FRIENDS vs How I Met Your Mother - Which is better?

[dank69]

Stopped watching HIMYM a few years ago, and never heard about the ending so just read it on wiki. Wow. That's just the worst possible conceivable ending ever. Even the Seinfeld ending is orders of magnitude better and I thought that sucked. If I'd invested all that time in it I would've been seriously PO'd.

I thought the ending of HIMYM was relatively creative for a sitcom.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Friends by far by far by far.

HIMYM is the only series that over the course of it made me HATE the protagonist. Seriously half way through its run I think they should have renamed it "How Your Lame Ass Dad Named Ted Ruined the Life of Your Mother By Meeting Her."

Ted had almost no redeeming qualities, which is why by the end its Barney's show even though Barney is the caricature that was created to make Ted seem normal.

At least with Friends the worse character- Ross by far- has some redeeming characteristics, like when he said the wrong woman's name at his wedding. And at least Ross is only part of the puzzle, in the end Chandler is more the protagonist of the men. HIMYM is rigged from the state that Ted can't be sidelined, which hurts the entire show.

The rest of the non-Ted cast was amazing, I overall like some of HIMYM more than the best of Friends. The problem is the father that meets the mother.

 

[Mr.IncrediblyBored]

For what it's worth, in terms of pop-culture Friends was by far bigger and more successful than How I Met Your Mother.

I liked HIMYM more than Friends, but really they both degenerated into unwatchable crap toward the last couple seasons.

 

[dank69]

Friends by far by far by far.

HIMYM is the only series that over the course of it made me HATE the protagonist. Seriously half way through its run I think they should have renamed it "How Your Lame Ass Dad Named Ted Ruined the Life of Your Mother By Meeting Her."

Ted had almost no redeeming qualities, which is why by the end its Barney's show even though Barney is the caricature that was created to make Ted seem normal.

At least with Friends the worse character- Ross by far- has some redeeming characteristics, like when he said the wrong woman's name at his wedding. And at least Ross is only part of the puzzle, in the end Chandler is more the protagonist of the men. HIMYM is rigged from the state that Ted can't be sidelined, which hurts the entire show.

The rest of the non-Ted cast was amazing, I overall like some of HIMYM more than the best of Friends. The problem is the father that meets the mother.

While I think the Ross character was easily the second worst character, Monica was WAY worse. So bad even her rack couldn't make her appealing.

 

[gorcorps]

QFT - but if I had to choose, I would say friends. HIMYM is one of the most overrated shows ever to grace TV. Second most overrated show, behind "According to Jim."

Don't you have to be liked to be overrated? I don't know anybody who actually watched it. Two and a half men takes the cake for overrated.

 

[dank69]

Don't you have to be liked to be overrated? I don't know anybody who actually watched it. Two and a half men takes the cake for overrated.

No way, 2.5 Men was great for the first few years. Some of the lines delivered in that show were fantastic. Some of the names of the episodes alone were fantastic. Throw in some high quality T&A and the rewatchabilty of those first few seasons is off the charts.

 

[poofyhairguy]

While I think the Ross character was easily the second worst character, Monica was WAY worse. So bad even her rack couldn't make her appealing.

Monica was bad but:

1. Fat Monica in flashbacks was funny

2. Chandler dealing with Monica made me like him more. Just like dealing with Jessica's airbrained BS made me like Nick Lachey after Newlyweds

 

[PricklyPete]

Hotter than Aniston in her prime? I don't think so.

For my tastes, yes. Aniston has a great body. She is certainly very attractive, but I actually thought Cox was prettier during the show and I also find the girl on HIMYM prettier as well. Don't get me wrong, they are all very attractive people.

 

[dank69]

Monica was bad but:

1. Fat Monica in flashbacks was funny

2. Chandler dealing with Monica made me like him more. Just like dealing with Jessica's airbrained BS made me like Nick Lachey after Newlyweds

 

[OVerLoRDI]

I was a long time Seinfeld fan, then HIMYM, then recently my wife got me started on Friends. I think Friends is better, but the characters in Friends are starting to bug me more than they did in HIMYM.

Example:
Ted > Ross (Ross is such an idiot, they play out the "oh shut up already" far too much)
Barney > Chandler (Chandler is awesome, Barney is better)

I do like Joey and Phoebe though.

Also like others have said.... The finale of HIMYM was ridiculous and maddening. Almost as bad as Mass Effect 3.

 

[Childs]

Ted > Ross (Ross is such an idiot, they play out the "oh shut up already" far too much)

I think Ted is the most forgettable lead in a TV series ever. That actor will never be seen again.

 

[Cienja]

Friends, in my opinion, by far. The writing and timing of the actors were so good. It was a solid hit. My kids watch it now on Netflix (I think) so it's still going strong.

How I Met Your Mother stayed on the air because of Doogie, who is a fantastic actor and funny as hell. The rest of the cast - bleah. Except whats-her-name "One time in band camp..." She's cute.

 

[IAteYourMother]

HIMYM was an awful show, and it only got worse over time

 

[Dannar26]

Wait, you guys liked Friends?

 

[soulcougher73]

Better Off Ted funnier than both? Cant believe that show only lasted 2 seaons..grrr

 

[Crono]

Better Off Ted funnier than both? Cant believe that show only lasted 2 seaons..grrr

Better Off Ted was good and shouldn't have been canceled, but it wasn't funnier than either.

The Loop was funnier than Better Off Ted, but very few people watched that, unfortunately.

 

[MrPickins]

Friends

the series finale (and final season in general) of HIMYM was so bad that it retroactively ruined any previously funny episodes.

So much this.

Overall, Friends had better writing.

At it's best, HIMYM was funnier, but it was rarely at it's best after the first few seasons.

 

[MrPickins]

HIMYM is the only series that over the course of it made me HATE the protagonist. Seriously half way through its run I think they should have renamed it "How Your Lame Ass Dad Named Ted Ruined the Life of Your Mother By Meeting Her."

Ted had almost no redeeming qualities, which is why by the end its Barney's show even though Barney is the caricature that was created to make Ted seem normal

I'm glad I'm not the only one. The more the series progressed, the more Ted comes off as a self-absorbed douche.

I really realized it when he broke up with the girl on her birthday...at a restaurant...for the second time... and expected her to be cool with an "it's ineffable".

Wait another day and do it in private, you jackass.

 

[JulesMaximus]

You only watch friends if you have a vagina or wish you had a vagina.

This

 

[MrPickins]

You only watch friends if you have a vagina or wish you had a vagina.

This

Or if the person who gives you the vagina likes the show.

 

[Kelvrick]

I can watch reruns friends at night for an episode while just unwinding in bed before going to sleep. HIMYM just isn't funny the second time around. Ted just got annoying. I think I stopped watching HIMYM about 4 seasons in and don't miss it. I thought it was hilarious for the first few seasons though. THen it just got old listening about how Ted was banging various girls.

 

[Ns1]

HIMYM > Friends x infinity

I mean just Barney alone > Friends x infinity

 

[KentState]

I liked the characters on Friends better, expect Barney from HIMYM. Seriously, the dragged out the last season and at that point I didn't care if Ted actually met his wife. Friends did have some rough spots, but it had a lot more memorable episodes and situations.

 

[QueBert]

Or if the person who gives you the vagina likes the show.

No vagina in the world's worth having to be subjected to Friends, there are too many fish in the sea for that shit.

Friends is the sitcom equivalent of The View.

 

[MrPickins]

No vagina in the world's worth having to be subjected to Friends, there are too many fish in the sea for that shit.

Friends is the sitcom equivalent of The View.

You make a lot of compromises when you're married. I put up with Friends, she puts up with me using the main TV for console games.

Plus, I think you're forgetting the pokies.