How I Met Your Mother: Finale Season | Grade: C

Simply put - Crap and a complete waste of time. Most shows have a limited period of time to come up with a decent finale after been given their marching orders - better yet 8 years! From its inception, the makers of HIMYM knew their finale because it was a show with a goal - to find the mother! I don't know how that could have been messed up. Well they did and here's how:

1) They stretched a weekend wedding storyline over 20 episodes!

The preparation for Barney's and Robin's wedding could have began two thirds into the season but instead it became the  running theme throughout the season. It could have work but unfortunately there is a limit to how many times you could say the word 'wedding' or "Thank you, Linus" for it to still be funny.

2) Like any wedding, everything is rushed in the final moments leading up to the big finale.

What annoyed me more than anything, that the events leading to how he FINALLY found the mother took place in the second half of the season finale. Yes, we were still getting the wedding prep rubbish in the first half! The future events of the rest of the gang could have been administered in snackable doses throughout the season. Instead, we learned that Robin and Barney divorced as soon as they married!

The worst and final nail to this season's coffin is:
3) She died! The mother died!

We, the viewers and fans, have invested eight good seasons into finding out the love of Ted's life. We were there when Ted was on the verge of finding the one in Stella and when he was eventually left at the alter in despair. We had finally got her in our sights with the enticing teaser at the end of season 8 and then she dies!
I knew Robin was going to be the 'ultimate' mother but I wish it didn't have to be in such circumstances.

All feelings and spoilers aside, my advice is to ditch the 23 episodes and watch the final half of the season finale.
If you, like myself, are disappointed with the ending - check out the alternative ending by the creators: