How I Met Your Mother Season 1 Episode 7 The Best Man. It all starts when Ted's best friend, Marshall (Jason Segel), drops the bomb that is going to propose to his longtime girlfriend, Lily (Alyson Hannigan), a kindergarten teacher. At that moment, Ted realizes that it would be best to hurry if you expect to find true love. Aid in his quest is Barney (Neil Patrick Harris), a friend with endless opinions, and sometimes outrageous, a penchant for suits and a foolproof way to meet women. When Ted meets Robin (Cobie Smulders), he is sure that it is love at first sight, but destiny may have something more in store. The series is narrated through flashbacks from the future, the voice of Bob Saget.