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'How I Met Your Mother': Carter Bays talks 'Last Words'
Nothing says "very special episode" like no cold open.
After the sudden death of Marshall's (Jason Segel) father on the most recent "How I Met Your Mother," the series picks things back up at his Minnesota funeral, with the gang struggling to help their friend cope.
"It started form a place of real sadness," series co-creator Carter Bays tells Zap2it. "It's especially hard because Bill Fagerbakke (Marvin Eriksen Sr.) was there at the table read. You just killed off his character and here he is sitting with you. We address it in the episode with laughter."
"HIMYM" does end up compensating for tragedy with a surprising amount of humor. Lily's (Alyson Hannigan) attempts at comforting her resentful mother-in-law, Robin's (Cobie Smulders) Mary Poppins bag of grief accessories (cigarettes, booze, DVDs, phone chargers...) and the series' hilarious presentation of Midwestern ritual all successfully lighten the mood.
But they never forget why they took the story here. "Shows like 'Family Ties' and 'Cheers,' the shows we loved, were shows that were funny 90 percent of time time," Bays says of himself and co-creator Craig Thomas, who wrote the episode together. "But their humor came from characters and your love of the characters as an audience member. So that 10 percent when they weren't funny, it meant that much more to you."
The success of the somber portion of the episode owes a lot of credit to Jason Segel, who gives about as heartfelt of a performance as we can recall from his largely comedic career.
Marshall's grief is compounded by the fact that the funeral service -- given by his high-school bully-turned-minster (Danny Strong) -- demands each member of his immediate family share their final exchange with the deceased patriarch.
He runs through his the last words he remembers hearing from his father, but they're limited to a plea for leftovers, an ethnic slur and an endorsement of "Crocodile Dundee 3." He receives glimmer of hope in the form of an unchecked voicemail, but after spending most of the episode agonizing over what it might include, he finds a static-filled recording pocket dial.
In that epic moment of rage at his loss, Marshall yells at god -- which would be cliche if it weren't so realistic -- before three minutes of shuffling pants sound effects on the voicemail stop and his father's voice starts to speak. He tells Marshall how much he enjoyed his visit to New York and that he loves him... and that he has foot fungus.
Choosing to save that revelation for himself and his best friends, Marshall concludes his father's eulogy by making his father's recommendation of "Crocodile Dundee 3" public.
"I think we struck a good balance of finding humor," says Bays, who made a special point of noting that the series' fondness of Fagerbakke means that Marshall's father will live on in flashbacks. "We'll be able to bring Bill back. This won't be the last time we see him on the show."
But for now, it looks like they can turn their attention on another father. After a montage of the gang calling their own dads, we end it on Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) ringing up his mother, saying he's ready to know the father he's never met.
After the sudden death of Marshall's (Jason Segel) father on the most recent "How I Met Your Mother," the series picks things back up at his Minnesota funeral, with the gang struggling to help their friend cope.
"It started form a place of real sadness," series co-creator Carter Bays tells Zap2it. "It's especially hard because Bill Fagerbakke (Marvin Eriksen Sr.) was there at the table read. You just killed off his character and here he is sitting with you. We address it in the episode with laughter."
"HIMYM" does end up compensating for tragedy with a surprising amount of humor. Lily's (Alyson Hannigan) attempts at comforting her resentful mother-in-law, Robin's (Cobie Smulders) Mary Poppins bag of grief accessories (cigarettes, booze, DVDs, phone chargers...) and the series' hilarious presentation of Midwestern ritual all successfully lighten the mood.
But they never forget why they took the story here. "Shows like 'Family Ties' and 'Cheers,' the shows we loved, were shows that were funny 90 percent of time time," Bays says of himself and co-creator Craig Thomas, who wrote the episode together. "But their humor came from characters and your love of the characters as an audience member. So that 10 percent when they weren't funny, it meant that much more to you."
The success of the somber portion of the episode owes a lot of credit to Jason Segel, who gives about as heartfelt of a performance as we can recall from his largely comedic career.
Marshall's grief is compounded by the fact that the funeral service -- given by his high-school bully-turned-minster (Danny Strong) -- demands each member of his immediate family share their final exchange with the deceased patriarch.
He runs through his the last words he remembers hearing from his father, but they're limited to a plea for leftovers, an ethnic slur and an endorsement of "Crocodile Dundee 3." He receives glimmer of hope in the form of an unchecked voicemail, but after spending most of the episode agonizing over what it might include, he finds a static-filled recording pocket dial.
In that epic moment of rage at his loss, Marshall yells at god -- which would be cliche if it weren't so realistic -- before three minutes of shuffling pants sound effects on the voicemail stop and his father's voice starts to speak. He tells Marshall how much he enjoyed his visit to New York and that he loves him... and that he has foot fungus.
Choosing to save that revelation for himself and his best friends, Marshall concludes his father's eulogy by making his father's recommendation of "Crocodile Dundee 3" public.
"I think we struck a good balance of finding humor," says Bays, who made a special point of noting that the series' fondness of Fagerbakke means that Marshall's father will live on in flashbacks. "We'll be able to bring Bill back. This won't be the last time we see him on the show."
But for now, it looks like they can turn their attention on another father. After a montage of the gang calling their own dads, we end it on Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) ringing up his mother, saying he's ready to know the father he's never met.
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Photo/Video credit: CBS
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Wow, thanks Zap2it, now we don't even need to watch the episode. You keep forgeting that we all don't live on the east coast ( trust me I don't want to ).
You didn't have to read the article, you know. Once you knew it contained spoilers, you can just stop reading.
Justin - did someone tape your eyes open and force you to read it? There were no spoilers in the headline (which this site does tend to do from time to time) so if you saw the article was a recap of a show you haven't seen yet, why even read it??? You have no one to blame for spoilers but yourself.
On another note, two great episodes in a row for this show, from the Countdown two weeks ago to this touching, yet still sweetly funny! And it's a darn rerun again next week already!
nobody made you read it...another great episode, the show is getting back to season 1 and 2 form...awesome
Great episode ! Loved most of it - but I notice that there wasn't even a mention above of the Ted/Barney story - cause it was bad ! Could they not have come up with something better for those characters ? Other than the juvenile shenanigans of Ted and Barney - who helped Marshall not at all - the ep rocked
Frankly, I do not think the writers were up to the task of a sad, emotional episode like this. It neither grabbed nor moved me, and felt forced and shallow. Or maybe I am just liking HIMYM less and less in general . . .
This is to Mike (Mike | January 18, 2011 11:59 AM) --- Maybe it felt like this to you because... I will venture that you haven't lost your dad the way that Marshall did in the episode. My dad was just as great as his is portrayed, as just as much the role model to me and to a great number of people. He died 3 years ago. I think they DID hit the right notes, but I also think that unless you've lived it, you may end up with the impression you did. Take it from one who's been there, it was right on. By the way, thanks to Carter Bays and the crew. They helped dislodge a couple of extra tears that I had stuck in there ever since. I had to hit the pause button often...
I really thought this episode was...wait for it...Awesome!
Frankly, I think Mike needs to get over himself........it hit all the right notes if you have any clue what you are talking about