MovieChat Forums > How I Met Your Mother (2005) Discussion > Is Barney Stinson the first time Hollywo...

Is Barney Stinson the first time Hollywood has ever portrayed a psychopath in a comedic light?

posted 5 years ago by ManToTrust (1648)
9 replies | jump to latest

I'm willing to think so, unless somebody knows of another example.

Make no mistake, Stinson IS a psychopath in any definition of the term. He just exhibits the typical psychopath that makes up 1% of our population instead of the Hollywood psychopath usually confined to a horror, thriller or drama.

Usually psychopath roles are in movies such as American Psycho, Seven, Reservior Dogs, etc. Is this the first time that you've seen a psychopath in a comedy, whether in TV or film?

[–] TaRaNRoD (1579) 5 years ago

Care to elaborate on the "how is he a psychopath" angle?

[–] ManToTrust (1648) 5 years ago

Although there are variations on what defines a psychopath, usually the most consistent definitions are based around these 5 traits:

1. Lack of empathy/guilt - we continually see where Barney is cold and free of guilt or remorse.

2. Shallow experiences and charm - lots of womanizing and short term relationships, lots of charm to aid his womanizing. Any long term relationship seems forced and ungenuine (yes, even Nora and Robyn). He also regularly convinces people through his charm that he may be normal and worth saving. This is classic psychopath manipulation. NPH did this so convincingly that most viewers don't even realize that Barney is a psychopath (as evidenced in this thread).

3. High risk taking - he takes big bets and big moves on his career (which usually pay off), and regularly aims to seduce nothing short of tens.

4. Lack of responsibility for their actions - hardly ever says he's sorry. Quick to blame others, although this usually comes off as a joke. But part of the joke is that he's dead serious in blaming Ted or anyone else for almost everything.

5. Delusions of grandeur - this needs no elaboration, as it usually forms the crux of any joke at Barney's expense.

Thankfully he's not a brat, which could've been really easy with the above traits. I can't see anyone else but NPH pulling off such a character without them getting annoying. Dave Spade tried to pull it off with a similar character in rules of engagement and failed IMO.

[–] AP (5258) 5 years ago

I think he was sincere when it came to Robin and Nora. He also had his lucid moments in which he admitted he wasn't being serious such as when he confessed to Marshall that he knew Bob Barker wasn't his father. Also, his seeming high risk job ended up being a long game FBI sting. According to the show, he surpressed himself after his heart was broken, which is why he puts up the facade. Granted, this is not very realistic, but that is the character.

As for TV portraying psychopaths in a comedic light, there's It's Always Sunny in Philidelphia.

[–] kwestmo (4114) 5 years ago

1%? It's a little higher than that. A lot actually.

I don't buy the official number.

[–] ManToTrust (1648) 4 years ago

Me neither. Just IME, in the corporate world it's anywhere between 25-50%. Seriously.

[–] Franky88 (288) 4 years ago

Barney is one the most sane people in the world actually

[–] ManToTrust (1648) 4 years ago

Being a psychopath doesn't make you insane. It makes you devoid of feelings and sympathy.

[–] BigMom (1936) 4 years ago

You havent watched the series if you think he hasnt feelings. He is just way more awesome than you will ever be.

[–] ManToTrust (1648) 4 years ago

I've watched the series, big mama. I love the character, even though I think he's a psychopath.

Heck I have friends who are clinical psychopaths. I don't like it, but it's part of the charm of a psychopath I guess, lol.