It’s one of the basic truths of television — theHow I Met Your Motherseries finale isone of the worst endings in sitcom history,and we are constantly being reminded of that fact even ten years after it aired. Despite many regarding the CBS comedy show’s ending as a travesty, it is still one ofthe best and most popular sitcoms of the 21st century. However, ifHow I Met Your Mother’s finale had done anything other than what it did, the series wouldn’t be tainted by its ending and would likely be even higher up on people’s lists.

How I Met Your Motherpremiered in September 2005 and ran for nine seasons before airing its series finale in March 2014.

Josh Radnor and Cristin Milioti as Ted and Tracy having coffee in How I Met Your Mother

Unfortunately,time doesn’t heal all wounds when it comes to theHow I Met Your Motherfinale.It has been more than 10 years since it aired, but fans (including myself) are still talking about how disappointing the ending was and how it could have been better. Craig Thomas and Carter Bays’ending forHow I Met Your Mother’s storydidn’t work for many reasons, many of which can be summed up in one piece of fan art that was shared in 2024.

This Honest How I Met Your Mother Fan Art Is A Reminder That The Ending Didn’t Work

The How I Met Your Mother Series Finale Didn’t Make Sense

Instagram user@howimetyourmotheerposted an edited graphic of one ofHow I Met Your Mother’s posters from the early seasons. However, instead of the lettering spelling out the comedy show’s name,it says, “How I still want to bone your Aunt Robin.“The fan account’s caption then reads, “Did you like the finale?” Thebrutally honest retitle in the remake ofHow I Met Your Mother’s posteris obviously making a dig at the CBS sitcom’s controversial and (in my and many other’s opinion) horrendous ending where Ted and Robin somehow end up together.

How I Met Your Mother’s finale unexpectedly takes fans back to season 2 whenTed and Robin were still a couple. In the episode,The Mother sadly dies of an unspecified illnessin 2024. Six years later, Ted is getting back together with Robin after his two children, Luke and Penny, push him to do so.

A blended image of young, old, and present-day Ted Mosby from How I Met Your Mother - created by Tom Russell

Ted reverses all the progress he and Robin made over the seasons, transforming their relationship from a romance into a friendship.

The CBS sitcom’s ending goes against its entire premise and turns it into something it’s not. Instead of Ted finally getting his happily ever after with the love of his life, she dies. Then, Ted reverses all the progress he and Robin made over the seasons, transforming their relationship from a romance into a friendship. TheHow I Met Your Motherfan art poster is just a reminder of everything that went wrong with the finale.

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It’s Been A Decade But The Frustration Is All The Same

As many know, the entire premise ofHow I Met Your Motheris in its title. Twenty-plus years into the future, Ted is telling his two kids the story of how he met their mother. Viewers don’t see The Mother’s face until the season 8 finale and have to wait until the series finale to learn her name (Tracy McConnell).Everything that happens beforehand is just leading up to The Mother’s arrival.However, the writers managed to undo all the progress they made duringthe TV show’s controversial finale. Unfortunately, all of this and more still frustrates me to this day.

TheHow I Met Your Motherfinale transports us back in time, undoing several years of character and story development.

Almostthe entirety ofHow I Met Your Motherseason 9takes place over the course of Barney and Robin’s wedding weekend. But less than 15 minutes into the two-part finale,Barney and Robin are getting a divorce.Consequently, the entire season is rendered meaningless.

How I Met Your Mother: How Old Each Character Is Supposed To Be

Based on the provided birthdays of the characters in How I Met Your Mother, it’s possible to calculate how old they are at certain big moments.

The episode takes it one step further, though,when The Mother dies, and I couldn’t help but feel cheated. I had been waiting nine seasons to see Ted meet the mother of his children and ride off into the sunset together. Instead, theHow I Met Your Motherfinale transports us back in time, undoing several years of character and story development. Ultimately,the ending didn’t make sense when looking at the sitcom as a whole,and that will never fail to disappoint me.

How I Met Your Father Will Never Get The Chance To Undo The Original Show’s Greatest Sin

Hulu Canceled The Spinoff After 2 Seasons

My hope that the wrongs made by theHow I Met Your Motherfinale would one day be righted came crashing down whenHulu canceledHow I Met Your Fatherafter only two seasons. Given that the spinoff took place in the same universe, it had the ability to undo the damage done by the first show’s ending. Robin, Barney, and a handful of other original characters even made cameos. However,How I Met Your Fathernever got the chance to fully explore the link between the two sitcoms, andHow I Met Your Mother’s ending will, unfortunately, live on.

How I Met Your Mother

Cast

How I Met Your Mother is a television series that follows a father telling his children about his past. Released in 2005, it explores his experiences and adventures with four close friends, leading up to meeting their mother, as depicted through a series of flashbacks.