Have You Met...?

Let’s take a look at the self-proclaimed “best friends,” Ted Mosby and Barney Stinson (without starting that debate over again), for a second. Sure, they’re “haaaaave you met--?” wingmen, broskis, ‘bar’skis and  (possibly?) future best men, but we can’t ignore the million ways they’re vastly different. My friend summed it up best: an individual may appear to be a ‘wingman,’ like Barney, when they’re actually a ‘hopeless romantic,’ like Ted.

One would then ask themselves right away: am I a Barney, or a Ted?

Let’s get to the breakdown.

Ted: Ah, Ted. Our feature bachelor. He’s honest and naïve, albeit a bit frustrated in his hunt for The One. Pros: He’s sincere and romantic (some of my pros, at least). He tries to be his best for friends, colleagues, and loves alike. Leading us, then, into my cons: he’s a morpher. Having freshly watched The Runaway Bride, again, I can see the chameleon signs. More than that, however, like Richard Gere asks his ex-wife, he hasn’t truly seen the women he’s pursued over the course of the series. With, I would argue, the exception of Robin. But only through a strong friendship later.
More importantly than finding The One, Ted Mosby needs to find The Right One.

 Barney: The main bro himself. No longer a bachelor (having completed his “Last Play”...spoilers), but still applicable for this self-reflection. Pros: He’s relaxed, self-assured, and confident. His charisma makes the starting gate easy-clearing. Cons: the rest of the race, however, he sees (saw) as one big chore. He gets bored! And he (previously) wasn’t willing to run the risk of someone watching him stumble. Unlike Ted, he didn’t trust—a huge love component.

No type faultless, no type entirely at fault. Yet both types retain surprise (the bro totally got engaged before the, sigh, “nice guy”). I admire how the show recognizes that both men and women of these archetypes are still just people.
Worthy people, equally, at that.