Legendary Comedies To Pick Next
How I Met Your Mother is an enjoyable and very funny sitcom, and although the ending leaves a lot to be desired, there are some undeniably good moments across the entire show’s run.
If you’ve finished watching this one and are looking for alternatives – fret not! We’ve combed through the archives and saved you the hassle with our top 10 picks for alternate viewing.
To keep things simple for skim-readers we’ve added what similarities these have.
Of course for all the shows we’ve reviewed, we’ve also added a handy link so you can check out our full thoughts on that series and see if it’s something you want to invest your time with.
So without further ado, we present 10 TV shows that should whet the appetite when you’ve finished streaming How I Met Mother.
Friends
Similarities – Friendship group, comedy
Friends is one of the most popular sitcoms, and continues to remain at the top of the cultural zeitgeist when it comes to discussing the best sitcoms.
Friends follows the lives of six friends – Ross, Rachel, Chandler, Monica, Joey, and Phoebe – who live in New York City. Although there is a connected thread running all the way through the show (mostly revolving around Ross and Rachel’s “will they”/”won’t they” relationship), the show explores all kinds of friendships, romantic relationships, and careers.
Much like How I Met Your Mother, both shows are set in New York City and share similar themes, not to mention the basic character archetypes too.
How I Met Your Father
Similarities – Spin-off, very similar premise
How I Met Your Father is a spinoff of HIMYM, that began airing in 2022. The show follows Sophie and her group of friends as they navigate life and love in modern-day New York City. Sophie tells her son the story of how she met his father through a series of flashbacks.
As a direct spinoff, How I Met Your Father shares the same narrative structure and storytelling style, while similarly focusing on a group of friends within New York City.
The Good Place
Similarities – Diverse Characters
The Good Place is a hilarious comedy that follows Eleanor Shellstrop, a woman who unwittingly finds herself in the afterlife; specifically, a heaven-like utopia called The Good Place. Eleanor’s not a particularly good person though, and she soon realizes that she has been mistaken for someone else. In her mission, she sets out to become a better person in order to stay in The Good Place.
The Good Place shares a similarly memorable group of characters at the center of this one, who all have unique personalities and quirks.
Scrubs
Similarities – Comedy & Feel-Good Moments
Scrubs is an absolute must-watch and this comedy-drama centers around the lives of medical interns and residents at the fictional Sacred Heart Hospital.
Specifically, our main character here is Dr. John “J.D.” Dorian, who’s joined by his friends as they navigate the challenges of their medical careers and personal lives.
The similar style of humour and heartfelt moments, not to mention the quirky cast of characters, makes this another good choice.
Parks and Recreation
Similarities – Chemistry Between Leads
Parks and Rec is a mockumentary-style comedy that follows the daily lives of the employees at the Parks and Recreation department in the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana.
While the first season is a little slow out the gates, from season 2 onwards, the show really shines and stands out as a wonderful comedy.
The series explores the personal and professional lives of the department’s staff, including their relationships with each other and with the town’s residents.
Modern Family
Similarities – Dysfunctional family unit
Modern Family is an American mockumentary-style sitcom, revolving around the lives of Jay Pritchett and his family, including his second wife, his stepson, and his two adult children and their respective families.
The series amusingly documents the diverse, interconnected lives of these family members as they navigate various personal and family-related issues.
Both shows focus on a close-knit group of characters and their relationships, using humor and heartwarming moments to explore the characters’ lives.
Two and a Half Men
Similarities – Comedy style
Two and a Half Men is an American sitcom that aired from 2003 to 2015. The show follows the lives of Charlie Harper, his brother Alan, and Alan’s son Jake. After Alan’s divorce, he moves in with Charlie, leading to humorous and dramatic situations involving their relationships, family, and personal lives.
Both sitcoms explore the personal lives of its central characters, and the comedy structure is pretty similar between the pair too. However, while HIMYM centers on a group of friends this one is much more focused on its central three characters.
Love Sick
Similarities – Comedy
Love Sick, formerly known as Scrotal Recall, is a British sitcom that follows Dylan, who is diagnosed with chlamydia, as he contacts his former sexual partners to inform them of his diagnosis.
The series uses flashbacks to recount his past relationships, and explores the lives and friendships of Dylan and his two closest friends, Evie and Luke.
These flashbacks are quite similar to How I Met Your Mother’s narrative structure, while exploring themes of love, friendship, and personal growth.
Happy Endings
Similarities – Friends living together, comedy
Happy Endings is another sitcom from the US, which follows a group of six friends living in Chicago as they navigate life, love, and friendship after one of them leaves another at the altar.
Both series have a strong connection to their central cast of characters and their relationships. There’s also a nice recurring theme here around the challenges of young adulthood, though Happy Endings is set in Chicago instead of New York City.
New Girl
Similarities – Comedy style
New Girl is an American sitcom that follows the quirky and optimistic Jess Day, who moves in with three single men—Nick, Schmidt, and Winston—after a bad breakup. The series explores the dynamics of their friendships, romantic relationships, and personal growth as they navigate the challenges of life and love in Los Angeles.
The style of comedy is very similar to that used in How I Met Your Mother, while the character development for the central cast is really well done across the different seasons.
So there we have it, our 10 TV show alternatives to watch when you’re finished watching How I Met Your Mother.
What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!