‘Friends' and ‘HIMYM' are two of the most popular sitcoms to date, at least they are in my opinion. Although, there is a lot of backlash against ‘HIMYM,' because many people say it is just a rip-off of ‘Friends,' and it is not at all. The only similarities the two shows share is that they are comedies about a group of friends in New York City. They have completely different storylines and different kinds of characters.
First of all, the characters across the shows are very different, with a common focus on love. Yes, each show has their stereotypical characters, but they are carried out in different ways. The common comparisons are Ross and Ted, Chandler and Marshall, Monica/Phoebe and Lily, Rachel and Robin, and Joey and Barney. While each of these characters fit into common stereotypes they are also very different.
Ross and Ted are known as the nerdy guys, but there is a difference between the two. Although, Ted his share of incredibly romantic sweet things on the show, he was nowhere near as nice as Ross. Ted dumped the same girl twice on two different birthdays and ditched his date to go into a club.
Although, some people believe Ross cheated on Rachel they were on a break, so that argument is invalid.
Chandler and Marshall the funny guys. The main differences between these two are that Marshall knew from the moment he met Lily in college, that was who he wanted to be with for the rest of his life. Chandler took a while to figure out Monica was the woman of his dreams, but nonetheless, he figured it out (thank goodness). They are our go-to funny guys with different go-to phrases. Chandler is known for his emphasis on the word "BE," and his never-ending sarcasm.
While Marshall is known for "LAWYERED," in any ridiculous argument he wins amongst the group.
Lily is comparable to both Monica and Phoebe. She loves to have control, yet she also has a wild side that can be really unexpected. The similarities stop there.
Monica's career has always been working in a restaurant of some sort, whereas Lily's career path changed and she went through a slight existential crisis at the end of season one.
Phoebe, on the other hand, was always the person who was just going through life and taking every opportunity she got.
Rachel and Robin were the career-oriented women but in different ways. For example, Robin from the start of the show knew what she wanted and was in the process of getting to be the news anchor she always dreamed of.
Rachel, on the other hand, started the show with no idea of what she wanted, because everything was always handed to her, so she never really had to have it figure out. With the help of her friends, Rachel became a powerful woman working in the fashion industry.
Last but certainly not least we have Joey and Barney, our womanizers, although Barney took the term to a whole new level. Joey had his fair share of dates, but nowhere near as many as Barney and he did not take it as seriously as Barney. Barney literally had a playbook for tricks to play on the women to get them to sleep with him, he went for a "perfect week." He did it in a very funny way though, and I love him to pieces.
Joey, on the other hand, was not the brightest, but he was a charmer and no one could resist that signature, "how you doin'?"
These are two amazing shows that everyone should watch at least once. Personally, I have watched both of these all the way through many more times than I want to admit. The standout difference I think is that ‘HIMYM' uses darker comedy than ‘Friends.' While ‘Friends' has its tear-jerking moments, it does not get as dark as ‘HIMYM' did. Both shows executed their kinds of comedy very well, making both of them a hit to me.
You can love both ‘Friends' and ‘HIMYM.'
