STELLA EFFORT

I always like to see other people "thinking inside the box" and who don't need a TV show to wash over them and do all the work for them. These people are willing to fill in the blanks for themselves. Even better when it's all for a TV show that forces you to work in order to find all of the clues. The two best current examples, one a drama and the other a sitcom, are 'Lost' and 'How I Met Your Mother'.

A few days ago Matthew L responded to a comment made in Alan Sepinwall's blog. (You'll find the link to the left.)
"there's the matter of the show glossing over from Stella not having time to date to being in the middle of a semi-serious relationship with Ted"

I think I suggested a solution to this question in a post to last week's column - but I was late to that column, so I don't know whether anyone saw it.

My view is this - she has a standard "I'm too busy" answer to anyone who asks her out. Because she is genuinely busy, and making room for a date is complicated, and not worth the effort for a guy who might go out with her once or twice and then not progress things any further. It's a lot of effort to arrange her schedule, arrange a sitter, etc, for someone who is just out for a bit of fun, nothing too serious.

But Ted's two-minute-date just made her think that this guy is serious, and he is worth the effort. And so she makes time for him - because if you meet someone who you think might genuinely be "the one", you would make time for them, no matter how difficult it would be.

They could have explained that a bit clearer, sure, but it's not strictly necessary. All you need to know is that she has made time for a relationship.

Matthew L sounds like a guy who never needed to see Chekov meeting Khan on the original 'Star Trek'!

BCnU!
Toby OB