How I Met Your Mother: 10 Times Ted Said Everything Fans Were Thinking

Ted Mosby from How I Met Your Mother is a man of many talents. Despite being somewhat high-brow, cerebrally, Ted is one of the most relatable protagonists on television. Though the show follows his pursuit to find “the one,” Ted isn’t exactly delusional or out of touch with reality.

In fact, many times Ted comes across as the most sensible person in his squad and he often echoes what fans are thinking. He’s also the only person who can give his friends a reality check without hurting their feelings. 

10 “Everyone Has An Opinion On How Long It Takes To Recover From A Breakup.”

This is one of the most profound things Ted has ever said, which has not always been acknowledged by those around him. Obviously, advice like “get over it,” “cheer up,” or “get back out there” doesn’t work on everyone going through a breakup. Just like every relationship moves at its own pace, everyone recuperates from a split in their own time.

Some of Ted’s own relationships have left him stranded emotionally after they ended, like when he was caught blind-sided by Stella’s deception or with the break-up with Robin. He correctly recognized that not everyone navigates a breakup the same way.

9 “People Make Fun Of The Guy Who Stays Home Every Night Doing Nothing, But The Truth Is That Guy Is A Genius.”

HIMYM fans may have realized how acutely true Ted’s words are over the quarantine. But Ted, of course, wasn’t referring to a quarantine mood. In season 7, he is learning how to live alone after Robin moves out. He explores the perks of living without a roommate, like being able to walk around naked or save takeout food for himself without having to share it.

Barney and Marshall believe that Ted is feeling blue, which is why he’s not leaving his apartment. So, when they ask him to hang out at MacLaren’s, he tells them that he loves staying in every night and doing absolutely nothing productive.

8 “You Can’t Cling To The Past Because No Matter How Tightly You Hold On, It’s Already Gone.”

Ted said these words during one of the crucial phases in the show where things were really about to change, so he really echoes the sentiments of the viewers as well. In the 23rd episode of the eighth season, Robin is getting ready to marry Barney, which means Ted will have to finally make peace with the fact that he and Robin will never work out.

These words actually serve as a reckoning for Ted because, in a way, he is the most emotional person in his squad and so he really needed to understand this truth for himself.

7 “Shouldn’t We Hold Out For The Person Who Doesn’t Just Tolerate Our Little Quirks But Actually Kinda Likes Them?”

The fandom unanimously agreed with Ted’s thoughts on this one because, in a way, these words sum up the entire point of the show. Ted doesn’t just look for someone who appreciates him, he is looking for “the one,” the one woman who will actually like his flaws and would be perfectly tailored to fit his emotional needs.

Of course, this is not a realistic pursuit at all, but nevertheless, most fans did resonate with Ted’s innocent romantic fantasies.

6 “I Finally Found The One, Marshall. Her Name Is Bacon.”

The scene where Ted discovers how bacon tastes is a huge fan favorite because most fans knew exactly how Ted felt and why he would react this way to bacon. At the hotel where Barney and Robin are supposed to get married, Ted and Marshall try to source bacon grease, which they think can help Barney’s hangover. Ted tells Marshall that he can never eat bacon since he’s allergic. Marshall explains to him that his mum lied to him about this to make him eat healthier, just like when she said that Ted was allergic to gummy bears and about not saying thank you.

Not only does Ted absolutely fall in love with bacon the first time he tastes it, he announces to Marshall that bacon is his soulmate as he never wishes to be apart from it.

5 “Kids, When You’re In A New Relationship And You’re Competing With Your Ex For Who’s Happier, It Can Get Ugly.”

This is something even the most zen people would have to agree on – that breakups can be difficult, especially when one starts seeing other people and also sees their ex dating other people. Ted had always been quite sentimental and one could see why he felt that happiness could turn into a competition after a breakup.

When Stella left him, for instance, she found happiness when she reunited with her husband. Whereas Ted was at his lowest point emotionally and had difficulty giving other relationships a chance. Ted’s struggle was really relatable to fans of the show, as most people have, at some point, wanted to make sure they were happier than their exes.

4 “Nothing Good Happens After 2:00 AM. When 2:00 AM Rolls Around, Just Go Home And Go To Sleep.”

Ted would often blurt out some big truths without much thought and this is definitely one of those moments. Very few good decisions are usually made post 2 am, especially if someone has had a long, trying day.

Ted is interestingly not a night owl and likes to retire early. In fact, he even enjoys growing old, as he felt he could finally feel his age and do things older people like, like going to bed early or screaming at children playing on the street. Unbeknownst to him, this is really sage advice, as most fans of the show probably have to learn this the hard way.

3 “Why Is No One Coming To My Happenings?”

Anyone who has ever thrown a party to make friends only to end up with too much pizza will relate to Ted’s college dilemma. While he was a student at Wesleyan, Ted took up an alter ego named Dr. X, who was designed like a secret activist and whose face is hidden in a mask, but of course, Lily and Marshall knew it was him.

Dr. X was known for his “happenings,” in which he would protest against the university’s policies, but most of the time he would end up at the “happening” by himself, as no one would join in. 

2 “You Broke The First Rule Of Setting Someone Up. Undersell.”

Fans were probably thinking this right as Robin was overselling Ted to one of her friends, especially since this is such a rookie mistake. Ted points out to Robin that while trying to set up a friend, one should never build up the expectations of the other person, no matter how great their friend is. This way people’s expectations aren’t too high and their disappointments are slighter.

Ted cites the example of the Karate Kid and tells Robin that when trying to get someone to see Karate Kid, no one should actually give away how amazing the movie is, so the other person doesn’t go into the film with too many expectations, and then has their minds blown.

1 “It’s Creepy To Date Your Therapist.”

Granted, Ted can be quite obnoxious about his opinions at times, but this was pretty spot-on. Many fans pointed out how problematic it was that Robin chose to date her therapist, which was also unprofessional on her therapist’s part.

While Ted brings over his entire class to his and Robin’s apartment, he actually takes a poll in which he asks his students to weigh in if it’s creepy to date one’s therapist and of course, all of them said yes. 

About The Author