Some of the side characters in Friends even got cameos in How I Met Your Mother.

The teen hysteria around sit-coms is fascinating. There have been theories why series like Friends, How I Met Your Mother made decades ago continue to stay relevant and beat new shows in viewership. These are the phases in life when friends become family, you break heart and, in the process, find yourself. Off course the nostalgia about what got you hooked to American TV cannot be underrated. Most of credit goes to these two shows.

Nevertheless, both the shows had many common elements apart from being of the same genre. Some of the side characters in Friends even got cameos in How I Met Your Mother. Leaving aside the debate of which was a better show, here’s how the shows were almost similar with just new faces.

Twenty something hanging out at one place all the time

Both the shows are about a group of twenty somethings living in the city who are figuring out friendship, career, romance, relationship and their lives in general. Both the group had one favourite hangout spot. Even the booth were they chit chat remains the same mostly.

Leads characters break up only to get back together at the end

Ross and Rachel, Robin and Ted.  Both the couples start their love store at the prime of the show. They both have a whirlwind romance until they break up even for different reasons, date a lot of other people, get married and then at the finale season end up together.

Joey Tribbiani and Barney Stinson are match made in heaven

There’s always that one guy in the group who knowns all the tricks of wooing people around them but are too afraid to stick around. Though both Joey and Barney are stereotypical men who carry a cultural burden on their shoulders and then fall for the women their best want to be with, they are just each other’s alter ego.

Of course Robin in Rachel from Canada, the tough career woman. Prof Ross Geller and Prof Ted Mosby, both ‘Pursuers of love’. But Phoebe, that is a cult character was hard to re-create!

A rock-solid couple, a mother-hen

Marshall is no Chandler but Lily even with her fair share of follies can be pitted against Monica Geller. Both of these women are great hosts and the biggest support systems of their friends. They are like that mother figure who intervenes for their own good.