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Season guide

How I Met Your Mother: Season 1

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

How I Met Your Mother is an American sitcom created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays that premiered on CBS on September 19, 2005. The series is presented as a love story told in reverse, featuring a father who recounts to his children the journey he and his four best friends took leading up to the moment he met their mother. The narrative is structured through a series of flashbacks. The story centers on Ted, played b

Season overview

How I Met Your Mother is an American sitcom created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays that premiered on CBS on September 19, 2005. The series is presented as a love story told in reverse, featuring a father who recounts to his children the journey he and his four best friends took leading up to the moment he met their mother. The narrative is structured through a series of flashbacks. The story centers on Ted, played by Josh Radnor, as he searches for his ideal partner. This quest is prompted by the decision of his best friends, Marshall and Lily, played by Jason Segel and Alyson Hannigan, to get married. Ted is assisted in his search by his friend Barney, played by Neil Patrick Harris, who is a confirmed bachelor known for his schemes for meeting women. Ted also focuses his attention on Robin, played by Cobie Smulders, who is described as charming and independent. Set in Manhattan, New York City, the show explores the highs and lows of dating and the search for true love. The series ran from 2005 until 2014.

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Season 1 Episodes

Episode Guide

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Season 1: Filler vs. Essential Canon

Filter episodes by narrative weight. Focus on essential mytharc and skip standalone side quests.

14%
86%
Mytharc (3): Crucial lore & season climaxes
Core (19): Character development & subplots
Side Quest (0): Standalone / filler
S1·E1 Mytharc

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 Core

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 Core

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 Core

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 Core

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 Core

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 Core

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 Core

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 Core

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 Core

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 Core

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 Core

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 Core

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 Core

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 Core

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 Core

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 Core

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 Core

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 Core

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 Core

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 Mytharc

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 Mytharc

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