This blog was originally published on elkharttruth.com on July 14, 2014.
Just because “How I Met Your Mother” didn’t have the best finale doesn’t mean there weren’t great episodes of the show, which ran for nine seasons.
Here are my top 10 episodes of the CBS comedy, or the ones I watch over and over.
10. Glitter (first aired Nov. 15, 2010)
I loved when HIMYM revealed more information about Robin Sparkles, Robin’s Canadian teen pop star past.
This episode features appearances from Alan Thicke and Nicole Scherzinger, who played the titular friend of Robin’s.
Oh, and there was that robot from their kids math show, “Space Teens.”
9. Oh Honey (first aired Feb. 15, 2011)
HIMYM had some great guest stars. This season six episode featured Katy Perry as Zoey’s (Jennifer Morrison) cousin, whose name wasn’t really Honey, but she was so naive everyone called her that.
The show uses phone calls and flashbacks to carry the plot to the moment when Ted and Zoey finally get together, but it never felt forced or static.
8. The Best Man (first aired Sept. 19, 2011)
This season 7 opener was a moment of clarity for Barney and Robin. It forshadowed their eventual reuniting as a couple, but first Barney had to actually care about a woman and not use bad pickup scenarios, like pretending to be a prison escapee and wearing overgrown fingernails. Nora (Nazanin Boniadi), who called him back in this episode, helped him mature.
The episode also shows the day of Barney’s wedding, and we see Marshall ruin Ted’s friend Punchy’s wedding. But most importantly, Barney and Robin perform an epic dance to “Groove is in the Heart,” schooling everyone at the Cleveland wedding.
Lastly, this episode that has one of my favorite conversations from the show:
Robin Scherbatsky: “…You got chemistry, you only need one other thing.”
Ted Mosby: “What’s that?”
Robin Scherbatsky: “Timing. But timing’s a bitch.”
7. Brunch (first aired Oct. 1, 2006)
Brunch is supposed to a pleasant affair, but it’s not in this season 2 episode.
Ted thinks his dad cheated on his mom, Barney is mad at Ted’s dad for being a bad wingman, Lily and Marshall can’t handle not being together and Robin wants Ted’s mom to be honest about the fact that she and Ted’s father have separated.
It’s a mess of fighting told in different segments all leading up to a blowout after taking a nice group photo.
6. The Slutty Pumpkin (first aired Oct. 24, 2005)
A lost phone number on Halloween leads to years of wearing the same “hanging chad” costume (referencing the 2000 election) and attending the same boring rooftop party.
This season 1 episode sounds like it could be a drag, but it’s an early episode that sets up a lot of character development.
Viewers see how Lilly and Marshall interact as a couple as they wearing matching costumes and share food. In contrast, viewers see Ted’s hopeful longing for “the one” and Robin’s inability to truly let someone into her life.
It’s too bad the season 7 episode The Slutty Pumpkin Returns (first aired Oct. 31, 2011) didn’t live up to its hype. Sorry, Katie Holmes, not even you could save that snoozefest of an episode.
5. The Perfect Cocktail (first aired May 2, 2011)
I like this episode for the pure hilarity how of all of the different drinks affect the characters.
4. Something Borrowed (first aired May 7, 2007)
Lilly and Marshall are an adorable couple, plain and simple. But, like many weddings, many things go wrong when the couple ties the knot.
But in the end, they have the wedding they originally wanted. And Barney almost cries as he, the master of playing woman, performs the ceremony, despite claiming he doesn’t believe in marriage.
3. Slap Bet (first aired Nov. 20, 2006)
When Robin and Ted began dating in season 2, they had secrets. And Robin had a big one: She was a Canadian pop star who did a mall tour in the ’90s.
This episode not only introduced that side of Robin and the infamous “Let’s Go to the Mall” video, it introduced the slap bet between Barney and Marshall, which lasted until the penultimate episode.
2. How Your Mother Met Me (first aired Jan. 27, 2014)
By far the best episode of season 9, this episode gave viewers what they had wanted for years: the mother’s backstory.
Cristin Milioti did a fabulous job, and it was fun to see many of the clues viewers had seen throughout the show’s run from her character’s point of view.
1. Girls Vs. Suits (first aired Jan. 11, 2010)
The show’s 100th episode featured one hilarious song-and-dance number.
When Barney has to choose between his signature attire of suits and a girl, he dreams up his “Nothing Suits Me Like a Suit” fantasy, complete with a suit in the sky with angel wings and lyrics such as “Wingman I can wear/They’re oh so debonair/The perfect way to snare/A girl with daddy issues.”
Oh yeah, and Tim Gunn makes a cameo. According to IMDb trivia, he was the most welcomed star on set out of all the guest stars.
Obviously there are numerous good episodes of HIMYM. Let me know what your favorites are in the comments.
