A father recounts to his children - through a series of flashbacks - the journey he and his four best friends took leading up to him meeting their mother.
Is this the best episode?
The peak run. Top 40% of seasons by average rating — consecutive, with an average of 8.21.
Loading episode ratings...
Josh Radnor
Ted Mosby
Neil Patrick Harris
Barney Stinson
Jason Segel
Marshall Eriksen
Alyson Hannigan
Lily Aldrin
Cobie Smulders
Robin Scherbatsky
Cristin Milioti
Tracy McConnell
All 208 episodes plotted by IMDb rating
Loading episode ratings...
This may take a moment for shows with many seasons.
22 episodes • 2005Avg: 8.1Golden Era
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot | Sep 19, 2005 | 8.4 |
| 2 | Purple Giraffe | Sep 26, 2005 | 8.0 |
| 3 | Sweet Taste of Liberty | Oct 3, 2005 | 8.0 |
| 4 | Return of the Shirt | Oct 10, 2005 | 7.8 |
| 5 | Okay Awesome | Oct 17, 2005 | 8.1 |
| 6 | The Slutty Pumpkin | Oct 24, 2005 | 7.9 |
| 7 | Matchmaker | Nov 7, 2005 | 7.5 |
| 8 | The Duel | Nov 14, 2005 | 8.0 |
| 9 | Belly Full of Turkey | Nov 21, 2005 | 7.9 |
| 10 | The Pineapple Incident | Nov 28, 2005 | 9.1 |
| 11 | The Limo | Dec 19, 2005 | 8.2 |
| 12 | The Wedding | Jan 9, 2006 | 8.0 |
| 13 | Drumroll, Please | Jan 23, 2006 | 8.7 |
| 14 | Zip, Zip, Zip | Feb 6, 2006 | 8.1 |
| 15 | Game Night | Feb 27, 2006 | 9.0 |
| 16 | Cupcake | Mar 6, 2006 | 7.7 |
| 17 | Life Among the Gorillas | Mar 20, 2006 | 7.5 |
| 18 | Nothing Good Happens After 2 A.M. | Apr 10, 2006 | 8.3 |
| 19 | Mary the Paralegal | Apr 24, 2006 | 8.7 |
| 20 | Best Prom Ever | May 1, 2006 | 7.7 |
| 21 | Milk | May 8, 2006 | 7.9 |
| 22 | Come On | May 15, 2006 | 8.8 |
22 episodes • 2006Avg: 8.3Golden Era
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Where Were We? | Sep 18, 2006 | 8.0 |
| 2 | The Scorpion and the Toad | Sep 25, 2006 | 8.1 |
| 3 | Brunch | Oct 2, 2006 | 8.4 |
| 4 | Ted Mosby, Architect | Oct 9, 2006 | 8.7 |
| 5 | World's Greatest Couple | Oct 16, 2006 | 8.7 |
| 6 | Aldrin Justice | Oct 23, 2006 | 8.0 |
| 7 | Swarley | Nov 6, 2006 | 8.9 |
| 8 | Atlantic City | Nov 13, 2006 | 7.8 |
| 9 | Slap Bet | Nov 20, 2006 | 9.4 |
| 10 | Single Stamina | Nov 27, 2006 | 8.0 |
| 11 | How Lily Stole Christmas | Dec 11, 2006 | 7.9 |
| 12 | First Time in New York | Jan 8, 2007 | 8.0 |
| 13 | Columns | Jan 22, 2007 | 7.7 |
| 14 | Monday Night Football | Feb 5, 2007 | 8.3 |
| 15 | Lucky Penny | Feb 12, 2007 | 8.3 |
| 16 | Stuff | Feb 19, 2007 | 8.3 |
| 17 | Arrivederci, Fiero | Feb 26, 2007 | 8.1 |
| 18 | Moving Day | Mar 19, 2007 | 7.9 |
| 19 | Bachelor Party | Apr 9, 2007 | 8.3 |
| 20 | Showdown | Apr 30, 2007 | 8.8 |
| 21 | Something Borrowed | May 7, 2007 | 8.7 |
| 22 | Something Blue | May 14, 2007 | 8.7 |
20 episodes • 2007Avg: 8.2Golden Era
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wait for It | Sep 24, 2007 | 8.1 |
| 2 | We're Not from Here | Oct 1, 2007 | 7.5 |
| 3 | Third Wheel | Oct 8, 2007 | 8.0 |
| 4 | Little Boys | Oct 15, 2007 | 7.5 |
| 5 | How I Met Everyone Else | Oct 22, 2007 | 8.9 |
| 6 | I'm Not That Guy | Oct 29, 2007 | 7.9 |
| 7 | Dowisetrepla | Nov 5, 2007 | 7.8 |
| 8 | Spoiler Alert | Nov 12, 2007 | 9.0 |
| 9 | Slapsgiving | Nov 19, 2007 | 8.9 |
| 10 | The Yips | Nov 26, 2007 | 7.8 |
| 11 | The Platinum Rule | Dec 10, 2007 | 8.4 |
| 12 | No Tomorrow | Mar 17, 2008 | 8.0 |
| 13 | Ten Sessions | Mar 24, 2008 | 8.7 |
| 14 | The Bracket | Mar 31, 2008 | 8.6 |
| 15 | The Chain of Screaming | Apr 14, 2008 | 7.8 |
| 16 | Sandcastles in the Sand | Apr 21, 2008 | 8.1 |
| 17 | The Goat | Apr 28, 2008 | 8.1 |
| 18 | Rebound Bro | May 5, 2008 | 7.9 |
| 19 | Everything Must Go | May 12, 2008 | 7.5 |
| 20 | Miracles | May 19, 2008 | 8.5 |
24 episodes • 2008Avg: 8.1
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Do I Know You? | Sep 22, 2008 | 8.5 |
| 2 | The Best Burger in New York | Sep 29, 2008 | 8.4 |
| 3 | I Heart NJ | Oct 6, 2008 | 7.5 |
| 4 | Intervention | Oct 13, 2008 | 8.7 |
| 5 | Shelter Island | Oct 20, 2008 | 8.2 |
| 6 | Happily Ever After | Nov 3, 2008 | 7.9 |
| 7 | Not a Father's Day | Nov 10, 2008 | 7.6 |
| 8 | Woooo! | Nov 17, 2008 | 7.9 |
| 9 | The Naked Man | Nov 24, 2008 | 9.1 |
| 10 | The Fight | Dec 8, 2008 | 8.2 |
| 11 | Little Minnesota | Dec 15, 2008 | 8.0 |
| 12 | Benefits | Jan 12, 2009 | 8.5 |
| 13 | Three Days of Snow | Jan 19, 2009 | 8.4 |
| 14 | The Possimpible | Feb 2, 2009 | 8.2 |
| 15 | The Stinsons | Mar 2, 2009 | 8.2 |
| 16 | Sorry, Bro | Mar 9, 2009 | 7.6 |
| 17 | The Front Porch | Mar 16, 2009 | 8.2 |
| 18 | Old King Clancy | Mar 23, 2009 | 7.4 |
| 19 | Murtaugh | Mar 30, 2009 | 8.3 |
| 20 | Mosbius Designs | Apr 13, 2009 | 7.4 |
| 21 | The Three Days Rule | Apr 27, 2009 | 8.6 |
| 22 | Right Place, Right Time | May 4, 2009 | 8.1 |
| 23 | As Fast as She Can | May 11, 2009 | 7.5 |
| 24 | The Leap | May 18, 2009 | 8.6 |
24 episodes • 2009Avg: 8.0
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Definitions | Sep 21, 2009 | 8.4 |
| 2 | Double Date | Sep 28, 2009 | 8.0 |
| 3 | Robin 101 | Oct 5, 2009 | 8.2 |
| 4 | The Sexless Innkeeper | Oct 12, 2009 | 7.8 |
| 5 | Duel Citizenship | Oct 19, 2009 | 7.6 |
| 6 | Bagpipes | Nov 2, 2009 | 7.6 |
| 7 | The Rough Patch | Nov 9, 2009 | 7.6 |
| 8 | The Playbook | Nov 16, 2009 | 9.3 |
| 9 | Slapsgiving 2: Revenge of the Slap | Nov 23, 2009 | 7.8 |
| 10 | The Window | Dec 7, 2009 | 8.0 |
| 11 | Last Cigarette Ever | Dec 14, 2009 | 7.7 |
| 12 | Girls vs. Suits | Jan 11, 2010 | 9.0 |
| 13 | Jenkins | Jan 18, 2010 | 8.5 |
| 14 | Perfect Week | Feb 1, 2010 | 8.7 |
| 15 | Rabbit or Duck | Feb 8, 2010 | 7.9 |
| 16 | Hooked | Mar 1, 2010 | 7.6 |
| 17 | Of Course | Mar 8, 2010 | 8.2 |
| 18 | Say Cheese | Mar 22, 2010 | 8.1 |
| 19 | Zoo or False | Apr 12, 2010 | 7.4 |
| 20 | Home Wreckers | Apr 19, 2010 | 7.7 |
| 21 | Twin Beds | May 3, 2010 | 7.6 |
| 22 | Robots vs. Wrestlers | May 10, 2010 | 8.1 |
| 23 | The Wedding Bride | May 17, 2010 | 7.9 |
| 24 | Doppelgangers | May 24, 2010 | 8.3 |
24 episodes • 2010Avg: 8.0
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Days | Sep 20, 2010 | 8.0 |
| 2 | Cleaning House | Sep 27, 2010 | 8.2 |
| 3 | Unfinished | Oct 4, 2010 | 7.6 |
| 4 | Subway Wars | Oct 11, 2010 | 8.5 |
| 5 | Architect of Destruction | Oct 18, 2010 | 7.6 |
| 6 | Baby Talk | Oct 25, 2010 | 7.5 |
| 7 | Canning Randy | Nov 1, 2010 | 7.5 |
| 8 | Natural History | Nov 8, 2010 | 8.0 |
| 9 | Glitter | Nov 15, 2010 | 8.4 |
| 10 | Blitzgiving | Nov 22, 2010 | 9.0 |
| 11 | The Mermaid Theory | Dec 6, 2010 | 7.8 |
| 12 | False Positive | Dec 13, 2010 | 8.1 |
| 13 | Bad News | Jan 3, 2011 | 8.9 |
| 14 | Last Words | Jan 17, 2011 | 8.6 |
| 15 | Oh Honey | Feb 7, 2011 | 8.7 |
| 16 | Desperation Day | Feb 14, 2011 | 7.9 |
| 17 | Garbage Island | Feb 21, 2011 | 7.5 |
| 18 | A Change of Heart | Feb 28, 2011 | 8.1 |
| 19 | Legendaddy | Mar 21, 2011 | 8.2 |
| 20 | The Exploding Meatball Sub | Apr 11, 2011 | 7.5 |
| 21 | Hopeless | Apr 18, 2011 | 7.7 |
| 22 | The Perfect Cocktail | May 2, 2011 | 7.7 |
| 23 | Landmarks | May 9, 2011 | 7.6 |
| 24 | Challenge Accepted | May 16, 2011 | 8.4 |
24 episodes • 2011Avg: 8.0
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Best Man | Sep 19, 2011 | 8.4 |
| 2 | The Naked Truth | Sep 19, 2011 | 7.9 |
| 3 | Ducky Tie | Sep 26, 2011 | 8.8 |
| 4 | The Stinson Missile Crisis | Oct 3, 2011 | 7.9 |
| 5 | Field Trip | Oct 10, 2011 | 7.3 |
| 6 | Mystery vs. History | Oct 17, 2011 | 7.6 |
| 7 | Noretta | Oct 24, 2011 | 7.6 |
| 8 | The Slutty Pumpkin Returns | Oct 31, 2011 | 7.2 |
| 9 | Disaster Averted | Nov 7, 2011 | 8.2 |
| 10 | Tick Tick Tick | Nov 14, 2011 | 8.9 |
| 11 | The Rebound Girl | Nov 21, 2011 | 7.8 |
| 12 | Symphony of Illumination | Dec 5, 2011 | 8.7 |
| 13 | Tailgate | Jan 2, 2012 | 7.7 |
| 14 | 46 Minutes | Jan 16, 2012 | 7.5 |
| 15 | The Burning Beekeeper | Feb 6, 2012 | 7.3 |
| 16 | The Drunk Train | Feb 13, 2012 | 7.9 |
| 17 | No Pressure | Feb 20, 2012 | 8.3 |
| 18 | Karma | Feb 27, 2012 | 7.8 |
| 19 | The Broath | Mar 19, 2012 | 8.5 |
| 20 | Trilogy Time | Apr 9, 2012 | 8.5 |
| 21 | Now We're Even | Apr 16, 2012 | 7.8 |
| 22 | Good Crazy | Apr 30, 2012 | 7.6 |
| 23 | The Magician's Code (1) | May 14, 2012 | 8.4 |
| 24 | The Magician's Code (2) | May 14, 2012 | 8.7 |
24 episodes • 2012Avg: 7.8
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Farhampton | Sep 24, 2012 | 8.4 |
| 2 | The Pre-Nup | Oct 1, 2012 | 7.3 |
| 3 | Nannies | Oct 8, 2012 | 7.2 |
| 4 | Who Wants to Be a Godparent? | Oct 15, 2012 | 7.4 |
| 5 | The Autumn of Break-Ups | Nov 5, 2012 | 7.3 |
| 6 | Splitsville | Nov 12, 2012 | 7.4 |
| 7 | The Stamp Tramp | Nov 19, 2012 | 7.2 |
| 8 | Twelve Horny Women | Nov 26, 2012 | 7.3 |
| 9 | Lobster Crawl | Dec 3, 2012 | 7.3 |
| 10 | The Over-Correction | Dec 10, 2012 | 7.9 |
| 11 | The Final Page (1) | Dec 17, 2012 | 8.4 |
| 12 | The Final Page (2) | Dec 17, 2012 | 9.3 |
| 13 | Band or DJ? | Jan 14, 2013 | 7.7 |
| 14 | Ring Up! | Jan 21, 2013 | 7.7 |
| 15 | P.S. I Love You | Feb 4, 2013 | 8.1 |
| 16 | Bad Crazy | Feb 11, 2013 | 7.4 |
| 17 | The Ashtray | Feb 18, 2013 | 7.7 |
| 18 | Weekend at Barney's | Feb 25, 2013 | 7.9 |
| 19 | The Fortress | Mar 18, 2013 | 7.8 |
| 20 | The Time Travelers | Mar 25, 2013 | 8.4 |
| 21 | Romeward Bound | Apr 15, 2013 | 7.2 |
| 22 | The Bro Mitzvah | Apr 29, 2013 | 8.7 |
| 23 | Something Old | May 6, 2013 | 7.4 |
| 24 | Something New | May 13, 2013 | 8.7 |
24 episodes • 2013Avg: 7.5Valley of Despair
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Locket | Sep 23, 2013 | 7.7 |
| 2 | Coming Back | Sep 23, 2013 | 7.6 |
| 3 | Last Time in New York | Sep 30, 2013 | 7.4 |
| 4 | The Broken Code | Oct 7, 2013 | 7.2 |
| 5 | The Poker Game | Oct 14, 2013 | 7.1 |
| 6 | Knight Vision | Oct 21, 2013 | 7.3 |
| 7 | No Questions Asked | Oct 28, 2013 | 7.2 |
| 8 | The Lighthouse | Nov 4, 2013 | 7.1 |
| 9 | Platonish | Nov 11, 2013 | 8.1 |
| 10 | Mom and Dad | Nov 18, 2013 | 6.6 |
| 11 | Bedtime Stories | Nov 25, 2013 | 5.8 |
| 12 | The Rehearsal Dinner | Dec 2, 2013 | 7.6 |
| 13 | Bass Player Wanted | Dec 16, 2013 | 8.1 |
| 14 | Slapsgiving 3: Slappointment in Slapmarra | Jan 13, 2014 | 6.0 |
| 15 | Unpause | Jan 20, 2014 | 8.2 |
| 16 | How Your Mother Met Me | Jan 27, 2014 | 9.5 |
| 17 | Sunrise | Feb 3, 2014 | 8.1 |
| 18 | Rally | Feb 24, 2014 | 7.9 |
| 19 | Vesuvius | Mar 3, 2014 | 7.5 |
| 20 | Daisy | Mar 10, 2014 | 8.3 |
| 21 | Gary Blauman | Mar 17, 2014 | 8.1 |
| 22 | The End of the Aisle | Mar 24, 2014 | 8.8 |
| 23 | Last Forever (1) | Mar 31, 2014 | 6.6 |
| 24 | Last Forever (2) | Mar 31, 2014 | 5.5 |
