Neil Patrick Harris is looking back at the unlikely formula that helped How I Met Your Mother become one of television’s most beloved sitcoms. According to the actor, the show’s success was partly driven by a constant fear behind the scenes that it might not survive. Speaking on the How We Made Your Mother podcast with Josh Radnor and series co-creator Craig Thomas, Harris reflected on the early years of the hit sitcom and revealed that the cast and crew always believed the show might be canceled.
Speaking on the podcast, Harris talked about how the anxiety of the show failing had everyone working their hardest as he stated,
“We never felt secure. We thought we might get canceled all the time. That hunger kept everyone sharp — writers, actors, everyone. We weren’t coasting. For the first really four seasons of that show, we did not think there would be another season, so every time we finished, we thought we were done. And then, it was a nice surprise when we were coming back.”
He then continued to talk about how he himself was insecure as an actor and faced challenges on set as he added,
“I was needy and insecure as an actor back then. I never finished a scene thinking, ‘Mic drop, nailed it.’ I was always asking, ‘You think that’s good? Pam, are you happy? Do you want to do it again?’ That insecurity absolutely played into the bravado.”
The good thing is that How I Met Your Mother ended up doing really well as it went on to become a classic and one of the most iconic TV shows of all time. But as it seems, the credit goes to the anxiety of it all, something that pushed the team to work up to their potential
The legacy of How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother left a complicated but undeniable mark on modern sitcom history. Although it was frequently compared to Friends upon release, the show opened to favorable reviews in 2005 and over time carved it’s own identity with it’s running gags and emotional arcs that gave it a solid place in sitcom history.
The series grew stronger in its early years. Seasons two through four were widely praised for their clever writing and character dynamics, although the reviews faltered a bit in it’s later years.
However, despite all the flaws and faults, the show has it’s own legacy, one that is legendary and loved and continues to be a binging favorite for nostalgic fans.
How I Met Your Mother is available to stream on Hulu and Prime Video.
Edited by Nibir Konwar