HIMYM characters are supposed to be caricatures with some believable elements to them, Friends characters are supposed to be believable people with some exaggerated features. But that's a trend in comedy, characters become more and more cartoonish, when they were more believable in the past.
BBC's Coupling over both of them. Among Friends and HIMYM, both casts are good but HIMYM takes the overall writing award by a large margin IMO.
I have to admit to being the better part of two seasons behind on HIMYM but I loved the first 6 seasons and I'm bummed to hear it's gone that far downhill. I guess it shouldn't be surprising since it's practically impossible to maintain any semblance of quality over that long a span for any show.
I don't think HIMYM is awful now, but it's clearly running on fumes at this point. Better to end it this season before it becomes truly terrible.
HIMYM is a show best watched in marathon form. Netflix just added Season 7. I'm about halfway through and still think it's fantastic.
All I know is, the characters on How I Met Your Mother are people I would like to hang out with; the characters on Friends were just a tad snobby in my opinion.
But Rachel has awful taste in men, almost any of us would have a chance with her, and she sleeps with guys on the first date. You just have to find the strength some how not to offend her by punching Ross in the nose.
This week's Mother was a classic episode. Every time they did a drum snare when Ted found something of his they borrowed and never returned I died laughing
I busted a gut when they found Lilly in the closet too with no forewarning. Good to see the cowboy boots back too.
I had a funny thought the other day. Would each show still work with swapped casts? Who should play whom from the other show and how would it change the stories?
Ted - Ross Barney - Joey Robin - Rachel You still get the on-off again thing with Ross and Rachel and the love triangle (although it was very brief in Friends). Which leaves Marshall and Lily as Chandler and Monica. But you'd need an extra person for Phoebe, I don't know who you could have from the HIMYM supporting cast to fill that role.