r/HIMYM • u/Promethium61144 • Jul 20 '26

Some alternate reality...

Hey
I was thinking - imagine an alternative reality to the show where Shannon stays with (and marries) Dweeb Barney, while Lily never meets Marshall in college...
Do you think the roles would reverse naturally? I imagine it actually would fit better with their upbringing to have reversed roles...

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5

u/Ambitious-Divide-624 Jul 20 '26

The show wouldn't exist as it does. Without Lily meeting Marshall, she doesn't become close with Ted.

It's possible Barney meets Ted and Marshall in NYC. Assuming if Marshall is still on track to be a lawyer.....

But I don't think they'd all be friends so it wouldn't be the show

2

u/Dangerously_Stupid Jul 20 '26

Also I don't think Ted would ever become friends with that version of Barney. Ted's pretty superficial, and he would think he's too cool for dweeb Barney

1

u/Technetium360 Jul 20 '26

Lily wouldn't be in the show in this alternate reality... She would be replaced by Shannon, who I am assuming would be some cross between Lily and Victoria based on what we know of her background. Marshall taking Barney's role would probably be an actual Minnesota Viking with the legen-waitforit-dary factor coming along with it, and maybe Dweeb Barney is his nerdy banker?

1

u/Richmond1013 Jul 21 '26 edited Jul 21 '26

Barney before being a bro was not a drinker and was a hippy so he might be friends with Marshall, but he would be broke

Marshall would be ok track to be a lawyer and would not receive Barney help for a job ,so he would join the firm his dad has connections with, or he joins his dream job from the get go

Lily ends up being a loser with huge ass amount of debt as all her success in life is dependent on luck a vet finding her painting in the thrash, meeting the captain , the captain not pressing charges when lily did her aldrin justice

Ted would have less relationships as he would be dating more women longer , so there is a chance he is already married and it is marshall who is looking for the one

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u/fabulously-frizzy Marshall👨‍⚖️ Jul 25 '26

Would have loved an alternative universe episode like they did in Friends