Friends’ Toughest Truth Became Unforgivable in Its 84% Rotten Tomatoes Successor !th01

Friends remains one of television’s most beloved sitcoms, but behind the laughter and charm lies a familiar question — how could six young adults afford such a lifestyle in New York City? Its spiritual successor, How I Met Your Mother, took that same financial fantasy even further. Despite earning an impressive 84% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the show’s depiction of carefree city living stretched realism to the limit. Both series are iconic, but HIMYM somehow made Friends’ biggest flaw feel almost believable in comparison.

The Harsh Truth About Friends: The Characters Could Never Afford Their Lives

While Friends remains one of television’s most beloved sitcoms, it also hides one of its biggest plot holes — the characters’ finances make little sense. For a group of twenty-somethings who frequently lose jobs or struggle with their careers, none of them ever seem to worry about rent or bills in one of the most expensive cities in the world.

Phoebe lives with her grandmother for years, but given her modest income as a masseuse and her grandmother’s pension, their apartment would be difficult to maintain. Monica’s rent-controlled unit helps explain part of her situation, but when she loses her chef job in season 2 and Rachel is still waitressing, their ability to stay afloat stretches belief. Meanwhile, Joey’s unstable acting career and Ross’s academic salary hardly align with their comfortable lifestyles.

The only character whose paycheck truly makes sense is Chandler, whose corporate job in statistical analysis provides a stable income. Yet even Chandler’s finances are unrealistic at times — he frequently covers Joey’s expenses, funds shared activities, and rarely seems to feel the strain.

Episodes like “The One With Five Steaks and an Eggplant” briefly acknowledge this financial divide, highlighting how Rachel, Joey, and Phoebe earn far less than the others. But after that, the show largely drops the issue.

Ultimately, Friends asks viewers to suspend disbelief — because in reality, even with rent control and dream jobs, the gang’s Manhattan lifestyle would be nearly impossible to sustain.

How I Met Your Mother Repeated the Most Unbelievable Detail From Friends

How I Met Your Mother is often seen as the spiritual successor to Friends — another New York–set sitcom about a close-knit group navigating adulthood, love, and careers. But while the series brought a fresh voice and modern humor, it also repeated one of Friends’ most unbelievable details: the characters’ unrealistic financial stability.

Just as Chandler was the only Friends character with a believable income, HIMYM’s equivalent is Barney Stinson. His mysterious, well-paid corporate job — later revealed in season 8’s “Unpause” to stand for “Provide Legal Exculpation And Sign Everything” — conveniently explains his wealth. Everyone else, however, lives far beyond their means.

Robin begins the show as a reporter for a small TV station yet manages to afford her own apartment and multiple pets. Lily, a kindergarten teacher, constantly struggles with debt but still maintains an active social life in Manhattan. Marshall, a law student with no part-time job, and Ted, a young architect without years of experience, also appear to live comfortably despite their modest or unstable income sources.

There are some loose explanations — Robin’s brief pop-star career as “Robin Sparkles” and her wealthy father offer possible financial cushions — but these details only go so far.

Ultimately, How I Met Your Mother continues the sitcom tradition that Friends perfected: making New York City life look effortlessly affordable, even when logic says otherwise.

How I Met Your Mother’s Unrealistic View on Money Was Harder to Forgive Than Friends’

While Friends often drew criticism for its unrealistic portrayal of financial life in New York, How I Met Your Mother somehow went even further. Barney’s vague but lucrative job explains his wealth, yet the rest of the group lives far beyond what their salaries should allow. Robin works for a small TV station but owns a spacious apartment; Lily, a kindergarten teacher with major debt, is rarely seen working; and Marshall, despite being a student or young lawyer, always has time — and money — for long nights out.

Even when the show touches on money issues, like Lily and Marshall’s mortgage, it quickly drops the topic. Despite airing during the 2008 financial crisis, HIMYM never meaningfully acknowledges it

Like Friends, How I Met Your Mother made New York life look effortlessly affordable — but its exaggerations are even tougher to overlook.