Binging for the first time; the shift is noticeable
I just started watching this show last week, and now I'm nearly done with Season 3 and feel the need to blah blah about it. What I've noticed is that the show has a tendency to introduce things strongly, smartly, well thought out with a lot of heart. And then... it gets loose, and becomes either diluted or a caricature of itself. For instance, the first season plots and emotional arcs all feel so solid and great. But Season's 2 and 3 have mostly lacked heart or meaningful consequences for any the characters. Add a laugh track and it could be HIMYM.
It's not just the plot that has suffered, several characters have too. I loved the character of Sean in Season 1 - but in S2 and S3 it was like they didn't really know what to do with him anymore, so they just kept making Blind Side jokes and shuffling who his therapist is.
Brian was introduced as a really interesting supporting character in S1 - a loyal friend who was brave enough to show how grief alienation had injured him. ...and then they turned him into a cartoon. He's now just a shrieking banshee that reminds me of Billy Eichner's character from Parks & Rec (who I also loathed).
In a very short time, they've done the same with Sofi. The first episode that she appears in, Sofi is charming, clever and flirtatious and very self-aware. In the last two episodes that I've seen, she's awkward and cringe and very unaware. It has nothing to do with the Robin/Marshall thing (although Jason Segal IS just playing Marshall Erickson). Cobie Smulders did a good job with what they gave her for Sofi. I didn't see Robin in it at all. And yet they trashed a really solid character immediately. The only reason I can think of for why they did so is that Meg is endgame (which I think they've been pointing to since Season 1) and Sofi was TOO good as introduced.
Honestly, the only character who I think has had a strong arc in every season with no character dilution is Gaby. Jessica Williams is great. I don't remember seeing her in anything before this, but I hope she has a big, big career.