Regardless of opinions concerning How I Met Your Mother’s series finale, one thing has always remained the same throughout the shows nine-year run:
Marshall Eriksen is hilarious.
The role was expertly handled by Jason Segel, who could not have done a better job as the doting, charismatic best friend. As Ted Mosby’s (Josh Radnor) right-hand man, Marshall serves as a logical interpreter or the comic relief that always made an impact no matter how uncomfortable the situation was.
Want further proof? Here are the most hilarious quotes from Marshall Eriksen.
I’m Cuddly…Deal With It.
It’s true that Marshall is known for being the softy in the group. During the second season, Marshall is inconsolable since Lilly left him over the summer to study art. Thankfully the two get back together and we get to see the Marshall Eriksen’s relationship blossom into the envious picture-perfect relationship that it was always meant to me. Marshall further proves his point that, while he may not be the lady’s man of the gang, at least he’s cuddly.
This Is Rex. He Lives With Us Now
In the season following the death of Marshall’s dad, Marshall begins to realize that his friends have been treating him with kiddy gloves. In the episode titled “Legendaddy” when the gang discusses each other’s flaws, Marshall decides to see how far he can push his ridiculous antics. One standout example was when he brought a possum into the bar and announced to the group that their new friend Rex would be living with them starting from now.
I’m A Good Boyfriend In My Sleep
While Ted and Barney occasionally get a rise from Marshall by teasing him about his lack of experience with women, Marshall holds onto his relationship status with pride. When Barney and Robin start a relationship, Barney, being the arrogant guy that he is, tries to take that pride away from Marshall by claiming he is the perfect boyfriend. Marshall quickly shuts down that notion with a lengthy soliloquy about how he is a good boyfriend in his sleep and further brags by saying, “I can rock a killer foot rub at one hand and brew a kick-ass pot of chamomile on the other that would make you weep."
Lawyered
There are a few lines from the How I Met Your Mother series that have found their way into pop culture legend. One of the more notorious cases can be credited to Marshall Eriksen, who loves to use his occupation as a lawyer to continuously prove his point.
This also comes in handy on the many instances when Barney feels the need to make up statistics. Marshall is able to quickly prove him wrong and when Barney inevitably withdraws his statement, Marshall tops it off with a snappy “Lawyered.”
You Have To Let Me Dance My Own Battles!
When Robin challenges Marshall to a dance-off, he is all too willing to accept the challenge. However, Lily steps in to prevent Marshall from aggravating his furtive “dancer’s hip.” Marshall, who is adamant about winning so that a drink at McClaren’s can be named after him, feels like Lilly is stepping on his toes. Which is why he informs her that he needs to dance his own battles. Literally.
Death Is All Around Us
In the episode where Marshall loses his health insurance after leaving his job, he becomes dramatically grim. He assumes that in the two weeks it will take for his insurance to kick in, he will be mauled by a bear. And so, Marshall insists that Lily follows his every footstep in order to protect him. He initially has this epiphany after getting a paper cut to which he says with austere, “Death… is all around us.”
I thought I Saw Big Foot In Central Park So I Tackled Him
One of the more charming personality quirks Marshall possesses is his imagination. Despite his friends telling him time and time again that mythical creatures like the Loch Ness monster aren’t real, Marshall unabashedly claims their existence. He believes in them so much, in fact, that when he thought he saw Big Foot in Central Park, he tackled him. Turns out it was just Russell Brand.
All Hail Beercules!
The legendary Beercules made his first appearance in season seven in the episode entitled, “The Naked Truth.” Beercules is Marshall’s drunk alter ego that he inherited one night in college after a long night of Edward Forty Hands. Unbeknownst to him, Beercules was caught on tape and posted on the internet, which Marshall worried would ruin his chances for a new job. Thankfully, his new employer is just as much of a fan of Beercules as audiences were, so Marshall gets the job of his dreams.
We see Beercules again when Barney takes Marshall to Atlantic City for a quick getaway. Of course, this also happens to be the time Lilly goes into labor and Beercules is not someone who is mentally equipped to handle such a pivotal moment. Somehow though, he makes it in time for his son’s birth. All hail Beercules!
The Only Person Who Loves Ted Mosby More Than Marshall Eriksen, Is Drunk Marshall Eriksen!
Marshall Eriksen’s unwavering love for Lilly extends to anyone who he holds in high esteem. That includes his best friend, Ted, and the pair’s relationship knows no bounds. Throughout the series, Marshall constantly sticks up for Ted, despite his misgivings, and endorses him in whatever way he can. And like most people, Marshall’s love for his best friend is only amplified after an intense night of drinking.
Happy Slapsgiving!
Another one of Marshall’s epic narratives is his Slapsgiving Day charade. Slapsgiving, of course, referring to the Day of Slaps in which Marshall will slap Barney as hard as he can per their previous Slap Bet. Despite his teddy bear persona, Marshall can be vindictive towards his friends, but in a whimsical way. Marshall’s constant taunts towards Barney for the upcoming Slap carried the bulk of the episode, proving that along with his romantic charm, Marshall Eriksen is hilarious.
