The WORST episodes of How I Met Your Mother

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

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: 11/29/2025Network: CBSStatus: Ended
Bedtime Stories
star
7.09
4999 votes

#1 - Bedtime Stories

Season 9 - Episode 11 - Aired 11/25/2013

Marshall tries to get Marvin to sleep by reciting three rhyming bedtime tales about his friends as they wind down their epic cross-country journey.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Slapsgiving 3: Slappointment in Slapmarra
star
7.21
4923 votes

#2 - Slapsgiving 3: Slappointment in Slapmarra

Season 9 - Episode 14 - Aired 1/13/2014

In an attempt to deliver a devastating final slap to Barney, Marshall explains how he mastered the Slap of A Million Exploding Suns.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Old King Clancy
star
7.27
5516 votes

#3 - Old King Clancy

Season 4 - Episode 18 - Aired 3/23/2009

Marshall and Barney lie to keep Ted from finding out the headquarters he'd been hired to design for GNB has been cancelled.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
As Fast as She Can
star
7.28
5815 votes

#4 - As Fast as She Can

Season 4 - Episode 23 - Aired 5/11/2009

Ted is trying to find a new job, and when an old acquaintance tries to help nothing goes as planned. Barney tries to smooth talk his way out of a ticket.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Vesuvius
star
7.35
4321 votes

#5 - Vesuvius

Season 9 - Episode 19 - Aired 3/3/2014

On the morning of the wedding, Lily and Robin have a fight and Barney freaks out about which suit to wear. Meanwhile, the gang watches a movie Ted has forbidden them to see.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Sorry, Bro
star
7.35
5847 votes

#6 - Sorry, Bro

Season 4 - Episode 16 - Aired 3/9/2009

Marshall and Lily are less than thrilled when they hear that Ted's college girlfriend (Laura Prepon) has moved to New York.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Everything Must Go
star
7.36
5604 votes

#7 - Everything Must Go

Season 3 - Episode 19 - Aired 5/12/2008

When Barney and Abby realize that they have one thing in common - their mutual hatred of Ted - the "couple" decides to go to the bar to flaunt their new relationship in Ted's face.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Last Forever (2)
star
7.41
3774 votes

#8 - Last Forever (2)

Season 9 - Episode 24 - Aired 3/31/2014

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Mom and Dad
star
7.42
4997 votes

#9 - Mom and Dad

Season 9 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/18/2013

When Barney’s father arrives at the hotel, Barney devises a plan that makes Robin very nervous. Meanwhile, Ted is convinced someone framed him by messing up a wedding-related duty.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Twin Beds
star
7.44
6712 votes

#10 - Twin Beds

Season 5 - Episode 21 - Aired 5/3/2010

When Ted and Barney jeopardize Robin's new relationship by professing their love for her, Robin realizes that she is finally over them. Meanwhile, after spending a weekend sleeping in twin beds, Marshall and Lily decide to get twin beds at home.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Rabbit or Duck
star
7.44
6330 votes

#11 - Rabbit or Duck

Season 5 - Episode 15 - Aired 2/8/2010

When Lily and Marshall forget to fix up Ted on a blind date for Valentine's Day, they use one of Barney's many discarded girls to see if they may become Ted's future wife. Meanwhile, Robin's obnoxious colleague invites her to a party at his apartment.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Unfinished
star
7.45
7702 votes

#12 - Unfinished

Season 6 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/4/2010

Barney uses his best womanizing tactics to try to convince Ted to design the new GNB building; Robin drunk dials Don.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Big Days
star
7.45
8273 votes

#13 - Big Days

Season 6 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/20/2010

When Ted and Barney argue about who has "dibs" on a hot girl, Ted realizes that she is there with Cindy, a girl he previously dated who is also the roommate of his future wife. Meanwhile, Robin is heartbroken over Don, and Marshall can't keep quiet about his desire to start a family.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Matchmaker
star
7.46
6287 votes

#14 - 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
The Autumn of Breakups
star
7.46
5794 votes

#15 - The Autumn of Breakups

Season 8 - Episode 5 - Aired 11/5/2012

As the season of break-ups continues, Ted and Victoria must choose the next step in their long and complicated relationship. Meanwhile, Robin worries about Barney when he chooses a dog to be his wingman.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Dowisetrepla
star
7.46
5959 votes

#16 - Dowisetrepla

Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/5/2007

Marshall and Lily's plan to buy an apartment is hampered by mistakes and Lily's hidden debt.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Writer: Brenda Hsueh
I'm Not That Guy
star
7.47
6040 votes

#17 - I'm Not That Guy

Season 3 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/29/2007

Marshall has to contemplate giving up his plan of using his law degree to help the planet when he's courted by a major firm; Lily reveals a secret to Robin that not even Marshall knows; Ted discovers a porn actor is using his name

Directors: Pamela Fryman
The Chain of Screaming
star
7.47
5498 votes

#18 - The Chain of Screaming

Season 3 - Episode 15 - Aired 4/14/2008

After Marshall witnesses a work buddy get yelled at after handing in a report, he becomes paranoid that the same will happen to him.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Best Prom Ever
star
7.48
5942 votes

#19 - 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
Lucky Penny
star
7.48
5886 votes

#20 - Lucky Penny

Season 2 - Episode 15 - Aired 2/12/2007

Ted can't seem to catch a flight to interview for his dream job and he and Robin contemplate why. The story unfolds backwards as they think about it they remember when Robin and Lily went hunting for a wedding dress and when Barney got stuck on the subway.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Sunrise
star
7.50
4650 votes

#21 - Sunrise

Season 9 - Episode 17 - Aired 2/3/2014

Robin and Ted reminisce about past relationships as they search for a drunken Barney on the day of the wedding. Lily and Marshall come to a resolution. Barney befriends two men who are eager to meet women.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
No Questions Asked
star
7.51
4613 votes

#22 - No Questions Asked

Season 9 - Episode 7 - Aired 10/28/2013

When Daphne sends a troubling text message to Lily, Marshall enlists the gang’s help to remove the message while enforcing the “No Questions Asked” rule.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
The Lighthouse
star
7.51
4801 votes

#23 - The Lighthouse

Season 9 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/4/2013

When Robin and Loretta's conflict escalates, Barney is caught in the middle. Meanwhile, Marshall and Daphne deal with a stowaway on their road trip, and Ted and Cassie try to enjoy a trip to a lighthouse.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Writer: Rachel Axler
Where Were We?
star
7.51
6325 votes

#24 - Where Were We?

Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/18/2006

The gang tries to help Marshall get over Lily, especially when he finds a credit card bill that leads to a hotel in New York City where some of her charges are listed.

Directors: Pamela Fryman
Hooked
star
7.51
6748 votes

#25 - Hooked

Season 5 - Episode 16 - Aired 3/1/2010

When the gang tries to convince Ted that he is being strung along by Tiffany, they reflect about relationships where each of them has been in the same situation.

Directors: Pamela Fryman