This time we’re not talking Miley or Lindsay…we’re talking Snow, Cindy, Ariel, and Jasmine. This is NSFWish but certainly worth watching if you haven’t already. Once you’ve seen this, be sure to check out SNL’s Real Housewives of Disney. Altogether they paint an intriguing portrait of what happens when a princess reaches her breaking point!

(I couldn’t resist the Scherbatsky/boots connection) :)

Have you all read this yet? It’s pretty much full of do not wants. It was published on March 18th so I’m a bit behind the curve but take a look if you haven’t already:

The last two episodes of How I Met Your Mother’s eighth season may be titled “Something Old” (airing May 6 and featuring the return of Robin’s dad, played by Ray Wise) and “Something New” (May 13), but don’t assume that means we’ll finally see the long-anticipated nuptials of Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) and Robin (Cobie Smulders). “I don’t want to necessarily promise the wedding,” executive producer Carter Bays says. “It’s more complex than that.”

What Bays does promise is a “fantastic bachelor party” for Barney on the April 29 episode of the CBS comedy and “some earth-shaking events in the finale, including some new tidbits about the mother.”

The finale takes place during the week leading up to the scheduled wedding: Barney and Robin connect in a sweet way; Marshall takes his first trip with baby Marvin to see Grandma in Minnesota; Lily gets offered a new job; and Ted makes a big decision that “will end the series as we know it,” Bays says. “We’re going to be taking some surprising risks with time. The finale is almost like a pilot for the new series that the ninth [and final] season becomes.”

Keck’s Exclusives First Look: Barney’s HIMYM Bachelor Party
http://www.tvguide.com/News/Kecks-Exclusives-Barney-Bachelor-Party-How-I-Met-Your-Mother-1062873.aspx

Alright, let’s break this business down.

“I don’t want to necessarily promise the wedding,” executive producer Carter Bays says. “It’s more complex than that.”

W. T. F. I’m assuming this is them being deliberately coy, because the alternative is that we can’t trust what the writers have said in the past. Take this TVGuide.com article from July 18th, 2011:

TVGuide: So Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) does get married, right?
Craig Thomas: Barney does get married. It’s not the smoothest wedding day, but it’s epic — truly epic.

How I Met Your Mother Scoop: Barney’s Epic Wedding and How Ted Got His Groove Back
http://www.tvguide.com/News/HIMYM-Season7-Spoilers-1035439.aspx

Next we skip on ahead to May 15th, 2012:

TVGuide: Everyone noticed in the 2015 flash-forward in “Trilogy Time” that we can’t see Barney’s left ring finger.

Thomas: Very intentionally done that way. One of those little moments where you realize what a good actor Neil Patrick Harris is because he can somehow make hiding his left hand seem perfectly natural. We don’t want to give away too much. Remember: Barney and Robin’s wedding won’t be smooth, but they will get married.

How I Met Your Mother Boss on Barney’s Bride: “It Had to Be Her”
http://www.tvguide.com/News/HIMYM-Finale-Barney-Bride-Craig-Thomas-1047516.aspx

And then there’s this article from December 16th, 2012: (NOTE – this was before season 9 was confirmed, so Carter Bays was speaking as though the show might have ended with the season 8 finale)

TVGuide: And he’s going to propose to Patrice. Is he really or is it all a ploy and he’s proposing to Robin?

Bays: Well, Barney’s always a sneaky guy. But Barney is moving very quickly with Patrice, and their relationship comes to a boiling point this episode. But we know he won’t marry Patrice. We know that the series ends with Barney and Robin getting married. That’s the one we can’t hide, but we’ve concocted a windy route of them getting there.

How I Met Your Mother Boss on Show’s Fate, Barney’s Proposal and More
http://www.tvguide.com/News/HIMYM-Scoop-Carter-Bays-1057846.aspx

Sooo…wtf, man? Are the scenes of Robin and her dad dancing at the reception a ruse? Is this a wedding that doesn’t actually happen, but then another one does? Has it al been a ruse?? I don’t like any of this business whatsoever. Let’s review the other info in this article also, because I’m not sure how I feel about all of it:

The finale takes place during the week leading up to the scheduled wedding: Barney and Robin connect in a sweet way; Marshall takes his first trip with baby Marvin to see Grandma in Minnesota; Lily gets offered a new job; and Ted makes a big decision that “will end the series as we know it,” Bays says.

Lily has already been offered a new job with The Captain, so I’m assuming that’s what this is referring to. Unless she gets yet another new job offer? Barney and Robin connecting in a sweet way could be when Robin agrees that he should keep his apartment, because she loves him for who he is. We still haven’t seen Marshall and Marvin visit Minnesota, so that should be coming soon.

As for Ted’s big decision…it could have already happened, or it might not have. It may have been when he was sitting amidst the ruins of Abby’s destruction, and deciding not to date anymore. The whole series has been centered around him trying to find the one, so this was a big, defining moment for him. But there could be an even bigger moment ahead! I just don’t know!

Also – “the finale takes place during the week leading up to the scheduled wedding”. Sooo the wedding doesn’t actually happen in season 8 finale? Do we see anything from it at all? More importantly, will Ted (will any of us!?) meet The Mother this May? Chronologically speaking, Barney and Robin are to be married on May 25, 2013. In the recent episode “The Time Travelers” (S8E20), Ted discusses how he is just 45 days away from meeting The Mother. That episode was set in early April, 2013, so the timing lines up. But will the timing hold true for us viewers, or just the characters? I don’t know!

Please tell me your thoughts – I need some input on this :)

Hello, fellow mother lovers! Now feels like a good time to touch base regarding new developments in the world of How I Met Your Mother. Season 8 was – and remains – a bit of a bumpy ride, but we are at least moving forward.

First, a confession…this ain’t my favorite season. Season 7 was my LEAST favorite, so for a while I was excited by season 8 just because it was better than the last. When it’s held up against other seasons, though, I don’t think 8 fares well.

After talking a bit with Ross from Ted-Mosby.com, I get the feeling that I’m not the only one. He noted that the relationships between Ted and Victoria, and Robin and Nick, felt rushed and perhaps incomplete. I feel the same way about Barney and Quinn. I also did not enjoy how Victoria was transformed from a quality love interest into a farce of her former self. I accepted all of that, because I want Robin and Barney together, and I didn’t like Victoria as The Mother. But in terms of writing and a fluid storyline progression, it was all a bit much.

That’s not to say that everything has been horrible these past few months. “Who Wants To Be A Godparent” (S8E3) was classic HIMYM hijinks, and I think they pulled the entire episode off really well. Similarly, I enjoyed the gang’s recaps of their juvenile delinquency in “Twelve Horny Women” (S8E8). I am, however, conflicted on the return of so many old faces…

On the one hand, how fun is it to revisit with Brad, The Captain, and Coat Check Girl (Wench)? On the other hand, I was comfortable leaving those characters in the past. I think the writers may be clearing out all options for The Mother that people have speculated on, and thus bringing some characters back just to show that they’re not a part of his future.

I do wonder how much – if any – of the plot this season has been influenced by fan speculation online. The infamous Carly Theory was neatly dismissed in one episode, despite being perhaps the strongest fan theory out there. I do wonder if she was originally intended to be The Mother, or (more likely) she was a character that they never planned to bring back. We’ve certainly seen other character’s siblings disappear, and that was after they actually appeared in episodes.

So it is reasonable to guess that the Thomas and Bays may have tweaked her character’s importance, to satisfy – or poke fun at – the fans. I did appreciate one aspect of how they handled her, though: Ted did indeed meet her randomly, and not via Barney. The biggest hole in the Carly Theory was that Ted wouldn’t have needed this whole journey just to meet his BFF’s sister. But the writers arranged it so it was still very serendipitous, which I appreciated.

The group’s obsession with Woodworthy Manor (akin to the real life show Downton Abbey) also made me wonder if the writers were speaking directly to the fans. At one point in “The Fortress” (S8E19) a plot twist turns out as Ted expected. This caused him to yell (at the TV) that he totally called that like two weeks ago on the online forums! I need to re-watch the episode to confirm his exact quote, but that was the gist. So perhaps a subtle nod to all of us that are blogging and obsessing via Reddit, Television Without Pity, etc.

As for “Time Travelers” (S8E20), well spoiler ahead if you haven’t seen it. I have a perhaps irrational dislike of dream sequence scenes. I don’t like them in books, I don’t like them in movies, and I especially don’t like them on television shows. They feel like a waste of time to me. I did actually enjoy this episode, though, because it brought in several saving grace elements:

• Robin and Marshall’s dance-off was indeed a memory, and not a dream. I would be happy if every TV show ever had dance-offs, so I’m 100% in favor of that part. I just wish I could have seen more of it. I may have also been saying “Cause I’m Sparkles, bitch!” on a regular basis ever since.

• Ted’s interactions with Jayma Mays (coat check girl) were heartbreakingly realistic. When her future versions point out that all of Ted’s relationships always end the same, the tears started to fall. It is SO HARD to maintain hope when it seems like the outcome is always the same negative thing. Ted has been losing hope throughout the past few seasons, and it truly does humanize him in many ways. Of course, his interactions were actually with himself, as this moment happened only in his imagination. Same goes for what Barney said to him in the end:

• That whole episode could have been total crap and I still would have loved the multiple Ted and Barney a capella version of “The Longest Time”. I’m still singing it. Here it is for you to enjoy…

Next up – a review of Barney and Ted in “Romeward Bound” (S8E21)

I came across these sketches and fell in love! I love how the little pop of color in each image brings it to life. Thanks to the artist, Masuo, and Fairy Tale Mood on Tumblr for sharing this .

Let’s get down to “Romeward Bound” (S8E21). Spoilers abound here! My initial reaction to the Lily and Marshall part of this episode was negative, until I realized that was more about me than them. I personally do not like show endings where characters all go their separate ways. I want them all to stay in the same place, stay best friends forever, and stay involved in one another’s lives. I like to be able to pretend that they are still existing in their original universe, I guess.

So the idea of Lily and Marshall moving to Rome is not appealing to me at all. Especially if it was planned as their final destination once the show ended. Others have guessed that season 9 will begin with them returning from Rome, which I suppose I’m alright with. My personal priorities also impact why I want them to stay in New York. My first thought was, well, if I were Lily, I wouldn’t want to take Marv so far away from his grandparents and godparents. A year is a long time in the life of a baby, and I wouldn’t want to miss sharing those moments with my family. But Lily obviously needs a fulfilling career, so I can’t fault this particular plotline.

Marshall playing Godfather II in Little Italy was pretty glorious. And his one Italian phrase was masterfully used to demonstrate the Lily and Marshall connection. It may be their psychic link, or their soulmate status, but it’s always nice when they show how totally in sync those two are with each other.

Okay, let’s move on the puffy-coat wearing elephant in the room. Major Barney and Ted friction last night! I don’t want to recap the whole scenario here, but essentially Ted observes/participates as Barney exercises his right to look but not touch other women. When Robin arrives, she is seemingly comfortable with the situation, but Ted has his doubts. Here’s the most important dialogue of the evening:

Ted: Okay, can I just say something as your best man? Be careful.

Barney: What do you mean?

Ted: You just…you haven’t been acting like a guy who’s about to get married. And I know think it’s okay, because Robins so cool, but I’m telling you – she’s not as cool as you think she is.

Barney: Oh, I see… and you’d know this because you know Robin better than I do? You know what she appreciates  better than her own fiance?

Ted: I’m just saying, if I was getting married in three weeks…

Barney: But you’re not getting married in three weeks Ted. I am. Robins marrying me, not you.

Ted: You’re right, not my place. Why don’t I get the next round?

First of all – that was way harsh, Tai. Barney might as well have called Ted a virgin that can’t drive. Second, it seems that there are two ways that people are perceiving this scene – as Ted being a douche, or as Barney being a jerk.

I lean more towards Barney being a jerk in this instance. I think that Ted is over Robin – or at least on his way there. I don’t think he wants to be with her so much as the general idea of her. Like how I wish I had a husband just like my best friend’s husband, because he’s awesome, but I don’t actually want HIM at all. I’m not sure that Ted even realizes it yet, but I think he is clinging to the idea of Robin as comfort while he’s single.

Like they say, sometimes you have to get under someone else (multiple someone elses, even) to get over someone else. And when you’re single and hopeless, your mind naturally goes back to the one that you thought was “the one” – because the pain of having lost them is somehow more tolerable than the pain of knowing you will be alone forever because there’s no one out there for you. (See: this poem I wrote) :)

Even if Ted does still have feelings for her, I don’t see him with nefarious intentions. Ted may dramatically suffer through his perceived loss of a potential soulmate, but he wouldn’t try to ruin Barney and Robin’s relationship. If anything, he would help their relationship as much as possible, so he can later feel that he did the right and noble thing. Just like he did when he told Robin about Barney proposing to Patrice.

What is very likely, however, is Barney being jealous. We know that Barney is 100% confident in his looks, his humor, his ability to pick up ladies, etc. But there’s one area that Barney KNOWS he isn’t proficient in, and that’s being a good boyfriend. His only other relationships – including his past with Robin – have not ended well. Beyond that, Barney isn’t even necessarily the resident expert on Robin. Barney hasn’t forgotten that Ted had to teach him how to be Robin’s boyfriend. Of course Barney still feels the sting of that now.

Plus, Barney has never had a stable adult relationship that he can learn from. So I think that Barney is well aware of his deficiencies in this one area that Ted happens to excel at. Plus, Ted had Robin first, and that’s always going to be a thorn in Barney’s side. Beyond that, Barney is always in competition with someone over something. He’s not a very good winner, either, as he tends to lord his success over others. He even said (when he thought that Robin had hired the wedding planner as the 3rd party for a threesome) that he wanted to rub Ted’s face in it when he won the belt.

So I get the impression that Barney is passive aggressively lashing out at Ted in any way he can, just to make himself feel better. If he can stomp Ted down far enough, maybe Ted won’t be a threat to Barney’s happiness with Robin. It doesn’t matter that Robin isn’t into Ted – it isn’t really about Robin at all, in my opinion. It’s about Barney feeling insecure because he has let himself be vulnerable, let this woman into his heart – all while his best friend seemingly has everything that is required to be a successful husband.

So Barney is (in my opinion) afraid of losing Robin, because he loves her so much, but he doesn’t know if he is actually capable of being a good husband. And he is afraid that Robin will look back and compare him to Ted, the only other man who she’s ever even talked about marrying. So when Ted calls him out on the one insecurity he has – his inability to be what Robin deserves – Barney overreacts. Barney isn’t so much mad at Ted as he is mad at himself.

Ted wasn’t out of line – had Marshall or Lily said the exact same thing, Barney probably would have been able to process it better. As the best man, Ted’s job is to make sure the wedding happens…and the wedding might not happen if Barney can’t get past this phase. So Ted offered up a suggestion that would have been applicable if Barney was marrying any woman, not just Robin. I think Robin has accepted Barney for who he is, but that doesn’t mean she always wants to hear about it. We saw how painful it was for her to hear about his post-breakup conquests the first time around – she isn’t immune to feelings at all. Plus, she’s letting herself become extremely vulnerable to Barney by marrying him. The onus isn’t on her to “be cool”; it’s on Barney to prove that he can man up and be a husband.

Now, that being said, I think Robin and Barney’s sex life is particularly important. We see Robin surprise Barney when he comes home and finds her clad in only a puffy coat. Robin and Barney are absolutely freakier in the bedroom – and out of the bedroom – than Robin and Ted ever were. So while Ted perhaps cannot fathom this encounter being okay with Robin, Robin can see it as inspiration for intimacy with Barney. In that respect, Ted does not know Robin better than Barney does.

Some have said that Robin was rewarding Barney for looking but not touching. I don’t think it’s even that complicated. I think Robin is a smart woman with a strong sex drive. I’m not an expert, but this seems like the exact right way to handle such a situation. Don’t give him a reason to stray, because he’s getting his fantasies fulfilled with you. And I bet Robin thoroughly enjoyed the sexy scenario right along with Barney. It’s part of why they’re so well matched!

Aaaand I just saw on his Facebook page that a pinup Joker is on the way? Too exciting. Check out these works in progress, and then go look at his other stuff because it’s all effing awesome. Both prints should be available at C2E2 but you can also buy iPhone cases, framed prints, hoodies, etc from his Society6 page.

Last week’s New Girl introduced a plus size character – Elizabeth – and they did it in exactly the right way. She wasn’t on for long, but it seems like we will be seeing more of her. I can’t say in advance that they will always handle her character as well as they are now, but it’s a hell of a start. Beyond that, it’s something that we don’t often see often on prime time television. What makes Elizabeth, Schmidt, and New Girl so special? Allow me to explain…(spoilers ahead FYI)

Alright, back story. Apparently Schmidt and Elizabeth dated in college, back when he was still “Big Guy” (see also: We Built This Schmidtty on Tootsie Rolls). She was also overweight, albeit not so much as he was. They didn’t work out long-term, because Schmidt changed as he transformed from Big Guy to his current sleek self.

Now to the present…Schmidt’s ex, Cece, is getting married, and he’s pretty upset about it. Thus, he seeks out a pretend girlfriend to accompany him to the wedding. He tries – hilariously – to get his past hookups on board, but they are all pretty anti-Schmidt at this point. Then, Nick and Winston suggest that Schmidt take Elizabeth to the wedding. Schmidt says “Elizabeth doesn’t count, she was during my Big Guy phase”, but he still drops by her house. Here’s the conversation they have when she opens the door:

Schmidt: This is real. This is not a dream. Look, I’ve kept off the weight. You knew me when action sandals were my necessary footwear…

Elizabeth: What do you want?

Schmidt: Why do you think I want something?

Elizabeth: Because I dated you for four years, I know when you want something. What do you want?

Schmidt: I would like to take you to a wedding because I’ve missed you so much.

Elizabeth: No, I can’t take you seriously when you’re wearing such tight pants. Get to the point.

Schmidt: Okay, look, my model ex-girlfriend is getting married to some small little Indian man who I just don’t understand, and I want you to pretend to be my girlfriend so she gets very sad and then breaks off the wedding and then runs away with me.

Elizabeth: Not a chance. (shuts door)

Schmidt: Wait wait wait, please.

Elizabeth: I’m only going to say this once. You were the greatest boyfriend. I loved Big Guy. But then you lost weight and you got mean. You stopped listening to me, you changed completely, you stopped paying for my dinner -

Schmidt: To be fair, at that point you were eating the lion’s share of the food.

Elizabeth: And you were sitting there eating one basil leaf, looking like an idiot panda bear!

Schmidt: Well -

Elizabeth: Look, I loved Big Guy with all my heart, but I have no interest in helping the guy who’s standing in front of me now. I hate your hair.

What’s great about this conversation is that you see Schmidt sincerely reacting to her words. He seems honestly surprised and unhappy when she notes that he “got mean”. After he leaves Elizabeth’s house, he speaks with Cece about her wedding. He apologizes if he was ever selfish in their relationship, and he says he’s really happy for her. We see him actively trying to change, and that’s not all too common on sitcoms.

You know what else is nice about the exchange quoted above? No mean jokes about how Elizabeth is fat. NONE. This is true to form for New Girl, and one of the reasons I love this show. (See: Thank You, New Girl, For Skipping The Cheap Shot Fat Jokes) We occasionally hear Nick or Winston mention Schmidt’s predilection for larger women, but that’s really just a part of his interest in almost all women. Schmidt has more liberal standards for beauty than most men in TV land these days. So I was not expecting a fat joke, but I nonetheless held my breath as soon as I saw an overweight woman on-screen.

It seemed like such a ripe opportunity to throw in a tired insult about her weight, or imply that she is desperate because of her weight, or mock how Cece couldn’t possibly be jealous of Elizabeth as Schmidt’s new girlfriend, because of her weight. This was handled well because Cece actually would be jealous. She’s a model, and she’s super hot, and she’s knows it. Another typically hot girl isn’t going to phase Cece one bit, because she’s secure with her looks. But a woman from Schmidt’s past, that he has an actual emotional connection with? That’s going to hurt Cece, for real.

We see even more evidence of Schmidt’s character progression when he returns to Elizabeth’s house with three pizzas in hand:

Schmidt: I paid. All yours. No judgements.

Elizabeth: Why’d you come back, Schmidt?

Schmidt: The Big Guy is, well, still somewhere inside this perfect body. He needs you to coax him out a little bit, please, tell him what to do next.

Elizabeth: Eat the pizza. Eat all the pizza. While I watch, right now.

After this we see one of the best scenes from the show, ever, when Schmidt becomes reacquainted with pizza. It’s honestly adorable and hilarious to see Big Guy emerging with each bite.

It’s not just the lack of fat jokes that made me so happy. It’s also that Elizabeth is strong, confident, funny, and totally uninterested in Schmidt’s shit. She isn’t the fat ex that has been waiting anxiously for the moment that he came back. She isn’t a woman so desperate for affection that she immediately agrees to Schmidt’s scheme.

She’s portrayed as (gasp!) a normal woman. An awesome woman. Who happens to be plus size – her weight is not her defining characteristic. And you know what? The fans so far are loving it. Many expected Elizabeth to also have lost weight, but were pleasantly surprised by her still curvy (a bit chubby) figure. Fans like myself are deeply conflicted, because we really love Schmidt with both Cece and Elizabeth. Ultimately I think most of us want Schmidt to end up with Cece, because we’ve invested in their relationship and their chemistry is amazing. So that makes it extra awesome that this new character has people feeling torn – their interactions are so awesome that we have to consider if maybe Schmidt is better as the Big Guy.

Much of the credit goes to actress Merritt Wever, formerly of Nurse Jackie fame. Her badass attitude shines through her portrayal, and makes this character a fascinating element of Schmidt’s past (and future?) I don’t know yet if she will appear on more episodes – I certainly hope so, but most of the news online specifies that she was cast for one episode. Maybe she will be integrated into the show more since people seem to really like her? Also, an upcoming episode is supposed to feature flashbacks to when they all lost their virginity. I’m assuming Schmidt lost his to Elizabeth back in college.

I can’t help but compare this to plot to the one with Patrice in How I Met Your Mother. Both shows feature the ladies’ man/player type of guy appealing to a plus size woman for help with a super hot ex-girlfriend. One show – HIMYM – portrays the plus size woman as naive, eager to please, and seemingly oblivious to Barney’s history of mocking fat women at every turn. The other show – New Girl – portrays the plus size woman as intelligent, discerning, and completely aware of how mean Schmidt can be.

It isn’t really a fair comparison, because Patrice’s character can’t be expected to be privy to Barney’s litany of fat jokes throughout the show. Patrice (played by actress Ellen D. Williams) is a very funny character, but you can make a strong case for her being taken advantage of. If she knew how Barney talked, she might well treat him more like Elizabeth did Schmidt.

I wouldn’t put the two side by side at all, except that it is so rare for a sitcom to offer up a plus size character that isn’t made fun of constantly. Patrice isn’t insulted for her weight, but her character is basically there for Robin and Barney to use towards their own ends. She is demeaned and screamed at on a regular basis. Given the show’s history of not-even-clever fat jokes, it’s hard to believe that they didn’t intentionally select an overweight actress to play Robin’s whipping boy.

So in HIMYM, a plus size woman is cast as a character that is constantly put down and treated like shit. In New Girl, a plus size woman is cast as a character that holds her own and doesn’t automatically do whatever she is told to do. In HIMYM, Barney shows little to no progress in terms of how poorly he treats women. In New Girl, Schmidt realizes that he has made mistakes, and actively tries to change. Guess which show I respect more?

Obviously I still LOVE me some HIMYM. Also, I realize that the shows are different enough that pitting them against one another doesn’t even necessarily make sense. But I still think it’s really interesting to consider the dynamics of both shows, and put some thought into how each one portrays women – fat, skinny, or otherwise.

And she is gorgeous! I love the banner that says “Keep on Believing”, and all of her tattoos. So who are we missing now? I need to review the list and see which Disney ladies are still waiting to become pin-up princesses. Find the other Tim Shumate pinup versions of Disney princesses here!

We know who she is! Details below this hopefully spoiler protecting blurb :)I don’t know yet! I’m sorry if I got your hopes up for a moment. But there is a great chance we will find out tonight, and if we do, I will update this ASAP. Just remember I’m in California so I see it later than you cool kids on the east coast. Also I will put any definite mother info after this blurby so it won’t be a spoiler if you watch later.

But for right now we haven’t seen her, we don’t know her name, but we do know that Ted meets her at the Farhampton train station after Barney and Robin’s wedding.

UPDATE: We still don’t know her character’s name (besides The Mother) but we know the actress and we finally saw her!

Actress Cristin Milioti (who is surely setting imdb records right now) was cast as Ted’s soulmate!

What are your thoughts on this actress as THE Mother?

Need more clues in the meantime? I’ve got em all (and I really do mean ALL OF THE CLUES) right here…

The Mother Load of Mother Clues on HIMYM!

Thanks to Ted-Mosby.com for the image – be sure to click through and read their episode recap!

Have you been wondering just who the mother is on How I Met Your Mother? Want to see her face, finally, and know who the actress is?!?! Or are you seeking information on fan ideas like the ever-popular missed date matchmaker theory, or the (disproved) Carly Theory? If so, you’re in exactly the right place (at the right time)!

*ORIGINALLY POSTED 1/4/13, UPDATED SEASON 8 FINALE “SOMETHING NEW”*

*ACTRESS DETAILS/SPOILERS BELOW*

This page is meant to be a singular source for ALL theories, details, facts, clues, inferences, and extrapolations regarding The Mother of How I Met Your Mother, so you don’t have to click through to find what you’re looking for. 

Okay, we’re far enough below the fold for the big reveal.

The season 8 finale “Something New” episode of HIMYM revealed that actress Cristin Milioti plays The Mother! Ted hasn’t met her yet, but we saw her at the train station, yellow umbrella in hand.

Adorable, no? Now, she’s been revealed, we know her face, but we still don’t know for sure how she may have connected to Ted in the past. Of course, there are still rumors of this being a major red herring to throw everyone off, but CBS and Carter and Bays have all confirmed that she is in fact the titular mother. They’ve also confirmed the setup for season 9, which I am NOT in favor of. Next up is an article regarding that – I will link here when it’s done.

We are now at a point in the story that is simultaneously cool and not cool. What’s not cool is that we (the audience) have seen her, but not really met her yet. We don’t know her name, we don’t know if she connects to Ted in any additional ways, and Ted still hasn’t met her at all.

What’s cool is that some of the fan theories are still very much in play! Her name could be Tracy, or Hannah. She isn’t the same actress as we’ve seen in some other scenarios, but her character could still be the bump girl or the missed date. Ted as a slightly unreliable narrator can explain (via memories that are decades old) inconsistencies in how he thought or imagined she looked back then.

With that in mind, here’s the mother load index – click to jump ahead to any section:

Who She Isn’t
Basic Info
Before They Meet
The First Meeting
The First Date
The Early Days
The Future
Who She Isn’t – Extra Details
Basic Info – Extra Details
Before They Meet – Extra Details
The First Meeting – Extra Details
The First Date – Extra Details
Season 6 DVD Extras Info
The Early Days – Extra Details
The Future – Extra Details
Color Theory in HIMYM
The Tracy Theory – POSSIBLE
The Bump Girl Theory – POSSIBLE
The “Milk” Theory – POSSIBLE
The Carly Theory – DISPROVED
The Wedding Band Theory – CONFIRMED
The Marissa Heller Theory – POSSIBLE
The Sister Theory – DISPROVED
The Michelle Tanner Theory – DISPROVED
The Jennifer Birmingham Theory – DISPROVED
The Cast Connection Theory – DISPROVED
The Joss Whedon Theory – DISPROVED
The Lyndsy Fonseca Theory – DISPROVED
The Hannah Theory – POSSIBLE
The Slutty Pumpkin Theory – DISPROVED
The Dead People Theory – POSSIBLE

Here is everything that we currently know about The Mother. Just consider me an honorary member of The Mosby Boys Detective Agency!

CLUES ABOUT THE MOTHER & HOW TED MEETS HER

Who She Isn’t

• She’s not Robin (S6 DVD extra “What We Know About Your Mother”)
• No really, I promise, she’s NOT ROBIN. Let it go guys :)
• She’s not Victoria (S6 DVD extra “What We Know About Your Mother”)
• She’s not Stella – but she almost was (S6 DVD extra “What We Know About Your Mother”)
• She was never going to be Zoey (S6 DVD extra “What We Know About Your Mother”)
• She’s not Naomi, The Slutty Pumpkin (S7E8 “The Slutty Pumpkin Returns”)
• She’s not Carly, Barney’s half-sister (upcoming S8E14 “Ring Up!” to air on 1/21/13) (I know, this theory has gone strong for a long time but it is officially DISPROVED – more details below)
• She’s not the coat check girl (aka coat check wench aka Jayma Mays) We already knew this per S1E5 “Okay Awesome” but she was brought back for S8E20 “The Time Travelers”. She’s still not the mother.
• She’s not ANYONE  that we have seen before on the show, including everyone’s relatives, all of Ted’s exes, and any random woman we may have spotted.
• BUT – given the nature of this show – it is still possible (though not as probable) that she could still be an extra or bit character formerly portrayed by a different actress.

Basic Info:

• She is played by actress Cristin Milioti (S8E24 “Something New”)
• She has a yellow umbrella (S3E1 “Wait For It”) (S3E12 “No Tomorrow”) (S5E12 “Girls Versus Suits”) (S6 DVD extra “What We Know About Your Mother”) (plus many other episodes)
• She is at least 21 as of St. Patrick’s Day 2008, or she has a convincing fake ID that allowed her entrance to a bar party that night (S3E12 “No Tomorrow”)
• She is probably a brunette (S4E5 “Shelter Island”)
• She lived with Cindy, who is a PhD candidate attending Columbia University (S5E12 “Girls Versus Suits”)
• The Mother and Cindy were both in Economics 305 (S5E12 “Girls Versus Suits”)
• The Mother is “getting a degree in economics”. This was true as of April 2013, 45 days before her and Ted meet for the first time. (S8E20 “The Time Travelers”)
• The Mother’s character is probably either a junior in college (approx. 19-21 years old) or – more likely, in my opinion – similar to Cindy in age (approx. 28 years old) and education (S5E12 “Girls Versus Suits”)
• She makes paintings of robots playing sports (S5E12 “Girls Versus Suits”)
• She enjoys making breakfast foods sing show tunes: “Your mother’s rendition of ‘Memory’, as performed by an English muffin is, to this day, the most hauntingly beautiful thing I have ever heard.” (S5E12 “Girls Versus Suits”)
• Cindy said her crushes are “always falling in love with” The Mother (S5E12 “Girls Versus Suits”)
• She owns a little yellow bus – first mentioned when seen in Cindy’s apartment, but also shown in the background of many scenes with Future Ted’s kids (S5E12 “Girls Versus Suits”)
• She plays bass guitar (S5E12 “Girls Versus Suits”) (S6 DVD extra “What We Know About Your Mother”)
• She never leaves uneaten food on her plate (S6 DVD extra “What We Know About Your Mother”)
• She befriends waitresses and often scores free desserts (S6 DVD extra “What We Know About Your Mother”)
• She likes Pablo Neruda’s poems, particularly one entitled “Desnuda Eres.” (S5E12 “The Naked Man”) (Note – I don’t remember the exact quote from this episode; I need to go back and re-watch to confirm)
• Lilacs are her favorite flower (S6 DVD extra “What We Know About Your Mother”)

Before They Meet

• On approximately September 24th, 2007, (air date) The Mother (umbrella in hand) walks by MacLaren’s
• She and Ted were both at the same club in New York on St. Patrick’s Day, 2008: “I found out years later that your mom was at that party. I just didn’t meet her.” (S3E12 “No Tomorrow”)
• She forgets her yellow umbrella at that club, and Ted takes it home the next day (S3E12 “No Tomorrow”)

• Ted takes the umbrella out one day when it is raining (air date May 4th, 2009), and ends up running into Stella while holding it. Future Ted explains that this encounter was an essential step in the story of how he meets The Mother. We now understand that seeing Stella again led to Ted’s job at the university, which in turn led him to Cindy and The Mother. (S4E22 “Right Place, Right Time”)
• The Mother and Cindy both saw Ted when he tried to teach the wrong class on his first day of work as a professor at Columbia University (S5E12 “Girls Versus Suits”)

• Ted thought he was teaching Architecture 101, he was actually in Econ 305: “Kids, you remember the wrong classroom story. I thought it was Architecture 101, but it was Econ 305.” (S5E12 “Girls Versus Suits”)
• The Mother loaned Cindy the album “Who Will Cut Our Hair When We’re Gone” by The Unicorns. Ted had never met anyone else that had it. (S5E12 “Girls Versus Suits”)
• The Mother gave Cindy the book At World’s End, by T. Coraghessan Boyle (S5E12 “Girls Versus Suits”)
• Ted sees The Mother’s foot and ankle as she enters her bedroom. This shot demonstrates that The Mother is white (this makes sense given that the children also seem to be caucasian) and, at least from the knees down, of average size/weight (S5E12 “Girls Versus Suits”)

• Ted forgets the yellow umbrella at Cindy and The Mother’s apartment, thus inadvertently returning it to her (S5E12 “Girls Versus Suits”)

• Once Ted and Robin are officially no longer a possibility (at least in his mind and her mind – Marshall seems to still be holding out hope), Ted is finally emotionally free and open to meeting someone new. This new phase is demonstrated by him walking outside and seeing a veritable sea of yellow umbrellas passing by MacLaren’s. This is presumably symbolic and didn’t actually happen – it is unlikely that a yellow umbrella convention happened to appear right when Ted walked outside. As such we cannot assume that The Mother was among the crowd. (S7E17 “No Pressure”)
• She is confirmed to be the bass player in Barney and Robin’s wedding band! (S8E13 “Band or DJ?”

• As of April 2013 – exactly 45 days before her and Ted meet – “she was dating some finance guy named Louis”. Based on the image of the Wall Street sign show when this fact is announced, Louis works on Wall St. Also Louis (at least as Ted imagined him) was played by Lou Ferrigno Jr. (S8E20 “The Time Travelers”)
• As of April 2013 – exactly 45 days before her and Ted meet – her address was 7A on West 115th St.
• We see her at the Long Island train station, buying a ticket to Farhampton, right before Barney and Robin’s wedding. (SE24 “Something New”)

This is pretty much my favorite gif set of her – check out the head rotation in the top right. It looks like an awesome dance move and/or a turtle. :)

The First Meeting

• Barney and Robin are set to be married on May 25, 2013
• Ted and The Mother officially meet for the first time at the Farhampton Train Station, after Barney and Robin’s wedding (S8E1 “Farhampton”)

• She carries a bass guitar, a yellow umbrella, and a purple purse (S8E1 “Farhampton”)
• Her dress and shoes are also purple (S8E1 “Farhampton”)
• She has her bass guitar, which she used a member of the wedding band (S8E1 “Farhampton”) (S8E13 “Band or DJ?”)
• Ted gives her a lilac the first moment that they meet (S6 DVD extra “What We Know About Your Mother”)
• The wedding colors are lilac and cream, which can explain both her purple attire/accessories and the flower that Ted gives her (S8E13 “Band or DJ?”)
• Ted’s right hand is bandaged, perhaps from being in a fight (S8E1 “Farhampton”)

The First Date

• She laughed at his first date shellfish joke (“Do you want to share the oysters? Good, because if you didn’t, that would be shellfish” (S5E2 “Double Date”)
• She presumably did “the check dance”* (S5E2 “Double Date”) (S7E2 “The Naked Truth”)
• Ted called her “right away” afterwards (S5E2 “Double Date”)

The Early Days

• Ted quits smoking within two weeks of their first date (S5E11 “Last Cigarette Ever”)
• Robin is the last person that Ted says “I love you” to, so The Mother is the next person (S7E17 “No Pressure”)
• Ted says “I love you” to The Mother when they go to see the movie The Wedding Bride III. She is holding the yellow umbrella in this scene. (S7E17 “No Pressure”)

The Future

• Ted is shown holding his infant daughter in 2015 (S7E20 “Trilogy Time”)

• “Trilogy Time” occurs once every 3 years, beginning in 2000. The first time (2000), Ted and Marshall watch the Star Wars trilogy instead of studying for their Economics final. (This is also interesting because of The Mother’s connection to Economics classes). In 2003, it seems to be the summer before Marshall begins law school. In 2006, Marshall is sad about Lily breaking off their engagement and going to a summer art internship in San Francisco. In 2009, Barney and Robin are carrying on their secret summer romance. The 2012 episode aired on April 9, 2012. It seems that Trilogy Time officially occurs in late spring/early summer each year. (S7E20 “Trilogy Time”)
• Given this information, we can assume that Ted’s daughter (appears to be approximately 1-3 months old) must have been born in early 2015. This matches with the original time frame that shows Ted’s daughter as a teenager in 2030. (S7E20 “Trilogy Time”)
• Ted and The Mother are married as of the Wesleyan Reunion that they attend with Lily and Marshall in 2020 (S3E5 “How I Met Everyone Else”)
• Ted reports being happily married and with two kids when he runs into Wendy the Waitress in 2021 (S6E20 “The Exploding Meatball Sub”) 

Who She Isn’t – Extra Details

• At different points in the series, there were plans for existing characters (Victoria and Stella) to be The Mother in case the show was cancelled:

1) The writers, knowing that they only had as good a chance in their first season as any other new sitcom, wanted to make sure if they got cancelled after their initial 13 episodes that they still gave the fans a satisfying ending. You’ll notice that episode 13 of season 1 is “Drumroll, Please”: Ted (Josh Radnor) meets a wonderful girl named Victoria (Ashley Williams) at his friend’s wedding, but they part ways without exchanging information.

Robin (Cobie Smulders), who’s just realized she has feelings for Ted, tracks down Victoria because she wants Ted to be happy. Had the show gotten cancelled, the writers could have easily ended the series there, with a quick voiceover from Future Ted (Bob Saget) saying, “And that, kids, is how I met your mother.”

2) HIMYM hit another snag at the end of season 2; the finale, “Something Blue,” aired before the writers knew if the show had actually been renewed. In this case, we wouldn’t have had a specific woman to pinpoint as The Mother, but you can’t deny that it would’ve made a great series finale: Marshall (Jason Segel) and Lily (Alyson Hannigan) finally got married; Ted and Robin took their relationship as far as they could and parted as friends; and Barney ends on “Legen…”

3) The show’s fourth-season renewal didn’t come until late in season 3, long before Stella (Sarah Chalke) could leave Ted at the altar. Before then, the first episode “Ten Sessions” could’ve been an ideal finale: We would’ve watched Ted’s ten-week attempt to win over his dermatologist Stella, their two-minute date — which is still ranked as one of the series’ best moments — and the ending, where she says she’ll call him if she has time. Again, all it would’ve taken was a last-minute addendum from Future Ted.

-Did You Know That How I Met Your Mother Has Had Three “Contingency Mothers”? 9/19/11

-Who have the “contingency mothers” been? FAQ on IMDB

• Victoria returned later in the show, but she’s still officially ruled out:

TV Guide: Ted’s driving off with Victoria, but we know that she’s not the mother.

Thomas: That’s why it’s really fun with storytelling time! [Laughs] But it felt very relatable to us. I think everybody in their love life has had someone they felt they screwed it up with or that person could’ve been the one or if circumstances had been different, maybe that was the one. That’s how Ted feels about Victoria. He screwed that up in Season 1… Ted doesn’t know this in 2012 — he still thinks Victoria could be the mother of his children — but we, the audience, and astute HIMYM fans know more than him thanks to Bob Saget. We love Victoria representing the door that’s still open a crack in Ted’s mind. He has to see what’s behind that door and eventually close it to be able to meet the mother. As we head toward the end of the series, it’s one of the last things Ted has to do.

-How I Met Your Mother Boss on Barney’s Bride: “It Had to Be Her” 5/15/12

• She was indeed “almost Stella” – look at this clever set design element that could have tied current Stella to Future Ted and the Mosby family:

• We can rule out Naomi, aka The Slutty Pumpkin, played by Katie Holmes. Naomi and Ted were super awkward together when they finally reunited, and they both agreed it wasn’t a love match. (S7E8 “The Slutty Pumpkin Returns”)
• The Carly Theory is DEAD, guys. In S8E14 “Ring Up!” we have Ashley Benson playing Carly. Ted clearly meets her before the day of the wedding, and that is enough right there to prove it’s not the winning theory.

Basic Info – Extra Details

• Cindy is currently “writing a dissertation titled Foreign Direct Investment and Inter-generational Linkages in Consumption Behavior.” This sounds pretty Economics-y to me, but I can’t say for sure :) (S5E12 “Girls Versus Suits”)
• Ted is trying to teach an introductory course, Architecture 101. Therefore 101 equals the first, introductory course in a given subject.
• The course numbering system likely means that 100-level courses are for undergraduates, 200-level classes are for those majoring/minoring in the subject OR are only for graduate students, and 300-level classes are for PhD candidates/graduate students only. Alternately, 100-level courses may be for freshmen, 200-level courses may be for sophomores, 300-level for juniors, and 400-level for seniors. I believe the former makes more sense.
• Thus, The Mother is likely either a PhD candidate working on her own dissertation, or a graduate/upper level student taking a required Economics course for a different degree. She could be a junior taking an undergraduate class but that doesn’t seem to make as much sense.
• Some fans assume The Mother must be in the 17-22 age range, because she is a college student. Given the type of class and caliber of classmates (Cindy), I think that The Mother must be in her mid to late twenties when that show aired in 2010.
• The Mother is probably close to Cindy’s age. We don’t know Cindy’s exact age but we do know Rachel Bilson, the actress, was 28 years old when the episode aired in January of 2010 (IMDB). This age makes sense for Cindy, given that a PhD candidate should  already have a high school diploma, a four-year college degree, and some years of post-graduate work completed.
• In “Shelter Island”, we see a flash forward of how the future may have looked if Ted and Stella had gotten married. Both children are blonde in this image, indicating that a blonde mother plus brunette Ted equals blonde kids. Since we know that the children actually have dark hair, it is very likely that The Mother has dark hair as well. This is further demonstrated in the pictures seen in the background behind the children, which feature what looks like Ted, two children, and a dark-haired woman. This picture is also present in the image with the imaginary Stella-kids, though, so it may be a childhood picture of Ted, his sister, and their parents. (S4E5 “Shelter Island”)

 The First Meeting – Extra Details

• The show’s creators have confirmed that Ted and The Mother officially meet at the Farhampton train station:

She was still obscured by her yellow umbrella, of course, but the couple’s future together officially kicks off on a train station platform — the episode’s namesake, Farhampton. And while you ponder the likely fake-out of her hopping on a different train, showrunners Carter Bays and Craig Thomas insist that’s not the case.

“There won’t be a swerve,” Thomas told The Hollywood Reporter and other press at a screening. “That’s the moment. We can very honestly say it. He’s moments away from meeting her.”

-  ‘How I Met Your Mother’ Showrunners Promise No More Fake-Outs After Season 8 Premier 9/24/12

This scene is presented to us as the immediate moment  before Ted actually meets the mother. Here’s the question we need to focus on now – are we thinking of when Ted officially or unofficially meets the mother?

Here’s what is awesome about the end of S8E13 “Band or DJ?”…

I absolutely LOVE this scene because it proves something I’ve suspected for quite a while – Ted does meet The Mother at the Farhampton station, but he sees her at least once before (shown above). If he’s seen her once before he meets here, that opens up waaaay more possibilities for tie-ins to prior characters and encounters. The writers nicely tied up the issue, for example, of him already meeting the St. Patrick’s Day party girl. She could still be The Mother now, because he saw/ran into her but did not technically meet her. Similarly, he saw the bass player at the reception, but did not technically meet her until the train station scene. So much more fun this way!

The First Date – Extra Details

• Ted uses “the check dance” as a measure of compatibility on first dates. He plans to pay for dinner, but he appreciates when the woman reaches for the check as though she will pay. This demonstrates general good manners and consideration, and it also gives Ted the chance to feel like a big man when he goes ahead and takes care of it. This is noted as an important diagnostic tool for him in two episodes: “The Double Date” (S5E2) and “The Naked Truth” (S7E2).

*Season 6 DVD Extra: “What We Know About Your Mother”

Future Ted recaps clues that we already know:

• She’s not Robin
• She was almost Stella
• She was Cindy’s roommate
• She plays bass
• She has a yellow umbrella
• She was in what Ted thought was his architecture class
• She paints robots doing sports
• She makes breakfast foods sing show tunes
• She was never going to be Zoey
• Ted met her on the day of a wedding

And some brand new information:

• She never leaves uneaten food on her plate: “She never would’ve left that much of her sandwich uneaten. No joke, I’ve seen that woman get a half a pad of butter wrapped up to go…”
• She befriends waitresses and often scores free desserts: “Oh, and your mother definitely would’ve befriended the waitress, which inevitably would have led to a free desert…Mom’s ability to get free pie; supernatural”
• Lilacs are her favorite flower, and they are also the first flower that Ted ever gives her: “Oh, and I wouldn’t have had much luck with an orchid. I’d have given her lilacs; her favorite…which just just happened to be the first flower I ever gave her…the very moment we met…”

POSSIBILITIES & THEORIES

COLOR THEORY IN HIMYM

I’ve been giving this quite a bit of thought (as it is clearly VERY IMPORTANT lol) and I have some newish conclusions. Most of them are fueled by the fact that EVERYONE IS WEARING PURPLE ALL SEASON LONG. Seriously, idk if the Gap had a sale on all things eggplant and lilac or what, but these guys are rocking more purple than Barney. Yes, THAT Barney:

We all know that yellow is the main color for this show – the yellow umbrella, little yellow school bus, Robin’s yellow raincoat, all of the pivotal moments that occur in yellow cabs, etc. There are two schools of thought regarding purple. One theory is that, since purple is the complementary/opposite color for yellow, it indicates a lack of romance. By this theory, anyone with yellow symbolism is a viable candidate to be someone’s happily ever after, and anyone wearing purple is disqualified.

But that doesn’t really mesh with how this season in particular has progressed, so I think I’m going with the alternate theory. This theory holds that Ted’s happily ever after color is yellow, whereas Barney’s happily ever after color is purple. This just means that purple people – like Robin with the purple giraffe – are not suited for Ted. But – since Barney is a foil character for Ted – this means that Robin and all her purple giraffe glory could be Barney’s true soul mate. Quinn is in purple because she is a contender, and everyone else is in purple because it signifies Barney’s upcoming nuptials.

UPDATE – I’ve been reading some other blogs, and they pointed out a couple additional facts. We could assume that Ted is purple, and looking for his yellow, whereas Barney is yellow, and looking for his purple. Or we could assume that both are purples, looking for their yellows. When we see both members of a couple in the same color – Robin and Kevin both wearing purple, for example, or Barney and Nora both wearing yellow, or Barney and Quinn both wearing purple – that means that they’re NOT meant to be together. Ex:

It has also been noted that Robin seems to only wear yellow when she’s involved with Barney. I’m not sure if this is accurate but I’ve documented all of the Robin in yellow episodes I’ve found so far:

Season 4, episode 24 “The Leap”, where Barney and Robin finally kiss and get together for reals.

Season 6, episode 9 “Glitter” – Barney is the one that tracked down the glorious Space Teens video starring Robin Sparkles and Jessica Glitter…

Season 7, episode 8 “The Slutty Pumpkin Returns” – this is the one where we find out that Barney is (gasp!) part Canadian…like Robin…

Season 7, episode 9 “Disaster Averted”, where Barney and Robin reminisce about what might have been had they hooked up in the (yellow) cab.

Season 7, episode 15 “The Drunk Train”. This one is a Robin with Kevin episode, which ends with them breaking up. Maybe stripes indicate ambivalence? If so that could apply to the earlier image of Robin and Ted in purple/blue stripes and plaids. I will have to investigate further…

UPDATE: As of the end of season 8, the gang was still doing the purple wardrobe thing every week. There have also been some interesting new color theories to arise. For example, some theorize that the show is going through the entire progression of the colors of the rainbow. This doesn’t make as much sense to me, because why would they skip over the other colors so much and emphasize this hue for two whole seasons? In terms of the order of colors in the rainbow, the acronym ROY G. BIV does remind us that violet is at the very end. 

That being said, The Mother is shown to be wearing purple when we finally see her at the Long Island train station, AND when Ted meets her at the Farhampton train station. Both times she is carrying the yellow umbrella, which might balance out her purple? This would work better if Ted was somehow wearing tons of yellow with a purple accent, but I don’t see that happening. :)

Basically, we can see the plethora of purple as all indicative of Barney and Robin getting married, or as Ted finally meeting The Mother. Barney and Robin’s relationship is essential to Ted meeting The Mother, though, so it can of course be indicative of both. 

It might make more sense to focus on traditional color theory, and the well known meanings and symbolism associated with purple. Here are some interesting traditional associations to consider:

• Purple indicates royalty. I doubt that The Mother happens to be an actual princess or queen, but we could widen the parameters a bit. If we look at purple as indicating wealth and/or power, it is the appropriate color for a member of the extremely rich Van Smoot family. That option could lend credence to the Hannah Theory (see below).
• Purple can also indicate uniqueness – or artifice. It is the color that appears most rarely in nature, and it is said to be the first hue that was artificially created. We can certainly gleen from this that The Mother is unique, but the “fake” implications don’t fit what we know of her.
• Purple can mean uncertainity. This can be said of any color that is comprised of two primary colors. We can see it as a mix between the symbolism of blue (loyalty, nature, truth, sincerity, and faith) and red (passion, love, strength, and excitement). These would suit what we know of The Mother. 
• Purple in American pop culture is associated with the band Deep Purple (of “Smoke on the Water” fame), “Purple Rain” (the song, album, and movie) by Prince, and “Purple Haze” by Jimi Hendrix. I have no idea if any of this relates to The Mother but I always like to consider the pop culture connections.
• One of my favorite ideas for the symbolism of purple in How I Met Your Mother actually comes from the world of science. Violet is one of the colors on the visible spectrum. It can be seen in rainbows and it was identified by Isaac Newton. Purple, however, is totally different. It is a non-spectral color. Here’s the part that I love the most, as quoted from Wikipedia:”It exists in culture and art, but not, in the same way that violet does, in optics.” This totally reminds me of how The Mother has existed in this show since day one, but she has not been a visible element until very recently. 

Here are thumbnails with examples of purple throughout season 7. I’m compiling additional examples from season 8 and I will post them here.

The Amber/Stripper/Tracy Theory

Way back in the early days of HIMYM, an intriguing fan theory came about. To understand it best, we should revisit the specific scene, which is set at a familiar location – The Lusty Leopard Strip Club.

Stripper: I’m Amber

Ted: I’m Ted

Stripper: Actually, it’s Tracy

Ted: Still Ted

- cut to Future Ted speaking to the Mosby kids -

Future Ted: And that, kids, is the true story of how I met your mother

Kids: WHAT?!?!

Future Ted: (laughs) Just kidding

-S1E9 “Belly Full of Turkey”

Some fans felt that the shocked reactions meant the kids believed Future Ted’s story. And instead of saying, “wait, but mom’s name is _____”, the kids just gasped in astonishment. These fans believe that the kids accepted the statement so readily because Ted used The Mother’s actual name – Tracy. Other fans agree with this reasoning but think it indicates that The Mother’s name is Amber. This idea also holds credence to some because amber is a shade of yellow, the main symbolic hue of the show and The Mother.

As of the season 8 finale, we do not know The Mother’s name. As such, it could still be Tracy. Or Amber.

IF IT’S TRUE: The mother’s name is Tracy. Or Amber.

WHY IT MIGHT NOT BE: The shock expressed by the kids could also be simple confusion because none of the information – names or occupation – match what they know about their mother. Alternately, the name may be irrelevant, because strippers (particularly those at The Lusty Leopard) often have stage names. So the kids may have just assumed that Amber and/or Tracy were the mother’s stripper names, and thus not her real name. Finally, we have to remember that Ted is not a reliable narrator.

The Bump Girl/St. Patrick’s Day/”No Tomorrow” Girl Theory

In the aforementioned “No Tomorrow” (S3E12), there is an interesting scene set inside the bar. Ted bumps into an attractive dark-haired girl, and they both part ways after a brief moment of acknowledgement. Ted says “oh, I’m sorry”, and she responds “it’s okay”. Many fans suspect that this woman is The Mother. We do know that both Ted and The Mother were at same bar at the same time, but Ted notes that he did not meet her that night. “I found out years later that your mom was at that party. I just didn’t meet her.” (S3E12 “No Tomorrow”) Since bumping into someone doesn’t technically constitute a real meeting, this character may in fact be The Mother.

Let’s compare this actress to the woman holding the yellow umbrella – my thanks to Jack Cola for the pictures:

The actress – Nicole Muirbrook Wagner, played “Woman” on this episode per IMDB - may be called back to play the role, or she may just represent Ted’s hazy memory of her.

If the former is true, we may see a flashback that shows the same scene but with the “official” actress playing this character. This theory has big appeal, because there is no obvious reason to include the scene otherwise. 

IF IT’S TRUE: We know that The Mother is slim, beautiful, and has long dark hair. That’s really all we can discern from these without knowing if this specific actress ends up playing The Mother. I guess we can assume that she has a penchant for clutch purses and print tank tops but that’s a stretch. I think she’s adorable and I would love to see her play The Mother! That being said, she looks a little bit too much like actress Lindsay Price, who played Cathy in S3E8 “Spoiler Alert”.

WHY IT MIGHT NOT BE: The scene seems relevant, but we have to remember that the writers may be throwing in red herrings to distract/deter us from discovering The Mother’s identity. These twists and turns are part of what we love about How I Met Your Mother!

UPDATE: We saw in the season 8 finale that The Mother is played by Cristin Milioti. That is obviously not the same actress as Nicole Wuirbrook Wagner, shown above. She does look similar, though, and Ted only sees her very briefly. It is possible that, since he didn’t recognize her at that point, he just remembered her as a dark haired, attractive woman. He/the writers could have intentionally excluded identifying her just to prolong the story and make it more impactful at the end. If this is the case, the scene would likely be re-shot or edited as a reveal in season 9. Or, Future Ted could explain it verbally to the kids, and nicely tie in this long-standing fan theory.

The Matchmaker/Missed Date Girl Theory/”Milk” Theory

I wrote about this theory extensively already (HIMYM: I’m 99% Sure These Are Pics Of “The Mother) so most of this content is pulled straight from there:

In “Matchmaker” (S1E7), Ted signs up for a matchmaking service. He is not matched up with anyone suitable. There is one match – a 9.6 out of 10 – but she (Sarah O’Brian) is already matched up. Undeterred, Ted sneaks into the office to print the info sheets for Sarah. He reads them and learns her occupation, guilty pleasure song, likes and dislikes, etc. He is able to locate her and meet her in person, but she is engaged to her match and not interested.

Ok, now let’s skip ahead to “Milk” (S1E21). Ted receives a phone call from the new owner of the matchmaking agency, informing him that his match has been found. Ted ponies up the $500 needed for her information, and receives her file in return. We see 10 photos (shown above) which indicate that the woman is Ted’s perfect match.

So I read the file, and by God this woman was perfect. She liked dogs, she spent her summers in North Carolina, she played bass guitar, she did the Times crossword, she played tennis, she liked old movies, her favorite food was lasagna, and her favorite book was Love in the Time of Cholera. Her favorite singer was Otis Redding and she wanted two kids, a boy and a girl.

Later, when speaking to Robin, Ted also mentions that ”she’s 28, just like me” and “college-educated”. When Robin asks if the mystery woman is looking to get married, Ted says yes.

The photos are either in the file, or what Ted is imagining based on her profile information. If the photos are in the file, why are they shown with the faces blurred out? Is it perhaps because she is indeed The Mother, and the show creators are keeping her face a secret? If Ted is imagining the images based on the information given, why is he imagining them with the face blurred out? Is it because she was intangible at that point, and Ted simply couldn’t put a face to her profile? Or is it because Future Ted is reflecting on this past experience and purposely obscuring information so he doesn’t spoil the surprise for his kids?

The last picture, at least, has to be imagined, because it shows two young children that the woman presumably wished to have someday. The only issue with this is how the picture shows a little girl and her older brother, while the siblings on the show seem to be an older sister and her little brother. In real life, the actress who plays the daughter (Lyndsy Fonseca) is two years older than David Henrie, who plays the son. So I’m not sure, but I’m still intrigued. 

It could also be an image of that woman’s childhood, with her beside her older brother. Who knows!

Notice anything else interesting about this pictures? Half of them show the woman wearing a silver ring on her right ring finger. I suspect it might be a little clue for the discerning fans and not just an oversight. Now look at these two photos of the children – one from the pilot episode, and one from season six:

A silver ring! Could be coincidence, sure, but I like the idea of it being the mother’s ring, gifted to her daughter. The daughter wears her ring on her left middle finger though – maybe it’s still too big for her ring finger? I don’t know!

A final thought…we never find out the name of Ted’s match. They schedule a blind date, and Ted is able to contact her to delay their meeting when Lily needs him ASAP. It seems likely that he would know her name, don’t you think? Especially since he paid for the full file and didn’t just print and steal a summary sheet. If he knew Sarah O’Brian’s name,  I think he should have known the match’s name as well. So why do we never hear it?

Later, in “Rabbit or Duck” (S5E15), Ted asks Lily and Marshall to set him up. They consider women from his past, including Trudy (married), Blah Blah (committed – relationship? no, Bellevue), and Natalie (Ted is her least favorite person in the world). But they never think of the “Milk” maiden. Based on prior episodes, neither Natalie nor Blah Blah are viable options, but this woman is still a real possibility. And yet we never hear of her again…

IF IT’S TRUE: We know that The Mother likes dogs, spent summers in North Carolina, plays bass guitar, does the NY Times crossword, plays tennis, likes old movies, her favorite food is lasagna, her favorite book is Love in the Time of Cholera, her favorite singer is Otis Redding, and she ended up with two kids just like she wanted, a boy and a girl. We can also see that she has/had a golden retriever (I think that’s the dog breed shown above?), is right-handed, and rocks a silver ring on her right hand. We also know that she is the same age as Ted (28 as of this episode’s May 28th, 2006 air date), college educated, and looking to get married.

Actress Lisa Claire is credited as “Beautiful Woman #2″ in S1E21 “Milk”. The first “Beautiful Woman” was the girl that Barney hits at the bar. Anyway this woman’s hair feels like it could match the pictures, but there are no guarantees:

WHY IT MIGHT NOT BE TRUE: There is a brief conversation that may rule out this possibility:

Future Ted: I didn’t know it, but I was about to hear the very first description of the woman I’d one day marry.

Cindy: She’s a whore.

-S5E12 “Girls Versus Suits”

If we get really technical, we can go with the idea that Ted read/saw the information from the matchmaker profile, and thus did not hear a description of The Mother until meeting Cindy. That’s a bit of a jump, so it could completely eliminate the Matchmaker Girl Theory, depending on how you look at it. There is also the continuing possibility of this being a red herring, planted by the writers to add even more mystery. BUT loose ends are generally resolved on this show, so I expect to see some reference to this particular character again.

UPDATE: We saw in the season 8 finale that The Mother is played by Cristin Milioti. That is obviously not the same actress as Lisa Claire, shown above. Beyond that, the body shape, height, and hair don’t seem to match how Cristin looks as The Mother at all.

Her face being obscured in the pictures means that there is a possibility of this theory still being true. The picture of the kids is the best clue for this idea. There wouldn’t be an actual picture of her future children in her file – that would be impossible. So these blurred images likely represent Ted envisioning what she wrote. That leaves the door open for her to be played by anyone, including Cristin Milioti.

He/the writers could have intentionally excluded identifying her just to prolong the story and make it more impactful at the end. If this is the case, the scene would likely be re-shot or edited as a reveal in season 9. Or, Future Ted could explain it verbally to the kids, and nicely tie in this long-standing fan theory.

The Carly Theory/The Barney’s Sister Theory :

DISPROVED. DUNZO. THE MOTHER CAN’T BE CARLY.

People visit my blog for a variety of writing, but there’s one specific concept that draws in more readers than anything else: articles on the possibility of Barney’s sister, Carly Whittaker, being THE mother on How I Met Your Mother. It was fun while it lasted, but it’s been officially squashed. Check this info out:

BARNEY BEGS TED TO CONTINUE SEEING HIS YOUNGER, WILDER GIRLFRIEND, EVEN THOUGH TED HAS NOTHING IN COMMON WITH HER, ON “HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER,” MONDAY, JAN. 21

Ashley Benson (“Pretty Little Liars”) Guest Stars as Carly, Ted’s New Girlfriend

CHEAT TWEET: Barney begs Ted to continue dating a much younger girl @AshBenzo until he learns who she is! #HIMYM 1/21 @8PM ET/PT http://bit.ly/SmKGNn“Ring Up” — Barney begs Ted to continue seeing his much younger, much wilder girlfriend, even though Ted has nothing in common with her. Meanwhile, Robin must adjust to the power of the bling, on HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER, Monday, Jan. 21 (8:00-8:30 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Ashley Benson (“Pretty Little Liars”) guest stars as Carly, Ted’s new girlfriend.

GUEST CAST:

Carly (Ashley Benson)

Those who want all the details can still review all the facts; just keep reading…

Since I’ve already written about this topic extensively, I will once again be pulling some content straight from my previous posts NEW Pic of the Mom – HIMYM – Does Ted Marry Barney’s Sister? I’m 99.99% Sure Yes and The Latest How I Met Your Mother Theories (HIMYM – Including Season 8).

Here’s what we know about Carly Whittaker, per “Legendaddy” (S6E19):

• She’s the daughter of Jerome Whittaker and Cheryl Whittaker.
• She’s the sister of Jerome Jr. (J.J.)
• She’s the half-sister of Barney Stinson
• We haven’t seen or met her character yet
• When Barney visits his father’s home, he meets his younger half-brother, JJ, and hears about his younger half-sister, Carly
• Jerome says that Carly is away at college and doesn’t live at home

Those are pretty much the only facts that we have so far. But, we can see if Carly Whittaker meets the requirements that are already established for the mother.

• Carly could be going to school at Columbia University (the same school that Cindy goes to and Ted teaches at)
• Carly could be Cindy’s roommate
• The Whittaker’s home and Cindy/The Mother’s home are both decorated in a similar manner (animal figurines, pillows, pictures, etc.)
• Cindy says that guys are always falling in love with The Mother. We know that women are always falling in love (or at least lust) with Barney. Perhaps him and baby sister share the same set of sex appeal genes?
• As Barney’s sister, Carly will likely be at the Barney and Robin wedding
• If she happens to be musical, Barney may have asked her to be a part of the wedding band
• Ted meets The Mother on the day of the wedding
• Future Ted refers to Barney and Robin as “Uncle Barney” and “Aunt Robin”
• Ted’s bandaged hand in “Farhampton” may be due to a fight with Barney over his violation of The Bro Code (hooking up with Barney’s sister at the wedding?)
• Note – Ted could hook up with Barney’s sister Carly at the wedding, fight with Barney, and then go on to meet the actual mother at the train station

If Ted married Barney’s sister, Barney and Robin would in fact be uncle and aunt to the kids. But Ted also refers to “Uncle Marshall” and “Aunt Lily”, and we know that they aren’t technically related to Ted. So this clue doesn’t hold much weight.

Ted hooking up with Barney’s sister is a clear violation of The Bro Code. BUT, Barney has already violated his own code of ethics twice where Ted is concerned – he made out with Ted’s mom, and he slept with Ted’s ex-girlfriend Robin. I’m not sure if marriage negates that violation or what, but Ted hooking up with Barney’s sister would certainly balance things out a bit.

This concept is particularly amusing because of the following exchange:

Ted: Check it out. I just got that girl’s number. See? Holly.

Barney: Nice! Girls with “ly” at the end of their names are dirty. Carly, Shirly, Lily.

Marshall: Hey!… all right, it’s true.

Barney: Don’t even get me started on girls whose name should end in “ly”, but instead end in I. Those girls are like roller-coasters. You’ve got to wait in a long line, but once you get up there, you just hold on for dear life and hope you don’t lose your keys.

-S4E21 “The Three Days Rule”

Lord help the men of New York if Barney’s sister spells her name Carli… :)

There’s been a persistent rumor running around the interwebs about how Cindy’s apartment has a picture frame (I think?) that says C + C. This could refer to Cindy + Carly (= Best Friends 4Eva?) but it could also refer to the show’s creators, Craig Thomas and Carter Bays. From what I can tell, though, nobody has been able to find a screenshot or anything actually showing this elusive symbolic object. As such I don’t think it’s all that relevant.

So at this point, Carly Whittaker is a loose end. She has been mentioned but not truly incorporated into the show. Proponents of this theory are encouraged by the lack of discussion of Carly before or after on the show. I feel the same way about her that I do about the missed date from the “Milk” episode – she might not be The Mother, but her character will be revisited. If we had to spend all this time with effing Victoria and The Slutty Pumpkin and Robin again and again, they can certainly find time to delve into this mini mystery.

IF IT’S TRUE: Carly Whittaker, Barney’s half-sister, is The Mother. The Bro Code slate would be wiped clean. Mystery solved!

WHY IT MIGHT NOT BE: It’s established, it’s for sure not her.

Other Assorted Mother Theories

The Wedding Band Theory – CONFIRMED!!:

Many fans suspect The Mother is a member of the wedding band (or DJ) :) We know that she does play bass guitar, and we see her at the Farhampton train station on the night of Barney and Robin’s wedding. She’s dressed in formal wear, and she has her guitar case with her. I can’t think of any reason why this may not be true, so for now it’s a strong possibility.

UPDATE: We just discovered that the original wedding band falls through, and Ted fortuitously runs into Cindy (Rachel Bilson) and her wife on the subway. Cindy asks if Ted believes in destiny, and then explains that her former roommate – the one that was a perfect match for Ted – happens to be the bass player for the BEST wedding band in NYC. Then we see Ted, at the reception, eyes fixed upon the bass player. At the same time, we hear Future Ted talking about how everything worked out as it should…

The Marissa Heller Theory: 

In “Robots versus Wrestlers” (S5E22), we learn that mail for a prior resident (Marissa Heller) has consistently been delivered to the apartment ever since Ted and Marshall first moved in. When Ted spots Marissa Heller’s invitation to an exclusive party at the Alberta Building, he convinces the others to accompany him. They attempt to use her invitation, but the real Marissa Heller shows up.

Or does she?! Marissa invites Ted, Barney, Lily, and Marshall to join her. In the elevator, Lily tries to chat with Marissa about mail-related interests. Lily saw that Marissa received Soap Opera Digest, for example, so she asks Marissa about her favorite soaps. Marissa isn’t into that, though, and everyone thinks she’s pretty douchey. Except Ted, of course, because he was a little douchey himself in that episode.

One Redditor posited that elevator-Marissa’s lack of interest means that she wasn’t the real Marissa at all. The real Marissa could have been busy that night – busy being The Mother! We actually only know of one other event occurring that event – a little thing called Robots VS Wrestlers. Who might be interested in such a thing? Maybe a woman who paints ROBOTS DOING SPORTS. Is your mind blown just a little? :)

The Mother may not be Marissa, but she certainly could have attended Robots Versus Wrestlers. It is a yearly event, after all. Ted notes that this becomes an annual tradition for the whole group, so it’s likely that The Mother ends up going once they meet and get together. I like this theory because it’s a unique take that isn’t discussed much. It’s a long shot, but such an intriguing possibility. Marissa Mosby does have a certain ring to it, no?

UPDATE: We still don’t know the name of The Mother, so it could very well be Marissa Heller. 

The Sister Theories:

The whole Aunt Robin and Uncle Barney thing has really thrown off some fans. As I noted in a prior article, many are holding strong to The Carly Theory because of this:

Future Ted refers to Barney as “Uncle Barney”.

Conflict: Ted also calls his other friends “Uncle Marshall”, “Aunt Lily”, and “Aunt Robin”

Conclusion: If Barney is Ted’s brother-in-law by marriage, and that’s why Ted refers to him as “Uncle Barney”, then we can presume that Robin is “Aunt Robin” because she is married to Barney.

Alternate Conclusion: Like many of us, Ted refers to close family friends as “aunt” and “uncle”.

-NEW Pic of the Mom – HIMYM – Does Ted Marry Barney’s Sister? I’m 99.99% Sure Yes. 2/7/12

If we really want to stretch our imaginations, these other marriages would fulfil the technical requirements: Ted marries Robin’s younger sister Katie Scherbatsky, or Barney marries Ted’s younger (already married) sister Heather Mosby. Other fans have speculated that Ted ends up with Stella’s sister Nora Zinman. All three of these possibilities are ruled out – Ted has already met both Katie and Nora prior to the wedding, and Barney is definitely marrying Robin.

UPDATE: Now that we’ve seen actress Cristin Milioti, we know without a doubt that she isn’t any of these characters that Ted has met before. 

The Michelle Tanner Theory/The Full House Theory:

Update – it looks like Dave McKain (the Facebooker that created the image below) was the first to post this theory online. I don’t know if he and Justin came up with the ideas separately, or were influenced by one another, but I wanted to make sure to give proper credit where it’s due. Here is Dave’s take, as published on Have-You-Met-Ted.com in early 2012:

HIMYM can cross over with Full House by making Michelle Tanner the mother. Bear with me…there are lots of things that can make this work. As unlikely as this probably is, it might make sense on a lot of levels. My thought is that we have not met the mother character as of yet. They have said as much throughout the first 6 seasons, but we like to twist words and give double meanings to make it possible to mean other things. I think a lot of the ‘clues’ that we have are purposeful misleadings to get different theories circulating. But also, I don’t think they would just spring a random character that the audience is not attached to as well. I think the creators want the ending and the reveal to be iconic in the “nobody saw that coming” Newhart fashion.
REASONS THAT SUPPORT MICHELLE TANNER

1. They casted Bob Saget as the ‘voice’ of future Ted. Now we have seen future Ted with his grey hair many a time over the years and he always had Josh Radnor’s voice. I believe the voice of Bob Saget is more a metaphorical representation in the kid’s minds as a combination of a paternal and maternal story telling…with the Grandfather being thrown in…kind of a hint to the mother’s lineage. And as we know, Bob Saget (aka Danny Tanner) would be the Grandfather to these kids.

2. The Age. If we can assume that Michelle Tanner and the Olsen’s are the same age, then as of today the Olsen’s are 25. Which as of the first day of Ted’s teaching career (Sept 2009), Michelle Tanner would have been 23 years old…the perfect age for a grad student taking Economics 305. The St Patty’s day party was Mar 17, 2008…making Michelle Tanner 21 and old enough to go bar hopping (not that under 21 would stop people).

3. Rachel Bilson as the roommate. This tie in is more of a funny real-life one. Rachel Bilson has listed Ashley Olsen as one of her major fashion influence, and it is common knowledge that they are good friends and they run in the same circles.

4. Lily. When Lily and Marshall broke up, Lily went off to San Francisco. The Tanners were from San Francisco. The creators could make an easy tie in as to why Michelle Tanner is at a wedding that Lily is at…maybe Lily invited them after befriending during her time in San Fran.

5. Robin. Robin is in TV journalism…as was Danny Tanner. They have had the exact same job, but Danny Tanner was just a little more accomplished. Robin’s career path could be a tie in to how they all meet each other.

6. Bass guitar. Ted’s future wife plays bass guitar. What 23 year old, good looking chic would have a better opportunity to have played a rock’n’roll instrument than the niece of Uncle Jesse. For all we know, Michelle Tanner could have been playing since she was a kid. Easy tie in.

7. Admittedly (and proudly) I never watched Full House. But from what my wife has told me, Michelle’s best friend growing up was a boy named…you guessed it…Ted. I’m not saying that this Ted is Ted Mosby (cause we know its not), but what a great hint and an even better Ice-Breaker for when the two meet.

8. Doppelganger…what an easy and perfect twin…you know that whoever Ted gets with eventually will have to have a doppelganger to be a permanent fixture in the group.

9. Josh Radnor is directing and starring in a movie in 2012 called Liberal Arts. The lead actress…Elizabeth Olsen…yes the younger sister of the Twins. I think he’d have some pull in that family for casting purposes.

10. I know this is likely not the ending…but I just wanted to float ‘out-of-the-box’ thoughts out there and get people’s opinions.

One blog commenter, Justin Banker, has a very unique take on who The Mother may be. He has put together evidence supporting the idea of Michelle Tanner from Full House being The Mother! Wait, what? Click here to check out the information on his blog. I’ve put together the relevant details in bullet point here:

• Lily spent a summer in San Francisco doing her art program. Full House is set in SF, so perhaps Michelle Tanner/The Mother became friends with Lily at that point.
• Uncle Jesse played bass, and he was always very close to Michelle, so he could have taught her how to play.
• Future Ted is voiced by Bob Saget, aka Danny Tanner (Michelle’s father) on Full House.
• Josh Radnor (Ted) was in a movie (Liberal Arts) with Elizabeth Olsen; she is the real life younger sister of actresses Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, who both played Michelle Tanner on Full House.
• Josh Radnor and Elizabeth Olsen share the same agent (I haven’t confirmed this info, btw)
• Michelle Tanner – if played by one of the original actresses – would have the perfect doppelganger…her twin sister!
• Michelle’s childhood BFF was named Teddy.
• Both Danny Tanner and Robin Scherbatsky are broadcast journalists. Their paths could potentially cross this way, although I suspect Danny is up near retirement age by now. Then again, Bob Saget hasn’t retired yet, so what do I know.

Regarding her age – Justin says:

First off everyone will say how is he going to marry some kid, shes like 6 years old! In the TV Show yeah but Full House ended in 1995 with the character of Michelle being the same age as her actresses, 9 years old. She would be 19 by the time HIMYM started in 2005 and would be 22 on Mar. 17th 2008 when she was at the St Patrick’s Day party that Ted was also at. In 2009 when Ted began teaching she would be nearly 23 years old, perfect college age to be taking an upper level economics class.

Justin thinks that the character could be Michelle Tanner, but he doesn’t think she would actually be played with Mary-Kate or Ashley Olsen. He suggests that perhaps Elizabeth Olsen could play the role, and notes that Elizabeth Olsen has mentioned Rachel Bilson as one of her inspirations.

Here’s an image that Facebooker and HIMYM fan Dave McKain put together – click the image to go see the post and comments:

What I think – the age doesn’t match up quite right, for one  thing. I would guess Stephanie Tanner before Michelle, but she lacks many of the connections that Justin found between the Olsens and the HIMYM cast. Also all the Tanner girls and Olsen girls are more blonde than not, and I still don’t think The Mother will have light hair. Beyond that, Full House aired on ABC and HIMYM is on CBS. If The Mother was going to come from another show, I would guess it would be from a “sibling” show that shares the same parent network.

Although…here’s an interesting quote from Carter Bays…it’s just a joke, but it certainly adds some validity to this theory:

Which show would you like to do a crossover event with and why?
Full House. I want it to slowly become clear that our show is the prequel to that show, Prometheus-style.

-http://www.vulture.com/2012/06/showrunner-survey-himyms-carter-bays.html

UPDATE: I consider this theory disproved, because the actress is Cristin Milioti and not an Olsen. Beyond that, she looks nothing like how Michelle Tanner would have looked as an adult. Finally, the timing was always off, so I was never really on board with this one.

The Jennifer Birmingham Theory:

Actress Jennifer Birmingham was originally credited as “Woman” for S8E1 “Farhampton”, but later her name was removed:

(Update: The IMDB listing for the “Farhampton” episode of “How I Met Your Mother” appears to list several other actors who were neither listed in the post-show credits nor obviously involved in the on-screen action. It is therefore possible Birmingham was listed in error.)

http://www.headlineplanet.com/home/2012/09/24/mystery-how-i-met-your-mother-actress-revealed-but-is-she-teds-wife/

Now she is credited as “Woman” for S8E13 “Band or DJ”. But, this doesn’t necessarily mean she THE mother. We’ve only seen bits and pieces of The Mother – her ankle, her legs and torso, her hands – so it could still be virtually any woman playing her. 

We also know that Thomas and Bays have used a stand-in as The Mother at least once before:

As for that mother, Thomas and Bays wouldn’t say whether it was a body double or the actual actress viewers will eventually meet. (Previous stunt mothers include series director Pamela Fryman.)

“It was definitely closed doors,” Bays said of the shoot. “That moment was something we’ve been building to for a long time, and we’ll see more of that moment as the series goes on — or ends, whenever happens.”

-http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/how-i-met-your-mother-season-8-premiere-373735

Is she the real deal? No idea, but she could be! The only objection that I have is that she is blonde, and I think The Mother should have dark hair. I know it can be dyed, but some people just look right as blondes and can’t pull off darker hair colors (ahem Barney talking to you).

UPDATE: Nope, not played by Jennifer Birmingham. The Mother is played by Cristin Milioti.

The Cast Connection Theory:

How I Met Your Mother loves to cast people with connections to the stars of the show! Here’s a list to reference, but I will update later with a link to the full article that I’m working on. That post will have pictures so you can get a better mental image of all the cast connections…but here’s what I have so far:

• Sandy Rivers (Robin’s former co-anchor/nemesis) = Alexis Denisof, real life husband of Alyson Hannigan (Lily)
• Scooter (Lily’s high school boyfriend) = David Burtka, real life fiance of Neil Patrick Harris (Barney)
• Blauman (Barney & Marshall’s coworker) = Taran Killam, real life husband of Colbie Smulders
• Jeanette (Ted’s crazy girlfriend from “PS I Love You” and “Bad Crazy”) = Abby Elliott, real life daughter to Chris Elliott, who plays Lily’s dad Mickey
• Katie Scherbatsky (Robin’s little sister) = Lucy Hale, who co-stars on Pretty Little Liars with Ashley Benson, who plays Carly Whittaker (Barney’s half-sister)
• Ted’s daughter = Lyndsy Fonseca, who in real life is said to have dated David Henrie, who plays Ted’s son
• David Henrie is also the real life ex-boyfriend of Lucy Hale (Katie Sherbatsky)
• Cathy (chatty girl from “Spoiler Alert”) = Lindsay Price, real life former girlfriend of Josh Radnor (Ted)(but I believe they met on set, so that doesn’t really count)
• Robin’s dad = Ray Wise, who was in Twin Peaks with Kyle MacLachlan (The Captain)

Given all of that, it stands to reason that The Mother could be played by someone with a real life connection to the cast. Here are some people that I would not be surprised to see on HIMYM:

• Michelle Williams, real life (ex)fiance of Jason Segel (Marshall)
• Sarah Michelle Gellar, real life former co-star of Alyson Hannigan (and Alexis Denisof) (see below)
• Mila Kunis, real life former co-star of Jason Segel (Forgetting Sarah Marshall)

There’s also a fair chance of seeing other stars from Pretty Little Liars, or anyone that has done anything with Joss Whedon. Read on for the details!

UPDATE: As far as I know, actress Cristin Milioti (who plays The Mother) has no connection to any of the cast members. If anyone knows otherwise please tell me!

The Joss Whedon Theory/The Sarah Michelle Gellar Theory:

This ties into the aforementioned Cast Connection Theory, because there are many connections between Joss Whedon and HIMYM. Let’s break them down point by point, beginning with main cast members and then proceeding down to cameos and one time roles:

• Alyson Hannigan – Lily – played Willow on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel
• Colbie Smulders – Robin – played Agent Maria Hill in The Avengers
• Neil Patrick Harris – Barney – starred as Billy in Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog
• Alexis Denisof – Sandy Rivers – played Wesley on Buffy and Angel, and Senator Daniel Perrin on Dollhouse
• Harry Groener – Clint (Ted’s stepfather) – played Mayor Richard Wilkins on Buffy
• Morena Baccarin – Chloe (barista girl that Marshall dated – “Swarley” S2E7) played Inara Serra on Firefly and Serenity
• Amy Acker – Penelope (a girl Barney slept with – “Come On” S1E22) – played Winifred “Fred” on Angel and Dr. Claire Saunders/Whiskey on Dollhouse
• Danny Strong – Trey (he held the funeral service for Marshall’s dad; he was the son of the preacher and also a short guy that used to bully Marshall in high school – “Last Words” S6E14) played Johnathan Levinson on Buffy
• Tom Lenk – Scott (no idea who he is, I need to rewatch ”Swarley” S2E7) played Andrew Wells/Cyrus on Buffy and Angel

Also:

• Craig Thomas, Carter Bays, and Joss Whedon all graduated from Wesleyan University
• Ted, Marshall, and Lily also graduated from Wesleyan
• Willow (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) was early accepted into Wesleyan, among other schools
• Willow wrote Doogie Howser, M.D. fan fiction when she was younger
• Doogie Howser was played by Neil Patrick Harris
• Doppelgangers factor prominently into both HIMYM and Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Based on all of this, and the interconnected nature of the Joss Whedonverse, there is an excellent chance that The Mother will also have worked with Whedon in the past. The obvious selection is Sarah Michelle Gellar, who starred as the titular character on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She’s the right age, but I’m pretty sure I’ve read that her and Alyson Hannigan do not get along at all. If that is the case, the writers might not want to bring on an actress that will clash with one of the leads on the show. What do you guys think?

Here’s a pic of her with dark hair; it is usually blonde but I think she can pull off the brunette thing:

Other potential actresses from the Whedonverse that could play The Mother:

• Felicia Day (played Vi on Buffy, Penny on Dr. Horrible, and Mag on Dollhouse)
• Eliza Dushku (played Faith on Buffy and Angel and starred as Echo on Dollhouse)
• Summer Glau (played Prima Ballerina on Angel, River Tam on Firefly and Serenity, and Bennett Halverson on Dollhouse)

UPDATE: The Mother is played by actress Cristin Milioti, and she does not have a solid connection to Joss Whedon. The closest we can come is this:

Critin Milioti was in Mike Birbiglia’s 2012 movie Sleepwalk With Me. This came out around the same time as Joss Whedon’s The Avengers. Whedon made and posted a video where he jokingly told people to boycott Birbiglia’s film because it was taking money away from Whedon’s own movie. 

The Lyndsy Fonseca Theory:

The show has been going on for so long now that some people think Ted’s daughter could end up playing his wife! Here’s a pic of actress Lyndsy Fonseca looking especially grown up (from January 2013):

I would be a little weirded out by this, and I’ve heard other fans say the same. Then again, what better way is there to ensure that The Mother looks like she could be related to the kids? Still, she was born in 1987, and that’s a little young for Ted. But there’s still a bit of an ick factor.

UPDATE: Nope, The Mother isn’t played by Fonseca. The Mother is played by actress Cristin Milioti.

The Hannah/Captain’s Daughter Theory:

This is an interesting one that I was slow to pick up on. You can read in the comments for more details, but here’s the gist: Ted’s ex-girlfriend Zoey Pierson (Jennifer Morrison) was the current, and then former, wife of The Captain. The Captain is actually George Van Smoot, so named The Captain because “a real man chooses his own name!” (This leads to Ted calling himself – and The Captain referring to Ted as  - “Galactic President Superstar McAwesomeville”!) The Captain is also, as of season 8, Lily’s new employer.

Anyway, George Van Smoot has a daughter, Hannah Van Smoot. We have never met her. We only know that her relationship with Zoey was always strained, and at one point Zoey purchased a stuffed animal to give her as a gift. 

The Van Smoots have been connected in the HIMYM storyline since season one. Their first reference is when Lily and Marshall race to beat another engaged couple for an unexpected opening to have their wedding at the infamous Van Smoot House. Later, Ted ends up falling for Zoey, and basically helps break up her marriage to The Captain. When Ted is featured on the front of New York magazine, there is a cover blurb about Van Smoot. Finally, The Captain eventually becomes Lily’s new boss, and asks her to move to Italy with him for a year. 

The Van Smoot name having prior importance throughout the show indicates that it could be important to The Mother’s identity. So, maybe Hannah is older than we would think, and she’s The Mother!?

UPDATE: We have seen that The Mother is played by actress Cristin Milioti, but we don’t know her character’s name yet. It could be Hannah Von Smoot.

The Dead People Theories:

The internet can be a morbid place, and HIMYM fan theories are no exception. Rumors abound about various characters being dead when Future Ted tells his story in 2030. Let’s review the evidence for and against each, shall we?

Many fans have legitimately wondered why Ted is so painstakingly relaying every detail – and then some – about how he met the mother. Why would someone subject their kids to this if not for a purpose? And could that purpose be to tell the children every little thing he remembers about their dead mother?

We have to keep in mind that Ted has already been proven to be a dorky, somewhat boring dad. He bores Barney and Robin as their surrogate dad figure, he tells lame dad jokes to waitresses, and he often talks at length about stuff that frankly no one else cares about. I love Ted, but he’s not the most exciting character in terms of storytelling. You’re more likely to hear a lengthy diatribe on proper prounciation than you are to hear a legendary “true story” a la Barney.

We also have to remember that Ted provides an explanation in S2E3 “Brunch”. Ted asks his mom and dad how they met, and receives a brief “we met at a bar” in return. He then vows that when he has kids, he’s going to tell them everything about how he met their mother. So, we have a solid reason for Ted’s long-winded story, and it fits with his general character.

Flash foward scenes have indicated that the Mother is alive in the future, but her absence in the 2030 scenes still worries some fans. It is also worth noting that the kids are kinda being jerks about the story if their mom really is dead. You could at least feign interest in the story of how your dad met your now dead mom, you know? Hopefully their impatience with the story means that all is well in the Mosby household.

I have never given this theory much credence, but the end of ”The Time Travelers” (S8E20) did worry me a bit. Future Ted talks about what he would do if he could actually time travel. If he went to that day, he tells the kids, “you know the thing I’d do first”. We then see what Future Ted is imagining – himself visiting the mother’s apartment 45 days before they were set to meet. He delivers an impassioned speech about how they will meet, fall in love, get married, and have kids. He explains that this is all just 45 days away, but he wants those 45 days. And if he can’t have them, he will take the 45 seconds before her boyfriend (Louis) shows up and punches him in the face. He tells the mother (who remains unseen, of course) “I love you, I’m always going to love you, until the end of my days and beyond.”

Could this be the desperate plea of a man wanting just a sliver more time with his one true love? And why does he need that 45 seconds so badly? This episode was pretty masterfully done, because it really could go several ways.

2013 Ted is so horribly alone and depressed and without hope that Future Ted would end his suffering in a second if he could. Future Ted wishes that 2013 Ted didn’t have to go through those last – presumably painful – 45 days where his friends are happily settling in to the life that he always wanted. 2013 Ted has no girlfriend, no wife, no children, and his very best friends have all that and more.

As someone who is currently single and amidst close friends that have found their destiny, I can relate. It’s pretty much a soul-crushing feeling to look around and see everyone in love, while you’re not even close to the happily ever after you’ve wanted your whole life. If there was a Future Corina that could save me from 45 more lonely days, I would appreciate her making an appearance.

That being said…Ted was really emotional. And crying. Perhaps more than is appropriate for just seeing the 2013 version of your soulmate. It is entirely possible that he is so emotional because he can’t have even 45 more seconds with The Mother in 2030. Perhaps because she is dead? I really hope not.

I actually think that Ted’s speech made it seem more like HE was the dying one. Imagine a scenario where there is a couple, and one of them is dying. Does it seem like the dying person or the healthy person would say ”I love you, I’m always going to love you, until the end of my days and beyond”? To me it seems like something a dying person would say to the one that would survive them. If it were me, and my spouse were dead in the future, I would say something like, “I will always love you, until the end of time and beyond” or “until the end of our days and beyond”. 

So could Future Ted actually be dying/dead? He’s clearly interacting with the kids and at times having small conversations with them, so I think he is still alive as of 2030. I don’t think the kids are just watching a video he made or anything like that. But he might be sick/dying, and sharing his greatest story before his time is up. That could also explain why the kids have attitude. When someone is dying, you don’t usually want to spend all of your time crying and being sad. People often try to act normal for the benefit of the sick person, and for their own sake. So the kids might be giving Ted a hard time because they’re trying to act like nothing is wrong…

I don’t really believe that either of them are dead or dying as of 2030. I think the writers created a poignant episode with the end of the series in mind. Future Ted also imagines going back to his old apartment, holding baby Marv, and visiting with his close friends. These scenes made me cry because they spoke to the series ending. It felt like the beginning of an arc that takes us to the very end. 

There have also been theories about Barney being dead in the future. We haven’t seen him in any flash forward scenes, except for the odd Exploding Meatball Sub scenario. That seems like it could be a false memory, from unreliable narrator Ted. The thing is, Barney actually does have the time, energy, resources, and twisted motivation to pull off an elaborate prank like that. So I take that as proof of Barney being alive in the future. 

WHAT I BELIEVE

As of today, 1/3/13, I think that The Mother is the missed date from the “Milk” episode. I don’t think she is named Tracy or Amber, and the arrival of Ashley Benson makes me suspect that Barney’s sister Carly is not The Mother either. I would enjoy a multitude of connecting threads, so I would personally like it if The Mother was the missed date, and the bass player in the wedding band, and the girl from the St. Patrick’s Day party. I would LOVE feedback on all of this, so please feel free to lawyer me with your questions and comments.

Update as of 1/15/13: I was correct about the Carly Theory (Carly is NOT The Mother), but I didn’t for sure let it go until the episode descriptions and official name of Ashley Benson’s character was confirmed. So I can’t say that I always knew it was wrong :) I was correct about the wedding band theory (The Mother IS the bass player in the wedding band), and I still believe The Mother is also the missed date from “Milk” and/or the bump girl from “No Tomorrows”.

Update as of 5/16/13: I’m still really hoping that The Mother connects to Ted in one of aforementioned ways. I feel like it would add more excitement and importance to the story if she is not just the bass player, and his ex’s old roommate, and the owner of the yellow umbrella, but ALSO is the missed date, or the bump girl, or Hannah or even Tracy. We have months to go before season 9, but it’s pretty fun that these theories can still be in the running for now. 

Showing us that Ted has seen The Mother before meeting her really breathes new life into some of these theories. I think it almost has to be at least one of these women, because otherwise I don’t know if I believe it’s truly the greatest love story ever. All of the umbrella moments and the connection via Cindy aren’t quite enough for me to feel satisfied that this entire saga is the most romantic story ever. But, we have to stay tuned to find out.

Finally, here are some articles that aren’t specifically about The Mother, but they do offer observations about HIMYM that you may not be able to find elsewhere. If anything they may spark your interest to do some sleuthing of your own! I’ve had so much fun writing them, and I hope you enjoy reading them.

• Ted always seems to encounter old ladies during pivotal moments in his relationships
• Color Theory in How I Met Your Mother, with an emphasis on yellow and purple
• All of the How I Met Your Mother Halloween costumes throughout the years
• Mrs. Erikson’s secret 7-layer salad recipe – make it today!
• 5 HIMYM theories that need to be put to rest
• Do bad weddings equal good marriages in the HIMYM world?
• 7 HIMYM mysteries solved in season 7
• 10 signs you’re a HIMYM super-fan
• A compilation of HIMYM music, including the infamous Get Psyched! Mix
• Fat jokes in HIMYM – how they add to and how they degrade the show
• Adding insult to injury with Patrice as Barney’s fake girlfriend
• Upcoming: A detailed breakdown of background items seen in Mosby kid shots
• Upcoming: The significance of The Mother’s taxi having the license plate #2W86D?
• Upcoming: Ted is not a reliable narrator (at all)
• Upcoming: Why I think Patrice + Randy = True Love

I came up with all of this from my own set of notes, compiled by my obsessive watching and rewatching of episodes, but I have to give credit to the HIMYM wiki page for “The Mother” and the Reddit Semi-Definitive “Mother” Checklist. I confirmed quite a bit of information by double checking these sites, and they continue to inspire me to seek out and analyze new theories. There is a ton of information at both sites and they are great refreshers for those that need it!

The image above is his newest take on Wonder Woman – aptly titled “AMAZON”. The image below is an older version of her that I find equally beautiful. This one is called “Wonderbomb” – another apt title! Visit Tim Shumate’s Facebook page or Tim Shumate’s Society6 page to see all of his amazing artwork and products for sale. My favorite print is “Siren” – it’s a gorgeous Disney princess pin-up girl version of Ariel from The Little Mermaid. He has similar versions of most of the other Disney princesses – find them here: Seeking Disney Princess Pinups?

Here is a baby goat to help you celebrate.

Now I will get back to comment responding, post posting, and HIMYM theorizing. I’ve missed you all :)

Confession time – I think I’ve been mad at How I Met Your Mother. It’s silly, right? To be angry with a sitcom? But when I consider my feelings towards the show, I’ve just been burnt out on it. That’s a large part of why I took a summer break. There are still theories aplenty and mini reveals when they’re off-season, but I haven’t been interested. Until now. Simply put – I felt like the show had devolved to a NOT GOOD ENOUGH! point.

I’m not sure what turned the tides and got me back in the HIMYM game. I never intended to ditch the show altogether, of course, but I was struggling with the idea of devoting so much blog time to it. Here are some things that may have brought me back to my HIMYM happy place:

This video from San Diego Comic Con (NSFW unless on mute):

Here it is in gif form in case you don’t feel like watching the whole thing…

Seeing and hearing the kids go off was incredibly refreshing. I appreciate that the writers actually did address many of the concerns that fans have brought up. These also renewed my enthusiasm:

I know some people (many people?) dislike this actress as The Mother, but I love her. Look at these pictures!!! Look at how great they look together!!! She does look like a combination of Lily and Robin, but I’m okay with that. She even looks a little like Ted’s mom, which also works in the context of the show. If this woman is – in terms of personality – a combination of his three favorite women, of course he’s going to love her.

Also, look at these pics of the whole gang. LOVE:

Before I move on to new posts about the show, I have to address my issues with it. Part of my frustration was this business about the entire season existing within the framework of one wedding weekend. I hate that. If any show can pull off flash forwards and flashbacks, though, it’s How I Met Your Mother. After investigating some of the links posted to the HIMYM season 9 spoiler page on Ted-Mosby.com, though, I’m feeling better.

This interview, for example, includes a quote that gives me a fair amount of hope:

Q) Now that we’ve met Cristin, will be seeing more flash-fowards with her this season?

Craig: I think season nine is going to have more flash-forwards than a lot of other seasons. We can’t say how or what they are, but it’s more of a flash-forward season than any before.

Carter: Without giving the context or how it happens, we’re going to get to see happily ever after. We’ll see that and there will be more tears.

-Starry Constellation Magazine interview with Craig Thomas & Carter Bays

I wasn’t really worried about flashbacks; they’ve always done those well on the show. But the flash forwards haven’t been so consistent, and this season is when they will matter the most. Frankly put, I will be pissed if we don’t get to see the development of the relationship between Ted and The Mother. I want to see their happily ever after, and the quote above indicates that we will see just that! Hooray!

My other issue has been the Ted/Robin/Barney love triangle. I’m sick of hearing about Robin and Ted, sick of seeing them almost kiss, sick of Ted thinking he’s in love with her over and over again. I guess it’s realistic, but I find it to be completely boring.

Robin IS a major part of Ted’s life, and a major force in shaping him into the man he is today. But she’s NOT the one that got away, or The One for him at all. Ted has become the annoying friend that doesn’t WANT to get over the wrong person. And Robin is that annoying friend that doesn’t really want a guy, but still sends mixed signals when she’s feeling insecure about her current relationship. I don’t want to hang out with either of those people!

So I did a fair amount of thinking about this ridiculousness, and here’s what I have come up with:

In terms of how Robin relates to Ted…she will always have a special place in his heart, because she’s the one that got him to a point where he was ready to settle down. Regular readers of my blog know that this concept annoys me – Ted met Robin AFTER he announced he was ready to settle down, which he did because Marshall proposed to Lily. The series didn’t start with Robin, and Ted didn’t become ready to commit because of meeting her.

BUT, his friendship, romantic relationship, and subsequent friendship with her DID get him to a point where he’s ready to commit. So in that sense Robin is absolutely essential to his love story with The Mother. That’s not even factoring in her wedding to Barney and the hiring of the wedding band.

The way this story (Ted and The Mother’s story) has played out shows us an important idea – Ted would have met The Mother even if the wedding never happened. I don’t know how it would work, but the universe has been overlapping their lives too many times for them to avoid meeting. The heart of this show is the concept that destiny will bring us love when we’re actually ready for it. There’s a huge element of free will required, of course, but there is an intangible force that brings meaning to otherwise random events.

So if we imagine that the HIMYM universe is real, but with different circumstances wherein Robin and Barney don’t end up together…given all of the near misses, I think it is inevitable that Ted and The Mother meet. Without Robin’s influence in his life, though, Ted might not be the man The Mother wants/needs/is attracted to.

That’s all a REALLY long way of saying that I think Robin’s significance is more related to Ted’s character development than the framework for meeting the mother. When you think of it that way, how in the world could Ted not treasure his friendship with Robin?

I think we will also see (if the show actually shows us enough ahead into the future, which is debatable at this point) how Robin helps Ted to man up and get over his moping and get ready to receive all the joys that life has to offer. I hope so at least.

Obviously a force like Robin could be intimidating to a new girlfriend. It would certainly be difficult for me to be 100% secure that there was nothing between them. At first, at least. I imagine with time I/she would see that he only has eyes for The Mother. But if we look at the group from an outsider’s perspective, think of what The Mother is meeting:

A happily married couple with a baby. (I’m ignoring any potential Italy/NY conflicts because we all know Lily and Marshall will be just fine). They obviously love one another and there doesn’t seem to be any indication of either being a cheater/okay with cheating.

A newly married couple with a non-romantic type of woman (obviously not what Ted is looking for) and a highly charismatic man. If I had just met Barney and Robin, my money would be on him being the cheater. He comes across as the one that is always the settler in his relationship, even though I think he is actually reaching to be with a woman of Robin’s caliber.

Ultimately, a man with two happily married couples for best friends is a good bet for commitment. I would be much more nervous if I met a guy and all of his friends were still single and possibly screwing around. The dynamic of this five person group begs for a sixth that will complete the third couple, don’t you think?

Speaking of the group adding a sixth, here’s the original crew plus one – Missy the goat! Perhaps she’s the one that Ted is truly destined to be with…

Summer has ended and fall TV is finally back, which means the much-anticipated return of Ted Mosby, The Mother, and the whole HIMYM gang. I’ve already covered every teeny tiny detail we know about The Mother, so I won’t go into that here. The guys at Ted-Mosby.com have already covered allll the spoilers available for season 9, so I won’t go into that here either.

Here is what I am looking forward to/thinking is important:

Finding out The Mother’s name. (We’ve waited sooooo long to discover this!)
Does Lily think she stole her phone? (Scene with the two of them on the bus should be interesting)
Will she approach Ted first?

That last point is the one that I’m most interested in. I know we probably won’t see it until the end of the show, but I feel it’s a crucial moment for Ted. He is always pursuing women, even to the point of dating people who are totally wrong for him. He always tries just a little too hard. I get it, because I am kinda similar in the trying too hard manner.

BUT – we see him watching The Mother play bass at the reception. He does not approach her. He sees her, but does not meet her. This is important. Later, at the Farhampton train station, it’s a toss-up as to who approaches who first.

On the one hand, Ted is reading what is presumably The Mother’s favorite book (Love in the Time of Cholera), so that could inspire her to strike up a conversation. On the other hand, she is carrying the infamous yellow umbrella, which Ted will surely recognize. Ted is also sitting on the only bench, so he may approach her just to offer his seat. Either way, it’s a far cry from the days when Ted would immediately pounce on any prospect (and potentially declare his love for her).

I think Ted refraining from hitting on her is an important step in his development. It’s also an important step in how he relates to fate and the universe. Once Ted stops trying to force things, destiny (not the stripper) will bring the one right to him.

Finally, my last major curiousity…is she the Love Solutions missed date? I don’t care what anyone says, I’m hanging on to this theory til the bitter end. Something to ponder – at the end of that episode (Milk), when Ted is in the car with Robin, the song playing is “Mother of Pearl”. The lyrics say “Mother of Pearl, I wouldn’t leave you for another girl”. Now that we know for sure that Robin is not The Mother, perhaps these lyrics speak to the missed date instead. Foreshadowing, perhaps, that one day he will choose her over Robin? I’m not sure. But I am still fascinated by the scenario and I very much hope that the missed date will at least be addressed. As The Mother. I won’t give it up!

We’re officially in the final season of How I Met Your Mother, and I am so far really happy with the direction that the show is taking. It’s not perfect, but these first two episodes gave me more of that old Schmosby hope. Here are my top five predictions for how this last season will unfold…

(Spoilery spoil spoilers ahead)

1. There will be issues when Barney finds out that Robin can’t have kids.

He and Robin have agreed that they don’t want kids, but in episodes past (last season in particular) we saw that Barney has a soft spot for children and babies. Robin is still feeling a little worried about her relationship with Barney, so I think she is really scared this will be that last straw that makes everything fall apart.

I know some people think Barney already knows, but I think that is incorrect. Here’s why:

When they are worried about possibly being cousins, Robin tells Barney it’s not really a big deal even if they are related, because they know they’re not having kids. Barney responds “yeah, and even if we did”, King Joffrey had a brother and sister for parents and he turned out awesome!

He didn’t say “yeah, and even if we COULD”, he said “yeah, and even if we DID”. But there is no possibility of “even if we did”. This could have been a non sequitur Game of Thrones reference and nothing more, but I doubt it.

Think about it – we saw Robin react to the news of her own infertility. Later, we see how Kevin and Ted react. Then we see how Marshall and Lily react in another episode. But we never see how Barney reacts, and he is clearly the most important reaction out of everyone. I don’t think the writers are going to brush this under the rug and say oh yes Barney knows, Robin told him at some point.

I believe it is the season 8 episode “The Fortress” that opens with Robin and Barney in bed. Robin is saying well what about adoption, it’s the only option that makes sense. So we think that they are finally talking about this huge issue, but it turns out they’re just doing a crossword puzzle together. The writers wouldn’t have used this little joke if it didn’t remind us of a bigger, more important issue in the storyline.

2. Ted will take the letter/artwork from Stella’s storage unit.

I feel extra clever for thinking of this! Since the first season, we have seen a particular piece of decor in the background of the scenes with the kids. When Ted was dating Stella, we spotted the exact same thing (it looks like a canvas printed with a handwritten letter, with the words kinda uneven, idk why) in her house. This was originally a way to connect Future Ted and Stella when she was a possibility for The Mother. Once she was ruled out as a prospect, this little connection became an unmentioned thing of the past.

But now we have a possibility of tying up that semi-loose end! Ted will probably see the art in Stella’s storage unit, and take it along with the locket. Maybe Stella said he could take anything that he gave her, or just anything that he saw and liked. The contents of this storage unit are clearly not very important to her. Or, maybe Ted could execute some Aldrin justice and just take something he liked as punishment for Stella being a jerk.

3. Marshall riding in the “Monstrosity” will be crucial to him getting to New York.

I know Marshall hates this type of vehicle, but it does have advantages over normal vehicles. This thing can go off-road and drive over all kinds of crap. It’s a tough car, albeit a gas guzzling monstrosity. With the storm coming up, I think the Hummer will be the only thing capable of travel.

4. James and Tom getting divorced indicates good things for Barney and Robin’s marriage.

The news about James and Tom further confirms my theory that in the world of How I Met Your Mother, bad weddings equal good marriages.

The bad weddings we have seen include Claudia and Stuart’s, Lily and Marshall’s, Virginia’s and Clint’s, and Kelly and Punchy’s. Click on that link to read descriptions of everything that went wrong at each event. Despite all the mishaps, these relationships seem to all be going strong.

The only good wedding (without noticeable drama or setbacks) was that of James and Tom. But now their good wedding has gone, and they are left with a bad marriage that is ending. All of this is relevant because Robin and Barney are supposed to have a really tumultuous wedding weekend. As Ted says, this is “the story of a wedding day that went terribly wrong…” We also know that Lily will tackle at least one more person, Ted hurts his hand, the old people invade the Farhampton Inn, Marshall might not make it (I’m sure he will, but right now it’s not 100%), Barney has employed a ring BEAR, and there’s going to be some crap with the damn locket.

So, I think this bad wedding will equal a wonderful marriage for Barney and Robin. :)

5. I think Ted will propose when he returns to the Farhampton Inn exactly one year later, and that’s where they will make their first baby.

In the flash forward type scene at the end of episode 2, The Mother is not wearing a wedding ring. What could be more romantic than a proposal at the place where it all came together for them? Plus, Ted is totally the type to want to experience all of that romantic couple’s stuff, and possibly rub it in Curtis’ face. The timeline is getting tight in terms of them getting married and conceiving their daughter, so things are going to have to move at a steady pace. If the daughter is born around January 2015 (she’s an infant in spring/summer of 2015 per Trilogy Time), she would have to be conceived around spring/summer of 2014. That would perfectly fit with the night that Ted and The Mother return to Farhampton.

It’s a little unexpected for them to make a baby before they’re married, but I can see this working out fine for the couple. Sometimes it just all comes together like that, you know? After that night, she could discover that she’s pregnant, and then they could have the wedding in the first few months, so she isn’t showing. Heck, I guess they could even get married after the baby is born, although this doesn’t seem like Mosby’s style. Then again, maybe The Mother really wants to be able to drink and let loose at the wedding.

Alternately, they could already be engaged or even married at this point. Maybe the ring is being sized or cleaned or was custom-made and isn’t ready yet. Who knows!

Other miscellaneous thoughts on season 9:

Everyone is still wearing purple like they have been for the last 3 flippin’ seasons. The Mother is also wearing purple! Sometimes it’s a dark, dark purple that borders on black, and sometimes it’s more of a blue purple, but nearly everyone is still in their purple gear. Everyone except Robin, that is. I think Robin in black and white indicates that she is (obviously) not The One for Ted, but it may also reference Barney’s tendency to wear suits. Robin is basically suited up, because she is Barney’s perfect match!

For more details on color theory in HIMYM, check out this article I wrote a while back.

How much do I love that, per tradition, Marshall brought a six-pack of beer back from Minnesota? (In the bottom of the stroller)

Check out this legendary timeline of Ted’s life that I worked on with the guys from Ted-Mosby.com. It’s pretty comprehensive.

Ted giving Robin the framed picture from the opening of the show. Oh, the feels. Ted’s first on-screen words to The Mother being “hey beautiful”, which is the same as the title of the song from the opening of the show. Double feels!

Finally, I freaking love The Mother. I love the chemistry between her and Lily, and I love the chemistry between her and Ted. I love that she is basically a girl version of Ted, except a little cooler. Seriously, I could not be happier with this casting choice!

Bonus – thoughts on each show’s episode title.

Please note that I have not read episode descriptions so if these are right I am a genius, and if they are wrong it’s just because I didn’t read the details yet!

The Locket (the locket was a key plot point of this episode, although we didn’t actually see it)
Coming Back (the end of the show had Ted and The Mother coming back to the Farhampton Inn)
Last Time in New York (plays on the season 2 episode title First Time in New York, and also probably relates to Ted’s last days in New York before his planned move to Chicago)
The Broken Code (The bro code has been broken repeatedly, by Ted, Barney, and Robin. This one should be interesting)
The Poker Game (Let’s hope Barney isn’t playing poker, because we know how he gets when he gambles)
Knight Vision (This relates to a family member that is named something like Knights Templar – I need to research and confirm)
No Questions Asked (Could this be when Barney finds out about Robin’s infertility?)
The Lighthouse (A romantic moment between Lily and Marshall, perhaps?)
Platonish (Likely a new word that Barney makes up to describe a relationship – it sounds appropriate for describing Ted and Robin in the past)
Bass Player Wanted (I’m thinking this will be when Barney or Robin meets The Mother)
Mom and Dad (This could be about Barney and Robin each having their divorced parents in the same place, or it could be a reference to Ted and The Mother as the kid’s mom and dad)
Rehearsal Dinner (I feel like Lily will tackle someone this episode)
Slapsgiving 3 (No need for explanations here…looking forward to the return of the slap – again!)
How Your Mother Met Me (Hooray! Hopefully this is about The Mother possibly crushing on Ted before technically meeting him, based on what she has heard from the group and also her seeing him over the course of the weekend)
Sunrise (I hope this episode is all about new beginnings and hope and happiness)
Daisy (Some think this means The Mother’s name will be Daisy, especially because we have seen several flower names already – Lily, Heather, Buttercup, and Daphne. I think this is too easy of an answer for such a big secret, and the writers wouldn’t reveal this mystery in an episode title. Sooo maybe they name their daughter Daisy instead? idk!)

So what do you think gang? I would love to hear feedback!

This locket situation has been stressing me out whenever I think about the show.

I assume most fans are up to speed, but here is a  summary:

Robin traveled to New York when she was thirteen, and she buried a locket in Central Park. It was her grandma’s locket and for Robin it symbolized hope for marriage, and also a feminine element of herself that her father often overlooked. So, full of youthful idealism and romantic notions, she buries the locket with the intention of returning for it later when she has found The One.

Right before Ted and Stella were to be married, Robin dug up the locket. Lily recalls that Robin put the locket in Ted’s racecar pencil box, and then took it with her to Japan.  At that point, Robin expressed her regrets at Ted being the one that got away. Then she vomited, passed out drunk, and presumably forgot about the whole thing.

Years later, as Robin is preparing for her wedding to Barney, she goes to dig up the locket. She doesn’t remember that she already successfully retrieved it from Central Park. She is not able to find the locket, and she calls Barney for help searching. He can’t help her, so she calls Ted. Robin explains that she needs this locket as a sort of security that she is supposed to be married, and to prove that Barney is the right one for her. 

Okay, just a bit later, Ted tells Lily about the search for the locket. Lily spills about how her and Robin already found the damn thing, and she tells Ted about that drunken evening. Ted realizes that he still has the racecar pencil box! We all think the locket is in there. Ted plans to give it to Robin as the best but obviously most inappropriate wedding gift ever.

But alas, the locket was no longer there. Somehow it ended up mixed in with Stella’s things, bringing the whole idea full circle. Stella says the locket may be in her storage unit, but she (and the storage unit) live in LA. Ted takes a plane to Los Angeles, but we don’t know yet if he manages to retrieve said locket. 

My thoughts on the symbolism of the locket and how things should play out moving forward:

I want Barney to have the locket but it seems like Ted has it. It would be such perfect symbolism for the whole show, and it would help Ted with closure.

When Robin arrives in New York, her heart is buried. It’s hidden away because she doesn’t want to get hurt (can you blame her for having daddy issues?) Then, she digs it up and basically gives it to Ted. When Ted hears the story from Lily, at least, he believes that he has held Robin’s heart all these years.

Him giving the locket to Robin would be wildly inappropriate. Him giving it to Barney could imply (at least in Ted’s mind) that he is passing Robin’s heart along. He maintains control by doing the noble thing, but it still reinforces his idea that he was ultimately meant to be with her.

But, if Barney actually had the locket the whole time (we know he has to have cameras up in the apartment so it’s no stretch to believe that he easily found out about it and took it) then he, not Ted, is the person destined to have Robin’s heart.

Plus when Robin got the locket it was right when Barney was determined to sleep with her again. He could have been planning on using the locket to play on her emotions at the wedding so he could get her in bed. Things didn’t turn out that way though and Barney held on to her heart, giving her his heart in exchange.

If Ted has it he should give it to Lily. If he gives it to Robin he is still trying to make her happy, in a more than platonic way. That could cause major problems (salute, Major Problems!) for the wedding. Robin doesn’t need any distractions or temptations right before her wedding. It will obviously be Ted still trying to win her over, even if he is delusional and doesn’t think that’s the case.

If he gives it to Barney, he is going to piss Barney off with his presumption. Barney will lash out at Ted for trying so hard to please Robin, and for Ted presuming that he can pick a better gift for Robin than her own fiance could. Barney will also be upset with himself for not being there for Robin, and not being clever enough to track it down in advance on his own.

So either way, Ted should not be giving this locket as any sort of gift to the bride or groom. At first I thought Ted could pass the locket back to Robin’s father, but that’s still too much of Ted’s involvement with Robin’s symbolic heart. That’s why I think he should give it to Lily. She can give it to Robin as a way of confirming that marrying Barney is the right decision. She can give it to Barney, who will accept it without feeling threatened because Lily isn’t trying to steal Robin away. (Granted, Lily is semi-actively attempting to sleep with Robin throughout the entire series, but she isn’t in love with Robin the way Ted was/is.) Lily giving the locket to Barney would be the best gift she could actually give Robin, because Robin receiving the locket from Barney will assuage so many of her fears. 

With all that in mind, I still hope Barney already snagged the locket. I’m glad Ted is going to Stella’s storage unit, though, because I want him to grab that piece of artwork. (Click here for more details on that).

Just when I think I’ve got the timeline all sorted out, those sneaky jerks at How I Met Your Mother throw me a curve ball. I know that right now you’re thinking, Corina, we already know this! In the season 8 episode “Band or DJ?”,  Ted told us the wedding was on May 25th, 2013. 

You’re right, he did say that. It was a definitive date and it made for exciting news in the world of HIMYM. Finally, we knew when Ted was to meet The Mother! This wasn’t an issue at all until season 9 popped up and suddenly that date did not make sense.

Season 9 opens on Friday at 10 am, with 56 hours to go before the wedding. That means the wedding is scheduled for Sunday, May 26th, at 6 pm. How can this be, when Ted specifically told us that the wedding is on May 25th?!

After rewatching “Band or DJ?”, I’m thinking this isn’t quite as big of a deal as it seemed. I originally thought it was Future Ted that told us about the May 25th, 2013 wedding date. In a way it was (in a way the whole show is Future Ted telling us stuff, right?) but it came from present Ted’s mouth. Ted says that the wedding is planned for that date when he tells Lily about the church, the reception, etc. This isn’t the same as Future Ted clearly remembering the night that he met his soul mate. 

So, at this point it is simply that the wedding was scheduled for the 25th, and at some point between 4 months and 1 week prior, it changes to the scheduled date of the 26th. I hope they address this change in the show this season, but they might skip over it. Thoughts, anyone?

Theory 1: The show made a mistake. Future Ted should have said May 26th, or else they got confused when they created season 9, and accidentally scheduled the wedding for a day later than they originally planned. 

This is what I thought at first, but after some consideration I don’t buy it. The show is too careful for this big of a mistake. Yes, there have been plenty of discrepancies. But those are about little things, like whether Marshall had ever been in a fight or whether Lily and Marshall actually shared a toothbrush. These aren’t big discrepancies about such an important moment. Plus, this entire season is based on this one weekend. It’s not like they would have just screwed up one episode with this mistake. It would literally screw up the timing of the entire season. I just can’t see that level of ineptitude at work here.

Theory 2: Future Ted screwed up the date in his telling of the story. I suppose this could be resolved by him telling the kids, whoops, it was actually the 26th! Or maybe The Mother comes in and corrects him. Here’s the rub with this theory – do we really think that Ted, of all people, would forget the date that he met his one true love? This is Ted Mosby we’re talking about! Ted probably celebrates this date every single year and gives The Mother a lilac. They might go to the same Farhampton Inn every year and not just in 2014. Ted is just not the type to mess up that type of romantic detail.

Theory 3: The wedding is scheduled for Sunday, May 26th, but it actually happens on Saturday, May 25th. I know it’s weird for a wedding to happen a day early. A day late, sure, that’s easy to believe. But a day early is pretty odd. That being said, this isn’t the real world. Even if it were, I’m sure there are real world instances of weddings happening a day earlier than planned. Also, we know (per Ted, so take it with a grain of salt at this point) that this wedding goes horribly wrong. So it is possible that, in the course of going horribly wrong, the wedding has to be moved up a day.

Possible reasons for a changed wedding date:

• Preacher shows up a day early and isn’t available the next day
• Another wedding ending up being scheduled for Sunday (hotel error)
• Barney & Robin realize the 26th is associated with something bad, or the 25th with something good, which makes them reconsider when they want their anniversary to be
• They have weddings on both days, so everyone can be involved (think a Marshall and Lily scenario of having the wedding they actually wanted and then the big wedding they had planned)
• Someone is about to die?
• Someone important has to leave early

These actually make plenty of sense. The most logical idea is that Ted has to leave Saturday night instead of Sunday. His interview is scheduled in Chicago, but Monday the 27th is/was Memorial Day, so perhaps that holiday screws with the timing. Maybe Ted got a ticket for the wrong day and couldn’t exchange it. Maybe it doesn’t have to do with Ted at all, who knows. 

The other benefit of this date change would be a wedding that is more mid-season than end of season. All of season 9 is set within this one weekend, so a wedding one day early would likely mean a wedding several episodes early. I like this idea, because it gives us more time to see everyone in the aftermath of all the big changes.

There are complications with these ideas, though. Having the wedding a day early gives Marshall 24 fewer hours of travel time to get there. It would make more sense to have it delayed a day because Marshall couldn’t make it. But, that doesn’t seem to be the case. Also, this depends on all of the guests, members of the wedding party, etc all being there and available a day earlier. It does seem like Barney and Robin have invited everyone to join them for the entire wedding weekend, though, so this might not be a problem.

Since Ted meets The Mother at the Farhampton train station, after the wedding, it seems that Ted’s train ticket was for the 25th. But why? Here’s where it gets really interesting for me: I think Ted thought he got a ticket for the 26th, but he got it for the 25th because deep inside he doesn’t want to be there on that day. Ted is doing everything he can, consciously and subconsciously, to avoid everything about Barney and Robin being married.

It’s just like when he checked “no date” on the RSVP card for Stuart and Claudia’s wedding. If you think back to that episode, who is the one that called Ted on that mistake and said it was because inside, deep down, he wanted to be single? Barney. It all comes together!

Now that your mind is blown, here is a lovely wedding picture of Barney and Robin to make you smile. The Examiner.com site credits this photo to Warner Bros for CBS:

It’s the return of Marshpillow! They rebuilt him…they had the technology…now he’s Marshpillow version 2.0.

I’m guest writing at Ted-Mosby.com for the next week or so, and last night I did a review of S9E4 “The Broken Code” for them. Quick summary – I thought this episode was alright, but I wish there The Mother was more of a presence. Marshall is solid, Barney and Ted’s mishaps were a bit meh, but we had some character growth. Everything reminded me of Love, Actually.

For a real in depth review, mosey on over to the season 9, episode 4 “The Broken Code” discussion at Ted-Mosby.com.

Welcome to another post where I collect random HIMYM knowledge and present it to you in a fun-filled, easy to read format! I thought it would be interesting to compile all of the family info we have for each main player in the world of How I Met Your Mother. I had some trouble presenting it in traditional family tree format, because the show isn’t often clear on the specifics. Let’s see what we’ve got! (Pics to come later – there’s a whole lot of people to account for)

Lily Aldrin

Grandparents:

• Grandpa – Morris Aldrin (Paternal) (S5E9 “Slapsgiving 2: Revenge of the Slap”)
• Grandma – Rita Aldrin (Paternal) (S5E9 “Slapsgiving 2: Revenge of the Slap”)
• Grandma – Lois (Maternal) (S2E19 “Bachelor Party”)

Parents:

• Father – Mickey Aldrin (S5E9 “Slapsgiving 2: Revenge of the Slap”)
• Mother – Janice (S2E19 “Bachelor Party”)

Aunts & Uncles:

• Aunt – Florence (S2E19 “Bachelor Party”)

Cousins:

• Margaret (S2E19 “Bachelor Party”)

Spouse:

• Husband – Marshall Eriksen (S1E1 “Pilot”)

Children:

• Son – Marvin Waitforit Eriksen (S6E24 “Challenge Accepted” we find out Lily is pregnant, baby makes first on-screen appearance in S7E23 “The Magician’s Code, Part One”

Doppelgangers:

• Stripper Lily (S5E2 “Double Date”)
• Millie – college student that Ted vents to when he is living on campus (S7E19 “The Broath”)

Marshall Eriksen

Grandparents:

• Olaf Eriksen (deceased) (S4E17 “The Front Porch”)
• Grandma Gunderson (S7E12 “Symphony of Illumination)

Parents:

• Father – Marvin Eriksen (deceased) (S1E9 “Belly Full of Turkey”)
• Mother – Judy Eriksen (S1E9 “Belly Full of Turkey”)

Siblings:

• Brother – Marvin Eriksen Jr. (S1E9 “Belly Full of Turkey”)
• Sister in law – Ashley Eriksen (S1E9 “Belly Full of Turkey”)
• Brother – Marcus Erkisen (S1E9 “Belly Full of Turkey”)
• Sister in law – Sarah Eriksen (S1E9 “Belly Full of Turkey”)

Nieces & Nephews:

• Martin Eriksen (this child may actually be named Marvin Eriksen the 3rd) (son of Marvin Eriksen Jr & Ashley Eriksen) (S1E9 “Belly Full of Turkey”)
• Unnamed (2nd child of Marvin Eriksen Jr & Ashley Eriksen) (S1E9 “Belly Full of Turkey”)
• Marcus Eriksen Jr (son of Marcus Eriksen & Sarah Eriksen) (S8E4 “Who Wants to be a Godparent?”)
• Martin Eriksen (son of Marcus Eriksen & Sarah Eriksen) (S8E4 “Who Wants to be a Godparent?”)

Aunts & Uncles:

• Uncle – Unnamed, owns a pretty successful bait shop (S3E6 “I’m Not That Guy”)
• Uncle – Heinrick (S5E9 “Slapsgiving 2: Revenge of the Slap”)
• Uncle – Linus (S3E17 “The Goat”

Spouse:

• Wife – Lily Aldrin (S1E1 “Pilot”)

Children:

• Son – Marvin Waitforit Eriksen (S6E24 “Challenge Accepted” we find out Lily is pregnant, baby makes first on-screen appearance in S7E23 “The Magician’s Code, Part One”

Doppelgangers:

• Mustache Marshall (S5E2 “Double Date”)
• Unattractive woman in group that Barney uses to demonstrate “The Cheerleader Effect” (S4E7 “Not a Father’s Day”)
• Unattractive man in Barney’s “Not a Father’s Day” club (S4E7 “Not a Father’s Day”)
• Martin – college student that Ted vents to when he is living on campus (S7E19 “The Broath”)

Ted Mosby

Parents:

• Father – Alfred Mosby (S2E3 “Brunch”)
• Mother – Virginia (S2E3 “Brunch”)
• Stepfather – Clint (S2E11 “How Lily Stole Christmas”)

Siblings:

• Sister – Heather Mosby (S4E11 “Little Minnesota”)

Aunts & Uncles:

• Aunt – Caroline (?)
• Aunt – Meredith  (S5E20 “Homewreckers”)
• Uncle – Larry (S5E20 “Homewreckers”)
• Unnamed aunt & uncle that own a beach house in Montauk (S2E1 “Where Were We?”)

Cousins:

• Bonzo (S1E20 “Best Prom Ever”)
• Jimmy (S2E3 “Brunch”)
• Stacy (S2E11 “How Lily Stole Christmas”)
• Stacy’s 7 children, including an eldest daughter named Charity (S2E11 “How Lily Stole Christmas”)

Spouse:

• Wife – Unnamed, “The Mother” (1st mentioned in S1E1 “Pilot”, 1st glimpse of ankle/foot in S5E12 “Girls Versus Suits”, 2nd glimpse of body, no face in S8E1 “Farhampton”, 1st on-screen appearance in S8E24 “Something New”)

Children:

• Son – Unnamed (S1E1 “Pilot”)
• Daughter – Unnamed (S1E1 “Pilot”)

Doppelgangers:

• Mexican Wrestler Ted (S5E22 “Robots Versus Wrestlers”)
• Ned – college student that Ted vents to when he is living on campus (S7E19 “The Broath”)

Robin Scherbatsky

Grandparents:

• Great grandma – Elizabeth (S9E3 “Last Time in New York”)
• Great grandpa – Unnamed, married to Elizabeth for 60 years (S9E3 “Last Time in New York”)
• Grandma – Unnamed (S9E1 “The Locket”)

Parents:

• Father – Robin Charles Scherbatsky, Sr (S4E6 “Happily Ever After”)
• Mother – Unnamed (S4E6 “Happily Ever After”)
• Stepmother – Carol (S8E13 “Band or DJ?”)

Siblings:

• Katie Scherbatsky (S2E12 “First Time in New York”)

Nieces & Nephews:

• Nieces – At least 2 unnamed nieces that will be flower girls in the wedding (S9E1 “The Locket”)

Aunts & Uncles:

• Aunt – Unnamed lesbian that takes Robin’s dogs (S2E16 “Stuff”)
• Aunt – Betty, partner to unnamed lesbian aunt (note – may be same person as Maureen) (S2E16 “Stuff”)
• Aunt – Maureen, partner to unnamed lesbian aunt (note – may be same person as Betty) (S8E5 “The Autumn of Breakups”)
• Uncle – Unnamed, schizophrenic but has perfect version and good teeth (S2E3 “Brunch”)
• Uncle – Unnamed, blew his thumbs off due to improper gun cleaning & maintenance (S5E3 “Robin 101″)
• Uncle – Cecil (deceased) (note – Barney has a deceased cousin Cecil) (S5E18 “Say Cheese”)
• Uncle – Frank (S9E1 “The Locket”)

Possible Aunts & Uncles (related to Robin &/or Barney)

• Aunt – Shelly (braless dance machine) (S9E1 “The Locket”)
• Uncle – Jacques (brings own accordian) (S9E1 “The Locket”)
• Uncle – Vic (casual racist) (S9E1 “The Locket”)

Cousins:

• Mitch (adopted) (note – same person as Barney’s cousin Mitch) (S9E1 “The Locket”)
• Ruth (S9E1 “The Locket”)
• Vince (S9E1 “The Locket”)

Spouse:

• Husband – Barney Stinson (S1E1 “Pilot”)

Doppelganger:

• Lesbian Robin (S5E2 “Double Date”)

Barney Stinson

Grandparents:

• Nana – Unnamed (deceased) (S6E9 “Glitter”)
• Papa Sid (S9E3 “Last Time in New York”)

Parents: 

• Mother – Loretta Stinson (S2E10 “Single Stamina”)
• Father – Jerome Whittaker (S6E19 “Legendaddy”)
• Stepmother – Cheryl Whittaker (S6E19 “Legendaddy”)
• Almost a Father – Sam Gibbs, father to Barney’s half-brother James (S6E2 “Cleaning House”)
• Not ever really his Father – Bob Barker, who Loretta claimed was his father (S2E20 “Showdown”)

Siblings:

• Brother – James Stinson (half-brother, maternal) (S2E10 “Single Stamina”)
• Brother in law – Tom, husband to James (soon to be divorced) (S2E10 “Single Stamina”)
• Brother – Jerome “J.J.” Whittaker Jr (half-brother, paternal) (S6E19 “Legendaddy”)
• Sister – Carly Whittaker (half-sister, paternal) (1st mentioned in S6E19 “Legendaddy”, 1st seen in S8E14 “Ring Up!”)

Nieces & Nephews:

• Nephew – Eli (son of James & Tom) (S2E10 “Single Stamina”)
• Niece – Sadie (daughter of James & Tom) (S7E11 “The Rebound Girl”)

Aunts & Uncles:

• Aunt – Muriel (S9E3 “Last Time in New York”)
• Uncle – Jerry (Barney thought he had an Uncle Jerry but that was actually his father Jerome) (S6E8 “Natural History”)

Possible Aunts & Uncles (related to Robin &/or Barney)

• Aunt – Shelly (braless dance machine) (S9E1 “The Locket”)
• Uncle – Jacques (brings own accordian) (S9E1 “The Locket”)
• Uncle – Vic (casual racist) (S9E1 “The Locket”)

Cousins:

• Leslie (maternal) (S1E5 “Okay Awesome”)
• Pete (S9E1 “The Locket”)
• Cecil (deceased) (note – Robin has a deceased uncle Cecil) (S9E1 “The Locket”)
• Renee (2nd cousin, paternal) (S9E1 “The Locket”)
• Mitch (note – same person as Robin’s adopted cousin Mitch) (S9E1 “The Locket”)

Fake Family:

• “Wife” – Margaret/Betty (S4E15 “The Stinsons”)
• “Son” – Grant/Tyler (S4E15 “The Stinsons”)

“Ancestors”:

• Broses, Biblical era bro that was the first to receive the 10 Brommandments from God – the first of which was, appropriately, bros before ho’s. (S9E4 “The Broken Code”)
• Julius Caeser, Broman Empire bro that contributed to the Bro Code, made Brotus sign a Broath, and also invented a salad. (S7E19 “The Broath”)
• Christopher Brolumbus, responsible for bringing the Bro Code to the new world of America. (S9E4 “The Broken Code”)
• Barnabus Stinson, Revolutionary War era bro responsible for writing the Bro Code on the back of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. (S3E17 “The Goat”)
• Barnovski & Jamesekoff Stinson, cursed to eternally be “hornier”, per a gypsy woman they ran over in Moscow, 1807. (S9E2 “Coming Back”)

Spouse:

• Wife – Robin Scherbatsky (S1E1 “Pilot”)

Doppelganger:

• Gynecologist Barney (Dr. John Stangel) (S6E13 “Bad News”)

The Mother

Spouse:

• Husband – Ted Mosby (S1E1 “Pilot”)

Children:

• Son – Unnamed (S1E1 “Pilot”)
• Daughter – Unnamed (S1E1 “Pilot”)