How I Met Your Mother (season 4)
Encyclopedia
The fourth season of the American
television comedy
series How I Met Your Mother
premiered on September 22, 2008 and concluded on May 18, 2009. It consisted of 24 episodes, each running approximately 22 minutes in length. CBS
broadcast the fourth season on Monday nights at 8:30 pm in the United States. The complete fourth season was released on Region 1 DVD on September 29, 2009. In the United Kingdom it began airing via E4 from Thursday, December 10 weekly.
To date, it is the only season of the series to be nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series
.
(voiced by Bob Saget
) sits his daughter and son down to tell them the story of how he met their mother.
Stella says "yes" to Ted's proposal. Robin takes a new job as a reporter in Japan, but quickly resigns, returning to New York to attend Ted and Stella's wedding. Stella leaves Ted at the altar to get back together with Tony, the father of her daughter and her ex-boyfriend. Barney struggles with his feelings for Robin as his company shifts him to the management team of a new acquisition, Goliath National Bank (GNB).
Marshall and Lily move to their new apartment and debate over whether or not they're ready to have children. Robin becomes roommates with Ted and gets a job as an anchor for a 4:00 A.M. news show called "Get Up, New York", after Barney sends out a video resume about her which he had made himself. Ted finds out about Barney's feelings for Robin when he finds Barney has put away the rubbish, bought many big bottles of milk, and he also give them stamps e.t.c e.t.c, because Ted and Robin constantly sleep together so they won't fight over each others bad co-living habits
Ted finds out Lily has sabotaged all of his relationships with anyone she doesn't approve of and indirectly may have inspired his breakup with Robin(she asked each of them where did they see each other in five years, which is the reason of the breakup in the season 2 episode (Something Blue). Robin and Ted end up talking about it, causing their friendship to begin moving towards a positive note. As Barney finally sleeps with his 200th woman, after rubbing it in the face of the childhood bully that taunted him into pursuing it by claiming to have slept with 100 women (it is revealed after Barney meets with the bully is that the bully had just made up that he had slept with 100 women), he questions what the rest of his life would be about now, leaving him more certain of his feelings for Robin.
Ted, while carrying the yellow umbrella, bumps into Stella and Tony. Tony later decides to visit him, sympathizing with Ted over his loss of Stella. Tony offers him a job as a professor of architecture, which Ted initially turns down. Lily abandons the group and disappears for four weeks after hearing a dirty joke from Barney (this was to cover actress Alyson Hannigan's pregnancy).
In the season finale, Robin finds out about Barney's love for her, which she cautiously reciprocates. Ted decides he is done being an architect and finally decides to instead teach architecture classes. The finale ends with Ted beginning to teach his first class, and Future Ted reveals that his future wife is among the students.
gave Season 4 an overall rating of 8.5 out of 10. Michelle stated, "This fourth season seemed to settle down the chase for the titular mother. While Ted was busy dating Stella, the gang settled into many stand alone episodes which were every bit as entertaining as episodes devoted to Ted's love life," later going on to say, "A stellar Robin-Marshall episode, titled "Little Minnesota," makes it clear that these two do not get enough screen time together. With Robin homesick and unemployed (and at risk of being deported), this pairing brought out the best Robin Sparkles reference of the season, when Marshall leads a rousing karaoke version of "Let's Go to the Mall!"
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television comedy
Television comedy
Television comedy had a presence from the earliest days of broadcasting. Among the earliest BBC television programmes in the 1930s was Starlight, which offered a series of guests from the music hall era — singers and comedians amongst them...
series How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother is an American sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 19, 2005, created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays.As a framing device, the main character, Ted Mosby with narration by Bob Saget, in the year 2030 recounts to his son and daughter the events that led to his meeting...
premiered on September 22, 2008 and concluded on May 18, 2009. It consisted of 24 episodes, each running approximately 22 minutes in length. CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
broadcast the fourth season on Monday nights at 8:30 pm in the United States. The complete fourth season was released on Region 1 DVD on September 29, 2009. In the United Kingdom it began airing via E4 from Thursday, December 10 weekly.
To date, it is the only season of the series to be nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series
The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series is an Emmy given to the best television comedy series of the year.-Winners and nominees:...
.
Plot
In the year 2030, Ted MosbyTed Mosby
Theodore Evelyn "Ted" Mosby is the titular fictional character of the U.S. television sitcom How I Met Your Mother, portrayed by Josh Radnor...
(voiced by Bob Saget
Bob Saget
Robert Lane "Bob" Saget is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and television host. Although he is best known for his roles as Danny Tanner in Full House, host of America's Funniest Home Videos and Future Ted Mosby on How I Met Your Mother, Saget is also known outside of television for his blue...
) sits his daughter and son down to tell them the story of how he met their mother.
Stella says "yes" to Ted's proposal. Robin takes a new job as a reporter in Japan, but quickly resigns, returning to New York to attend Ted and Stella's wedding. Stella leaves Ted at the altar to get back together with Tony, the father of her daughter and her ex-boyfriend. Barney struggles with his feelings for Robin as his company shifts him to the management team of a new acquisition, Goliath National Bank (GNB).
Marshall and Lily move to their new apartment and debate over whether or not they're ready to have children. Robin becomes roommates with Ted and gets a job as an anchor for a 4:00 A.M. news show called "Get Up, New York", after Barney sends out a video resume about her which he had made himself. Ted finds out about Barney's feelings for Robin when he finds Barney has put away the rubbish, bought many big bottles of milk, and he also give them stamps e.t.c e.t.c, because Ted and Robin constantly sleep together so they won't fight over each others bad co-living habits
Ted finds out Lily has sabotaged all of his relationships with anyone she doesn't approve of and indirectly may have inspired his breakup with Robin(she asked each of them where did they see each other in five years, which is the reason of the breakup in the season 2 episode (Something Blue). Robin and Ted end up talking about it, causing their friendship to begin moving towards a positive note. As Barney finally sleeps with his 200th woman, after rubbing it in the face of the childhood bully that taunted him into pursuing it by claiming to have slept with 100 women (it is revealed after Barney meets with the bully is that the bully had just made up that he had slept with 100 women), he questions what the rest of his life would be about now, leaving him more certain of his feelings for Robin.
Ted, while carrying the yellow umbrella, bumps into Stella and Tony. Tony later decides to visit him, sympathizing with Ted over his loss of Stella. Tony offers him a job as a professor of architecture, which Ted initially turns down. Lily abandons the group and disappears for four weeks after hearing a dirty joke from Barney (this was to cover actress Alyson Hannigan's pregnancy).
In the season finale, Robin finds out about Barney's love for her, which she cautiously reciprocates. Ted decides he is done being an architect and finally decides to instead teach architecture classes. The finale ends with Ted beginning to teach his first class, and Future Ted reveals that his future wife is among the students.
Main cast
- Josh RadnorJosh RadnorJoshua Michael "Josh" Radnor is an American actor, director, and writer, best known for portraying the main character Ted Mosby on the popular, Emmy Award-winning CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother, for which he has received worldwide fame and recognitions.He made his writing and directorial debut...
as Ted MosbyTed MosbyTheodore Evelyn "Ted" Mosby is the titular fictional character of the U.S. television sitcom How I Met Your Mother, portrayed by Josh Radnor...
(24 episodes) - Jason SegelJason SegelJason Jordan Segel is an American television and film actor, screenwriter, composer, puppeteer and musician, known for his work with producer Judd Apatow on the short-lived television series Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared, the films Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Knocked Up, I Love You, Man,...
as Marshall EriksenMarshall EriksenMarshall Eriksen is a fictional character in the American sitcom How I Met Your Mother, created by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas and portrayed by Jason Segel.-Character profile:Marshall is an easy-going, naive optimist from St. Cloud, Minnesota...
(24 episodes) - Cobie SmuldersCobie SmuldersJacoba Francisca Maria "Cobie" Smulders is a Canadian actress and former model, known for her role as Robin Scherbatsky on the CBS television series How I Met Your Mother.-Early life:...
as Robin ScherbatskyRobin ScherbatskyRobin Charles Scherbatsky, Jr. is a fictional character created by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas for the CBS television series How I Met Your Mother, portrayed by Canadian actress Cobie Smulders.- Early life :...
(24 episodes) - Neil Patrick HarrisNeil Patrick HarrisNeil Patrick Harris is an American actor, singer, director, and magician.Prominent roles of his career include the title role in Doogie Howser, M.D., Colonel Carl Jenkins in Starship Troopers, the womanizing Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother, a fictionalized version of himself in the Harold...
as Barney StinsonBarney StinsonBarnabas "Barney" Stinson is a fictional character created by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas for the CBS television series How I Met Your Mother, portrayed by Neil Patrick Harris. The character has been extremely well received by critics and has been credited for much of the show's success...
(24 episodes) - Alyson HanniganAlyson HanniganAlyson Lee Hannigan is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Willow Rosenberg in the cult classic television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Michelle Flaherty in three American Pie films, and Lily Aldrin on the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother.-Early life:Hannigan was born in...
as Lily AldrinLily AldrinLillian "Lily" Aldrin is a fictional character created by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas for the CBS television series How I Met Your Mother, portrayed by American actress Alyson Hannigan. She is the wife of Marshall Eriksen and the best friend of Robin Scherbatsky...
(22 episodes) - Bob SagetBob SagetRobert Lane "Bob" Saget is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and television host. Although he is best known for his roles as Danny Tanner in Full House, host of America's Funniest Home Videos and Future Ted Mosby on How I Met Your Mother, Saget is also known outside of television for his blue...
(uncredited) as Future Ted Mosby (voice only) (24 episodes)
Recurring cast
- Lyndsy FonsecaLyndsy FonsecaLyndsy Marie Fonseca is an American actress known for playing Colleen Carlton on the CBS daytime soap opera The Young and The Restless, Dylan Mayfair on the ABC series Desperate Housewives, and Ted Mosby's daughter on How I Met Your Mother. She also played Katie Deauxma in the 2010 superhero film...
as Future Daughter (4 episodes, 2008–2009) - David HenrieDavid HenrieDavid Clayton Henrie is an American actor, television writer, and producer. He is noted for playing Ted Mosby's future son on How I Met Your Mother, Justin Russo in Wizards of Waverly Place and Larry on That's So Raven...
as Future Son (4 episodes, 2008–2009) - Marshall ManeshMarshall ManeshMarshall Manesh is an Iranian/American actor.Manesh was born in Mashhad, Iran. He has appeared in the television shows Will & Grace, Entourage, Scrubs, How I Met Your Mother in a recurring role as the Bangladeshi taxi/town car/limo driver Ranjit, Burn Notice, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,...
as Ranjit (1 episode, 2009) - Joe Nieves as Carl, the owner of MacLarens Pub (1 episode, 2009)
- Charlene Amoia as Wendy the Waitress (4 episodes, 2008–2009)
- Sarah ChalkeSarah ChalkeSarah Chalke is a Canadian-American actress known for portraying Dr. Elliot Reid on the NBC/ABC comedy Scrubs, "Second Becky" Conner Healy on Roseanne, and Stella Zinman in the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother...
as Stella Zinman (6 episodes, 2008–2009) - Jason JonesJason Jones (actor)Jason Jones is a Canadian actor and comedian who is a correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.-Life and career:Jones was born in Hamilton, Ontario. He attended Ryerson Theatre School in Toronto...
as Tony Grafanello (3 episodes, 2008–2009) - Darcy Rose ByrnesDarcy Rose ByrnesDarcy Rose Byrnes is an American child actress and singer. She is most famous for her role in the soap opera The Young and the Restless where she portrayed Abby Carlton from 2003 to 2008, she also appeared on The Bold and the Beautiful...
as Lucy Zinman (3 episodes, 2008) - Bryan CallenBryan CallenBryan Christopher Callen is an American actor. Callen is notable for being one of the original cast of comedians on the sketch comedy series MADtv.-Early life:...
as Bilson (4 episodes, 2008–2009) - Matt Boren as Stuart (1 episode, 2008)
Guest cast
- Regis PhilbinRegis PhilbinRegis Francis Xavier Philbin is an American media personality, actor and singer, known for hosting talk and game shows since the 1960s. Philbin is often called "the hardest working man in show business" and holds the Guinness World Record for the most time spent in front of a television camera...
as himself (1 episode, 2008) - Bill FagerbakkeBill FagerbakkeWilliam Mark "Bill" Fagerbakke is an American actor and voice actor. He is well-known for his long-running-roles as Patrick Star in the animated series SpongeBob SquarePants and "Dauber" Dybinski on the sitcom Coach....
as Marvine Eriksen, Snr. (1 episode, 2009) - David BurtkaDavid Burtka-Background:Burtka was born in Dearborn, Michigan, grew up in Canton, Michigan, and graduated from Plymouth-Salem High School in 1993. He trained in acting at Interlochen Center for the Arts, obtained his Bachelor of Fine Arts at the University of Michigan and had further training at the William...
as Scooter (1 episode, 2009) - Erin CahillErin CahillErin Jessica Cahill , is an actress best known for her role as Jen Scotts on the television series Power Rangers: Time Force. Appeared at Power Morphicon 2010 in Pasadena, CA....
as Heather Mosby (1 episode 2009) - Alex TrebekAlex TrebekGeorge Alexander "Alex" Trebek is a Canadian American game show host who has been the host of the game show Jeopardy! since 1984, and prior to that, he hosted game shows such as Pitfall and High Rollers. He has appeared in numerous television series, usually as himself...
as himself (1 episode, 2009)
Episodes
| |# | |Director | |U.S. viewers (million) |
|Production code |
|---|
U.S. viewership
This season is currently the second highest rated season of How I Met Your Mother in terms of viewership, at an average of 9.42 million viewers. However, it is currently the highest rated in terms of the important Adults 18-49 demo, which is what advertisers use to determine how much a 30-second advertising spot costs. Season 4 averaged 4.0/10 in terms of demo/share.Critical response
Michelle Zoromski of IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
gave Season 4 an overall rating of 8.5 out of 10. Michelle stated, "This fourth season seemed to settle down the chase for the titular mother. While Ted was busy dating Stella, the gang settled into many stand alone episodes which were every bit as entertaining as episodes devoted to Ted's love life," later going on to say, "A stellar Robin-Marshall episode, titled "Little Minnesota," makes it clear that these two do not get enough screen time together. With Robin homesick and unemployed (and at risk of being deported), this pairing brought out the best Robin Sparkles reference of the season, when Marshall leads a rousing karaoke version of "Let's Go to the Mall!"