Introduction
In the past few decades, countless television series have been produced, with each being distinct but many having certain similarities. For instance, viewers often state that Friends and HIMYM (How I Met Your Mother) are quite alike, as the latter seems to have borrowed specific elements of the former (Sherlock, 2020). In particular, the two TV series are primarily connected by showing the lives of friends living in New York City and experiencing various situations concerning companionship, love, and career (Sherlock, 2020). Nonetheless, while having both small and major resemblances, the television series also contain sufficient contrasts. HIMYM and Friends differ in terms of presenting the story, timeline, and character development.
HIMYM and Friends
First, Friends and HIMYM reveal the plot in dissimilar ways. Although both TV series consists of multiple episodes that demonstrate the personages in diverse situations, HIMYM has a distinct narrator, Ted (Sherlock, 2020). HIMYM is shown from Ted’s point of view as he remarks on most of the happenings, unites the scenes, and adds conclusions to each separate story. On the other hand, Friends does not have a storyteller, and the settings change relatively suddenly, leaving the spectators to make their own judgments. While Ted in HIMYM suggests to the audience how to perceive every episode, Friends offers some freedom in interpreting the chain of events.
Consequently, as the plots are presented differently in terms of a narrator, the two television series vary regarding the main characters. Although HIMYM appears to equally concentrate on each person, the show centers around Ted and his journey toward meeting the Mother. In contrast, Friends does not significantly emphasize one personage above the others and does not lead to anything in particular (Sherlock, 2020). Therefore, since HIMYM has a storyteller, the events are more united, whereas some occasions depicted in Friends do not appear to be connected.
Second, the events of HIMYM and Friends follow distinct timelines. Ted begins his account in 2030, but the primary plot is set in the prior years (Sherlock, 2020). Accordingly, HIMYM has many flashbacks to various points in the characters’ lives, including childhood memories, college, and possible variations of the future (Sherlock, 2020). While Friends has few flashback scenes, the episodes are not placed in separate periods as much as those in HIMYM (Sherlock, 2020). Consequently, HIMYM offers additional background to the happenings, but Friends presents a more gradual and organized revealing of the plot.
Third, the two TV series have similar characters, but the personages’ developments differ. Friends and HIMYM are often compared because they are about a group of friends with two couples and a womanizer, all of whom have intricate relationships with each other (Sherlock, 2020). However, the characters in Friends come from New York City and nearby areas, and although their lives change throughout the show, their personalities do not (Sherlock, 2020). On the other hand, people in HIMYM tend to reassess their choices often and have various backgrounds, as some individuals come from Ohio, Minnesota, and Canada (Sherlock, 2020). The personages in HIMYM are more diverse and grow better toward the end of the story, but one can argue that those in Friends remain true to their identities.
Conclusion
To summarize, HIMYM and Friends present their stories differently, use dissimilar timelines, and have distinct characters. Friends have a gradual and well-organized expansion of the events, while the personages preserve their uniqueness and are all equally important to the plot. HIMYM has a narrator who makes the storyline more specified, and the show demonstrates how the characters mature by depicting important moments from their past, such as childhood and college. The examined television series are frequently discussed by the viewers due to having considerable similarities, but Friends and HIMYM contrast in the way of revealing the plot and offering distinct finales.
References
Compare & contrast essays. (n.d.). EAP Foundation.
Sherlock, B. (2020). 7 things Friends did better than How I met your mother (and 8 HIMYM did better). Screen Rant.