[Barry_Johnson]

Normally I'm a fan of the tea time style american sitcoms but this show is just plain awful.

It's not funny.

It's not warm and feel good.

It's actually quite seedy and horrible.

I hate it.

Anyone else hate it?

[carl.waring]

Given that it is now in it's 9th (I think!) season, yours would be the minority opinion

And no, I love it.

[LostFool]

Originally Posted by Barry_Johnson

Anyone else hate it?

Has it taken you almost 200 episodes to come up with this opinion?

While it may be dragging a little and not as funny as it used to be, it still has its moments.

[Aaron1995]

My problem with this show is it has no likeable characters.

I don't understand why it is considered to be the new Friends.

[LostFool]

Originally Posted by Aaron1995

My problem with this show is it has no likeable characters.

I don't understand why it is considered to be the new Friends.

I never liked Friends. HIMYM is (at least when it is on form) is much better written.

[snowiris]

Originally Posted by LostFool

I never liked Friends. HIMYM is (at least when it is on form) is much better written.

this.

[OminousGlory]

Originally Posted by Aaron1995

My problem with this show is it has no likeable characters.

I don't understand why it is considered to be the new Friends.

Barney Stinson unlikable?!

[Yes]

It's quite a good show to watch when you've been drinking and you want something very basic to watch.

What I initially liked about it was the narrative plot structure and how the plot seemed to get closer to revealing the mother. They seem to have completely abandoned that though.

[Dandem]

Originally Posted by OminousGlory

Barney Stinson unlikable?!

And Marshall too. Two immensely likable characters in my opinion.

[koantemplation]

Originally Posted by Dandem

And Marshall too. Two immensely likable characters in my opinion.

Not since he started going out with Michelle Williams. Grrr

[Spider Rico]

I recently started watching that and The Big Bang Theory(I'm late, I know) and after probably 25+ episodes of each, I much prefer TBBT. I still enjoy HIMYM, but I don't consider it "OMG! I have to buy the box set!" good, and certainly not a patch on Friends.

[LostFool]

Originally Posted by Spider Rico

I recently started watching that and The Big Bang Theory(I'm late, I know) and after probably 25+ episodes of each, I much prefer TBBT. I still enjoy HIMYM, but I don't consider it "OMG! I have to buy the box set!" good, and certainly not a patch on Friends.

I like Big Bang too (I'm also a late convert - I watched the whole box set in about 2 weeks). When both are on top form, Big Bang is probably funnier in terms of laughs per episode but HIMYM is better written in terms of characters and storylines.

As I said above, I never liked Friends at all. In HIMYM they all hang out in a pub rather than a coffee shop. That's way better - and they did a reference to this in an early episode/

[Sex]

Originally Posted by Aaron1995

My problem with this show is it has no likeable characters.

I don't understand why it is considered to be the new Friends.

I'm not a fan of robin tbh

[Spider Rico]

Originally Posted by LostFool

I like Big Bang too (I'm also a late convert - I watched the whole box set in about 2 weeks). When both are on top form, Big Bang is probably funnier in terms of laughs per episode but HIMYM is better written in terms of characters and storylines.

As I said above, I never liked Friends at all. In HIMYM they all hang out in a pub rather than a coffee shop. That's way better - and they did a reference to this in an early episode/

I have found it easier to get attached to the characters in Big Bang, but then again, I have probably watched a few more episodes of it than I have HIMYM. Plus, I'm not watching either of them in order, I generally just watch the ones E4 show on a daily basis. I get the impression that watching HIMYM from the beginning and in order would make it easier to connect with the characters and storylines.

[davem1234]

I love this show

[RiDsTeR]

I used to hate it, but it actually is a grower.. took me a while to get into.

[Aaron1995]

Originally Posted by OminousGlory

Barney Stinson unlikable?!

Yes. Barney is dating Robin even though he knows that Ted is madly in love with her, yet he is supposed to be his best friend.

[katiemack]

I really like HIMYM when its on form its a fantastic show granted it was better in earlier seasons but its still fun to watch

[koantemplation]

Originally Posted by Aaron1995

Yes. Barney is dating Robin even though he knows that Ted is madly in love with her, yet he is supposed to be his best friend.

Oh please, we all know that Ted only fancies Robin because she is unavailable again.

They've tried living together and it didn't work out.

He knows Barney is best for Robin.

[Barry_Johnson]

Originally Posted by carl.waring

Given that it is now in it's 9th (I think!) season, yours would be the minority opinion

And no, I love it.

It's not very popular in the UK, it's just used as filler on E4.

It has a pretty well known cast for UK audiences as well so it should be a lot more popular.

The reason it's never hit the mainstream is because a lot of people don't like it.

[carl.waring]

Originally Posted by Barry_Johnson

It's not very popular in the UK, it's just used as filler on E4.

If it "wasn't very popular", surely E4 (a commercial channel that relies on getting as many viewers as possible for its advertisers) would have dropped it years ago?

[theonlyweeman]

Originally Posted by Barry_Johnson

It's not very popular in the UK, it's just used as filler on E4.

It has a pretty well known cast for UK audiences as well so it should be a lot more popular.

The reason it's never hit the mainstream is because a lot of people don't like it.

It's one of E4's most popular shows, new episodes regularly make E4's weekly top 10.

Evidently the repeats aren't doing too badly either, seeing as they could replace it with Glee, Rules of Engagement, Happy Endings, Will and Grace, Fraiser, Everybody Loves Raymond, Ugly Betty, King of The Hill or one of the other many shows they have repeat rights for.

It's never hit the mainstream because it has always been hidden. It was screwed around the schedule when it was on the BBC (split between two channels, different times for different countries, very little promotion), nobody knew it was on Trouble and C4 have always kept confined to E4, if they were to repeat more frequently like they do Big Bang Theory you might find it may start to become more popular.

[LostFool]

Originally Posted by Barry_Johnson

It's not very popular in the UK, it's just used as filler on E4..

A lot of that is due to the lack of marketing in the UK. Had Channel 4 put it on a 9pm on a Friday from the start it could have been as big as Friends but instead they shoved it onto a minor digital channel, moved it around all over the place, and used it as a filler.

Actually, I remember season 1 being on BBC2 but it was moved all over the place due to snooker, golf and whatever else was on. No wonder it never got an audience.

[brangdon]

Originally Posted by OminousGlory

Barney Stinson unlikable?!

He's crossed the line for me. He's basically raping women by deception. It was the episode where he borrowed a house, pretended it was his own, lived with a woman for a week or two saying they'd get married and live like that forever: then disappeared leaving her to confront the owners, who had no idea who he was or how she could contact him. Some of his victims seem stupid enough to share some culpability, but she was simply the victim of a conman who'd gone to enormous lengths to seem trustworthy.

I did like George Castanza, who was also selfish, and I understand that "bad" characters can be likeable as well as funny, but Barney doesn't work for me.

[tiger2000]

Its just been renewed for a Ninth and Final Season.