15 Best How I Met Your Mother Episodes, Ranked

Kids, the year 2025 marks 20 years of “How I Met Your Mother” (HIMYM), and despite a contentious finale and claims that the show is now “problematic,” its fandom remains fervent. Just as an older Ted Mosby (voiced by the late, great Bob Saget) revels in recounting old memories to his two children, so too do fans live to relive every slap bet, “but um,” and romantic twist and turn across Ted’s near 10-year romantic odyssey in search of the eponymous mother. From newfound success on streaming, a still-active Reddit page with over 350,000 members, to even the occasional HIMYM-themed wedding, the show’s staying power cannot be underestimated.

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Case in point: Series star Josh Radnor (present-day Ted) and co-creator Craig Thomas recently launched the show’s first official rewatch podcast, “How We Made Your Mother,” and the series has already amassed several thousand followers across Instagram, YouTube, and podcasting platforms. In light of them revisiting the entire series, episode by episode, let us too go down memory lane and determine a definitive ranking of the show’s 15 best episodes.

Despite being at the center of the show’s problematic reputation, true HIMYM fans know that Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris) was the secret to the show’s success. Though frequently written as a caricature of the misogynist player, much to our comedic delight, Barney winds up becoming the most emotionally complex character in the series. His ridiculous, attention-seeking sexual conquests are the result of his deeply unresolved daddy issues, which come to a head when Barney is reunited with his father in “Legendaddy.”

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Much of the episode’s appeal lies in John Lithgow guest-starring as Barney’s father, Jerome “Jerry” Whittaker. The actor, who won three Emmys for his work on the ’90s sitcom “3rd Rock from the Sun,” neatly slips back into TV with sharp comic timing, though not without the acting prowess to land important dramatic beats. However, the star is, of course, Harris, whose emotional breakdown and somber coda at the end of the episode (“A kid needs a hoop.”) brought Barney’s character arc into focus more than any other episode before it.

Even eight seasons into a television staple coasting on its own popularity, the HIMYM writing team always found new, hilarious ways to subvert audience expectations and formally play with the show’s timey-wimey storytelling. “The Time Travelers” features the most surreal reinvention of the series’ formula when Ted and Barney are visited by multiple future versions of themselves, two from 20 years later and two from merely 20 minutes later, as they decide whether or not to attend Robots vs. Wrestlers.

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Radnor and Harris’ trio of performances playing off of one another is perhaps the series’ greatest technical achievement, a triumph of effects wizardry for a modestly-budgeted network sitcom. It’s as visually seamless as it is charming, including the pitch-perfect acapella cover of Billy Joel’s “For The Longest Time.” However, the episode’s real kicker is its twist — that the time travelers were all a figment of Ted’s lonely imagination — leading to a gut-punch of an ending monologue that, after the events of the finale, takes on a whole new meaning.

Another Barney-centric episode, “Cleaning House” sets the stage for Barney’s reconciliation with his father by first introducing Sam Gibbs (Ben Vereen), father to Barney’s half-brother James (Wayne Brady, in one of the show’s best recurring guest roles). As the gang help Barney and James clean out their mother’s home, the discovery of an old photograph addressed to their father builds to a brilliant punchline that remains one of the show’s funniest misdirects. Barney’s attempts at “being black” to connect with Sam and James make for some of his most ridiculous groveling, even if it may induce cringing from those unable to get with the bit.

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“Cleaning House” is the show’s formula to a tee: it begins with a strong hook, maintains consistent comic momentum punchline to punchline, and caps things off with a sentimental confrontation that re-contextualizes the episode’s events while strengthening the depth of a core character. Though Barney would eventually meet his dad, his final moment with his mother, Loretta, instilled the importance of their relationship, one that colored the character until the very end of the series.

More often than not, the best episodes of “How I Met Your Mother” are remembered for their mic-drop endings. The series took several bold story twists throughout its run, especially for a network sitcom that could have been cancelled at any time. One of its most shocking was the end of “Shelter Island,” the unassuming fifth episode of season 4 that sees Stella (Sarah Chalke) abandon Ted at the altar for her ex-husband Tony (Jason Jones). “Never invite an ex to your wedding” begins the episode, and ends it with new, devastating meaning.

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It’s a shocking development that knocks the wind out of an already emotionally taxing episode (complimentary). Robin leaves her job in Tokyo and resurfaces her lingering feelings for Ted, Barney is tempted to seduce Stella’s newly-minted single sister Nora (Daneel Harris), despite wanting Robin, and Ted has to confront Tony in order to bring Stella’s daughter to the wedding, only for that to inadvertently bring an end to his relationship. It’s a story-filled episode that pulls no punches, bringing everyone to an ultimate low point.

Yet another Barney-centric episode on this list (are you noticing a pattern?), “Game Night” was our first inkling into the repeatedly tragic backstory behind the Barnacle. The uproarious reveal of a hippie Barney cry-singing an original song for “Shannon” (Katie Walder) is one of the show’s most side-splitting surprises, perfectly laying the foundation for an unpredictable look at the events that made Barney the legen — wait for it — DARY man he is in the year 2005. Though the episode ends in a somewhat disingenuous victory for Barney, this only laid the foundation for future seasons to take similar blasts from the past and make them more introspective.

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Though Marshgammon makes for a confoundingly funny framing device for the entire episode, the true comedy comes from everyone sharing their own embarrassing stories, particularly Ted following up on the events of the show’s pilot with the story of “The Re-Return.” It was one of the first examples of the show’s knack for callbacks, explicitly tying episodes together into a larger narrative that made the series rewarding to watch and, naturally, rewatch.

By the end of season 4, Ted — and, by extension, viewers — had made peace with the dissolution of his near-marriage to Stella. However, the HIMYM team still found a way to brilliantly reinvent it with “The Wedding Bride,” an in-universe romcom that retells the events of “Shelter Island” and paints Tony as the hero and Ted (loosely renamed Jed) as the bad guy. HIMYM was always unique in that it was filmed using a hybrid of both single and multi-camera techniques, so it was the perfect show to send up film tropes within the sitcom format.

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Beyond its aesthetic novelty, “The Wedding Bride” uses its callbacks as a way to effectively explore the concept of “emotional baggage.” The episode frequently literalizes it with physical luggage for laughs, but it also uses its satire to humorously re-examine and further overcome Ted’s wounds without having the story feel repetitive or tiresome. Add in a strong supporting turn from the underrated Judy Greer and a Chop Chop needle drop and you’ve got yourself another HIMYM banger.

Most folks claim that the worst episodes of “How I Met Your Mother” came during its sunset season, yet one of the show’s best episodes is one of its last. “How Your Mother Met Me” sheds a spotlight on who we later learn is Tracy McConnell (Cristin Millioti), the eponymous mother herself and her journey to Farhampton. The show’s creators give her a surprisingly tragic backstory when compared to Ted. It begins with the sudden death of her long-term boyfriend Max and, just as she’s finally accepted his death years afterward, ends with her turning down her new boyfriend, Louis, after he proposes to her.

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Millioti was one of the show’s most brilliant casting choices, as she has a quirky and charming comic wit while still underlying every emotional beat with sincerity and restraint, perfectly matching our core ensemble. Far from a manic pixie dream girl for Ted, she was her own complex individual with struggles to overcome, all of which are effortlessly intertwined with several callbacks to when we saw glimpses of the mother: her yellow umbrella, her showered ankle, the economics class gone wrong. However, the episode’s true highlight is Millioti’s dazzlingly delicate ukulele cover of “La vie en Rose,” one of the show’s most breathtaking musical moments.

Though “Something Blue” is technically the finale to season 2, both it and its precursor, “Something Borrowed,” act as an inverted two-parter. The former explores Marshall and Lily determined to consummate their commitment to each other regardless of what goes wrong, while the latter explores Ted and Robin, whose relationship falls apart when their backs are put against the wall. However, only one episode can make the list.

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Ultimately, the love between Marshmallow and Lilypad, portrayed with earnest compassion by Jason Segel and Alyson Hannigan, wins the day. It feels genuine in a way that soars beyond the screen and right into your heart, especially during the vows of their impromptu outdoor wedding. It’s a moment that was almost taken away from us after the shocking season 1 finale, “Come On,” so to experience it in a patient, genuine exchange makes for a lovely catharsis. Plus, the events leading up to their actual ceremony are comedy gold, from a shirtless Brad as the bouncer to Marshall sporadically shaving his head to Barney abusing privileges “for the bride.”

Not many comedies would be willing to muster absurd, half-season long bits so far into its own lifespan, but HIMYM is not most comedies. “Ducky Tie” sees several disparate ideas — Marshall’s rubber ducky-decorated tie, Lily’s pregnancy boobs, and yet another dinner at Shinjitsu — come together in a treacherous bet between Lily and Marshall and Barney. After many hilarious misdirects, Barney is stuck wearing the torturously unfashionable Ducky Tie for a whole year after failing to nail his Shinjitsu skills. It’s a beautiful piece of television on its own, but it’s made all the better several episodes later, when Marshall and Lily agree to prematurely relinquish Barney from the tie, if he agrees to extend the slap bet by three whole slaps. Only the HIMYM writers are galaxy-brained enough to craft a whole bit just to give more life to another bit entirely.

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As the main plot takes its own twists and turns, Ted recounts an unexpected reunion with Victoria, where he (and, by extension, the viewers) are given the brutal truth: His love triangle with Barney and Robin is unsustainable. This not only foreshadows the remainder of the series but also gives the episode’s storytelling a powerful one-two punch.

The saga of Robin Sparkles is far and away the best bit HIMYM ever conceived. Not only does it provide a wealth of musical moments for fans to revel in, but its pastiche of teen pop music plays in sharp comic contrast to the cynical, messy, badass characterization of Robin Scherbatzky (Cobie Smolders). It adds depth to the character while also being incredibly funny, something all comedies should strive for.

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Though season 8’s “P.S. I Love You” is technically the final chapter in Sparkles’ story, “Glitter” is by far the bit’s superior culmination. It expands the Sparkles lore in a major way, combining parodies of both pop music and children’s entertainment, but never loses sight of the story; Nicole Scherzinger’s charming guest role as Jessica Glitter particularly feels aligned with the themes of the season at large, especially Lily’s pregnancy and its effect on her relationships. It all comes together with the series’ most underrated musical number, “Two Beavers Are Better​​ Than One,” a hilarious ode to friendship… and beavers.

Sporting HIMYM’s most devastating mic drop ending, “Tick Tick Tick” is all about how we experience time. For a rejected Barney, a second of Robin shaking her head “no” feels like an eternity. This lies in stark contrast to the night before, when an entire evening spent together goes by in a blur. Barney gets away with a lot across the series, but this crushing blow is one of the most tragic moments in the entire series. He finally works up the nerve to be brutally honest with someone, thinking it will lead to his salvation. In the end, he winds up alone. The ending pulls no punches and wraps up an otherwise hilarious episode with a dramatic misdirect that really leaves the audience with something to chew on.

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Speaking of which, there’s plenty of great laughs to be had before the episode’s final blow. Working into the theme of time is Ted and Marshall at Groovapalooza, whose baked hallucinations and repetitive shenanigans make for a whole other kind of comedic misdirect. “It’s a sign, bro.”

Much of the delight from watching HIMYM comes from watching the gang make fun of Barney incessantly. From slap bets to ducky ties, the show’s creators found plenty of ways to torture the Barn door, even if it was as simple as changing his name. Enter “Swarley,” HIMYM’s simplest yet most effective bit. After barista Chloe (Morena Baccarin) writes Barney’s name as “Swarley” on his coffee cup, the gang won’t let him hear the end of it. Though juvenile on the surface, the writers find numerous ways to hit bullseyes, from a radio DJ dedicating a song to Swarley to the name’s many iterations: Swarles, Swarles Barkley, Bob Swarley, etc. It even inspires one of the show’s funniest needle drops: “Everybody Knows Your Name,” also known as the theme song from “Cheers,” a sitcom institution that directly inspired HIMYM.

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The episode also reunites Marshall and Lily after her disastrous stint in San Francisco, ending an extended will-they-won’t-they for the show’s most enduring relationship. That alone makes this episode one we can rewatch over and over.

This often overlooked episode of HIMYM is secretly one of its finest achievements in storytelling. It’s rare that an episode of the series gives all five characters a pivotal role in the meat of the story, let alone misdirect the audience to believe three separate days of stories are happening all at once. This is the power of the HIMYM writers room: they know exactly what to reveal and exactly what to hide, seamlessly blending stories and elements together until they’re able to pull them apart with shock and awe.

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Ted and Barney’s takeover of MacLaren’s is surely a season 4 highlight, not to mention introduces their bar, Puzzles, which lays the foundation for another great episode, “Tailgate.” After all, how many of us have secretly wanted to open a bar? However, the episode’s best moment is its ending, when Marshall greets Lily at their airport with a surprise marching band flash mob and their beautifully-arranged rendition of “Auld Lang Syne.” Laughter is the best medicine, but Marshall and Lily’s love triumphs over all.

Few episodes of HIMYM are as flawlessly funny as “Blitzgiving.” The series’ penchant for absurdity reaches an all-time high in this gut-busting Thanksgiving special, in which the curse of “The Blitz,” or someone whose absence triggers once-in-a-lifetime events, passes from Steve Henry (Jorge Garcia, known to most as Hurley from “Lost”) to Ted after a chance encounter at the bar. Every comedic beat in this episode is gold, from “My Blitzy Lies Over The Ocean” to Robin’s KISS-inspired makeup to Barney’s later inheritance of the curse and missing out on a topless Zoe (Jennifer Morrison) despite being in the same apartment. And, of course, “THE GENTLEMEN!”

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On the topic of Zoe, this episode sees her and Ted make amends for their ongoing feud over the destruction of the Arcadian. She becomes an honorary member of the group, making for a heartfelt, emotionally resonant conclusion to an episode that could have simply amounted to a series of imaginative singularities. It just goes to show that the worst kind of Blitz you can be is the one who misses their chance at a potential friendship and, potentially, something more.

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a HIMYM fan who doesn’t have “Slap Bet” in their personal Top 5, if not at their #1 spot. It’s simply the most powerful episode in HIMYM history, introducing not one, but two of the show’s longest-running and most comedically rewarding gags: the eponymous slap bet and the aforementioned Robin Sparkles. In a way, “Slap Bet” is responsible for every slap bet and Robin Sparkles-adjacent episode of HIMYM, some of which have already been discussed on this list. They are in this episode’s debt, meaning that it couldn’t possibly be included above them, let alone miss the #1 slot.

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Similarly to “Blitzgiving,” “Slap Bet” is perfect punchline after perfect punchline, simultaneously teasing Robin’s Canadian past while building upon Marshall and Barney’s outrageous slap bet. It’s a sitcom two-hander for the ages that culminates in the epic reveal of “Let’s Go To The Mall,” the show’s best musical moment and, by all accounts, a slap-solutely definitive moment in the history of HIMYM. This episode will rock your body ’till Canada Day, every day.