Ep 5. How I Met Everyone Else
- TVPG
- October 22, 2007
- 21 min
-
8.9 (4,950)
Ted's quest for a soulmate is the ongoing storyline in this episode of How I Met Your Mother. He finds himself feeling left behind by his friends, who are all moving forward with their own relationships. The episode brings in a touch of nostalgia as it explores how each of the main characters met one another.
The episode starts with Ted introducing his latest love interest to his friends: Stella, a dermatologist he met while getting a tattoo removed. However, instead of being genuinely happy for him, his friends all start reminiscing about how they met. Robin's first encounter with Ted, Barney and Lily's connection from college, and Marshall's charming introduction to Lily are all shown through a series of flashbacks.
As the flashbacks continue, it becomes clear that there are some hidden stories about how the gang met that have yet to be revealed. This leads to a game of "Have you met Ted?", where Barney challenges the group to guess how many people Ted has brought back to their bar over the years. The game ends up being a hilarious montage of all the ridiculous characters Ted has introduced to his friends.
The highlight of the episode is when the gang realizes they've never heard the story of how Ted and Marshall became friends. They all assumed they'd met in college, but it turns out that they first crossed paths at a bar, bonding over their love of Star Wars and a mutual disinterest in the latest trendy drink, the Appletini. The revelation that there's still more to learn about each other strengthens their bond and makes for a heartwarming moment.
Throughout the episode, Ted struggles with feeling like he's behind everyone else in terms of finding true love. He's even more aware of this when he finds out that all his friends have each other's phone numbers saved under code names. Ted himself is saved in Barney's phone as "TedM". Seeing himself reduced to a letter and a color code leaves him feeling lonely and isolated.
As the episode draws to a close, Ted admits to Stella that he's worried about never finding someone to spend his life with. She reassures him that he's a great catch and they share a sweet moment. Meanwhile, the rest of the gang is at MacLaren's bar, playing another round of "Have you met Ted?". This time, they take turns revealing their own embarrassing code names and laughing with each other.
Overall, "How I Met Everyone Else" is a standout episode of How I Met Your Mother. It's full of nostalgia, revealing moments, and a heartwarming message about the importance of friendship. It also adds depth to the ongoing storyline of Ted's search for love, showing how his friends play a crucial role in his journey.