32 Times Ted Proved He’s a Good Guy

Since the controversial ending of “How I Met Your Mother” aired in 2014, I’ve noticed many discussions suggesting that Ted Mosby, portrayed by Josh Radnor on the show, is the most flawed character in the series. As a dedicated fan of this cherished sitcom, I won’t deny that some of these criticisms have merit.

Indeed, I firmly hold the view that even the most ardent romantic among us is a genuinely good person, an exceptional friend, and fully deserving of the love they ultimately receive. If you’re still not convinced, allow me to share my perspective, having delved deep into the heartwarming episodes of HIMYM. There, I’ve amassed more than enough compelling evidence to demonstrate that Ted’s virtues far surpass his flaws.

Ted Steals The Blue French Horn For Robin

In the initial episode of “How I Met Your Mother”, Ted Mosby demonstrates his gallant romantic character by swiping a distinctively colored musical instrument from the restaurant where he and Robin (Cobie Smulders) had their first date. Now, this action is generally considered inappropriate and not something to emulate, but Robin appreciates the lengths Ted goes through to secure such a significant token of affection.

Ted Tries To Help Barney Become A Better Boyfriend

In “Robin 101,” Robin starts to feel uncertain about her fresh romance with Barney Stinson (played by Neil Patrick Harris), who was previously averse to commitment. Instead of seizing this chance to disrupt their relationship, Ted decides to aid the couple by providing Barney with dating advice tailored to Robin’s characteristics and habits.

Ted Convinces The Gang To Do The Right Thing

In an unexpected turn of events, the gang gathers for a movie night featuring “It’s a Wonderful Life”, yet Ted finds himself attending solo following a heartfelt discussion about their personal goals. He advises Robin to pursue her dream career rather than accepting a job based on chance in a game show, encourages Barney to donate excess funds to charity instead of lavishing them on a diamond-studded suit, and urges Marshall and Lily to persist with their efforts to conceive, as they had started to waver.

Ted Invites Lily To Be In His And Marshall’s First Roommate Photo

In “Say Cheese” during Season 5, there’s a scene where Lily frequently criticizes Ted for including his romantic partners in group photos, deeming them ruined. However, this all changes when they recall a time when Ted invited Lily to join him and Marshall for their first roommate photo, despite their brief relationship at the time. Showing remarkable optimism, Ted reassured Marshall that their picture wouldn’t be tainted by potential breakups, making it an endearing memory instead.

Ted Spends Thanksgiving Volunteering At A Homeless Shelter

The first Thanksgiving episode of “How I Met Your Mother,” titled “Belly Full of Turkey,” unfolds with Ted and Robin unexpectedly assisting in a kitchen, serving meals to the homeless. To their astonishment, they encounter Barney, who is there due to fulfilling court-ordered community service. Ted takes action when he finds out that some of the volunteers are secretly taking food meant for the needy.

Ted Helps Robin Find Her Locket

In “Something Old” from Season 8, Robin almost discovers a locket she had hidden in Central Park with Ted’s assistance – a seemingly thoughtful act that later infuriated Barney because he felt Ted had done it without his knowledge. Later, Ted goes to great lengths to recover the family heirloom, but ultimately decides not to give it back to her due to advice from others who feared it might jeopardize her engagement with Barney. However, his persistent efforts to find something so significant to Robin showed a touching level of commitment.

Ted Sells His Car To Help With Marshall’s Financial Woes

In “The Chain of Screaming” during Season 3, Marshall finds himself at a tipping point due to overwhelming debt, shady living conditions, and an oppressive boss, causing him to resign from his job when he least afforded to do so. To provide a temporary lifeline for his friend in his financial crisis, Ted decides to sell the blue Toyota Camry Hybrid that he had just bought but hadn’t even driven once, and gives Marshall the proceeds instead.

Ted Puts On An Astonishing Holiday Light Display To Cheer Robin Up

In the episode “Symphony of Illumination” from Season 7 of “How I Met Your Mother”, Robin is the main focus as she grapples with the emotional fallout of discovering she cannot have children. Meanwhile, Ted, unaware of this secret, takes it upon himself to uplift his roommate by transforming their apartment into a festive wonderland complete with a stunning holiday light display that plays an AC/DC tune.

Ted Covertly Prevents Barney From Manipulating A Woman

Reflecting on an intriguing incident from Season 3’s “How I Met Everyone Else,” I found myself in a situation where Barney, seeking to win over a woman named Audrey using his infamous strategies, enlisted my help, pretending I was his deaf friend Edward. Little did he know that I, too, could sign American Sign Language! The twist left Barney taken aback when he discovered that not only did Audrey understand me, but she also spoke the language. In his mind, he thought I had vouched for him in ASL, unaware that I had actually exposed his deception to her. To my surprise, Ted, who hadn’t yet deemed this master manipulator a friend, played along and steered Audrey towards giving him a fake number instead.

Ted Takes Stella On A Two-Minute Date

In the third season’s episode titled “Ten Sessions,” Sarah Chalke, a previous cast member from “Scrubs,” character Dr. Stella Zinman, confesses her fondness for Ted but clarifies that due to her commitments as a working single mom, she could only manage a brief encounter, or what she called a “two-minute date.” Rather than abandoning their potential relationship, he skillfully arranges an intricate date consisting of dinner, a film, dessert, and a walk around the block, all within the limited timeframe, thus marking the inception of their romantic journey.

Ted Stays By Tracy’s Side Through Her Illness

In the final episode of “How I Met Your Mother,” titled “Last Forever,” it’s revealed that throughout Future Ted (portrayed by Bob Saget) narrating his tale, his wife, Tracy McConnell (played by Cristin Milioti), had been battling an undisclosed illness and ultimately passed away. Despite this heartbreaking ordeal, Future Ted demonstrates immense resilience, taking care of Tracy throughout her sickness and raising their children on his own following her demise.

Ted Chooses His Friends Over Karen

In the story “The Front Porch,” after Ted reconnects with his former college girlfriend, Karen (played by Laura Prepon), she breaks up with him when she discovers an earring in his bed that he claims wasn’t his – a setup orchestrated by Lily to end their relationship. Eventually, Lily confesses the truth to Karen, who forbids Ted from ever spending time with her and Marshall again, effectively sealing the fate of their tumultuous connection.

Ted Helps Marshall Get Over Lily

As a devoted cinephile reflecting on the captivating narrative of “How I Met Your Mother,” the first season’s finale left me with a mix of joy and sorrow. The union of Ted and Robin, a moment years in the making, was bittersweet, yet it was swiftly followed by an unexpected turn: Marshall and Lily parting ways after a solid decade together. Fast forward to Season 2, the premiere finds Ted tirelessly attempting to console his friend amidst the presence of his new partner. Interestingly, Robin proved to be just as supportive during this challenging time.

Ted Aspires To Make Up For Hurting Victoria

In “Nothing Happens After 2 AM” during Season 1, Ted, in an act of unparalleled foolishness, shares a kiss with Robin while he was still involved in a long-distance romance with Victoria, who was studying at a culinary institute in Germany. Years later, they cross paths again at the Architect’s Ball in Season 7’s “Ducky Tie.” Eager to make amends for his past mistake with the now-engaged baker, Ted attempts to win her forgiveness by offering to do her dishes. Remarkably, this gesture nearly leads Victoria to repeat Ted’s error that ultimately ended their relationship. However, Ted’s initial attempt at redemption in this episode serves as a model of aspiration.

Ted Gives Marshall The Perfect Christmas Gift Idea For Lily

In the episode titled “How Lily Stoke Christmas” from Season 2, there’s a moment where Lily feels upset with Ted upon hearing a voicemail he left when she and Marshall were separated. The message contained an insult that we can only interpret as “grinch.” However, they eventually reconcile after Lily discovers that the inspiration for Marshall’s gift to her – an Easy-Bake Oven similar to one she desired as a child – came from Ted’s suggestion.

Ted Invites Robin To Stay In His Guest Room

In the initial scene of Season 4’s “Not a Father’s Day,” Robin, who is jobless and homeless, resides with Lily and Marshall, disrupting their aspirations to commence a family. Eventually, Ted proposes that Robin stay in his extra bedroom until she secures another dwelling. However, as Future Ted explains, this arrangement would signal the initiation of a prolonged relationship between the exes as they transition into roommates over the ensuing years.

Ted Pays Milt To Get Marshall’s Charts Back

In “Right Place, Right Time” from Season 4, Ted mistakenly discards crucial work documents prepared by Marshall, as well as some excess ones. Later, Ted encounters a homeless individual named Milt (Dan Castellaneta) and learns that he has them. Milt requests one million dollars in return for the charts, to which Ted agrees to pay him a dollar each day over a period of approximately 2,739 years. This way, Ted manages to retrieve Marshall’s documents and carry on with his work presentation as planned.

Ted Chooses To Spend Thanksgiving With The Lonely Zoey

Blitzgiving” signifies the resolution of Ted’s feud with Zoey Pierson (Jennifer Morrison), a dispute that intensifies when the group attempts to celebrate Thanksgiving with her. In this gathering, Ted likens her to Cinderella’s wicked stepmother. However, upon discovering that her stepdaughter despises Zoey, which explains why she was spending the holiday alone, Ted decides to break bread with her and forge a friendship instead.

Ted Encourages Robin To Admit Her Feelings To Barney

In “The Final Page” from Season 8, when Ted rediscovered his feelings for Robin, he found out that Barney intended to pop the question to Patrice. Instead of keeping it to himself, Ted chose to inform Robin, who still harbored feelings for Barney. He escorted her to the World Wide News building, giving her an opportunity to act on these feelings. Although it was later revealed that Barney had manipulated him as part of a complex scheme to propose to Robin, Ted’s selfless act of prioritizing Robin’s interests over his own was exceptionally rare and heartwarming.

Ted Moves Out Of The Apartment For Marshall And Lily To Keep

In the opening scene of Season 7’s “Karma,” we witness some significant transformations within our beloved gang. Robin, my dear friend, decides to vacate Ted’s apartment, leaving an empty guest room that sparked a quest for a new purpose. Eventually, as Ted reflects on his life and the changing dynamics, he makes a heartfelt decision – to transform this space into a nursery for Marshall and Lily, who are expecting their first child. With my time here coming to an end, I pass on this apartment to them, marking a new chapter in their lives.

Ted Urges Victoria To Leave Her Groom A Note

In the season finale of Season 7, “The Magician’s Code: Part 2,” I found myself in a heart-wrenching dilemma, much like the time Stella walked out on me. Victoria, my beloved character, decided to jilt her fiancé, Klaus (Thomas Lennon), at the altar for Ted. Unfortunately, she didn’t leave him an explanation note. In the Season 8 premiere, “Farhampton,” it was revealed that she was nowhere to be found. Being a cinephile who had experienced this emotional turmoil before, I empathized with Ted’s plight. He persuaded Victoria to return to the venue, hoping for a proper farewell. To his surprise, Klaus was too jittery to go through with the marriage in the end.

Ted Chooses Acceptance Over Revenge On Stella

In the episode following “Happily Ever After” in Season 4, Ted is prepared to scold Stella for choosing her ex, Tony (Jason Jones), over him and moving to New York. Yet, upon observing their contentment as a family with daughter Lucy, he understands that they were not meant to be together from the start. As a result, he decides to let them be and focus on moving forward himself.

Ted Gives Up His Best Man Position

In “Bachelor Party” during Season 2, Marshall learns that Barney played a significant role in reuniting him and Lily. Upon finding out this story, Ted acknowledges Barney’s actions by designating him as one of the Best Men at his upcoming wedding. Eventually, Marshall selects both Barney and himself to serve jointly as co-Best Men for the special occasion.

Ted Tries To Avoid Hurting Naomi’s Feelings

The first Halloween episode of “How I Met Your Mother” traces Ted’s prolonged quest for a woman in an alluring pumpkin costume, who he reconnects with in Season 7. Regrettably, Ted discovers that Naomi (Katie Holmes) isn’t his ideal match. Despite this, he carefully builds up to the separation to ensure a gentle dismissal. However, it is revealed that she too harbored similar feelings, and it required a sip of her unique cocktail, The Tootsie Roll, to muster the bravery to be truthful with him.

Ted Honors The Robots Versus Wrestlers Tradition

In the Season 5 episode named after Robots Versus Wrestlers, the group’s past participation had an uneven start. At first, Ted opted for a fancy social gathering instead of the sporting event, but he eventually understood that prioritizing his friends was more important, despite their occasional teasing. Later on in the show, it is shown that every year they would gather again for this event, as demonstrated by a scene from the series finale.

Ted Buys A House

Following the wedding of his mother in Season 5’s “Home Wreckers,” Ted finds himself in a state of stagnation, so he decides, with optimism to hasten things along in his life, to make a down payment on a house. While some viewers might label this action as hasty and desperate, I view it as a touching endeavor to preserve his dream of eventually establishing a family and ensuring that he has a home ready for them when the time comes.

Ted Invites Tony To His And Stella’s Wedding

In an unexpected move, Ted invites Stella’s ex-boyfriend, Tony, to their wedding in Season 4’s “Shelter Island.” Despite knowing how this might make Tony feel excluded from witnessing the mother of his child tie the knot, Ted shows a remarkable act of compassion. This bold gesture may have unintentionally contributed to Stella deciding to leave Ted at the altar. However, I consider it a mature and brave action, even in retrospect.

Ted Tries To Suppress His Crush On The Married Zoey

As a devoted film enthusiast, I’ve always found myself drawn to the complex dynamics between Ted Mosby and Zoey Pierson in How I Met Your Mother. Their rivalry eventually morphed into a deep friendship, but at first, Ted was cautious about allowing their bond to develop further, fearing it might jeopardize her marriage to George “The Captain” Van Smoot. Little did he know, Zoey was going through a divorce during that time, though Ted remained oblivious to this fact. His decision to maintain a platonic friendship and resist acting on his feelings for a woman he believed was still married, speaks volumes about his integrity – truly the hallmark of an upstanding guy.

Ted Replaces Robin’s Door Mat

In Season 1’s “Game Night,” Ted is compelled to confess that he, while very drunk, ruined his “vomit-free since ’93” record by vomiting on Robin’s door mat. The episode concludes with Robin discovering a fresh, customized mat in her apartment, suggesting that it was generously provided by Mosby.

Ted Rents A Limo For New Year’s Eve

As a die-hard movie buff, I, Future Ted, am reminiscing about the first New Year’s Eve episode of “How I Met Your Mother.” It’s not often that you find an incredible way to celebrate the stroke of midnight, and Present Day Ted is determined to alter that for us. He’s pulling out all the stops to ensure we have a blast as we welcome 2006.

He’s even gone so far as to rent a sleek limousine, driven by our trusty cabbie friend, Ranjit (Marshall Manesh), and has meticulously planned a guide to all the hottest parties New York City has to offer. We’re in for one unforgettable night!

Ted Chooses His Friendship With Robin Over Marrying Victoria

In the narrative of Season 8, there’s an element reminiscent of a “Friends” episode (a similarity noted before by ScreenRant, as the show has faced this accusation on other occasions), where Victoria agrees to marry Ted, but under the condition that he ends his friendship with Robin. It’s inappropriate for a romantic partner to demand such a separation, even if Victoria might have been correct about Ted’s unresolved feelings for Robin. Nevertheless, it was undoubtedly a challenging choice, and Ted made the wise decision.

Ted Decides To Move To New Jersey For Stella

Contrary to his initial assumption that he’d stay in New York and Stella would move there, Ted, who strongly dislikes New Jersey, chooses to relocate instead. This decision comes despite his previous belief about the living arrangement, which he had to change due to their postponed wedding. However, it was a compassionate choice on his part.

2025-03-28 14:39