What Year Did How I Met Your Mother Start

Okay, let's talk about How I Met Your Mother. We all know and (mostly) love it. But when did this legen...wait for it...dary show even begin?

The Obvious Answer (That Might Be Wrong)

Most people will confidently say 2005. And technically, they aren't wrong. The first episode did air in September of '05. You can Google it; it's right there. Case closed, right?

Not so fast! I have an unpopular opinion brewing. It's a slow burn, like Ted Mosby's love life.

My Hot Take

I argue that How I Met Your Mother really started much earlier. Stick with me, I promise this isn't as crazy as Barney's playbook.

Think about it: Ted is telling his kids this epic tale. He's reliving years of his life. He probably spent weeks, months even, prepping the story. You don't just casually narrate nine seasons' worth of shenanigans.

Wouldn't you meticulously plan your epic tale of love and friendship for your children?

The "Started Long Ago" Theory

So, when did Ted start prepping? He had to have at least conceived of the story before meeting the Mother. It couldn't be an impulse, “Oh, I just met your mother! Here's the story!” situation.

Maybe he even started writing notes during his darker moments. The times he almost gave up on love. The times he dated someone who was, shall we say, less than ideal. Maybe he had a binder labeled “Possible Future Mother Stories.”

I imagine him scribbling in a notebook: "Okay, Kids, so I had a blue French horn..."

Evidence to Consider

Consider the elaborate flashbacks. The inside jokes that span years. The recurring gags like Robin Sparkles. These weren’t spur-of-the-moment additions.

They were carefully constructed pieces of a much larger puzzle. A puzzle that took years to assemble. That requires preparation, my friends. A lot of it.

And let's not forget Marshall's meticulously maintained website!

The Real Start Date? It's Complicated

Therefore, I propose that How I Met Your Mother really started the moment Ted decided he wanted to find "the one". The moment he had his first disastrous date and thought, "This could be a story someday". The minute he started building his narrative.

Maybe it was as early as college. Perhaps it was the day Marshall proposed to Lily. Maybe it was a drunken conversation at MacLaren's.

We'll never truly know. The exact date is a mystery, shrouded in the fog of nostalgia. But one thing is certain.

It was definitely before 2005. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

Unless someone can find conclusive proof otherwise. Then I'll reconsider... maybe.

A Thought to Ponder

So next time you're watching How I Met Your Mother, think about this. Think about the untold years of planning and plotting. Think about the "almost mothers" that didn't make the cut.

The show may have started in 2005, but the story? The story started long, long ago. Now, isn't that something?

I rest my case. What do you guys think about this unpopular opinion?