<em>Friends</em>’ successor show, boasting an impressive 84% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, ultimately highlights the financial inconsistencies that are less forgivable in its narrative. The most memorable episodes of Friends showcase the brilliance of the beloved sitcom, which revolves around the hilarious adventures of six main characters navigating life in New York City. However, their extravagant lifestyles give rise to a glaring plot hole that prompts viewers to ponder the plausibility of their finances.

Throughout television history, there have been countless financially unrealistic characters in sitcoms. This trope is particularly prevalent in the sitcom genre. As the seasons of Friends unfold, the financial situations of the characters become increasingly nonsensical. However, the characters in How I Met Your Mother are even more egregious in this aspect, and the show’s high Rotten Tomatoes rating fails to mask this flaw.

The Unforgiving Reality: Friends Characters Could Never Sustain Their Luxurious Lifestyles

Exploring the Financial Viability of Friends Characters’ Careers

Despite frequent job instability and even periods of unemployment, the Friends characters never seem to face the imminent threat of losing their homes or being financially destitute. Friends portrays the financial security of these characters’ jobs as more stable than they truly are, which leads to several glaring plot inconsistencies.

For instance, Phoebe spends a significant amount of time living with her grandmother, yet the financial realities of her dual role as a pension recipient and a masseuse raise questions about how they can afford their living situation. Later in the series, the only feasible explanation for Phoebe maintaining her residence is if her roommate, Denise, shoulders the bulk of the rent and utility expenses.

Monica’s apartment is under rent control, yet after losing her job in season 2, Rachel remains a waitress. Even with the benefits of rent control, it’s perplexing how they manage to afford their apartment without Ross’s financial assistance. Joey’s acting career is notoriously unstable, and the real-life counterparts of paleontologists or university lecturers, like Ross, don’t typically sustain such lavish lifestyles.

Indeed, Chandler emerges as the sole character among the primary six whose income makes sense. However, it is important to note that Chandler essentially covers all of Joey’s expenses until he lands a role in <em>Days of Our Lives</em>, but after a mishap where Drake falls down an elevator shaft, he is back to square one financially. Throughout the series, the Friends group often exhibits a carefree attitude towards their finances.

For instance, Rachel diligently saves up for her Thanksgiving ski trip, which seems like an extravagant luxury for a barista. Interestingly, in the season 2 episode “The One With Five Steaks and an Eggplant,” it is acknowledged that the incomes of Rachel, Joey, and Phoebe are significantly lower than those of their friends. Yet, post this episode, Friends largely ignores the financial disparity.

How I Met Your Mother Reiterates the Financial Absurdities Presented in Friends

New York’s Cost of Living Remains High, No Matter the Sitcom

How I Met Your Mother is often viewed as the successor to Friends, yet this popular sitcom oddly replicates the same financial discrepancies. Much like Chandler, the only character in How I Met Your Mother whose financial situation seems plausible is Barney. This is because Barney’s job responsibilities remain largely ambiguous, but it is established that he is well-compensated and involved in secretive dealings.

Yet, as the series progresses, How I Met Your Mother escalates the absurdity of its characters’ financial situations, especially in the earlier seasons. Robin begins her career as a reporter at a little-known station with minimal viewership, yet somehow manages to afford a decent apartment and multiple pets.

Lily, a kindergarten teacher, later reveals that she is burdened by a substantial amount of credit card debt. Before her marriage to Marshall, Lily occupies a small apartment (which eventually transforms into a Chinese restaurant), but she frequently finds herself at Marshall and Ted’s residence. Marshall is a law student, but there’s no indication that he holds a part-time job to support himself financially.

Contrary to popular belief, architects earn less than many presume. In the initial season of How I Met Your Mother, Ted is only 27, and most architects require decades of experience before leading significant projects. Even if Ted were a prodigious architectural talent, he would still struggle to financially support himself, Lily, and Marshall.

There are a few plot points that attempt to justify these financial discrepancies, albeit weakly. For instance, in the classic episode “Slap Bet,” we discover Robin’s history as a Canadian pop star, Robin Sparkles, suggesting she might have savings from her youth. Additionally, other episodes indicate that Robin hails from a wealthy family, with her father being a successful businessman.

How I Met Your Mother’s Financial Perspective Is Utterly Implausible

How I Met Your Mother somehow takes the financial absurdities even further than Friends. While the antics of the Friends group are already unrealistic, How I Met Your Mother escalates the financial discrepancies to an extreme level. Barney seems to afford lavish trips and adventures without any apparent constraints, and Marshall appears able to abandon his studies or job at will, just like Robin and Ted.

Interestingly, Lily is often present throughout most episodes. Although being a kindergarten teacher involves a significant time commitment, she seems to be available for many of How I Met Your Mother’s iconic moments, as if she never works. The group regularly engages in late-night escapades, yet the subject of hangovers is rarely addressed, appearing only briefly in a few episodes.

Even when the characters of How I Met Your Mother encounter financial difficulties, these struggles are swiftly forgotten. For instance, Lily and Marshall hardly express any concerns about their mortgage after acquiring their first apartment, even though it comes with a hefty interest rate due to Lily’s outstanding credit card debt.

Another pertinent example involving Lily arises when she returns to New York following her breakup with Marshall. Lily is portrayed as struggling to discover her next career path and lacks stable employment, yet she somehow manages to afford her deteriorating apartment (which is arguably the most believable one in the series).

How I Met Your Mother aired during the tumultuous period of the 2008 financial crisis, yet the show largely ignores this significant real-world event, despite incorporating other contemporary issues into its story arcs. While there are a few vague references to the Great Recession, the financial struggles of the characters don’t resonate with the realities experienced by many viewers, perhaps trivializing the impact of such an event.

While Friends stands as one of the most iconic sitcoms that embraces the trope of financially unrealistic characters, How I Met Your Mother takes it to an entirely new level. Unlike Friends, How I Met Your Mother employs an unreliable narrator, which could justify Ted’s whimsical stories as exaggerations.

• 

  Friends

  

  8/10

  Release Date

  1994 – 2004

  Showrunner

  Marta Kauffman

  Directors

  Kevin S. Bright, Gary Halvorson, Michael Lembeck, James Burrows, Gail Mancuso, Peter Bonerz, David Schwimmer, Robby Benson, Shelley Jensen, Terry Hughes, Dana De Vally Piazza, Alan Myerson, Pamela Fryman, Steve Zuckerman, Thomas Schlamme, Roger Christiansen, Sheldon Epps, Arlene Sanford, David Steinberg, Joe Regalbuto, Mary Kay Place, Paul Lazarus, Sam Simon, Todd Holland

  Writers

  Jeff Astrof, Mike Sikowitz, Brian Boyle, Patty Lin, Bill Lawrence, R. Lee Fleming Jr.

• 

  How I Met Your Mother

  

  9/10

  Release Date

  2005 – 2014

  Showrunner

  Craig Thomas

  Directors

  Michael J. Shea

  Writers

  Chris Harris, Stephen Lloyd, Joe Kelly, Robia Rashid, Greg Malins, Chris Marcil, Phil Lord, Sam Johnson, Tami Sagher, Gloria Calderon Kellett