Spoiler Alert!
The American sitcoms, How I Met Your Mother and The Office, have much more in common than you think or might have noticed. Although from different networks, similar storylines are both in these shows that successfully capture the audiences’ attention. Both shows follow characters in their day to day life, experiencing challenges and overcoming them with lessons the audience can relate to and learn from. The combination of comedy, drama, life lessons and successful entertainment is what made these American sitcoms so popular.
Many elements of How I Met Your Mother and The Office, can be found in each other. For instance, Jim and Pam’s love story, are along the lines of Robin and Barney’s love story. The complications and suspense building of the star-crossed lovers, who were both unable to be together out of circumstances at some point (one is dating someone else or they don’t know the other loves them back) is a classic plot in any TV show. However, the most important commonality of these shows are the main characters, Ted Mosby and Michael Scott (although it can be argued who the main character in The Office is).
Both in their adult life, having professional careers and fighting their singleness, we follow them through their romantic relationships that always end up failing. They share the same goals of finding their future wife and having a family. The plot of these shows includes the difficult and hopeful journey of meeting their One. Along the way, in each episode, events happen to add to the plot, creating drama and making us laugh.
Both Ted Mosby and Michael Scott worry about their future and where they’ll be, who they will marry and the future children they want. These topics are what the young adult audience could be worried about in their own lives, making it easy for them to relate to the characters.
The women Ted and Michael end up with are almost exactly like them. Holly is the female version of Michael Scott, with her quirkiness and geekiness. We hear about the similarities between Tracy and Ted throughout Ted’s older narration to the kids, how she plays bass like Ted’s dream girl, how they like the same poetry book. They are a perfect fit for each other, leaving the audience satisfied with this long-awaited moment.
Unlike HIMYM, The Office doesn’t end when Michael Scott marries Holly and moves away. The popularity of the show made it impossible to be over midway through season 7, in 2011. Steve Carell thought his time as the world’s best boss was due, not renewing his contract. As for HIMYM, the series extends to 9 seasons, when Ted’s kids finally know how their father met their mother.
Finally, in the end, they do find the love of their lives, which could be a relief for some viewers who find themselves in similar situations of being in their adult life and single with the pressure of marrying. Once these characters get married, we feel a sort of relief, because we were worried, they would stay single or give up. The happy endings, the lightness of these shows and the comicality, are meant to leave the audience wanting more and feeling content.