I have become a fan of the ...

Question: I have become a fan of the show How I Met Your Mother, though at first I was wary since I don't really like Ted all that much and I don't see any chemistry between him and Robin. I know the producers originally started the show with Ted falling for Robin, but do they intend for her to be the mother of the poor kids stuck on the couch listening to Bob Saget? Do you think the producers have realized that Barney (played so well by the former kid M.D.) and Robin are much better on the screen together than Ted and Robin ever will be? Do you think that they can find a cousin of Lily's to introduce who could possibly be a love interest for Ted instead? What happens when a show is planned to go one way with two characters, but over time those characters just don't connect? Is this a common problem on most shows?
Answer: A common problem? I'm not so sure. But long-term romantic comedies often change course midstream to keep the characters fresh, or to acknowledge casting mistakes. (Think Joey. When will they realize he and his unfunny, uninteresting neighbor aren't meant for each other?) Regardless, I think you've misread the intent of Mother, although you're entitled to your opinion about Ted (whom I actually find disarmingly sweet). It was clear from the twist at the end of the pilot that Ted and Robin do not end up together, except as lifelong friends. She has joined their gang, and the show will follow all of their romantic misadventures. I've fallen behind on some of the more recent episodes, but I would think Lily and Marshall are the only bona fide couple among the original core cast. I don't see Barney and Robin as a match made in heaven, although it would be funnier than Ted and Robin — that's a fact.