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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. Discover the Best Episodes of How I Met Your Mother Season 1!

Binge this in 8h 8m•Peaking at 9.1/10

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.

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    How I Met Your Mother Season 1 Episode 1 - Pilot
    8.4/10(8295 votes)

    #1 - Pilot

    S1:E1

    When Ted's best friend Marshall proposes to his girlfriend, Lily, Ted realizes he'd better get a move on if he hopes to find true love. Ted soon meets Robin in a neighborhood bar, immediately becomes smitten and scores a first date. But when Ted can hardly wait to see her again, his eagerness threatens to scare her away.

    Director:Pamela Fryman
    Writers:Carter Bays, Craig Thomas

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  2. How I Met Your Mother Season 1 Episode 2 - Purple Giraffe
    8.0/10(6442 votes)

    #2 - Purple Giraffe

    S1:E2

    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.

    Director:Pamela Fryman
    Writers:Carter Bays, Craig Thomas

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  3. How I Met Your Mother Season 1 Episode 3 - Sweet Taste of Liberty
    8.0/10(6117 votes)

    #3 - Sweet Taste of Liberty

    S1:E3

    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.

    Director:Pamela Fryman
    Writer:Phil Lord

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  4. How I Met Your Mother Season 1 Episode 4 - Return of the Shirt
    7.8/10(5738 votes)

    #4 - Return of the Shirt

    S1:E4

    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.

    Director:Pamela Fryman
    Writer:Kourtney Kang

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  5. How I Met Your Mother Season 1 Episode 5 - Okay Awesome
    8.1/10(5862 votes)

    #5 - Okay Awesome

    S1:E5

    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.

    Director:Pamela Fryman
    Writer:Chris Harris

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  6. How I Met Your Mother Season 1 Episode 6 - The Slutty Pumpkin
    7.9/10(5687 votes)

    #6 - The Slutty Pumpkin

    S1:E6

    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.

    Director:Pamela Fryman
    Writer:Brenda Hsueh

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  7. How I Met Your Mother Season 1 Episode 7 - Matchmaker
    7.5/10(5364 votes)

    #7 - Matchmaker

    S1:E7

    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.

    Director:Pamela Fryman
    Writers:Chris Marcil, Sam Johnson

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  8. How I Met Your Mother Season 1 Episode 8 - The Duel
    8.0/10(5326 votes)

    #8 - The Duel

    S1:E8

    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.

    Director:Pamela Fryman
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. How I Met Your Mother Season 1 Episode 9 - Belly Full of Turkey
    7.9/10(5303 votes)

    #9 - Belly Full of Turkey

    S1:E9

    Ted and Robin are surprised to run into Barney when they volunteer at a homeless shelter on Thanksgiving. Lily is on the brink of freaking out when she goes to Thanksgiving dinner at her future in-laws house.

    Director:Pamela Fryman
    Writer:Phil Lord

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  10. How I Met Your Mother Season 1 Episode 10 - The Pineapple Incident
    9.1/10(7895 votes)

    #10 - The Pineapple Incident

    S1:E10

    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.

    Director:Pamela Fryman
    Writers:Carter Bays, Craig Thomas

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  11. How I Met Your Mother Season 1 Episode 11 - The Limo
    8.2/10(5603 votes)

    #11 - The Limo

    S1:E11

    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.

    Director:Pamela Fryman
    Writers:Chris Marcil, Sam Johnson

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  12. How I Met Your Mother Season 1 Episode 12 - The Wedding
    8.0/10(5195 votes)

    #12 - The Wedding

    S1:E12

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

    Director:Pamela Fryman
    Writer:Kourtney Kang

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  13. How I Met Your Mother Season 1 Episode 13 - Drumroll, Please
    8.7/10(5927 votes)

    #13 - Drumroll, Please

    S1:E13

    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.

    Director:Pamela Fryman
    Writer:Gloria Calderón Kellett

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  14. How I Met Your Mother Season 1 Episode 14 - Zip, Zip, Zip
    8.1/10(5095 votes)

    #14 - Zip, Zip, Zip

    S1:E14

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

    Director:Pamela Fryman
    Writer:Brenda Hsueh

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  15. How I Met Your Mother Season 1 Episode 15 - Game Night
    9.0/10(6606 votes)

    #15 - Game Night

    S1:E15

    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.

    Director:Pamela Fryman
    Writer:Chris Harris

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  16. How I Met Your Mother Season 1 Episode 16 - Cupcake
    7.7/10(4859 votes)

    #16 - Cupcake

    S1:E16

    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.

    Director:Pamela Fryman
    Writer:Maria Ferrari

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  17. How I Met Your Mother Season 1 Episode 17 - Life Among the Gorillas
    7.5/10(4814 votes)

    #17 - Life Among the Gorillas

    S1:E17

    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.

    Director:Pamela Fryman
    Writers:Carter Bays, Craig Thomas

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  18. How I Met Your Mother Season 1 Episode 18 - Nothing Good Happens After 2 A.M.
    8.3/10(5340 votes)

    #18 - Nothing Good Happens After 2 A.M.

    S1:E18

    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

    Director:Pamela Fryman
    Writers:Carter Bays, Craig Thomas

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  19. How I Met Your Mother Season 1 Episode 19 - Mary the Paralegal
    8.7/10(5658 votes)

    #19 - Mary the Paralegal

    S1:E19

    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.

    Director:Pamela Fryman
    Writer:Chris Harris

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  20. How I Met Your Mother Season 1 Episode 20 - Best Prom Ever
    7.7/10(4789 votes)

    #20 - Best Prom Ever

    S1:E20

    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.

    Director:Pamela Fryman
    Writer:Ira Ungerleider

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  21. How I Met Your Mother Season 1 Episode 21 - Milk
    7.9/10(4838 votes)

    #21 - Milk

    S1:E21

    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.

    Director:Pamela Fryman
    Writers:Carter Bays, Craig Thomas

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  22. How I Met Your Mother Season 1 Episode 22 - Come On
    8.8/10(5873 votes)

    #22 - Come On

    S1:E22

    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.

    Director:Pamela Fryman
    Writers:Carter Bays, Craig Thomas

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Season 1 Ratings Summary

"Pilot" is the best rated episode of "How I Met Your Mother" season 1. It scored 8.4/10 based on 8295 votes. Directed by Pamela Fryman and written by Carter Bays, Craig Thomas, it aired on 9/19/2005. This episode is rated 0.4 points higher than the second-best, "Purple Giraffe".