What are the qualities of a great story? It has to be memorable or extraordinary. The story could not take place without unique characters, and would be dull without an interesting plot. Without these qualities, a story becomes boring and is lost in the realm of mediocrity. In CBS’s hit sitcom How I Met
Your Mother, Ted Mosby embarks on the journey of storytelling. In the year 2030, Ted tells his two children of the epic tale of how he met their mother 25 years earlier. Seven seasons later, the story continues, and is as great as ever. Through funny, believable characters portrayed by excellent actors, gut busting humor, and an emotionally appealing storyline, this show has become a staple of primetime television. Over the course of seven seasons, viewers of the show have seen great changes to the characters, but they retain the initial qualities that made them beloved from the first season. Josh
Radnor plays the main character, Ted Mosby. Ted is an architect living in an apartment in New York City with his roommate from college, Marshall Eriksen, played by Jason Segel, and his girlfriend Lily, played by Alyson Hannigan. Played by Neil Patrick Harris, Barney Stinson is the womanizing “wingman” who helps Ted with his endeavors as a bachelor. On one of Barney and Ted’s bar-scene adventures, Ted meets the girl of his dreams, Robin Scherbatsky, played by Cobie Smulders. Ted can be easily described as a helpless romantic. He tries his best to believe in an ideal love, with fate and destiny playing a role. Ted’s views are expressed two minutes into the pilot episode, as he instantly falls in love with Robin after one date. After a whole season of chasing after Robin, their relationship finally begins. Ted and Robin date for a year and their break up becomes public at Marshall and Lily’s wedding. From this point on, Ted’s relationships become an ongoing train wreck, highlighted by Stella, the girl who leaves him at the altar, and Zoey, the girl who attempts to sabotage his shot at building a skyscraper in New York. Ted may not be the funniest character on the show, but the plot depends on him, because it is his story. Josh Radnor’s excellent portrayal of the helpless, heartbroken romantic keeps viewers hanging on his every word and action. Keep in mind, that an older version of
Ted tells the story. This means that he knows that there will be a happy ending. Until then, we can only enjoy the ride. Marshall, the carefree lawyer from Minnesota, and Lily, the kindergarten teacher from New York
City, are almost inseparable. The two met during the first week of college, and have been in love ever since. In the first episode of the series, Marshall and Lily get engaged. Under intense stress from the wedding and her own life, Lily backs out of the engagement and flees to San Francisco for an art fellowship. But like any couple that has been together for 9 years, they get back together, and marry at the end of the second season. Over the years, they have grown as a couple, and are taking bigger steps in life, such as moving into their own apartment and having kids. At the beginning of the current season,
Lily finally becomes pregnant. Marshall’s involvement in the show is crucial. Jason Segel does an excellent job of playing the eccentric character; managing to incorporate an utter goofiness, a youthful innocence, and a calming maturity all at the same time. Marshall often acts as the angel on Ted’s shoulder, guiding him to the right decision. Lily can be viewed as the motherly figure of the group. Lily has a tendency to “always be right”, like most women believe they are. She calls this quality, “her best and most annoying trait.” Alyson Hanningan’s portrayal of Lily is both humorous and heartwarming, as she always ends up guiding the group in the right direction, even if it is by outrageous means. Robin Scherbatsky’s character is an utter paradox. How can this adorable TV reporter from
Canada also be a cigar smoking, scotch guzzling connoisseur? She boasts of her independence, but also yearns for companionship. While Robin was originally brought into the show to be Ted’s love interest, she has become an irreplaceable part of the gang. Robin appears skeptical of love and emotionally closed off in earlier episodes. After her relationship with Ted, however, she becomes more open. She has had a long string of relationships, including one with a former co-worker and an on-off relationship with Barney. Cobie Smulder’s portrayal of Robin has evolved with her acting ability over the years. Her original portrayal as an innocent sweetheart has become a rash, snarky and outgoing woman, which has been appreciated by all viewers. Her original skepticism of love has turned into cynicism, and has made her a hilarious force to be reckoned with. Barney Stinson is the most popular character the show has to boast. Neil Patrick Harris’ character has been nominated for an Emmy for Best Supporting Actor. He can be described with his own catchphrase, “legendary.” Barney is the ultimate womanizer. Beyond his womanizing qualities, Barney is as flamboyant and eccentric as an individual can possibly be. He is the ideal “bro.” He lives life to the fullest; trying to make life as “legendary” as it possibly can be. It is hard to believe that a character can be seen in a suit in every single episode, leading to one of his most quoted lines, “Suit Up!” He has even published his own copy of the “Bro Code,” the previously unwritten laws about how men handle situations with women. Over the most recent season, he has left his normal ways and calmed down a little bit. He has dated Robin, and is now romantically involved with one of Robin’s co-workers. A large majority of the show’s comedic value comes from Barney. His gambits, plays, and schemes to grab girls at the bar are utterly hilarious. His character shows full confidence, and makes his flaws and failures even funnier. Luckily for viewers, the show has been able to use Barney as a character, not just comedic relief. Neil Patrick Harris has done an excellent job portraying this character, and other Emmy nominations and an eventual win are not far away. Due to the nature of the show, humor is paramount to its success. The writers of the show,
Carter Bays and Craig Thomas, use many different approaches. When a show has a womanizing character like Barney, there will always be inevitable sex jokes made throughout the episode. Other than being used for crass humor, Barney’s life, which is shrouded in mystery, has provided the show with endless laughs. One episode showed how one ex-girlfriend changed Barney from a hippie into a
“suit.” Until meeting his true father in the sixth season, Barney believed that his father was TV’s own
Bob Barker. Barney’s career is still a mystery. Even having worked with both Marshall and Ted when his firm has needed either legal or architectural advice, everyone has yet to figure out what his actual job is.
The writers also use a tactic involving inside jokes; one of the shows trademark ideas, based on viewers’ investment in previous seasons. For example, in the second season episode “Slap Bet,” the gang dives into Robin’s past, looking to find out what she did in Canada. Barney believes that Robin was in an illicit video industry, while Marshall thinks that she was previously married. The two arrange a
“slap bet,” in which the winner gets to slap the other participant in the face. While extremely juvenile, the concept has proved hilarious. At the end of the episode, viewers discover that Robin was not in an illicit industry or previously married, but rather a child pop star in Canada under the name “Robin
Sparkles”. Her big hit, “Let’s Go to the Mall”, has a hilarious music video, which shouts mediocrity, embarrassment, and late-eighties fashion. Since Barney had previously slapped Marshall for believing he had won the bet, Marshall was granted the right to slap Barney five times, which could be used at any moment. The slaps have been used to generate a sequence of hilarious episodes, such as “Slapsgiving”, and “Slapsgiving: Part II. Revenge of the Slap”, which involve a slap being doled out at the gang’s
Thanksgiving celebration. This episode has also generated other episodes connected to Robin’s teenage pop career, including discovering another one of her music videos and her involvement in a child’s show.
Using recurring jokes such as these have garnered much interest in the show, and have rewarded viewers by returning to successful material from the past. While many critics claim the show is one of the funniest on television, most rave about the emotional appeal of the show. Robert Lloyd from the Los Angeles Times calls the show, “Sharp and sentimental, like Seinfeld with feeling.” Because the story is told as a love story in reverse, it is extremely plot driven. This means that for the show to be effective, it cannot rely on humor alone. While the characters are fun and outgoing, the pathos of the show makes them believable. Heartbreak is a recurring theme on the show. Ted experiences it countless times en route to meeting the mother of his children. In season four, Ted is left at the altar by his fiancée, Stella. Stella already had a child and a whole life with her ex-boyfriend. When the ex-boyfriend arrives at the wedding, their old love rekindles, and she abandons Ted. The heartbreak Ted endures makes viewers sympathize with him. It also intrigues viewers by forcing them to see how he will rebound from the heartbreak. The emotional aspect of the show does not only fall on Ted, rather it affects the other characters too. Over the course of seven seasons, the mystery of Barney Stinson has unraveled, and viewers feel an even deeper connection with him. We have met his true father; an incredibly emotional experience, because this man was hidden from him since his birth. He has moved away from one night stands and closer to a committed relationship and marriage. We’ve seen Marshall and Lily’s relationship fall apart, come together, grow, and now plan for children. Marshall has experienced the death of his father and changed his views on family and life. Robin has become less self-centered and now looks for love. With so many emotions, the show grabs viewers’ attention, and leaves them sitting on the edge of their seat for the next episode.
How I Met Your Mother, the love story told in reverse, has garnered much respect over the course of seven seasons. It has earned its spot among the primetime elite through powerful characters, its witty writing, and use of powerful emotions. Even though the mother’s true identity still remains a secret, we tune in weekly to hope to grab a bit of insight as to who it might be. If the epic conclusion were to follow the theme of the show, the mother has to be, for lack of a better word, legendary.