516 replies to this topic

[The Mad Maple]

One of the best parts of the old HIMYM thread was the ongoing debate over how we were gonna meet the mother, so I figured the discussion deserved its own thread in the new forum.

And even though the producers are gonna actually introduce her this season, I still say that the mother was both the Slutty Pumpkin and the blind date that Ted never met up with. (And I'm hoping beyond hope that it's the coat girl from Okay Awesome, too, but I know that's not in the cards.)

Your thoughts?

[NOTE: I'm repurposing this thread just a little. It's now the thread for all unspoiled speculation. Please remember that per the FAQ, first party promotional materials are not spoilers, so you may find them discussed in here. I'll unpin this note in a week or so, after everyone gets used to the change. --Barnes]

Edited by TWoP Barnes, Nov 15, 2007 @ 9:07 AM.

[Stinger97]

So wait, the writers stated that the mother was going to be introduced during this season? Why haven't I heard about this and where can I find the link?

[The Mad Maple]

Well, pretty much every magazine interview with them I've seen said that she'd be introduced this year, pretty much in a cameo or something. In the article in Entertainment Weekly's fall TV preview, for instance, they said that we see her umbrella.

[thethinman]

One of the best parts of the old HIMYM thread was the ongoing debate over how we were gonna meet the mother, so I figured the discussion deserved its own thread in the new forum.

And even though the producers are gonna actually introduce her this season, I still say that the mother was both the Slutty Pumpkin and the blind date that Ted never met up with. (And I'm hoping beyond hope that it's the coat girl from Okay Awesome, too, but I know that's not in the cards.)

Your thoughts?

Well, in one of the eps, future Ted tells his children how he met their Aunt Robin. I assume he is talking figuratively and not implying that he married her sister.

[big chicken]

Ted refers to all of his friends as Aunt or Uncle to his kids so I don't think he married Robin's sister. I believe Carter and Bays when they say they're not playing tricks on us when it comes to the mother. Ted hasn't met her yet.

[Omar G]

I agree with Mad Maple. I think the loose thread about the 10 from the dating service is part of the set-up. I think that's her.

[The Mad Maple]

Well, in one of the eps, future Ted tells his children how he met their Aunt Robin. I assume he is talking figuratively and not implying that he married her sister.

Yeah, I took it the same way.

[Drew T.]

It could be the blind date he never met, but I don't know. That girl was absolutely perfect, and I'm not sure that this story is leading us toward Ted finding someone who's a perfect match. I think Ted learned from Robin that it doesn't matter that you have nearly every single thing in common ("scotch old enough order its own scotch," Ghostbusters, etc.). The key is that your life goals should be the same.

Obviously, I'm not saying he'll marry someone who he disagrees with on everything except marriage, but I just feel like somehow he'll be taken by surprise and will apply principles he learned with Robin to the mother in order to make it work.

I guess, though, that idea isn't totally at odds with the dating service woman. And I'm not against it. I'm just not sure that's it.

[Zascha]

(And I'm hoping beyond hope that it's the coat girl from Okay Awesome, too, but I know that's not in the cards.)

Wow I'm not the only one! I totally loved that girl and their interaction. The first time I saw that episode I really thought she was going to end up being the Mother, and then my hopes were dashed.

[The Mad Maple]

I totally loved that girl and their interaction. The first time I saw that episode I really thought she was going to end up being the Mother, and then my hopes were dashed.

I hear you. The only consolation would be if they cast Jayma Mayes as the mother.

[PerpetualLurker]

This may be totally off base, but I watched "Sweet Taste of Liberty" the other day, and something FutureTed says stood out to me:

FutureTed: "And that was when I realized why I hung out with Barney. I never got where I thought I wanted to go, but I always got a great story."

Not sure if this is just an overall metaphor for the show, or if it's a hint that Barney plays a significant role in the Mother-meeting.

[surfsup79]

One thing I thought about today was, do they know who they will cast as the mother? Will she be some really famous star like Rachel McAdams, some unheard of extra, or just a so-so relatively know tv star? Or I wonder if Carter and Bays even have someone in mind.

[AngleMan]

Didn't they suggest Paris Hilton in the print version of the EW preview?

[Zascha]

I'm guessing they already have someone picked out, Especially if we get a small glimpse of her this season like they said we would.I don't know how I feel about the mother casting possibly being someone famous. On the one hand, my first reaction was negative, because I think their famousness would overshadow the huge build-up of actually meeting the mother. On the other hand, I love Rachel McAdams and she would really fit the part well, in my opinion.

[cagewench]

And Rachel McAdams is Canadian so she and Cobie could hang out and eat ketchup chips and drink real beer ;>

[Messy]

I figure that it'll be a bunch of near misses this season, because once he actually meets her, then the show is over...

[uncommonwoman]

Yeah, that is the rub. I'm anxious to meet her or really to find out how he does, but once we do then that's the end of all the awesome. I kind of wish the yellow umbrella had been mentioned in a previous season without showing it and then last night we could have seen it without getting the explanation of why it was so important at almost the same time. It would have felt more like picking out the little pieces of the mystery.

[surfsup79]

Perhaps the mother's umbrella flies away and Ted grabs it for her and that's how they meet?

[jbreckenridge]

I speculate that he actually met the mother in 1991, when his folks dragged him off to see the bizarre environmental artist Christo's field of yellow umbrellas on a California hillside.

[HickoryColt]

I bet the mother is not the one with the yellow umbrella. I think it will be one step closer, but not her. Of course this goes against what apparentely the magazines are saying, but hey, I'm sticking with it.

Edited by HickoryColt, Sep 29, 2007 @ 7:42 PM.

[Harrison Fjord]

I bet the mother is not the one with the yellow umbrella. I think it will be one step closer, but not her.

Except that FutureTed has already specifically stated that the kids already know the story about their mom's umbrella, while we saw a picture of a yellow umbrella twirling in the street.

[Ella Ollivander]

You know, it would be just like this show to make "the situation regarding your mom's yellow umbrella" actually involve multiple yellow umbrellas and confusion over which umbrella belonged to whom or which person was under which umbrella from a distance or something tricky like that.

[LoopyChew]

What I really want is the ending to basically be Ted chasing after the mother, umbrella in hand, and as she turns around--

--cut to the couch. "And that, kids, is the true story of how I met your mother."

After some dialogue between the kids and Older Ted, the camera then pans over to their wedding picture, with Ted and The Mother (finally revealed in the last two seconds of the series). Fade to black.

I think it would be interesting, as also brought up in the old thread, if they had a "How I Met Your Father" series with the whole same setup, with a fake-out throughout the whole episode that ends when the sidekick of the ostensible main character picks up the Yellow Umbrella and stepping outside.

[FreshPez]

I've gotta disagree with you there, but I'm terrified that you maybe right.

Yes the show is called How I MET your mother, but still, if that happens I'll put my foot through the screen.

I want a few years of whooing and hating and dumping and getting back together, having Robin tossed into the mix a few times. Cutting when he meets her is horrible.

In the pilot of Star Trek Voyager, I knew that our last shot would be of Voyager approaching earth, and I knew I'd be pissed. The best part of the story is after returning. I disagree with Harry Kim, it's not the journey...

The ONLY advantage I can see to ending the show on the meeting is that you could get an A list hollywood star to be the mother. Jessica Beil maybe?

Edited by FreshPez, Oct 21, 2007 @ 3:41 PM.

[Chocolatier]

And Rachel McAdams is Canadian

First of all, I love Rachel McAdams (who doesn't), so I think that would be awesome.

Second of all, RMcA being Canadian could open the door for a whole bunch of great story lines. Maybe she was a huge fan of Robin Sparkles, or maybe a backup dancer/singer for her mall tour. The possibilities of different Canadian connections they could have are exciting.

[The Mad Maple]

I still say that if they play it right, they don't need to end the series with Ted meeting the mother. They can have them meet in passing, or have them start out as either friends, coworkers, or enemies until they realize they're soul mates, and have a big romantic kiss during the season finale. (In which case, how he "met" her could mean how he knew she was the one.)

And even then, there's more to the story. There's the courtship, the proposal, the wedding, even so far as them discovering that she's pregnant, literally becoming the mother. (Of course, that would have to be the absolute end of it. Anything past that would be "jump the shark" territory.)

And as far as casting goes, I'm still holding out hope that they get Jayma Mayes, especially if she becomes a regular character.

[surfsup79]

The thing about that is that you have the potential of many people hating the mother. I know that's a cynical point of view and the writers should be able to come up with a likeable character but there is still the fraction however big that will be that hate the mother. Look how many people hated Victoria and still don't really like Robin. If we just see her face, all we have to judge is her looks :).

[big chicken]

I'm among those who wants this show to fade to black after Ted meets the mother. I don't want to take the chance that I'm going to hate the future Mrs. Ted Moseby because I don't want to think of Ted having to spend the rest of his life with some shrew.

I want a few years of whooing and hating and dumping and getting back together, having Robin tossed into the mix a few times.

Honestly, this doesn't interest me at all. I know the ultimate goal of the show is for Ted to meet the mother, but the show I love is about Ted and his four best friends. Adding another character, no matter how important she is to Ted's future will change the dynamic and chemistry and there's a chance it won't be for the better. Yes, it'd be wonderful if the character of the mother really worked but if she doesn't, then the show is stuck with her because of its premise. The mother is not like a character on any other sitcom who can be tested out and then written out if things don't work. They're going to be stuck with her.

[The Mad Maple]

I know the ultimate goal of the show is for Ted to meet the mother, but the show I love is about Ted and his four best friends. Adding another character, no matter how important she is to Ted's future will change the dynamic and chemistry and there's a chance it won't be for the better. Yes, it'd be wonderful if the character of the mother really worked but if she doesn't, then the show is stuck with her because of its premise. The mother is not like a character on any other sitcom who can be tested out and then written out if things don't work. They're going to be stuck with her.

I agree that they will have to do a ton of screentests to make sure she and Josh Radnor have great chemistry together, and that it only adds to the dynamic instead of distract from it. That's why I think Jayma Mays would be perfect. They were great together in Okay Awesome. (She was the coat-check girl, in case you didn't remember.)

[FreshPez]

I'm in the other boat, I watch the show to see the mother and how they get together.

Another option would be to introduce a few regular female castmembers and have us wonder for a few years which is the mother. It's kind of a shame that we've already eliminated robin.

Ted goes to a fashion show for yellow unbrellas?

QUOTE: They can have them meet in passing, or have them start out as either friends, coworkers, or enemies until they realize they're soul mates, and have a big romantic kiss during the season finale. (In which case, how he "met" her could mean how he knew she was the one.)


I'd like this, though it might get boring if we KNOW she's the mother.

Maybe it's best to have her as a regular character for a few years and then reveal her as the mother.