It is no secret that I am quite the How I Met Your Mother fanatic. I have written articles about it, made references in many essays to the show, and share everything the official Facebook page posts. But there is one crucial part of this show that I hardly ever talk about, except to my friends who are also fans: Marshall Eriksen is THE perfect man. When I first started watching the show so many moons ago, I immediately thought Marshall was cool because he was funny in such a small town, down to Earth way. But as my love for the show grew, so did my admiration for Marshall. I realized what an ideal man Marshall is, even though he is problematic at times.

His Career:

Even though there are so many twists and turns throughout the series with his career, Marshall’s passion for environmental law and the planet is so admirable. The times where he has to work for the “bad guy” in order to pay his bills, we see that it is killing him to kill the planet and not help it in some way. Nature holds such a soft spot in my heart, so I melt whenever Marshall talks about saving the world by being an environmental lawyer and fighting for the rights of the things that cannot fight for themselves.

His Humor:

Unlike Barney, and even Ted, Marshall’s humor is hearty, good ole’ boy humor. But the best part about Marshall is, as an audience, we are often laughing with Marshall unintentionally. He is so kind and naive, that sometimes the things he says or his actions are the funniest part of the show. Like the episode when he drops an entire bag of Skittles during a moment of silence. I am not even lying when I say I cried at that part because it was so funny.

His Love of Family:

Marshall and the Eriksen Clan remind me of my family, except they are all a little more normal and a whole lot more mid-western. My family is something that is so important to me, and the scenes when Marshall is at home, or talking about his childhood, are some of the most honest and heartwarming moments of the show. Even when the gang calls him out for being too obsessed with his family, I cannot help but relate. Especially when it flashes to the Sunday Eriksen dinners, where Marshall Skypes in and pretends to be there. It reminds me so much of my family Facetiming me constantly while I am at college. But Marshall was at the ultimate peak when he became a dad, and he kills it in the lullaby game.

His Kindness:

There are literal episodes of Marshall being taken advantage of for being so kind. He just has the boy next door, mow your lawn vibe that is so welcoming and warm. He is loyal to Lily and all of his friends, and even when the whole gang is hateful or negative, sweet Marshall comes in with a smile and a bad dad joke to cheer everyone up. He is easily the most sensitive character, but I think that is what makes him so lovable.

And if these qualities did not sell you, Jason Segal (who plays Marshall) is insanely attractive. But trust me, Marshall is the dream man.