‘How I Met Your Father’ Episode 7 TV Review: A Waste Of Potential!

How I Met Your Father episode 7, “Rivka Rebel,” is shockingly without a doubt the worst episode of the series to date. Considering the events of the previous episode which was the best episode so far, this should not be the case.

Warning spoilers ahead!

Episode 6 confirmed that Jesse still has feelings for Sophie despite her dating Drew and also pointed out a red flag with Drew. The most logical direction for the next chapter would be to further explore these issues.

Too bad the show’s writers disagree.

What happens instead? A bunch of meaningless subplots that do very little to move the story further and develop the characters.

I cannot believe that I have to yet again complain about Valentina. Seriously, is she supposed to be an unlikable character? One would think not given that she is Sophie’s best friend and roommate. These writers, however, seem to have other ideas.

Valentina accompanies Sophie as her “assistant” to Rivka’s Bat Mitzvah for Sophie’s photography gig but only for Valentina’s self-serving benefit. Instead of helping her friend get a bratty-yet-famous social media influencer to let her take photos of her, Valentina talks Rivka into taking a selfie with her to help “her brand.” The writers then make Sophie as well as the viewers feel obligated to let Valentina’s selfishness slide due to the fact that in reality, she does not have a “cool job” even though she acts as if otherwise.

Boohoo.

Valentina is able to convince Rivka to let Sophie take photos of her at the end after blackmailing her with the drugs that she stole from her. This does not change the fact that this woman is solely out for herself.

Every time we witness a tease of character growth for her, she only regresses back to square one. This is getting redundant and annoying. I want to like her. I really do, but I simply cannot as of right now.

I truly hope that I am just currently failing to see the bigger picture for this character because at the moment her arc is just not it!

And do not even get me started with Charlie and Ellen’s subplot. I get it, sometimes there needs to be filler plots, but of all the plots one could think of, why have Ellen anonymously write hate reviews about Charlie due to being jealous of his bartending job? Talk about cliche!

There are times that it feels like the series’ target audience is children (minus the sexual innuendos). This arc is definitely one of them.

Now realistically speaking, how the heck does Charlie still feel comfortable sharing an apartment with Ellen after learning that she is the one behind the hateful posts? I know Ellen is supposed to be a “good guy,” but how do these writers dismiss the fact that this is a major red flag? If that were me, I would move out immediately!

As Jesse and Sid’s arc goes, sure, the two procrastinating what they need to accomplish is relatable… but why?

Drew was not even in this episode at all. What’s going on?

The only redeeming aspect of this episode is the brief interaction between Sophie and Jesse in the beginning and her giving him one of her bangle bracelets for “good luck” on his song writing – not to mention that her bracelet does indeed inspire him to begin putting a song together at the end. How cute!

Could this new song of his be about Sophie? Here’s to hoping!

How I Met Your Father episode 8 is now streaming on Hulu.