The BEST episodes of How I Met Your Mother season 1

Every episode of How I Met Your Mother season 1, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of How I Met Your Mother season 1!

A father tells his children, through a series of flashbacks, the journey that he and his four best friends undertook, which would lead him to meet their mother.

Last Updated: 2/13/2024Network: CBSStatus: Ended
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Come On
star
7.91
5569 votes

#1 - Come On

Season 1 - Episode 22 - Aired 5/15/2006

Ted tries to keep Robin from going on a camping trip so that she can spend time with him. Barney enlists the help of an old flame to perform a rain dance. At the same time Marshall finds out about Lily's interview for the fellowship in San Francisco.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Game Night
star
7.90
5982 votes

#2 - Game Night

Season 1 - Episode 15 - Aired 2/27/2006

A mysterious tape arrives for Barney from one of his numerous ex-girlfriends, and the entire gang watches it. But, in order for them all to find out how she broke Barney's heart and made him into a suit-wearing bachelor, everyone must share their most embarrassing moment.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Writer: Brenda Hsueh
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Mary the Paralegal
star
7.88
5837 votes

#3 - Mary the Paralegal

Season 1 - Episode 19 - Aired 4/24/2006

Robin is nominated to receive an award for a news report and everyone needs a date to take to the show. Barney introduces Ted to Mary as a date that Ted can take to the show. Originally Ted is opposed to the idea of just trying to save face in front of Robin but when she shows up with a date he changes his mind. Robin asks Mary lots of questions, and Ted begins to really like Mary, despite her occupation.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Writer: Chris Harris
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Drumroll, Please
star
7.83
6144 votes

#4 - Drumroll, Please

Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired 1/23/2006

Ted finds a new woman at the wedding. They want to remember the evening so they don't exchange last names or numbers; but Ted takes a big fall when he tries to find out her name.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Pilot
star
7.79
9074 votes

#5 - Pilot

Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/19/2005

It's the year 2030 and an older Ted Mosby is telling the story to his son and daughter about how he met and will eventually marry their mother. This is where we meet for the first time Ted, Lily, Marshall, Barney and Robin.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Pineapple Incident
star
7.75
6182 votes

#6 - The Pineapple Incident

Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/28/2005

After being forced into knocking back 5 shots, so he will stop thinking, Ted goes on a partying rampage. The next morning he wakes up with a woman in his bed, but he does not know who it is. So he turns to his friends to try and piece the night together and work out who the woman is in his bed.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Zip, Zip, Zip
star
7.69
5952 votes

#7 - Zip, Zip, Zip

Season 1 - Episode 14 - Aired 2/6/2006

After agreeing to take things slowly and not have sex for a month, Ted and Victoria decide that they have waited long enough.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Writer: Chris Harris
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Okay Awesome
star
7.68
6546 votes

#8 - Okay Awesome

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/17/2005

Ted and Barney start checking out the club scene with their friend Robin whereas Lily and Marshall try to participate in some more "grown-up" activities as they draw slowly nearer to their wedding.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Writer: Chris Harris
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Sweet Taste of Liberty
star
7.65
6780 votes

#9 - Sweet Taste of Liberty

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/3/2005

Ted agrees to let Barney spice up his love life and ends up on a crazy adventure of flying to Philadelphia, encountering the law and visiting the Liberty Bell.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Return of the Shirt
star
7.64
6697 votes

#10 - Return of the Shirt

Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/10/2005

Ted's outlook on his continuing search for love is altered when he rediscovers a shirt that has not seen daylight in years. Meanwhile, Barney amuses himself by coaxing Robin into sacrificing her job by saying completely outlandish things on air live for a cash reward.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Watch Now:Apple TV
Nothing Good Happens After 2 AM
star
7.61
5886 votes

#11 - Nothing Good Happens After 2 AM

Season 1 - Episode 18 - Aired 4/10/2006

Robin, who is very lonely, asks Ted to come over to her apartment after 2 A.M., but he isn't sure if he wants to go as he has a phone call on the way over with his friends, and with Victoria on his mind

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Duel
star
7.60
5978 votes

#12 - The Duel

Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/14/2005

As Lily becomes more of a permanent fixture in the apartment, Ted feels like he is being edged out of the mix by his engaged roomies. Petrified of being left alone and homeless, Ted tells Marshall that when he and Lily are married, he wants the apartment. The problem is that Marshall wants to keep the place, too, so they settle it like real "grown-ups" -- launching into a sword fight that leaves one man down for the count.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Limo
star
7.60
5951 votes

#13 - The Limo

Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/19/2005

Ted rents a limo to take the gang out to sample five New Year's Eve parties in a quest to find the perfect celebration.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Watch Now:Apple TV
Belly Full of Turkey
star
7.60
6192 votes

#14 - Belly Full of Turkey

Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/21/2005

Thanksgiving with Marshall's family is stressful because Lily thinks she may be pregnant. Robin, Barney and Ted spend the holiday volunteering.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Watch Now:Apple TV
Cupcake
star
7.59
5764 votes

#15 - Cupcake

Season 1 - Episode 16 - Aired 3/6/2006

Things are going great with Ted and Victoria's relationship, but when Victoria is offered her dream job, the couple have to make serious relationship decisions. Meanwhile Marshall and Lily set out to purchase their wedding outfits and find out that none can afford what they bought.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Watch Now:Apple TV
Milk
star
7.59
5911 votes

#16 - Milk

Season 1 - Episode 21 - Aired 5/8/2006

When a matchmaking company calls Ted claiming they have found his soul mate, he is forced to postpone his date when Lily asks for his help.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Wedding
star
7.59
5948 votes

#17 - The Wedding

Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/9/2006

Robin accepts Ted's invite to a friend's wedding, but thanks to Ted, the couple may never make it down the aisle.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Slutty Pumpkin
star
7.57
6469 votes

#18 - The Slutty Pumpkin

Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/24/2005

Ted makes his yearly pilgrimage to the rooftop Halloween party in search of a girl dressed as a pumpkin who he met years ago. Meanwhile, Robin is dumped after driving her new boyfriend away with her independent ways.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Writer: Brenda Hsueh
Watch Now:Apple TV
Life Among the Gorillas
star
7.57
5764 votes

#19 - Life Among the Gorillas

Season 1 - Episode 17 - Aired 3/20/2006

Marshall interns at the corporation where Barney works and Lily finds that he is becoming a shallow jerk as he tries to fit in with his crude fratty coworkers. Meanwhile, Ted feels guilty when he receives several gifts from Victoria (Erika Singh) while he hasn't sent her anything.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Watch Now:Apple TV
Purple Giraffe
star
7.53
7483 votes

#20 - Purple Giraffe

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/26/2005

In a desperate attempt for a second date, Ted invites Robin to a party he is throwing. However, she doesn't show up and he keeps throwing parties in the hopes she will finally arrive.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Watch Now:Apple TV
Best Prom Ever
star
7.49
5894 votes

#21 - Best Prom Ever

Season 1 - Episode 20 - Aired 5/1/2006

Lily, Barney and Robin attend a high school prom to scout out a potential band for Lily and Marshall's wedding reception. In order to get in Lily and Robin pretend to be the dates of two kids who were going alone. Ted and Marshall are back at the apartment where they are preparing the invitations to be sent out.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Watch Now:Apple TV
Matchmaker
star
7.47
6235 votes

#22 - Matchmaker

Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/7/2005

When a matchmaker with a 100% success rate turns Ted away because he is not compatible with any of the available women in her database, he is still determined that he is going to find his match. After getting information from the matchmaker’s computer, Ted pays a visit to a very cute but taken dermatologist in an effort to prove the prediction wrong that there are no women out there for him. Meanwhile, Marshall and Lily are obsessed with ridding their apartment of a critter.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Watch Now:Apple TV