Everything How I Met Your Father Changed In Ted And Marshall's Former Apartment
The two-episode premiere of "How I Met Your Father" was fairly light on direct parallels with the original series, but the first two episodes do reveal one major thing the show has in common with its predecessor. At the end of the first episode, after the new gang joins Sophie (Hilary Duff) to walk the Brooklyn Bridge, they head back to Jesse (Chris Lowell) and Sid's (Suraj Sharma) apartment. The moment they open the front door, it feels like coming home for "How I Met Your Mother" fans, because it is: their apartment is the same one Ted (Josh Radnor), Marshall (Jason Segel), and eventually Lily (Alyson Hannigan) lived in.
A More Muted Aesthetic
"We got it from the old married couple who posted it on the Wesleyan Alumni Group," Jesse says, and we'll ignore the part where he calls Lily and Marshall old to focus on the important thing, here. The apartment is the site of so many of the original series' best moments, so it has a powerful nostalgia factor for fans. "How I Met Your Father" could run for seven seasons or crash and burn early on, but having its characters inherit the apartment feels like the old show giving the new one its blessing–to go forth and be awesome.
The new version of the apartment is awesome, too. Though it's quickly recognizable, it has a sleeker, hipper look than the version we saw during the show's original run. The most noticeable change may be a dark blue accent wall in the alcove area behind the living room. At first, I thought the apartment had more dark wood than it used to, but after looking closely, it seems the accent wall simply brings out the brown of the already-existing wood paneling.
The new place also has a more muted color scheme. In 2005, when "How I Met Your Mother" began, the apartment had a bright yellow cupboard and funky patterned pillows. By the time Marshall and Lily finally talked themselves into selling it, in 2016, it was even more colorful, with a yellow couch, a red chair, and the rainbow of clutter that comes with two kids. It cleans up well, though, and Jesse and Sid's version has a designer's touch to it. We haven't seen the kitchen yet, but the living room is mostly dark colors, from the green couch to the accent wall to what looks almost like a chic black leather lawn chair.
It's Less Geeky and More Hip
There are plenty of personal touches already visible in the new apartment, from an acoustic guitar to several framed art prints to a license plate that looks like it might say "FOR SALE." Jesse and Sid also seem to have set up a small dining table outside the kitchen, and bar-owner Sid also has plenty of drinks and mixing tools handy in multiple spots. There's even a mini-bar in a spot that once held a piano! We can't guess too much about the new guys' personalities based on this set, but since we don't know who the father of Sophie's son will be, that could be intentional.
Jesse and Sid seem to realize if an apartment layout's not broke, they don't need to fix it. They keep a couple key things the same, putting their couch and chairs in the same formation as Marshall and Ted did. They haven't renovated anything, so the apartment still has unique flourishes like the little in-wall nook to the right of the front door that's rounded at the top. They also seem to have the same blinds as the original gang did, and the same fireplace. And of course, there are the swords above the fireplace. Jesse and Sid may have a cooler aesthetic overall, but they must be geeks at heart, because they're excited to tell Sophie that the former owners let them keep the swords. We'll see if they remain on the wall or end up being used in a duel, as they were for Marshall and Ted.
Some sitcoms are only as good as their home base, and "How I Met Your Father" has a great home base in this much-loved apartment. Hopefully, the show itself will follow Jesse and Sid's design lead, taking something familiar and making it feel new again.