The main characters in How I Met Your Mother are easy to tell apart due to their distinctive personalities. Even if they were all recast and given different names, it still wouldn't stop viewers from being able to pick out who each member of the gang is supposed to be.
Everyone in the cast has a quote that perfectly sums up their personality in How I Met Your Mother, but they also have one which does the opposite. Whether they're kidding around or stuck in an odd situation, each of the main characters says a line that misrepresents who they are.
Marshall Eriksen: "Can You Bail Me Out Of Jail?"
Given that Marshall's life-long dream is to be a lawyer, jail is the last place anyone would expect to find him. He's a law-abiding citizen who's far too paranoid to do anything that could get him in trouble. There are several times the characters probably should have gone to prison in How I Met Your Mother, but Marshall isn't as daring as his friends.
The only reason he got arrested, in the first place, is that he thought he saw Big Foot in Central Park. Marshall believes in all sorts of legends, so he truly didn't realize that he was tackling Russell Brand. He's said in the past that everyone should be "on alert" for the creature and thought he was doing the world a favor.
Robin Scherbatsky: "Let's Go To The Mall, Everybody!"
Robin Scherbatsky is the complete opposite of Robin Sparkles, and she's no longer looking to hang out at the mall. In fact, Robin doesn't just dislike the shopping outlet, but she refuses to go anywhere near it. Robin was forced to travel across Canada to sing the same hit single at the same type of venue, and the experience clearly left a bad taste in her mouth.
Not only would Robin never be caught dead at a mall, but her adult self would never say anything with such enthusiasm. Robin has always been a more cynical character, and it's difficult to imagine her in a situation where she would act so over the top.
Barney Stinson: "Damn It, Ted, Why Can't You Ever Root For Love?"
This line doesn't just misrepresent Barney, but it misrepresents Ted as well. Barney doesn't treat women well, and he has several quotes that have aged poorly in How I Met Your Mother. He doesn't believe in long-term relationships and usually admits to being in love only if he's trying to trick a girl into sleeping with him.
Barney actively roots against love and consistently chastises his friends for wanting to get married. He does undergo some character development when he falls for Robin, but they get divorced and he goes right back to his old ways. On the other hand, Ted is a hopeless romantic who is obsessed with having a perfect love story and finding "the one."
Lily Aldrin: "Wooo!"
Because Lily is a wild card, she could say almost anything and it would be in character. At school, she'll tell her kindergarteners that they're all "luminous beings of light," yet threaten Barney and call him a "son of a b----," as soon as she clocks out. Lily's all smiles at work but has a "dead to me" look she uses at home that no one wants to be on the receiving end of.
However, the last thing Lily is is the type of person to yell, "Wooo!" The term refers to Lily's single friends who drink, party, wear cowgirl hats, and scream "wooo!" every chance they get. She becomes jealous when Robin joins their group and tries her best to fit in. It's clearly an act, and because she doesn't know the proper lingo, Lily accidentally insults the other girls.
Ted Mosby: "I Really Want To Hook Up With You, Leave Before Breakfast, And Then Never See You Again."
Fans of the show are extremely intuitive, and there are several things they pick up on in the background of How I Met Your Mother. When Ted was feeling more ashamed than ever before, viewers noticed that he was standing next to a sign that said "Low Point." His actions on St. Patrick's day were deplorable, and he was unrecognizable from his true self. Ted woul dnever say a line like this out loud, nor would he want to.
Ted's had his fair share of one-night stands, but he's hyperfocused on finding the love of his life. He'd much rather be married with kids than having meaningless hookups, and in almost every major relationship he's had, the women left when he wanted them to stay. Stella abandoned Ted at the altar and Victoria broke up with him because he wouldn't end his friendship with Robin. This quote is a result of Barney's bad influence and Ted's alcohol intake and doesn't represent what he wants in life.