The Pontiac Fiero in ‘How I Met Your Mother’ Was Far From the Show’s Worst Vehicle
“How I Met Your Mother” captured fans’ attention with slap-bet physical comedy, constant callback, and enjoyable character dynamics. Car enthusiasts will take note of Jason Segel’s Pontiac Fiero GT in the show, a car at the butt of many automotive jokes. However, the Fiero is far from as objectionable as the show’s parody “Monstrosity Sport,” acted out by a slab of Hummer H2.
The Pontiac Fiero in ‘How I Met Your Mother’ was a much cooler ride than the ‘Monstrosity Sport’
Jason Segel brought environmental lawyer Marshall Eriksen to life in “How I Met Your Mother.” However, rather than score a set of wheels you’d expect of a TV lawyer, he clings to his first-and-only car, a 1985 Pontiac Fiero GT. “The Fiero” as he calls it, is a quirky setpiece in the show, but it might not deserve so much of its hate.
The Pontiac Fiero was a short-lived attempt at a domestic mid-engine, rear-wheel drive (RWD) sports car. Sounds spectacular, right? Unfortunately, the Fiero suffers a reputation of appalling reliability akin to other 1980s GM products. Still, it is certainly a more fitting automotive companion for Eriksen than a garish, lifted Hummer H2.
That, and the Fiero is one of the few cars that an enthusiast will note. After all, the show is set in New York City. Sure, car fans live in NYC, but you’re not going to find the automotive faithful in an NYC-based TV ensemble cast. Instead, you’ll find subway riders, bus takers, and, in Marshall Eriksen’s case, John Henry-esque defiance to machines in general.
What’s more, Jason Segel’s Eriksen is an environmental lawyer. Understandably, he’d cringe at the idea of spending time in a colossal, fuel-swilling SUV. As such, the show parodies large, gluttonous vehicles with a visual amalgam: a bright yellow “Monstrosity Sport” SUV. Of course, the Monstrosity Sport isn’t real, so the show’s creators had to cast a stand-in for the preposterous vehicle. Enter the Hummer H2, perhaps the best possible choice.
“Monstrosity. Cause Global Warming’s not real.” That’s the jingle the show played over the image of the Hummer H2. Silly as it may be, it’s not far off from the truth. The H2’s 6.0L LQ4 V8 was torquey but at the expense of fuel economy. Still, even with the Fiero’s reputation, I know which one I’d have.
