As I mentioned last week, I’ll be dedicating several posts to How I Met Your Mother this month, as the series finale is just around the corner. If you’re a HIMYM fan like me, you’ll probably be enjoying these posts. If you’ve never seen the show, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? It’s on Netflix – get on it! If you’re just not a fan of the show, I feel like you need to reevaluate your life.
Today, I’m excited to be recapping my 15 favorite episodes of the series, in chronological order. Suit up and let’s begin!
1. Drumroll, Please (Season 1)
Why I love it: Ted meets a woman at a friend’s wedding, and they have a romantic night where they talk about how the best part of any first kiss is the build up, or the drumroll.
2. Game Night (Season 1)
Why I love it: The gang gets a peek into Barney’s past and we all finally get to know what makes Barney the suited up man that he is.
3. Swarley (Season 2)
Why I love it: Just about everyone has experienced getting the wrong name written on their coffee cup, and when a barista mistakes Barney for “Swarley”, hilarity ensues.
4. Slap Bet (Season 2)
Why I love it: Where to even begin?! First of all, we learn all about Robin Sparkles (let’s go to the mall, everybody!) Secondly, we get the first of the infamous “slaps”. A classic episode all around – so good that it gets 2 gifs.
5. Arrivederci, Fiero (Season 2)
Why I love it: We get to learn the back story of how Marshall and Ted really became great friends, we get to see Barney learn how to drive, and we get to see Lily and Robin bond over spilled Thai food. Also, it gives me a renewed appreciation for I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) by the Proclaimers.
6. Showdown (Season 2)
Why I love it: Barney, convinced that his dad is Bob Barker, goes on The Price Is Right to get to know his father. Is more of an explanation really needed?
7. How I Met Everyone Else (Season 3)
Why I love it: We learn the back story of how everyone in the gang met, and Ted dates a ridiculously annoying girl that Future Ted can’t remember the name of (aka Blah Blah).
8. Spoiler Alert (Season 3)
Why I love it: The gang points out each other’s annoying habits (loud chewing, using the word literally incorrectly, randomly singing nonsensical songs, etc), and it ends up culminating in a really sweet moment for one member of the gang.
9. Three Days of Snow (Season 4)
Why I love it: There’s a romantic Marshall and Lily scene at the end that gives me goosebumps every time I watch. I won’t say anymore than that to prevent giving out any spoilers.
10. Say Cheese (Season 5)
Why I love it: We get proof that it’s impossible for Barney to take a bad picture and Marshall to take a good one. Plus this gif of Lily reminds me of bloggers and how we all kind of think we’re instant photographers, which makes me laugh.
11. Bad News (Season 6)
Why I love it: I’m not much of a TV/movie crier, but this episode gets me every single time. So completely gut-wrenching.
12. Symphony of Illumination (Season 7)
Why I love it: This episode is another one that tugs at the heartstrings, but I especially love it because at the end of the day, we all need someone in our life who will make us an elaborate light display when we’ve had a horrible day.
13. Something New (Season 8)
Why I love it: We finally get to see The Mother, aka the woman who will finally steal our boy Ted’s heart. It’s an exhilarating moment!
14. How Your Mother Met Me (Season 9)
Why I love it: We get to see everything that The Mother has been up to over the years, and we fall more in love with her character with each and every scene that she’s in. Seriously, the character is perfectly cast, and she fits in with Ted and the rest of the gang in the best way.
15. …
I’m intentionally leaving this spot blank, because I hope with every fiber of my tv-loving being that the series finale will eventually fill it. After it airs (on March 31!!) I’ll have to come back to this post and add it in or explain why it didn’t make the cut.
Do you watch How I Met Your Mother? If so, which episodes stand out as your favorites? If not, seriously drop everything and watch the first episode right now!
March 13, 2014
Yes to all of these! I love this show and will be so sad when it ends. 🙁
March 13, 2014
I love HIMYM! Some of these were my favorite too, I’m a total Lily and Ryan is a total Marshall, so I love any of their love story episodes. This is Ryan’s favorite show and I hadn’t seen any episodes when we first started dating. We then binge watched all of them the first couple months of our relationship. It’s gotten to be so over the top silly and unrealistic though 🙁 I hope they finish of the series with some of the more relatable and heart felt story lines. What’s your gut telling you about the mother? Do you think she’ll die by the time Ted tells his story? Or just a health scare?! eek!
March 13, 2014
I have been watching the show with Adam and we both love it… EXCEPT for the fact that we think they kind of sold out to network pressure and extended the series waaay past how long it should have gone for…
We love these episodes too, but sadly, there are a lot of unnecessary “filler” episodes that don’t really advance the plot at all… We both really wish that the writers had stuck to their gut and only written for the number of seasons they had material for…
With that said, we are both watching anxiously now waiting to see how this season plays out! I hope the last episode gets yours #15 spot too!
-Kate
http://www.theflorkens.com
March 13, 2014
Aahh, HIMYM is my FAVORITE show, aside from Friends! You picked some great episodes. YES to Slapbet and Spoiler Alert–those are some of my favorites, too! One of my other all-time faves that you didn’t list is The Sexless Innkeeper. The whole “couple friends” bit throughout the episode just killed me.
March 13, 2014
I LOVE How I Met Your Mother!!!!! While last season was not my favorite, and there was an episode or two this season where I was like seriously? Overall…this show has been amazing! I want to be friends with them! I am going to be so sad during the finale. I will probably cry because I cry about everything.
March 13, 2014
Am I the only one who didn’t like Victoria? I am, aren’t I? Anyway, I love that you included “How Your Mother Met Me”. While it is one of the newest episodes, wow, it had me in tears and just… transfixed. Chills down my spine. I think I’m going to have to go back and watch every episode when it’s all said and done.
March 13, 2014
You’re not alone! I didn’t really like Victoria either :/
March 13, 2014
I looooove this post 🙂 I don’t think I could even pick my favorites, I’m pretty sure that I legitimately love them all. I CAN say that I love How Your Mother Met Me, and it may be one of my favorites. Ever since we met the Mother I’ve just loved her so it was nice getting the story from her perspective!
Gahh I am so sad that it is ending!
March 14, 2014
from your reccommendation I finally started this on Netflix and love it so far:) only a few episodes in but hope to binge watch until 3/31 so I can enjoy the final moment. 🙂