TV Blog Buzz: ‘How I Met Your Mother,’ ‘Veronica Mars’ critics speak up

The “How I Met Your Mother” fans are ripping the column apart in the comments section, but Variety is going out on a limb to say that not only is the sitcom limping its way toward its series finale, but it hasn’t been that great for a few years now.

“In its prime, ‘How I Met Your Mother’ rivalled the series that paved the way for its twentysomething-social-circle-in-Manhattan premise — NBC’s ‘Friends’ — with a great cast backed by sharp comedic writing. But somewhere around the eighth season or so, my goodwill began curdling as the series lost creative momentum,” writes digital editor-in-chief Andrew Wallenstein.

“Everyone at ‘How I Met Your Mother’ has padded their already considerable fortunes, and I’m sure if I was in their beautiful shoes, I would have done the same. But that windfall comes at the expense of tarnishing a legacy that might have otherwise held up better.”

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Few “Veronica Mars” fans seem to be complaining about the cancelled TV show’s big screen resurrection, but Wired magazine says the crowdfunded film missed the mark when it comes to a broader audience.

“‘Veronica Mars’ is not actually a very good movie, taken on its own merits,” writes Graeme McMillan. “‘Veronica Mars’ paid too much attention to its fans.”

McMillan argues the creators felt so indebted to the fans who picked up the bill to make the movie that they overstuffed it with unnecessary characters and plotlines that seem to have been included only to appease the diehards.

“To non-fans, they’re signs of a movie that just needed one more edit just to lose the clutter and cut to the core of the story,” he writes.

“The ‘Veronica Mars’ movie has been embraced by fans and judged a financial success; by those two measurements, it’s done exactly what it was created to do. That it lacked the ambition or desire to (appeal to new fans) isn’t necessarily a flaw, no matter how much as some people (including myself) may wish otherwise.”

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With just a few more weeks until the return of “Mad Men,” show creator Matthew Weiner is making the rounds talking about the show’s final season, which is being split into two seven-episode parts.

When asked about Don Draper’s evolution and how many critics grew to loathe him over time — particularly in the most recent season — Weiner defends the transformation, saying the character is a reflection of the politically charged 1960s and of American society.

“What you’re watching with Don is a representation, to me, of American society. He is steeped in sin, haunted by his past, raised by animals, and there is a chance to revolt. And he cannot stop himself,” Weiner says.

“This past season, there was an episode Sylvia is rejecting him, which turns into an obsession for him. And he is out of power at work. He has alcohol issues. He is an impulsive person: He married Megan impulsively, and he made this merger impulsively. Now, he’s always dealing with his powerlessness, which I think is also a big part of 1968.”

He also talks about why he doesn’t think Don is an antihero and provides insights about other characters including Ted Chaough, Bob Benson and Peggy Olsen.