(no subject)

[brokenrecord]

So yesterday was the first day in over a week where I didn't actually watch any episodes of Doctor Who or Torchwood! But not because I was actually being productive or focusing on schoolwork (like I should have been); instead, I used the time to catch up on the stuff I got behind on in the past week from watching all this Doctor Who and Torchwood. I only have thoughts on one thing I watched last night, though:


The Mayor is Ted's stepfather! I find this so amusing.

I kind of love Ted in this episode. "I went to my favorite real estate property website - come on, we all have one." AND HE BOUGHT A HOUSE. I love how ridiculous Ted is sometimes. I also totally knew he would end up keeping the house and it would turn out to be the house he's telling this story to his kids in.

Still nothing between Barney and Robin. And I was hoping Barney crying at the wedding would be because he missed Robin or something, I don't even know, but then it was just because he's into Ted's mom (which is hilarious and makes sense, but I was hoping for more than the usual we get). I'm finding myself missing last season so much. I loved the development of Barney's character so much through season 3 and 4, and I hate that it's all just seemed to disappear, other than that very VERY little we saw in the episode where they actually addressed Robin being upset about the break-up. sigh. And I don't know if my bitterness about how Barney/Robin is being handled is tarnishing my view of the rest of the show, or if the show just hasn't been as interesting and funny this season. I'm thinking it's the latter, really. I enjoy the episodes as I watch them, but then they're over and I forget about them. I have really no urge to watch any episode from this season other than maybe the premiere and another early episode from before Barney and Robin's break-up. They were already trending away from longer arcs to standalone episodes last season, and I hate that it's even worse this season. I miss loving this show like I used to.


Outside of TV-watching, here are some random things going on in my life right now:

I've mentioned a couple times this 5-10 page social psych research proposal due Friday, and I keep putting it off because I'm like "Whatever, it's 5 pages, no big deal, I can do this easily." Except now I'm actually trying to start it, and I just can't. ugh. It's only 10 points! I have a 100% in this class! As long as I turn in something that remotely fits the guidelines, I should get at least a 6-8 on it, right? So I really should just bite the bullet and get it done.

Have I mentioned that the Minnesota Undergraduate Psychology Conference is on Saturday and I'm getting super nervous about it? I don't have to present or anything, but I do have to stand by my poster about my research project from last semester for like an hour and talk about it and answer questions. And besides the fact that I haven't really thought about the project at all since early December, one thing I do remember is that I found nothing in my results. My poster looks super, super boring, though, and the subject isn't like... incredibly fascinating or attention-grabbing, so I'm hoping no one really comes by and I don't have to talk too much. ugh it's going to be awful. And I have too much stuff I should do this weekend to also have this to think about.

I have this bus pass thing with stored money on it, which I got last semester, and it has $44 on it and I only paid $22 and I use it whenever I go grocery shopping, which is every Tuesday. But today I was waiting for the bus and was looking for it in my wallet, and I couldn't find it anywhere. I'm pretty sure I left it in the pocket of my jeans last week when I went, and then when I did laundry on Friday, it got destroyed. ugh. I'm totally kicking myself for that. At least I only had like $9 left on it. But still, I was hoping to be able to get through the rest of the semester on what I had left, and now I have to get a new one. blah.

I can't believe how little time there is left in the semester. I have this week, next week, 2 days of classes, 1 day off, and then 1 final. And then I'm done with the semester. And then I'm a senior. Weird. Also, how is it April 20th? Like, I swear 5 seconds ago I was surprised because it was April 15th and it felt more like April 4th, but now it's not even April 15th anymore! What is happening here?! April is just flying by.

Comments

[voleusedenuit.livejournal.com]

I completely agree with your comment about Barney/Robin this season. I'm quite disappointed in the way they handle their relationship and the fallout of it. I keep looking for little hints from Barney or Robin that they miss the other or that the relationship isn't completely dead but there's nothing. Barney is once again not evolving as a character and Robin's relationship with Don "is getting serious" off screen. I also miss loving and looking forward to the show as much as I used to.

[http://users.livejournal.com/brokenrecord__/]

I feel like every single time I've talked about this show since they broke up, that's been my comment. I liked the one episode where they actually showed Robin was affected by the break-up and hurt when Barney would go on about sleeping with other women, but even so, how have we not seen anything from Barney being hurt by it at all? Because he was in love with her for over a year and I can't believe it wouldn't bother him at all that like Robin's getting serious with Don or anything. I feel like it's not just Barney not evolving, but none of the characters are. They're all basically where they were at the start of season 3. And I was really excited about this season, too, after the premiere, because I thought it seemed like they had a good handle on Barney and Robin's relationship, and it wasn't just going to be them trying to conform to what others' ideas of what a relationship should be. It sucks being disappointed in this show, because I really adore all the previous seasons so much.

[voleusedenuit.livejournal.com]

I completely agree. I think between the lack of character development this season and also the fact they have barely addressed how their break-up affected Barney and Robin (aside from that one episode) it what has made this season really lacking. I can't believe either that Barney isn't at the very least somewhat affected by Robin and Don getting serious. Also, I think it sucks that the only way we found out about them getting serious was through Ted's rant. When was the last time we even saw them together? 4 episodes ago or something? This season and the first few episodes started off so strong and so well written for Barney/Robin that the quick downfall and way the writers has lead the story has lead me to almost regret that they ever hooked them up. I miss the awesome Barney/Robin duo of past seasons with their laser tag, whiskey drinking, sarcastic jabbing friendship. That being gone has taking a lot out of the show and has reduced Robin to the background most of the time and Barney to the stunted man-child goofball.

Yeah it really sucks not being able to look as forward to HIMYM as before. I also keep hoping and looking for small hints that Barney/Robin has a hope of being rekindle but I think my shipper heart won't get the ending it wants.

[http://users.livejournal.com/brokenrecord__/]

Yeah, exactly. I think last season they started trending to more standalone episodes than arcs, but even last season there were better arcs than this season, which there are like none. And that's one of the parts of HIMYM I've always loved (and one reason shows like The Big Bang Theory can sometimes annoy me, because it's like there's a reset button pressed at the end of every episode), and it's just not been as present this season.

It does suck that we only found out Don and Robin have been getting serious through that! I mean, I feel like we've seen nothing of them. He showed up and she didn't really like him and Marshall decided she was into him or something, and then he was maybe in one or two other episodes, but there's been nothing at all that's seemed serious between them.

Yeah, same, I keep hoping there is some grand plan that will all work out wonderfully and get Robin and Barney back together and have it be awesome, but I'm very doubtful.

[voleusedenuit.livejournal.com]

Agreed. This season feels like a bunch big stand alone episodes strung up together. Even the arcs they have going for this specific season: Barney and Robin's break and now Robin getting serious with Don have barely made any screen time and honestly it's hard to call them an arc when the writers don't seem to be acknowledging it.

Yes! And now we're supposed to be all on board with Robin/Don and be OK with the fact that this might be the guy she ends up with? Maybe if he had more screen time where he's nice instead of the douchy guy from the beginning of the season, it would be possible but right now Don feels like some total stranger Robin is dating and not the guy she is getting serious with.

Yeah me too. Denial is a nice place, isn't it. lol

[http://users.livejournal.com/brokenrecord__/]

Yeah, that's true, all the arcs seem to be appearing off-screen. Even stuff like Ted being a professor we don't see incredibly often. It's like anything that could be relevant and carry over for more than one episode they just ignore or it happens off-screen.

Yeah, I feel like I have no idea what Don's even like besides being a douche at the beginning. I just can't even imagine them being in a serious relationship. I can't picture Robin with Don at all, especially in a serious way.

[voleusedenuit.livejournal.com]

See I had forgotten that Ted was a professor! I think if the writers hope for us Barney/Robin shippers to even get the slightest bit on board Robin/Don, he needs to be on-screen more often. I can't imagine or believe that they are in a serious relationship because not only do I not care about Don but I keep forgetting he even exist. I care way more about Wendy the waitress or Brad then I do him. The writers just really need to start showing us more on-screen this kind of stuff.

[http://users.livejournal.com/brokenrecord__/]

I know! I mean, there have been a couple episodes focusing on him being a professor, but they all occurred pretty early in the season, and you would think they would be able to get a lot of humor and storylines out of that fact.

Yeah, I remember after his first or second episode (whenever it was that Robin showed some sort of interest in him and I think Marshall was going on that she would end up marrying him) they didn't mention him at all for awhile and I was like "...so, they're not continuing with this storyline, then?" But then he popped up all of a sudden, and then again nothing about him, and then all of a sudden they're serious! I really hope that the writers are not trying to get us to like them, because if they are, they are failing miserably. If it's all just some device to show Barney and/or Robin how much better they are together or how much more they care about each other than Robin feels about Don, then ok, but if we're supposed to see them as a legitimate relationship, then they are not doing a good job.

[voleusedenuit.livejournal.com]

Exactly! They randomly mention him, he pops up but disappears and then they brought Don back out of nowhere to go on that best date ever with Robin and now they are in a serious relationship and I'm left confused and thinking WTF just happened?? I agree that if Don is just a big set up for a Barney/Robin reunion then I'm ok with how little we know and see of him but if he's supposed to stick around for the long haul on the series and we're supposed to care about him, the writers are failing miserably.