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Season guide

How I Met Your Mother: Season 1

22 episodes Premiered Sep 19, 2005 Updated Jul 18, 2026

A love story in reverse: How I Met Your Mother is a fresh new comedy about Ted (Josh Radnor) and how he fell in love. When Ted's best friends Marshall (Jason Segel) and Lily (Alyson Hannigan) decide to tie the knot, it sparks the search for his own Miss Right. Helping him in his quest is his bar-hopping "wing-man" Barney (Neil Patrick Harris), a confirmed bachelor with plenty of wild schemes for picking up women. Ted

Season overview

A love story in reverse: How I Met Your Mother is a fresh new comedy about Ted (Josh Radnor) and how he fell in love. When Ted's best friends Marshall (Jason Segel) and Lily (Alyson Hannigan) decide to tie the knot, it sparks the search for his own Miss Right. Helping him in his quest is his bar-hopping "wing-man" Barney (Neil Patrick Harris), a confirmed bachelor with plenty of wild schemes for picking up women. Ted's sights are set on the charming and independent Robin (Cobie Smulders), but destiny may have something different in mind. Told through a series of flashbacks, Ted recalls his single days, the highs and lows of dating and the search for true love.

Episodes

S1·E1

Pilot

Sep 19, 2005 · 23 min

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,

S1·E2

Purple Giraffe

Sep 26, 2005 · 23 min

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 arri

S1·E3

Sweet Taste of Liberty

Oct 3, 2005 · 21 min

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.

S1·E4

Return of the Shirt

Oct 10, 2005 · 23 min

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 s

S1·E5

Okay Awesome

Oct 17, 2005 · 22 min

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 neare

S1·E6

The Slutty Pumpkin

Oct 24, 2005 · 22 min

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 struggles her new boyfriend because o

S1·E7

Matchmaker

Nov 7, 2005 · 22 min

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 f

S1·E8

The Duel

Nov 14, 2005 · 22 min

As Lily officially moves into the apartment, Ted feels like he is being edged out of the mix by his engaged roomies. Ted and Marshall each want to keep the place, so they settle it

S1·E9

Belly Full of Turkey

Nov 21, 2005 · 22 min

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

S1·E10

The Pineapple Incident

Nov 28, 2005 · 22 min

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 -- and a pineapple. The gang trie

S1·E11

The Limo

Dec 19, 2005 · 23 min

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.

S1·E12

The Wedding

Jan 9, 2006 · 22 min

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

S1·E13

Drumroll, Please

Jan 23, 2006 · 22 min

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.

S1·E14

Zip, Zip, Zip

Feb 6, 2006 · 23 min

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

S1·E15

Game Night

Feb 27, 2006 · 22 min

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 an

S1·E16

Cupcake

Mar 6, 2006 · 22 min

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

S1·E17

Life Among the Gorillas

Mar 20, 2006 · 22 min

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

S1·E18

Nothing Good Happens After 2 A.M.

Apr 10, 2006 · 22 min

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 wit

S1·E19

Mary the Paralegal

Apr 24, 2006 · 22 min

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. Origi

S1·E20

Best Prom Ever

May 1, 2006 · 22 min

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

S1·E21

Milk

May 8, 2006 · 22 min

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.

S1·E22

Come On

May 15, 2006 · 22 min

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