Think about it - one of the messages of the movie is that if you're a working man who has to spend extra hours at the office to support your family, then it's ok for your wife to start falling for the next-door-neighbor who spends all his time with his kids.
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Except 1. He didn't HAVE, he could say no, he could get a different job because he's never around for anything. 2. His wife was not falling for that slime ball, and she made that clear when she decked him with the thermos.
shareNo... I'm a career mother. You have to balance both. He was negligent of his family life which left it open to criticism.
That being said, it was stereotypical...
Did you actually watch this movie? Liz never was attracted to Ted. She did ask Ted to drive them to the parade because she was mad at Howard for not getting the doll, lying about getting it, stealing Johnny's doll, and setting the neighbor's house on fire.
She wouldn't have been mad at Howard if just showed up for Jamie's karate class and bought the doll when she asked. It's not as if he's working three jobs to put food on the table.