24.4.08

How I Met Your Mother

Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) decides to tell his children exactly how he met their mother –– but that’s for sometime in the future. What follows (in the present) are anecdotes of Ted, his friends, Marshall Eriksen (Jason Segel), Robin Scherbatsky (Cobie Smulders), Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris) and Lily Aldrin (Alyson Hannigan) in hilarious situations.



Ted Mosby, portrayed by Radnor, is an all round nice guy and he seems to be set for life. However, a romance between two of his friends, Marshall and Lily, sparks his own interest in finding a significant other. His friend Barney tells him that he "thinks too much" but agrees to help him “suit up” for romance. Barney is one character that steals the show every time. Like the proverbial Joey from Friends or Jack from Will and Grace Barney cracks you up every time with one of his catchphrases: “Suit up!” or “Legendary!”

His friends Marshall and Lily often act as Ted's guardian angels; in the early episodes the two of them have some quirky moments themselves, but ultimately their stories become repetitive and their characters extremely dull. And then there’s Robin who plays Ted’s primary romantic interest ––- unfortunately she thinks of him only as a platonic friend. Through the span of the show their relationship see-saws between romance and heart break, which some viewers might find a bit tiresome after a while.

How I met your mother isn’t one of the best comedy shows we’ve seen; it’s not as witty and intelligent as Arrested Development or as genuinely funny as Seinfield, but at its heart it’s a show that isn’t meant to be taken seriously. At times it tickles your funny bone and at times it tugs at your heartstrings, overall it’s a show you may not get hooked on but will enjoy watching from time to time. Seasons one and two are now available. — Khaver Siddiqi

(Originally published in the April 24th, 2008 edition of the Review)