Josh Radnor's Favorite How I Met Your Mother Running Joke Makes So Much Sense
The iconic Millennial sitcom "How I Met Your Mother" captivated audiences with its quirky approach to storytelling, weaving together a unique cast of characters and a captivating narrative. Over nine seasons and more than 200 episodes, the show's creators masterfully revealed how one of its central characters, Ted Mosby (played by Josh Radnor), met his wife. While the show's long-term story arcs were compelling, it primarily entertained by showcasing the characters' everyday foibles, much like "Friends," "New Girl," or "Seinfeld".
One of the show's most memorable and recurring jokes, as Radnor himself admitted, was the intervention trope. This running gag, which Radnor found hilarious, involved the characters taking interventions very seriously, even when the interventions themselves were absurd. For instance, the show featured a professional banner made for an intervention, complete with a fake British accent or Crocs, and the characters would walk in with the banner, causing a range of reactions from scowling to amusement. The intervention trope addressed obsessions with everything from spray tans to magic tricks, and even had an intervention for interventions, showcasing the show's creative and quirky humor.
Another ongoing joke in the show was telepathic talking, where characters would converse without moving their mouths, connecting brain-to-brain for intimate or secret exchanges. Additionally, the show's main characters would continually thank the bartender, Linus, for his punctual and time-sensitive service, leading to the familiar phrase "Thank you, Linus." The show also made use of numbers and random but very specific percentages to quantify things, adding a layer of humor and cleverness to its data-driven humor.
Many of these gags evolved and became more nuanced as the seasons progressed, requiring a deeper understanding from the audience. Despite the random nature of the show's content, it is recommended to watch it from the beginning to fully appreciate the jokes and build the intra-show vocabulary. "How I Met Your Mother" is a testament to the power of quirky humor and the art of storytelling, leaving a lasting impact on its audience and becoming a beloved classic in the world of television.
