With the exciting recent announcement that Neil Patrick Harris will be joining the cast of the upcoming season of Doctor Who alongside Ncuti Gatwa as a villain, set to air sometime in 2023, How I Met Your Mother fans have been looking back over the show's nine year run, and have noticed some pretty glaring inconsistencies.
How I Met Your Mother has proven to have a very well-thought-out storyline, so it's difficult to separate the accidental mistakes from those small details that are strategically placed. Some could have accidentally forshadowed the ending, although fans have their own theories. From Barney wearing a suit to Marvin Sr's funeral to Gary Blauman spontaneously coming back to life, not even this expertly crafted storyline can escape eagle-eyes fans.
Robin Is Scared Of Guns
Throughout the show, Robin is seen at gun ranges, looking at gun magazines, and even keeps one in her bedroom, so it is safe to assume that she is an avid gun enthusiast.
However, whenever a gun is pointed at her she is visibly scared. For someone who spends this much time reading about and around guns, this doesn't seem like the most likely response. Fan theories online state that this could stem from her childhood, growing up with a father who always wanted a son, she feels the need to protect herself. Although a more plausible explanation would be that it was season one and the writers hadn't quite ironed out the characters yet.
Barney Wears A Suit At A Funeral
Barney tells the gang that the only time he doesn't 'suit up' is at a funeral. In the episode titled "Last Words", the gang attend Marshall's Dad's funeral and the whole gang, including Barney, are wearing black. It seems he has done a complete 360 on this rule and does wear one for Marshall.
This could be Barney finally being respectful, showing how much he cares about his friend in his time of need. But knowing Barney, a more probable reason would be that the writers just forgot. But it's a nice sentiment to think he gets some character development.
Gary Blauman Is Still Alive
The GNB company is a prominent aspect of the show. One of the more notable stories is that of GNB employee Gary Blauman. According to one of Barney's weird and wonderful stories, Blauman died. But when Robin and Barney get married in the last season, Gary Blauman shows up at the wedding.
The most likely answer to this error is that Barney lied about Blauman's fate to make a point, but this is quite dark, even for Barney. Fans online seem to have come up with a collective reason for this: the writers simply forgot about this line and needed a plot point for a later episode, so decided to bring Blauman back to life.
Robin Has Played Team Sports
Robin has claimed to have never played team sports, but as the show continues this is wildly contradicted. Robin's tough-as-nails character is more than once seen in ice hockey jerseys. She even missed her high school prom because she had a field hockey game. But she tells Ted in season 1 that she has never played team sports.
It seems strange that Robin would lie about something that effectively wouldn't really change Ted's opinion of her. It could be down to her insecurity, she feels she has to lie about playing quite a violent game that is primarily played by men because Robin is trying to repress a childhood overwhelmed by her father's constant push for her to be more manly.
Barney Doesn't Always Take Good Pictures
Barney makes up many facts, but there are some he contradicts himself. In season 5, Barney tells the gang that he can never take a bad picture. When Robin proceeds to try and take one, he manages to take the same position every time, even when eating. However, many times he is seen pictured in a number of not so flattering poses, including the title sequence.
Barney is many things, but he isn't as smooth as he portrays. This takes away from his flawless character and shows he isn't always so sharp. His character comes across with a need for validation, to always be the best in every room, and this minor detail changes the perspective a little and maybe shows that Barney isn't as perfect as he thinks he is.
Marshall Fought With His Brothers
Marshall has claimed before that he has never been in a fight, and doesn't know how to. He is even relieved when he doesn't have to fight someone who he thought was hitting on Lily. But on numerous occasions, the show features some flashbacks showing Marshall fighting with his brothers WWE style.
It is quite brutal so it would make sense for him to have some kind of fighting experience. He even took down a bartender who punched Ted, so he clearly knows how to fight. An explanation for his lie was never given, although fans online theorise Marshall was maintaining his 'marshmallow' image for Lily. Or he was trying to forget his childhood roughhousing days.
Lily Never Has A Problem With Robin's Dogs
Lily stays with Barney for a while after coming back from San Francisco after Robin tells Ted the reason they can't live together is because Lily is allergic to dogs, and Robin has five. But in the few scenes that Lily has interacting with Robin's dogs, she doesn't seem to be affected at all.
This means that Robin lied about Lily's dog allergy to prevent Lily from moving in with her, as Robin is known to like her own space and isn't always totally comfortable around other women. This doesn't really create a massive problem in the storyline, but for die hard fans this is still a noticeable inconsistency.
There Are Conflicting Dates For St Patrick's Day 2008
It seems Ted and Barney's night out was so good they couldn't remember what the date was. St. Patrick's day in 2008 took place on the 17th march, but in season 9 the show changes this fact, as it is shown from the mother's perspective. The scene is titled "April 2008", but St. Patrick's Day is held on the 17th of March, so the date was a mistake.
Although, in 2008 the date of the holiday was changed as it coincided with the Catholic Holy Week, so some aspects were celebrated in March. This could clear the contradiction up, but in reality, most people celebrated the holiday on the same date. So it remains an obvious blip in the timeline. One of the creators referenced this in a tweet.
Marshall And Lily Share A Toothbrush
Marshall and Lily have proven to be a force to be reckoned with. Meeting in college, they have never spent more than a summer apart. They are so close, in fact, that they even share a toothbrush. This was first introduced in season 5 and showed Marshall and Lily accidentally telling everyone that they only have one toothbrush. However, some keen fans spotted that they were using separate toothbrushes in season 1.
This could have happened after Lily's move to San Francisco and their break-up, they could have wanted to replace the closeness they lost and one way they did this was by sharing a toothbrush. It feels very fitting for a couple like Marshall and Lily.
Lily's Dad Doesn't Pay For Their Wedding
Lily tells the gang that her dad is paying for the wedding. But in a later season, he is introduced and he doesn't seem the wedding-paying type. This is never mentioned again, and they pay for their own wedding. Mickey creates board games for a living and isn't successful, so it seems unlikely that he can pay for any wedding.
Given that Lily, on multiple occasions, expresses her unhappiness regarding her father, one explanation for this would be that she lied to prevent her current friends, and one new one, from knowing how much of a disappointment her father really is. It makes the fans really feel for Lily, and gives her character an unexpected far from perfect past.