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Line 21: | season_article = How I Met Your Mother season 9 }} '''"Last Forever" parts 1 and 2''' are the 23rd and 24th episodes of the [[How I Met Your Mother season 9|ninth season]] of the American [[situation comedy|sitcom]] television series ''[[How I Met Your Mother]]'', and the [[series finale]] of the series as a whole. The episode, written by series creators [[Carter Bays]] and [[Craig Thomas (screenwriter)|Craig Thomas]] and directed by [[Pamela Fryman]]. The episodes are the 207th and 208th overall. It originally aired in the [[United States]] on [[CBS]] on March 31, 2014, and was watched by 13.13 million viewers in the United States. "Last Forever" received a polarized response from [[Television criticism|television critics]] and fans of the show alike, primarily in regard to the final [[twist ending]], the relationship between [[Ted Mosby]] ([[Josh Radnor]]) and [[Robin Scherbatsky]] ([[Cobie Smulders]]), and the fate of the series' titular [[The Mother (How I Met Your Mother)|mother]]. ==Plot== Line 73: ==Release== ===Ratings=== "Last Forever" was watched by 13.13 million viewers in the United States in its original American Broadcast and received a of 5.4 rating/16% share among adults between the ages of 18 and 49.<ref name="Bibel">{{cite web |last=Bibel |first=Sara |date=April 1, 2014 |title=Monday Final TV Ratings: 'How I Met Your Mother' & 'Dancing With The Stars' Adjusted Up; 'Friends With Better Lives' Adjusted Down |url=https://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/04/01/monday-final-tv-ratings-how-i-met-your-mother-friends-with-better-lives-adjusted-down/249839/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140404082038/https://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/04/01/monday-final-tv-ratings-how-i-met-your-mother-friends-with-better-lives-adjusted-down/249839/ |archive-date=April 4, 2014 |access-date=April 1, 2014 |work=[[TV by the Numbers]] |df=mdy-all}}</ref> This marked a significant increase, of over four million viewers, in the ratings from the previous episode, "[[The End of the Aisle]]".<ref>{{cite web |last=Kondolojy |first=Amanda |date=March 25, 2014 |title=Monday Final TV Ratings: 'The Voice', 'How I Met Your Mother', 'Castle', & 'Dancing With the Stars' Adjusted Up; 'The Blacklist' & 'Intelligence' Adjusted Down |url=https://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/03/25/monday-final-tv-ratings-the-voice-how-i-met-your-mother-castle-the-blacklist-intelligence-adjusted-down/247722/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140326000616/https://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/03/25/monday-final-tv-ratings-the-voice-how-i-met-your-mother-castle-the-blacklist-intelligence-adjusted-down/247722/ |archive-date=March 26, 2014 |access-date=March 25, 2014 |work=[[TV by the Numbers]] |df=mdy-all}}</ref> It also ranks as the most-watched episode of the season, as well as the most-watched episode for the series, beating the [[How I Met Your Mother (season 1)|season 1]] episode "[[The Pineapple Incident]]", which was watched by 12.27 million viewers and received a 4.4 rating among adults ages 18–49.<ref name="pineapple">{{cite web |title=November 28–December 4, 2005 weekly program rankings |url=http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=120605_03 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150311233430/http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=120605_03 |archive-date=March 11, 2015 |access-date=December 19, 2010 |publisher=ABC Television Group}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Adalian |first=Josef |date=2014-04-01 |title=Ratings: How I Met Your Mother Exits With Its Biggest Audience Ever |url=https://www.vulture.com/2014/04/ratings-how-i-met-your-mother-exits-with-best-numbers-ever.html |access-date=2024-07-18 |website=Vulture |language=en}}</ref> The episode also ranked first in its timeslot and second of the night as a whole.<ref name="Bibel" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Adalian |first=Josef |date=2014-04-01 |title=Ratings: How I Met Your Mother Exits With Its Biggest Audience Ever |url=https://www.vulture.com/2014/04/ratings-how-i-met-your-mother-exits-with-best-numbers-ever.html |access-date=2024-07-18 |website=Vulture |language=en}}</ref> === Reception === "Last Forever" received a polarizing reception from critics and fans of the show alike, with the majority opinion being negative.<ref name="rottentomatoes1">{{cite web |date=April 2, 2014 |title=HIMYM Tomatometer Watch: Series Finale Currently Rotten - Majority of critics disappointed by 'Last Forever' |url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/tv_editorial/news/1930029/himym_tomatometer_watch_series_finale_currently_rotten/?hub=15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140404003126/http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/tv_editorial/news/1930029/himym_tomatometer_watch_series_finale_currently_rotten/?hub=15 |archive-date=April 4, 2014 |access-date=April 3, 2014 |work=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Many viewers expressed considerable dissatisfaction regarding the resolution of Ted's story, his relationship to Robin, and the fate of the titular mother.<ref name="Insider">{{cite web|first=Kirsten|last=Akuna|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/how-i-met-your-mother-series-finale-reactions-2014-3|title=Fans Are Not Happy With The 'How I Met Your Mother' Series Finale|publisher=Business Insider|date=March 31, 2014|access-date=August 13, 2017|archive-date=August 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170813142453/http://www.businessinsider.com/how-i-met-your-mother-series-finale-reactions-2014-3|url-status=live}}</ref> Additionally, the season-long buildup for Barney and Robin's wedding and their divorce 10 minutes into the next episode was criticized. Fans took to social media, such as [[Tumblr]] and [[Twitter]], to express their disappointment. Some fans joked that the episode was an early April Fools' joke, because it aired on March 31.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://metro.co.uk/2014/04/01/how-i-met-your-mother-finally-answers-its-own-question-in-last-ever-episode-but-fans-arent-happy-4684749/|title=How I Met Your Mother finally answers its own question in last ever episode – but fans aren't happy|author=Caroline Westbrook|date=April 1, 2014|access-date=August 13, 2017|quote=How I Met Your Mother’s ending left many fans wanting – and others suggesting it was all an April Fool's joke.|archive-date=August 8, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808072105/http://metro.co.uk/2014/04/01/how-i-met-your-mother-finally-answers-its-own-question-in-last-ever-episode-but-fans-arent-happy-4684749/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tv.com/news/how-i-met-your-mother-series-finale-review-well-that-happened-139629872617/|title=''How I Met Your Mother'' Series Finale Review: Well, That Happened|quote=I might eventually come around to accepting the fact "Last Forever" wasn't just a one-day-early April Fool's Day prank.|author=Kaitlin Thomas|date=April 1, 2014|access-date=August 13, 2017|archive-date=August 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170813105436/http://www.tv.com/news/how-i-met-your-mother-series-finale-review-well-that-happened-139629872617/|url-status=live}}</ref> Some fans of the show called on CBS to commission the creators of the show via a [[change.org]] petition to rewrite and reshoot the finale. {{As of|2014|4|2|df=US}}, the petition had received more than 5,000 signatures.<ref>{{cite web |author=Tierney McAfee |date=April 2, 2014 |title='How I Met Your Mother' Ending Petition — Fans Want To Officially Change Finale |url=http://hollywoodlife.com/2014/04/02/how-i-met-your-mother-ending-petition-change-himym-finale/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170805010457/http://hollywoodlife.com/2014/04/02/how-i-met-your-mother-ending-petition-change-himym-finale/ |archive-date=August 5, 2017 |access-date=August 13, 2017 |publisher=Hollywood Life}}</ref> On April 5, 2014, Carter Bays announced on Twitter that an alternative ending, from the same filmed material, would be included on the Season 9 DVD.<ref>{{cite web |title=Carter Bays on Twitter: "Update for those who've been asking: Alt #himym ending will be on s9 DVD and also in the series box set." |url=https://twitter.com/CarterBays/status/452299544995184640 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160208163155/https://twitter.com/CarterBays/status/452299544995184640 |archive-date=February 8, 2016 |access-date=December 26, 2015 |publisher=[[Twitter]]}}</ref> | |||