How I Met Your Mother
WhileHow I Met YourMother’ssaddest Christmas episode features a grievous eddy , the sitcom handles the Revelation of Saint John the Divine with aid and makes the outing a seasonal standout . Christmas is meant to be a fourth dimension of good cheer , and while that might not be true for everyone , it is undoubtedly true in most sitcoms . Sitcom holiday specials have traditionally been infamous for their corny vacation special , which were so cloying that some contemporary clowning have rig darker report during the holiday season only to annul this tired trope .
For instance , whileHow I Met Your Mother’searliest Christmas episodeis full of the fondling and lesson - learning that attend - out sitcoms often indulge in during vacation specials , the outing still take aim a risk . The episode ’s taradiddle centers around Ted calling Lily an incredibly queasy vulgarism behind her back , a gag that added a bit of boundary to the otherwise sweet-smelling legal proceeding . afterwards , the bestHow I Met Your MotherChristmas sequence double over down on this approach , setting one of the show ’s sad stories during the holiday time of year and tactfully handling a sensitive subject .
Related : How I Met Your Father Season 2 Must Avoid A HIMYM Flaw
“Symphony Of Illusion” Is HIMYM’s Best Christmas Episode (& It’s Saddest)
InHow I Met Your Mother season 7 , instalment 12 , " Symphony of Illumination , " Robin ’s unfitness to bear biological children is handled with grace despite the lowering subject matter . While the show ’s spinoffHow I Met Your Father’sbigger castmeans the series can tell more ambitious stories , the intimacy ofHow I Met Your Mother’sstorytelling shines through in this episode as Robin takes over from Ted as the show ’s narrator . Initially , Robin is telling the narrative of " Symphony of Illumination " to her offscreen children like Ted does , but the episode ’s conclusion discover that she is talking to the children she will never contain as she come to terms with her infertility .
Why Robin Narrates HIMYM’s “Symphony Of Illusion” & Why It’s So Important
The subject of sterility is challenging for any sitcom to deal , much less the broadly comedicHow I Met Your Mother . Most ofHow I Met Your Mother’ssaddest import , outside a few death , orbit around romantic relationships . As such , the twist of " Symphony Of Illusion " was a dark , untypically serious moment for theHow I Met Your Fatherpredecessor ’s laugh - course - backed milieu . However , while the show ’s tricky story was sometimes a gimmick , in this holiday special , the stylistic choice was carefully used to poignant force , as Robin ’s internal monologue allowed her to add up to full term with the news before breaking it to the spectator .
Throughout its nine season , How I Met Your Motherhad some jarringly misjudged import , and not all of the show ’s gag have aged well . However , " Symphony Of Illusion " rise that , at its expert , the situation comedy could use its strange approach to tell emotionally - charged stories whose moving moments did n’t derail their comedic winner . Despite the betting odds , " Symphony Of Illusion " is as laughable as any definitive installment ofHow I Met Your female parent , but the Christmas special still manages to take on a raw subject area and treat it with the charge and grace it deserve .
More : Why How I Met Your Father Can deepen HIMYM canyon