How I Met Your Mother: Season 4
Season 4 Lore Primer
Key plot threads, lore context, and character stakes you need to remember before diving into this season.
- Directly follows the overarching narrative developments of How I Met Your Mother Season 3.
- Faction dynamics and core character alliances shift under escalating external stakes.
- Crucial mysteries introduced previously reach key turning points and narrative reckonings.
- Sets up serialized story arcs that build directly toward the climactic season finale.
Episode Guide
Season 4 Progress Shield
Do I Know You?
Sep 22, 2008
Ted and Stella get engaged, but Ted soon learns that he doesn't know anything about her. Meanwhile, Barney confesses to Lily that he's in love with Robin.
The Best Burger in New York
Sep 29, 2008
Marshall claims that he had the best hamburger in the world during his first week in New York City, but he forgot where the burger joint is located. The gang then hits the streets
I Heart NJ
Oct 6, 2008
When Stella's babysitter cancels, a night out turns into the gang hanging out at her place, and Ted talks up New Jersey... until he learns Stella wants him to move there after marr
Intervention
Oct 13, 2008
When Ted is packing his stuff for his move to New Jersey, he discovers that the gang was going to hold an intervention for his engagement to Stella and demands they hold it anyway.
Shelter Island
Oct 20, 2008
Ted and Stella move up their wedding date, but the wedding may not go off as planned after Ted breaks the "No Exes Rule" and invites Robin to come in from Japan for the wedding.
Happily Ever After
Nov 3, 2008
A serendipitous meeting with someone from his past has Ted thinking about how he would handle running into someone he would prefer to forget.
Not a Father's Day
Nov 10, 2008
Barney creates a holiday to celebrate not being a father. Meanwhile, Lily and Marshall are considering having a baby, but Lily first wants advice from Ted and Robin.
Woooo!
Nov 17, 2008
A birthday party for one of Lily's co-workers leads to Robin connecting with a group of single partiers known as the "Woo Girls". Ted presents a plan for Goliath National Bank's ne
The Naked Man
Nov 24, 2008
The gang learns a new way to get their dates to sleep with them after Ted walks in on Robin's date sitting naked on the couch.
The Fight
Dec 8, 2008
Ted (to prove he's not a milquetoast) and Barney (to impress Robin) pick a fight with a group of guys sitting in the gang's favorite booth at MacLaren's.
Little Minnesota
Dec 15, 2008
Ted tries to keep his irresponsible sister from hooking up with Barney during her trip to New York, and Robin starts hanging out with Marshall at a bar for Minnesotans, not telling
Benefits
Jan 12, 2009
Ted and Robin discover that sex with each other solve their fights as roommates, which makes Barney very jealous and angry. Meanwhile, Marshall reveals that he's too embarrassed to
Three Days of Snow
Jan 19, 2009
Lily and Marshall try to continue their airport reunion tradition. Barney and Ted offer to keep MacLaren's open during a blizzard so they can meet up with some college girls.
The Possimpible
Feb 2, 2009
Robin, desperate to find a job before she is deported, agrees to let Barney produce a video resume for her.
The Stinsons
Mar 2, 2009
The gang thinks that Barney must have a secret girlfriend after noticing his bizarre behavior.
Sorry, Bro
Mar 9, 2009
Marshall and Lily are less than thrilled when they hear that Ted's college girlfriend (Laura Prepon) has moved to New York.
The Front Porch
Mar 16, 2009
Ted learns that not only did Lily plant another woman's earring in his bed for Karen to find, she has meddled in some of his other relationships as well.
Old King Clancy
Mar 23, 2009
Marshall and Barney lie to keep Ted from finding out the headquarters he'd been hired to design for GNB has been cancelled.
Murtaugh
Mar 30, 2009
When Barney learns Ted has a list of things he thinks the gang is too old to do, he sets out to do every task within 24 hours in order to prove Ted wrong.
Mosbius Designs
Apr 13, 2009
Ted goes out on his own as an architect and hires an intern to help get things started, but the intern gets a little too close to others in the gang.
The Three Days Rule
Apr 27, 2009
Ted breaks one of Barney and Marshall's relationship rules, texting a woman he recently met, so the pair play a joke on Ted by pretending to be the woman.
Right Place, Right Time
May 4, 2009
Ted ponders how being in the right place at the right time can impact a person's life; Barney celebrates his 200th female conquest.
As Fast as She Can
May 11, 2009
Ted is trying to find a new job, and when an old acquaintance tries to help nothing goes as planned. Barney tries to smooth talk his way out of a ticket.
The Leap
May 18, 2009
Ted is trying to keep his architecture firm afloat by doing an all-nighter, but Marshall tries to lure him to the roof for a surprise 31st birthday party, on the fourth season fina