How I Met Your Mother: How Ted & Marshall Became Best Friends

Ted Mosby and Marshall Eriksen had a very special friendship in How I Met Your Mother – here’s how they became “best bros.” The characters, played by Josh Radnor and Jason Segel, respectively, served as two of the core character for the duration of the CBS sitcom. HIMYM ran from 2005 to 2014 and often featured flashbacks to give better insight into the characters’ pasts, including how they became so close.

Early on in How I Met Your Mother, it was revealed that Ted met Marshall and Lily while attending Wesleyan University. Following graduation, Ted and Marshall rented an apartment in New York City which served as a primary setting for the series. Marshall was already dating Lily so she spent most of her time there before also moving in. Ted stayed by Marshall’s side through the good times and the bad. He also stood as Marshall’s best man when his two closest friends finally got married. Marshall, on the other hand, was one of Ted’s biggest supporters and always came through when his best bro was in need.

Despite Ted and Marshall’s close relationship, the duo weren’t instantly friends when they met. In fact, Marshall thought Ted was the dean when they first encountered one another in college. Ted, an Ohio native, was randomly assigned as the roommate of Marshall, a kid from Minnesota. Ted was a lot more pretentious when he was in college, but they ended up bonding during a memorable road trip that involved Marshall’s beloved Pontiac Fiero.

Ted & Marshall Grew Close After The “Fieroasco”

The road trip, which was infamously referred to as the “Fieroasco” or the “100k Fiasco,” took place following a Christmas break while Ted and Marshall were still at Wesleyan. The flashback was seen in How I Met Your Mother season 2 with the episode titled “Arrivederci, Fiero.” Before Marshall’s beloved car was put to rest for good, the gang reminisced on all the significant moments that occurred with the car. The Fiero turned out to be what brought Ted and Marshall together as best friends in their freshman year of college.

On the way back to Wesleyan following a long break, Marshall offered to pick up Ted in Ohio. Marshall was very excited since the Fiero was approaching 100k miles but the pair ended up getting lost on back roads. When a snowstorm hit, they were forced to pull over and cuddled together to stay warm. Unbeknownst to Ted and Marshall, they parked right outside of a bed and breakfast. This unforgettable journey caused the two to bond and they were best friends ever since.

If it wasn’t for the “Fieroasco,” it’s possible that Ted and Marshall never would have fully gotten to know one another. They certainly wouldn’t have ended up in New York City together or heavily involved in each other’s lives. What served as a hilarious flashback in How I Met Your Mother was actually one of the most significant scenes in the show’s history.

About The Author

Kara Hedash
(1746 Articles Published)

Kara Hedash is a features editor and writer for Screen Rant. From time to time, she dives into the world’s most popular franchises but Kara primarily focuses on evergreen topics. The fact that she gets to write about The Office regularly is like a dream come true. Before joining Screen Rant, Kara served as a contributor for Movie Pilot and had work published on The Mary Sue and Reel Honey. After graduating college, writing began as a part-time hobby for Kara but it quickly turned into a career. She loves binging a new series and watching movies ranging from Hollywood blockbusters to hidden indie gems. She also has a soft spot for horror ever since she started watching it at too young of an age. Her favorite Avenger is Thor and her favorite Disney princess is Leia Organa. When Kara’s not busy writing, you can find her doing yoga or hanging out with Gritty.

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