted’s friendship. Ted is put between a bad place and a bad place. Being between a rock and the bad place just wasn’t good enough for him. However, in the end of the episode, he decides that he will overcome his feelings and be there for Barney as friend and best-man. This truly does help to put a spotlight on Ted’s character. He’s hopelessly in love with Robin, yet still decides to push past that and be Barney’s best man at his wedding. He will do anything for his friends, even overcome his love and emotions.

                I believe that although this seems to be a small detail it was done for a big reason. Barney being aware of Ted’s feelings is the best push Ted needs to start getting over Robin for good. This is possibly the best way to begin the ending of the show. They’ve finally introduced the mother, and Ted needs a way to transition from Robin to the mother. To emphasize the point, the writers put the mother small parts of each episode. For example, in the first episode, we are reminded that Ted eventually moves on because the mother meets Lily on a train ride to the wedding. Although this is a subtle hint, the point is pushed further in the third episode, when Ted has a flashforward (?) of him and his wife being in the same place as a current love-sick Ted. These reminders foreshadow that Ted is soon about to transition from his old love to his new love. The show as a whole definitely seems to be coming to an end. The fact that a new season has been added has definitely been helping to tie up loose ends.

How I Met the Cast

                In light of the final season of How I Met Your Mother just starting, now would be the perfect time to catch up anyone who hasn’t seen the show. I don’t want you guys getting lost in future posts! How I Met Your Mother is a wonderful sitcom quite comparable to Friends, a series that dominated the lives of so many so-called “90’s kids”. The story line is set to revolve around the series absurd anecdotes a father named Ted Mosby chronicles and enlivens, for his children, describing how he met their mother. These anecdotes revolve around Ted’s group of friends throughout his adult life. The group itself changes as some of its members acquire new significant others, but mainly consists of Robin, Barney, Lily, and Marshall. I guess the best way to catch someone up on the seemingly infinite 8 seasons of this show is to individually describe each character and their contributions to the show.

                I’ll start with the main character, Ted Mosby. Ted’s most prominent characteristics, pointed out by the show itself, are brought forth by his love of aristocratic lifestyle. He has fancy tastes, although he can’t afford to truly display this personality. He is brought down from the fantasy of an aristocratic lifestyle and character by the reality of middle class society. For example, he has the need (note: not the desire, the need) to correct grammar and word usage in real life. When Ted is in a typical party on the streets of New York, he is just another person in the crowd, but almost needs to be black-out drunk just to have a “good time”. When he is placed in the middle of an aristocratic party, where the dress code seems to be black tuxedos, handlebar mustaches, and monocles, Ted Mosby is literally the life of the party. Despite this seemingly pompous and narcissistic disposition, Ted deeply cares for his friends and will always try his best to help them. You might expect someone who has this disposition to be extremely scheduled and up tight. On the contrary, Ted is typically portrayed as an impulsive individual, led by his desire to find the woman he will fall in love with and elope with. One minute he will promise his friend that he’s broken up and done with a girl, because that was the logical thing to do, and the next he’s sleeping with that person in a storm trooper outfit. Perhaps this personality is simply prominent due to the nature of the anecdotes, which promotes a hopeless romantic, bent on the conquest for the holy grail of love.

                Marshall Eriksen, unlike Ted, is basically a big teddy bear. If you needed a comparison to actually depict a character, think Chandler from friends, but sillier. He’s the most level-headed, yet hysterical one of the group. The humor in his character lies within his outrageous antics, such as channeling his inner southern woman to give advice. The fact that he is the most level-headed of the group makes his advice the most logical to follow, but because of his antics, he’s not taken seriously. He also usually doesn’t but into other people’s problems because he’s has more of a laid back personality. He’s from Minnesota, and holds his upbringing very close to him. He’s Ted’s best friend and roommate from college, so they have a very tight bromance, as the kids call it these days. His character is hard to pinpoint and explain because it’s so dynamic. He can embody any type of personality because he has such a laid back and logical complex. Currently in the show, he’s married to Lily Aldrin.

                Lily is the voice of reason in the group, which is why she and Marshall make a great couple. Whenever Ted decides to follow his love-impulses, Lily is the one who attempts to set him on the right path. Her outspoken and assertive personality easily makes her the most volatile of the group. As soon as anyone steps out of line, she becomes agitated and over exerts her emotions in a comedic manner. Again, if you were looking for someone to compare to, think Monica from friends. She has known both Marshall and Ted since their freshman year of college, when she began dating Marshall. She’s the glue that holds the group together as the judge, jury and executioner, but does it for her love of everyone.

                Barney is literally the easiest person to describe. He likes women, and will do anything to sleep with one. I always find this extremely ironic because he’s played by Neil Patrick Harris. If you don’t know he has a husband and in real life and is generally known to be a great family man. If you’re looking for another comparison, think Joey from friends with much more antics. He always wears a suit to look good and never takes a bad picture. Ever. Barney’s antics usually rely on his various ploys to sleep with women at the local bar McLaren’s. The man is an emotional wreck if you didn’t get it by this point. I mean, who wouldn’t be with a fatherless childhood, bad relationships, and continuous disrespect for women. Actually, it’s not until he is able to put his inner demons to rest by meeting his father that he is finally able to settle down with Robin and get married.

                Robin Scherbatsky is the newest member of the group, and the weirdest by far. She’s basically a man, and is bought into the friendship circle in the pilot episode. In this episode she’s asked out by Ted, where he tells her he loves her on the first date. That alone is pretty much the best example to summarize the whole show, but that’s completely off topic. Robin has a very man-like aspect to her, as she smokes cigars and drinks beers and whiskey with the guys. Her and Ted constantly have an on and off relationship throughout the show. That is, until she begins to date Barney (bro-code violation). The only problem is she’s pretty much just of an emotional wreck as Barney. Her father always wanted a boy, and treated her just like one. She, thus, has a terrible relationship with her father. She’s originally from Canada which is the cause of many of the jokes on the show.

                That’s pretty much every character of How I Met Your Mother summed up as best as I can do in one post. I hope it helps to aid in future posts for those who haven’t seen it!

The King and Prince of Meth

Find the one that doesn't belong: peanut butter and jelly, Batman and Robin, Walter and Jesse. If you chose the last one, come on down and claim your prize! Walter and Jesse pose themselves as two polar opposites throughout the entire series of Breaking Bad, yet constantly cling to the relationship in which they rely on each other in some way.

The couple first meet in Walter's Chemistry class. However, we first see them meeting as Jesse climbs out of a meth-lab being raided by the DEA. Jesse gives off the vibe of, well, a punk. He wears clothes that are too big for him as he tries to talk with a colloquial street-gang accent. It looks like he tries too hard to be hard. Yet, all the same, Walter asks him to cook Meth with him. Why? Simply for Walter's own gain. This beginning spark in their relationship is what carries it throughout the series, as everything Walter does with Jesse for his own gain.

At first, Walter needs Jesse. Walter doesn't have the connections or brazen attitude to sell the Meth to others. He wants the simplicity of cooking the Meth while Jesse sells it. Why not? As a simple father and teacher, he is the definition of average. Jesse, on the other hand accepts the offer to partner up, which is something that seems a little more obscure. He doesn't need Walter. He can cook the meth himself, and doesn't yet realize at this point in the show how pure Walter's meth is. He's independent, and not to mention Walter was his high school chemistry teacher. What would be stranger than if your old high school chemistry teacher came up to you and asked you to sell meth for him? I would immediately assume it was a setup.

Although I don't think I'll ever fully understand why Jesse accepts this offer, he does so just the same. Walter and Jesse, being the complete opposites they are, immediately just get in each other's way. When they need to do things together, such as kill people, disintegrate their bodies, clean up disemboweled humans, you would think they bond some sort. To some degree, they do. Their respective personalities, however, continuously change, stopping them from ever forming a healthy relationship.

Jesse begins to grow as a person throughout the show, although at a very slow pace. Walter, on the other hand learns from Jesse and begins to develop his Heisenberg-like, bossy attitude. He no longer needs Jesse because he can sell the meth and find connections himself. Yet, he keeps Jesse around. With is new attitude, he needs someone to boss around. Someone who he can manipulate to do what he wants. Jesse, unlike Walter, needs this relationship. Although Walter manipulates him, and cooks meth with him, Walter is the best influence Jesse hhis house in a big party zone where meth users can come to as in his life. While he cooks with Walter, his life is on track. When he's not with Walter, he turns hang out. 

Walter, being the genius he is, constantly exploits Jesse's new found weakness. Yet its a weakness. Why does Walter keep Jesse around if he has such an obvious weakness? The answer is in the beginning, Walter does things for his own gain. He can benefit from Jesse's need of this relationship. He can easily manipulate Jesse to do whatever he damn well pleases. Especially if it involves killing someone for Walter. 

Despite this manipulation, Walter also needs Jesse, to a degree. He develops a strange father-like attitude towards Jesse. Perhaps this is because his own son is not what Walter had hoped for. Maybe the cerebral-palsy has striped Walter of the type of son he wanted, the type of person Jesse is. Maybe he's just angry at his own son for being closer with and adoring his uncle Hank. Whatever the reason may be, Jesse appeared at the right time in Walter's life for him to develop a fatherly attitude towards Jesse. He hides with a cloak of  a toughness, much like what Jesse does for his true self. He learned from Jesse well. He only shows his true feelings for Jesse in his weakest moments, like when he's been drugged by Jesse or when he's too sad to leave his house. This can be seen throughout the show as Walter inherently tries to keep Jesse involved in everything he does. Jesse has multiple opportunities to leave Walter and start his own life, which he tries to take. Walter doesn't want that, though, and keeps Jesse on the ropes as he keeps dragging him back into his plan. He can let Jesse leave at any point in time, and things would be fine. He could even double cross or manipulate Jesse into allowing Walter to get more money. He doesn't do any of this. He just keeps Jesse around, near him, because he wants him there.

Jesse's Girls

            Imagine you’re a teenager again. For some of us it might not be that long ago. For others it may seem like ages ago (even though I’m sure it was closer to the present than you think). Can you remember doing anything that you would now consider stupid or silly? I remember way back when (about three years ago, I'm not actually that old) there was a gated and abandoned rehab community known as Seaview Hospital. As a teen, there was a sense of empowerment in the ability to slip past the hole in the gate and trudge around this “haunted” community. Looking back, I now think of it as childish and pointless. I mean, I went during the daytime, where no police could see me, with a big group of friends so no other wandering groups would hurt us. It was literally the safest form of rebellion I could have achieved.

I’m sure everyone has one of those stories from their teenage years. You know, those rebellious years, when you would stay out past your curfew just to see how far you could push it. Perhaps the character that embodies this personality the most in any show I've ever seen is Jesse Pinkman. Jesse’s a special kind of character, and probably my favorite character of the show Breaking Bad. He has the type of personality where you never quite know why he does what he does; you just understand that it’s something he would do.  The show delves into so many opportunities Jesse has to turn his life around, yet he barely takes any of them. As a viewer, you completely understand that he does these seemingly childish things. It just doesn't seem far-fetched when it should; it seems to fit perfectly with his character. You just don’t know why you understand it. It's hard to explain until you dig deep into the show, which is what makes Jesse Pinkman such an interesting character.

This might seem like an abstract idea, but allow me to attempt to unravel this medical case of a teenager-who-never-grew-up. We first meet Jesse in the show climbing out of a window of what Walter describes as poor excuse for a Meth-lab. What exactly got Jesse into this predicament? All we know is that Walter was Jesse’s Chemistry teacher in high school and that Jesse was a bad student. Why was he a bad student? What led him to an addiction to Meth-Amphetamine? What led him to cook Meth?

An interesting trait about Jesse, which seems to answer these questions, is that Jesse seems to fail at or mess up everything he does. When cooking in an RV, he leaves the keys in the ignition. Thus, he kills the battery, leaving him and Walter stranded in the desert. When in high school, he fails Chemistry. When his parents try to help him rehabilitate, he covers for his little brother’s drug use and gets kicked out of their house for good. No matter where he goes, he can never seem to do right. Of course, like any other teenager would assume, it's not really his fault in his own eyes. Bad things happen to him so often that he just learns to shrug it off and chalk it up to "the world's out to get me". He just has the attitude and heir of a punk.

I personally assume that Jesse was just always that “trouble-maker”. I think he’s the kind of person whose ambitions lie in working with his hands. He’s a creationist, and books mean nothing to a man who creates. To propel this theory, at one point in his rehabilitation, Jesse states that the one thing he was really good at was a project in wood shop class. A project he tried so many times to get right, and wouldn’t stop until it was perfect. This would answer why he is good at cooking Meth, and enjoys doing so.

 I believe that these underlying ideas, in a way, push him to continue to cook Meth with Walter after many endeavors in a nefarious style. In the beginning, it seems like Walter and Jesse mentor each other. Walter teaches him how to cook pure Meth, and Jesse teaches him the street life. At this time both continue to maintain their respective personalities. However, after making so much money and learning how to cook meth so well, Jesse’s finally found a place where he’s good at something. While Jesse is cooking with Walter, it is the only time we see them not fighting. Then, after personality changes, it’s the only times they actually get along as equals- without Walter’s bossy, Heisenberg-like attitude getting in the way. It’s also during these periods that he actually lives an appropriate lifestyle - that is, aside from the whole cooking Meth part. These are the times when Jesse goes to rehab. He also finds love and lives in a hospitable house. Literally the best moments of his life occur when he is cooking Meth. It calms him, and keeps his sporadic tendencies at bay. He doesn't need to lash out at the world because he's not failing at anything  That’s why I think Walter and Jesse have such a close connection throughout the show, but that’s an analysis for another blog post.

Although throughout most of the series, this is the personality Jesse embodies, he eventually wants to break free of the addiction Meth has on him, both in a cooking and smoking sense. As I said before, Jesse acts like a punk. However, there are several points in time where we can actually see him taking his baby-steps into adult hood. Strangely, these times only happen after someone close to him or someone innocent has been killed.

During these few moments of sorrow, we see Jesse’s true nature of innocence.  It's blocked by and emotional barrier built with extreme fortitude against the world’s unfortunate tendency to throw bad luck in his direction. He wants to lash back at the world that has lashed out at him. However, when an emotional-nuclear bomb, such as his first love interest dying, is cast upon this wall, he has no option but to reveal his true self. The first time its shown is when he goes to rehab after his love-interest over-doses; when he cleans up his house and stops using again because his new love-interest’s sibling gets killed; when he wants to quit cooking Meth after an innocent child who witnessed a robbery gets shot before Jesse can save him; when he rats out Walter to Hank, the DEA agent, because he discovered Walter poisoned his love-interests son. Each time the blow is less and less severe, yet it affects him more and more because he never has enough time to rebuild his wall. 

This theme of death in Jesse’s life seems to cause him to grow. It’s not until the murder of his second love-interest that we see a complete transformation. We see a shell of a rebellious man. One, who clearly just wants to live a normal life, chained and forced to cook Meth. He has finally left behind his barriers and accepted life. Whenever there's an enlightening change in Jesse's life, he has his girls to thank. If they had such a great impact on him, I wish that I had Jesse's girls. Why can't I find some women like that? (I'm weak, I couldn't pass that one up).