Although How I Met Your Mother tells the story of Ted Mosby’s (Josh Radnor) search for his one true love, the show can also be seen as a funny look at friendship over the years. The sitcom, which aired for 9 seasons, saw Ted, Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris), Marshall Eriksen, Lily Aldrin (Alyson Hannigan), and Robin Scherbatsky (Cobie Smulders) getting into some messy (and hilarious) situations.
While there are many catchphrases that are legen…wait for it…dary, there are just as many humorous lines on this popular series that fans didn’t notice. Here are 10 jokes that everyone missed on How I Met Your Mother.
“Ugh, comfortable shoes? What are you filibustering later? It’s after five, put on some heels. I’ll pass.”
Robin makes this amazing joke in the season 9 episode “The Broken Code.” Lily is on a quest to help Robin make a new friend. When she cracks this joke, she’s talking about someone whose choice of footwear means that she isn’t good friendship material.
Of course, Robin is being super picky and doesn’t think that anyone is good enough. Sure, someone could simply say that they’re nervous to go up to a stranger and talk to them, which would be totally legit. But Robin’s got a biting sense of humor, and she makes a clever political joke.
“Oh, this will be a nice memory to share with Marvin when he’s older and deciding whether or not to put you in a home.”
Robin’s at it again with another joke that everyone missed on How I Met Your Mother. In the season 8 episode “The Final Page,” Lily and Marshall are psyched that they’re going to spend a night alone after having their baby boy, Marvin.
Most friends would say, “Awesome!” or talk about how cute their baby is… but not Robin. Thanks to her wit, she has a great response, and it couldn’t be better.
“Five American bucks.”
One of the running jokes on How I Met Your Mother is that Robin is Canadian and the other characters poke fun at her for it. While sometimes this can leave a bit to be desired in the humor department, there are times when it’s actually funny. This joke that everyone missed on How I Met Your Mother is one of those times.
In the season two episode “The Scorpion and the Toad,” Ted says, “Five bucks says she still wants Marshall” and Robin says “You’re on.” When Ted clarifies, “Five American bucks,” Robin says, “D**n it!” The joke not only has good timing but it’s clear that Robin is still pretty attached to her home country’s currency, which is adorable.
“We’re talking about a girl who got Barney Stinson to actually commit… I’m guessing Narnia.”
Robin’s got another hilarious joke that everyone missed, this time in the season four episode “The Stinsons.” Fans of the show are super used to the fact that Barney is a ladies’ man and goes on tons of dates. He really can’t handle the idea of commitment and it just doesn’t appeal to him.
Anyone can say that someone is scared of being in a real relationship or that they don’t want to grow up. It takes a smart comedic mind to take things further and make a good joke, which is exactly what Robin does here.
“Oh, got it. Lily and Marshall Awesome. Hey have you met the Awesomes? Lily, Marshall, their son Totally, and their daughter Freaking?”
Speaking of people who don’t want to grow up… Marshall definitely fits into that category, but he’s so charming and adorable that it comes off as a positive quality. This joke that he makes in the season two episode “Something Blue” and it sounds exactly like something he would find totally hilarious… which is what makes it so funny to the rest of us fans of the show.
While the first part of this joke is a bit silly, the last half makes it perfect. We really do believe that Marshall would be happy to call his kids Totally and Freaking. Okay, maybe he wouldn’t actually do that… but he would try to convince Lily that it was a good idea.
“And you got our wedding vows off the internet?”
Marshall has a newfound love and it’s a burger in the season four episode “The Best Burger In New York.” After he goes on a really long tangent, waxing poetic about how good it is, she makes this great joke. The funniest part of his speech is when he says, “This is no mere sandwich of grilled meat and toasted bread, Robin. This is God, speaking to us through food.”
Lily’s joke is not only the perfect comeback but it’s definitely a good question, too. She must have been feeling pretty annoyed that he hadn’t tried harder with their vows… but, hey, you can’t have any regrets about your wedding day when you’re married to someone as great as Marshall.
“‘If’? Ted, the kids in that movie jumped into a painting and spent 15 minutes chasing a cartoon fox. Spoon full of ‘sugar’? Grow up.”
Robin makes this joke when she’s speaking to Ted in the season six episode “Last Words,” and it’s another hilarious joke that everyone missed.
They’re talking about Mary Poppins, of course, and it really proves how different their personalities are. While Ted is naive and innocent and sweet, Robin is much tougher and cynical. Fans of the show who always hoped that she was the mother love their dynamic, and this scene is a good example.
“And Robin’s more than awesome. She’s awe-some-more. She’s even awe-quite-a-lot.”
Barney is known for his catchphrases, but he also has some good jokes, including this one that everyone missed on How I Met Your Mother.
He makes this joke in the season five opening, “Definitions,” while chatting with Marshall about his situation with Robin, who he’s realized that he’s got a huge crush on. The gang on this show are famous for constantly saying the word “awesome” and this is one of the best examples. We should all use the phrase “awe-quite-a-lot” on a regular basis.
“For who, a witch building a house in the forest?”
When Marshall says, “Jelly beans, fluffernutter, Gummi bears, ginger snaps- this is a grocery list” Robin makes this joke in the third season episode “Spoiler Alert.” Marshall says “Sugar helps me study” which is totally relatable… but also proves the theory that he has never really grown up.
Robin always cuts right to the chase, even if she’s talking about junk food and candy, and we love her for it. It really does sound like Marshall is talking about a fairy tale.
“Look at us, riding around in a limo, eating hot dogs… It’s like we’re the president.”
This season one quote from the episode “The Limo” really sums up Marshall’s personality, and it’s also one of the funniest jokes that everyone missed on How I Met Your Mother.
For most people, if they think about what it’s like to hold a high position like being a politician or celebrity, they think about living in luxury. They imagine residing in a mansion, having a private chef, eating steak and caviar. Not Marshall. He’s totally cool with hot dogs, and for him, that’s good enough.
