Narrated through flashbacks from the future, comedy recounts how architect and eternal romantic Ted realized he had better get a move on if he hoped to find the true love found by his best friend Marshall and his wife Lily. Helping him in his quest is Barney, a friend with endless, sometimes outrageous opinions, a penchant for suits and a foolproof way to meet women; and Robin, a pretty newscaster whom Ted at first thinks is the one before realizing they're better off as friends.