I’ve spent all summer looking into how different shows deal with their MacGuffins. Some shows choose to have each season deal with a unique mystery, other shows have one huge mystery that spans the entire run of the program. Then there are shows like Lost that seem to introduce a new MacGuffin in every episode, or a show like Alias, that I thought mismanaged their mysteries to the point of ruining the show.
To end this series of articles, I decided to look at one show that uses a MacGuffin that I think is completely unnecessary: How I Met Your Mother.
Maybe I’m alone in this opinion, but I really don’t care about the big mother mystery in HIMYM. I think the show stands on its own without this gimmicky mystery. It seems like there is a lot of attention given to the mystery of the mother, with speculation and clue searches. Obviously, being a huge Lost fan, I normally love this type of thing, but on a sitcom, I just can’t get excited.
Perhaps if the show weren’t funny on its own, then a gimmick such as this would keep me watching. It’s a testament to the quality of the writing on the show, that I barely ever think about the mother. Usually, I’m too busy laughing at slap bets, Barney’s antics, Robin Sparkles, Canada jokes, or the shear cuteness of Marshall and Lily.
If it’s doing anything, I think the mystery might be starting to frustrate some viewers, which is the last thing that you want to do as a show runner. I talk to some people and they are downright fed up with being teased about the identity of the mother. I think the lesson here is that not every show needs a MacGuffin. Especially with sitcoms, there really doesn’t need to be a mystery to drive the action of the show.
What do you think? Am I completely alone on this one? Are you enjoying the mystery on the sitcom?
Clacked by Bob Degon
on Aug 31, 2009 @ 11:00 EST5EDT
I think that having an overarching idea like “how I met your mother” is an interesting spin … the mistake is that the show has been built around a retelling of said story.
Because, like you said, most episodes have nothing to do with it, many people are getting frustrated by what was really only a gimmick to get you to watch in the first place. Now that people have come, let’s have Ted’s kids get up off of the couch, and continue the show without the constant referencing back to the mother.
Thanks for the series, Bob! I still couldn’t define a show-specific MacGuffin if pressed, but I’ve enjoyed them. :)
Thanks Aryeh. I will fully admit to taking liberties with the word (because it’s a fun word and I wanted to use it), which I’m sure didn’t help.
well i highly doubt they don’t introduce/meet/start dating the mother this season (preferably mid season)
At this point I would just settle for no more fake-outs like we had with Stella.
I agree, the one fake-out was enough. My only fear with the whole premise of meeting the mother is that we will get to see very little of her. Basically, I’m hoping the show goes beyond meeting the mother. Not that thats what I’m watching for, but if there’s been this build-up and the show ends with his meeting her, I’d be irratated.
Yeah, other than the title, and the frame story, I think the show stands on its own without the ‘Mother’ story.
I don’t care if we ever met her (Well, actually, I do, just because Ted is such a dope single, and he’s a moderately less dope when seeing someone. And yes, I realize that if you were to apply this show to my friends, I would be Ted).
Aw come on man don’t compare yourself to Ted. You can’t be that much of a Dope.
I’ll go you one further. My theory is that TED is the MacGuffin of this show.
He exists only as a way of bringing Barney, Marshall, Lily, and Robin together for funny situations. These characters never would have gotten together otherwise – we needed Ted for that to happen. But Ted himself is boring.
A bit of a Catch-22 in my case. The conceit was what attracted me to the show in the first place and kept me watching in the early years. Now that I’m not enjoying the show very much, I just want the mystery to be over so I can drop it without feeling my investment was wasted.
I don’t by any means think the whole “mother” concept is necessary for the show. It would be a good show with or without it. But I think it adds a nice element to the show. I don’t particularly care, or find it frustrating when they ignore the plot device, or try to fake us out. To me, it’s just there. When they use it, I laugh and I go “Oh, right!” and it makes me think a little. I like how it brings certain connections together. But overall, I forget about it half the time and just enjoy the show regardless.
So yes, it is unnecessary. But I still think it’s fun, and like that it’s there.