Anyone with a TV, a pair of eyes and a half functioning sense of
humour can admit that the newest generation of sitcoms just don't cut
the mustard. There have been a slew of casualties in the traditional
sitcom market (the Friends spin-off, Joey, was a disaster) making way for a new breed of sitcom in 'the unscripted' comedies like Curb Your Enthusiasm and Arrested Development. But these shows just don't rate, and no offence to Charlie Sheen, but there's something lacking when Two and a Half Men
is the number one sitcom in the U.S. Thankfully all is not lost, with a
beacon of light shining across the television landscape in How I Met Your Mother.
I
must admit, I didn't really get into this upon it's first screening on
the box. I don't think I was really ready to embrace a new sitcom and
characters so soon. However, time has allowed me to get back into it.
And along with The New Adventures Of Old Christine and My Name Is Earl, HIMYM has firmly cemented it's place as part of my regular TV viewing.
The
series is, cleverly, a love story in reverse. It follows Ted (Josh
Radnor, a spitting image of Jimmy Fallon and Jonathon Silverman) and
how he fell in love. Told through a series of flashbacks (the narrator
is none other than Full House dad Bob Saget), Ted recalls his single days, the highs and lows of dating and the search for true love. The series takes off after Ted's best friends Marshall (Jason Segel)
and Lilly (Alyson Hannigan) decide to tie the knot it, sparking the
search for his own Miss Right. Helping him in his quest is his
bar-hopping "wing-man" Barney (Neil Patrick Harris), a confirmed
bachelor with plenty of wild schemes for picking up women (the game
"Haaaaave You Met Ted?" is a favourite). Ted's sites are set on the
charming and independent Robin (Cobie Smulders), but destiny may have
something different in mind.
The real strength of this series is it's cast. Much like Friends,
and unlike most other sitcoms, the chemistry between the actors is
fantastic and very real. Alyson Hannigan (best known for her roles in Buffy and American Pie) is adorable with Segal (who shot into the limelight on the under rated series Freak & Geeks)
especially in a episode in which the two are stuck in a bathroom and
must conquer their worst fear - having to pee in front of each other
(the final frontier in a relationship), while former Doogie Howser
- Neil Patrick Harris - is hilarious as the "Leg-en-dary" womanising
Barney (although it just seems to be an extension of the hilarious
cameo he made in Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle).
The
unique use of flashbacks, flash forwards and multi-layered narratives
also gives the show an extra quirky edge (common place in the likes of Scrubs but unheard of in conventional sitcoms). At it's best, HIMYM is reminiscent of the early (and good) series' of Friends - with Ted's on/off love affair with Robin the Ross & Rachael love story of the new millennium.
I don't think I could stand watching a normal sitcom back to back on DVD (needless to see I won't be forking out cash for King of Queens any time soon), but HIMYM
has a great sense of character development, drama, clever narrative -
and most importantly - it's funny. Whether the writers can hold up the
consistency in future series is irrelevant - as this debut season is as
near perfect as you will find for a television sitcom.
Suit Up!
DVD
Extras Over
three discs there are all 22 episodes from the first season as well as
a good dose of Audio commentaries with the cast (who seem to have a
great chemistry off screen as well as on). There are a few blooper
clips and musical featurettes and a very clever sequence which edits
all the uses of 'Hi-Fives' together. Conclusion:
Movie 80% Extras: 60% 
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