List of the most interesting similarities with Friends

[TMC]

Friends

1. Ross and friends meet Rachel, who Ross falls for
   
2. Ross cheats on Julie with Rachel, ends up losing both, but dates Rachel shortly after
   
3. Ross rushes his relationship with Emily by proposing
   
4. Ross would’ve married Emily if it weren’t for Rachel ("take thee Rachel")
   
5. Joey (womanizer) dates Rachel, Ross’s ex
   
6. Ross leaves the museum to become a professor
   
7. Ross dates his student, Elizabeth
   
8. Ross's ex, Susan, becomes a lesbian
   
9. No one knows what Chandler's job is
   
10. Phoebe believes her dad is a random model in a picture frame but later finds out the truth and eventually meets her real dad
    
11. Emily gives Ross an ultimatum between Rachel and the marriage
    
12. Phoebe is mistaken for a pornstar
    
13. Chandler and Monica love doubledating: Joey and Janice, who lived next door (didn't work out), Greg and Jenny (Scheduling problems)
    
14. Ross meets Mona at a wedding, and they ultimately break up because of Rachel (though it's Ross's fault)
    
15. Phoebe dates Roger, a psychiatrist who at one point explodes and points out the flaws of the group
    
16. Monica, a chef, makes most of the food while Chandler convinces the gang to try his cranberry sauce
    
17. Phoebe has a fallout with her singing partner, but they reconcile
    
18. Chandler doesn't quit his job to do what he really wants
    
19. Joey pulls the naked man on Monica
    
20. Joey hates the date who takes his fries
    
21. Chandler cannot take good pictures
    
22. Monica and Chandler hide their relationship from friends
    
23. Chandler kicks people out of their couch at Central Perk
    
24. Joey officiates Chandler and Monica's wedding
    
25. Mike dumps Precious on her birthday
    
26. Ross gets back with Rachel in the finale
    
27. Ross: "actually it's whom"
    
28. Chandler finds out he shares a toothbrush with Joey/the toilet
    
29. "My best friend and my sister": Ross to Chandler and Monica, Joey to Chandler, Phoebe to Joey and Ursula, Rachel to Ross and Jill
    
30. Ross's awful nickname for himself (Ross-a-tron)
    
31. Chandler's on/off relationship with Janice, who his friends can't stand
    
32. Eloping in Vegas
    
33. Ross and Chandler are college roommates
    
34. College flashback where Ross finds out Chandler kissed Rachel and mistook his own kiss with Rachel because it was with Monica
    
35. Chandler kisses Kathy and feels guilty so he buys Joey all the furniture they lost > Joey finds out and eventually forgives him > Chandler and Kathy date

HIMYM

1. Ted and friends meet Robin, who Ted falls for
   
2. Ted cheats on Victoria with Robin, ends up losing both, but dates Robin shortly after
   
3. Ted rushes his relationship with Stella by proposing
   
4. Ted would’ve married Stella if it weren’t for Robin (bringing exes to a wedding)
   
5. Barney (womanizer) dates Robin, Ted’s ex
   
6. Ted quits his career as an architect to become a professor
   
7. Ted dates his student, Cindy
   
8. Ted's ex, Cindy, becomes a lesbian
   
9. No one knows what Barney's job is
   
10. Barney believes his dad is Bob Barker but accepts his mom is lying to him and eventually meets his real dad
    
11. Victoria gives Ted an ultimatum between Robin and the marriage
    
12. Ted is mistaken for a pornstar
    
13. Marshall and Lily love doubledating: The couple next door (didn't work out), Robin and Barney (Marshall's "Are you free" scheduling song)
    
14. Ted meets Victoria at a wedding, and they break up because of Robin (though it's Ted's fault)
    
15. Robin dates Kevin, a therapist, who also explodes and points out the flaws of the group
    
16. Lily, a great cook, makes most of the food while Marshall insists the gang "don't sleep on the gouda", the one thing he made
    
17. Robin has a fallout with her co-star, but they reconcile
    
18. Marshall doesn't quit GNB to become an environmental lawyer
    
19. HIMYM creates the "naked man"
    
20. Barney hates the guy who took his curly fries
    
21. Marshall cannot take good pictures
    
22. Robin and Barney hide their relationship from friends
    
23. Ted kicks people out of their booth at MacLaren's
    
24. Barney officiates Marshall and Lily's wedding
    
25. Ted dumps Natalie (the same actress) on her birthday
    
26. Ted gets back with Robin in the finale
    
27. Ted always correcting people
    
28. Ted, Marshall, and Lily find out they share a toothbrush
    
29. Ted to Barney, Barney to Ted
    
30. Ted's awful nickname for himself (Teddy Westside)
    
31. Ted's on/off relationship with Karen, who his friends can't stand
    
32. Eloping in Atlantic City
    
33. Ted and Marshall are college roommates
    
34. College flashback where Ted mistook his kiss with Lily
    
35. Barney sleeps with Robin and feels guilty so he plans and pays for a Vegas trip > Ted already knows and eventually forgives him > Barney and Robin date

[TMC]

Somebody on Reddit wrote that Friends unlike HIMYM, didn’t push through with the Joey/Rachel thing (like HIMYM did with Barney and Robin), then somehow made it an actual good thing for both characters eventually, built it up to be the best story running, spend an entire final season focusing on their wedding, only to undo all of it within 5 minutes of the finale just so the show can end with Ross wanting to get back together with Rachel again.