And there were so many…this NYC-based sitcom ran for a whopping nine seasons.

Robin, realizing her feelings for Ted are real, calls him to come over one night.

Future Ted regularly repeats the mantra ‘‘Nothing good happens after 2 a.m.’’ but goes anyway.

How I Met Your Mother

The cast of ‘How I Met Your Mother’.Credit: CBS

(Poor Victoria.)

Erin Strecker

49.

As for the titular goat?

How I Met Your Mother | Season 1, episode 18 They may have had a great season together, but Ted and Robin didn’t have the greatest start. Robin, realizing her feelings

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Future Ted reveals that that actually went down at his31stbirthday party.

Bittersweet, yes, but also honest.

The stories were both funny (Marshall’s calves!

How I Met Your Mother | Season 3, episode 17 The famed Bro Code was featured heavily in this episode about rules between friends. On the way to Ted’s 30th birthday

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), and touching (Ted’s parents!)

but the most exciting part was seeing how it all came together.

‘‘Benefits’’ (season 4, episode 12)

Robin and Ted are sleeping together!

Season 5, episode 14 Sure, the premise is kind of crass. But when Barney is close to scoring a ‘‘perfect week’’ (seven women, seven days),

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Robin and Ted are sleeping together!

Which they do, for just a little while.

Bonus: At the end of the episode, Robin tells Ted she loves him.

How I Met Your Mother | Season 2, episode 3 One of the things that made this show better than the average sitcom was the way it played with time and

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There’s a first time for everything.

Ariana Bacle

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The two love to play wingman for each other, but plot twist: Barney’s brother is engaged!

How I Met Your Mother | Season 4, episode 12 Robin and Ted are sleeping together! Robin and Ted are sleeping together! When Robin moves back into the apartment as Ted’s

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Look at you now, Barney!

But bad decisions make great TV, so no complaints here.

But the biggest thing?

How I Met Your Mother | Season 2, episode 12 You never forget your first time, and fans will never forget hearing about the gang’s respective first times. Robin attempts to

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Hillary Busis

38.

That’s a true bromance.

Lily’s giving birth!

Season 5, episode 8 Any glimpse into Barney’s warped mind is a treasure, and in this episode, we get to see his Playbook — full

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Lily and Marshall are naming their son Marvin Wait-for-it Eriksen!

(Willing suspension of disbelief: Activated.)

(And we all know howthatturned out.)

How I Met Your Mother | Season 2, episode 10 Say hello to Wayne Brady as James Stinson, Barney’s gay and equally legendary brother. The two love to play wingman for

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Bonus: Lily and Ted’s mutual rooftop confessions took the show to a more honest place.

Sandra Gonzalez

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The legendary playboy was falling for a girl, one girl.

How I Met Your Mother | Season 2, episode 16 This episode could alternatively be titled ‘‘Bad Decisions’': Lily volunteers to sit through Barney’s one-man show where she’s subjected to Barney

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That’s not just surprising, that’s a miracle.

S.G.

32.

S.G.

31.

Season 8, episode 24 A lot happens in this emotional episode, including Ted telling Lily that he’s moving to Chicago because he still has feelings

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Katie Atkinson

30.

Watching Ted go through this difficult realization was a great and unexpectedly honest moment.

S.G.

29.

How I Met Your Mother | Season 5, episode 22 Ted reaches the pinnacle of his over-the-top intellectuality in this episode when he takes everyone to a fancy party and starts

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The couple elopes in Atlantic City with friends in tow and without the judging eyes of Marshall’s family.

We never did find out what that pineapple was doing there… K.A.

Plus: Barney in elaborate costumes how could you not love that?

How I Met Your Mother | Season 6, episode 15 Guest star Katy Perry does just fine as Zoey’s naive cousin, a hottie Future Ted remembers only as Honey. The real

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Meanwhile, Barney completed his 200th conquest (ugh?)

and realized he might want something more when it comes to relationships.

Cue meaningful look to Robin.

How I Met Your Mother | Season 1, episode 8 An early half-hour that indicated HIMYM was very much on the right track: After learning that her little-visited apartment has been

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while Ted joins Barney on the town.

‘‘Naked Man’’ (season 4, episode 9)

Yes, the premise is slightly creepy.

Round of applause for the gang’s unsung superhero you know it works two out of three times.

Season 7, episode 23 Thirty minutes of milestones: Lily’s in labor! Lily’s giving birth! Lily and Marshall are naming their son Marvin Wait-for-it Eriksen! (Willing

Richard Cartwright/CBS

But the real story involves a flashback that explains why Ted and Robin broke up.

Excuse us, we’ve got something in our eye.

The episode is pretty standard save for a guest appearance byBritney Spears(!)

How I Met Your Mother | Season 4, episode 4 Behold, the birth of one of the show’s greatest running gags: the Intervention banner, unfurled first to get Marshall to stop

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Viewers swooned right along with her.

‘‘Slapsgiving’’ (season 3, episode 9)

The third slap of the bet!

Fans also learn that Robin and Ted are having trouble being friends.

Season 8, episode 13 Real talk: The Ballad of Ted and Robin wasn’t always as engrossing as the show wanted it to be, particularly when

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Get used to it, you two.

You’re going to be dealing with this for the next six seasons.

Bonus: General Knowledge (salute) E.S.

Season 7, episode 13 The death of Marshall’s dad was an emotionally exhausting arc that also brought out the best in the gang. But as

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‘‘Sandcastles in the Sand’’ (season 3, episode 16)

Robin Sparkles returns!

Who can’t relate to that?

All thatandwe got anotherRobin Sparkles music video, whichdid notdisappoint!

How I Met Your Mother | Season 3, episode 20 Ted proposed to Stella in this episode, but, if we’re being honest, it’s the movement on the Barney and Robin front

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S.G.

16.

It’s joy and it’s sadness and it’s reality.’'

And those ‘‘future kids’’ she’s talking to?

Season 7, episode 10 Ted and Marshall’s strange, ‘‘sandwich’'-caused adventure in this episode was worth the price of admission alone. But when you add to

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They don’t exist, because she never becomes a mom.

This twist is on par with the surprise death of Marshall’s dad for the saddest ending inHIMYMhistory.

That’s crazy, we thought.

How I Met Your Mother | Season 3, episode 14 After he’s randomly slapped by multiple women, Barney commandeers Ted and Marshall’s March Madness bracket to figure out which of his

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We’d realize later it was also pretty genius.

S.G.

9.

Wrestlers with him, and there was an appearance from Coat Check Girl.

Season 7, episode 20 The oft-mentioned Star Wars was a central part of this season 7 episode that revolved around Marshall and Ted’s vow to

Ron P. Jaffe/CBS

theorizing to a full boil.

‘‘For the Longest Time’’ was amazing.)

S.G.

8.

How I Met Your Mother | Season 2, episode 8 This is the time Marshall and Lily were married for 12 seconds. The couple decides to elope to Atlantic City, with

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S.G.

7.

S.G.

6.

And it was all fantastic.

Season 1, episode 5 This one could be called ‘‘How I Met Coat Check Girl.’’ Glee ’s Jayma Mays returned six seasons later as the

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S.G.

5.

And this season 9 installment more than met fans’ hopes.

She captured our hearts, and we were left eagerly waiting for her to capture Ted’s.

Season 1, episode 10 This episode exemplifies the show’s nonlinear storytelling, as we begin in Ted’s bed with a mystery girl and a pineapple and

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Blah Blah’s introduction allows the show to demonstrate one of the things it does best: A flashback.

Secretly hooking up for a few months, Lily discovers their secret (‘‘Woo!'')

and demands they discuss where they stand.

How I Met Your Mother | Season 5, episode 12 In the show’s 100th episode , we get the biggest Mother clues to date, as we learn that she is Cindy’s

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We’d go to the mall with any of them any day.

Check out how we compiled our list ofHow I Met Your Motherfaves.

How I Met Your Mother | Season 5, episode 24 Combine the joy of seeing the gangs’ doppelganger’s with the emotional question of whether Lily and Marshall are ready for a

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Season 4, episode 22 HIMYM often grappled with big questions about destiny and fate (it’s one of Ted’s favorite topics, after all). This episode was

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How I Met Your Mother | Season 3, episode 12 St. Patrick’s Day finds Lily and Marshall staying at home (in their brand-new, crooked apartment!) while Ted joins Barney on the

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How I Met Your Mother | Season 4, episode 9 Yes, the premise is slightly creepy. But fans forgot about that while they were laughing at one of the best one-offs

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How I Met Your Mother, Josh Radnor | Season 2, episode 22 The second part of Lily and Marshall’s wedding episode tackles the reception. But the real story involves a flashback that explains

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How I Met Your Mother | Season 3, episode 13 Ted repeatedly asked out his dermatologist, Stella, and she repeatedly refused. The episode is pretty standard — save for a guest

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How I Met Your Mother | Season 3, episode 9 The third slap of the bet! The gang’s very own holiday is on display when Marshall creates a countdown website for

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How I Met Your Mother | Season 3, episode 16 Robin Sparkles returns! But instead of just being a silly installment, guest star James Van Der Beek was a catalyst for

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How I Met Your Mother | Season 4, episode 13 ‘‘Snow’’ stands as one of the series’ most effective uses of time-twisting. After a massive snowstorm hit New York City, we

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Season 8, episode 12 For weeks, the HIMYM writers baffled us by hooking up Barney with Robin’s coworker/frenemy Patrice. But it was all part of

Ron P. Jaffe/CBS

How I Met Your Mother | Season 3, episode 8 True friends overlook (or tolerate) one another’s most annoying qualities, but when the gang decides Ted’s new girlfriend Cathy talks too

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How I Met Your Mother | Season 2, episode 17 In this love letter to Marshall’s beloved Pontiac Fiero, the gang shares their favorite memories of the car as it breaks

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Season 1, episode 22 The season 1 finale really tests the sitcom limits, offering up the romantic high of Ted winning Robin back and the

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How I Met Your Mother | Season 1, episode 15 A rousing game of ‘‘Marshgammon’’ prompts each of the friends to admit their most embarrassing story — and the most revealing

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Season 7, episode 12 ‘‘Illumination’’ begins with Robin, instead of Ted, talking to her future kids. But over the course of the half-hour, we learn

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How I Met Your Mother | Season 1, episode 1 Friends hanging out at a bar — a concept that admittedly doesn’t sound like the plot for a show that would

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Season 8, episode 20 Until the last minutes, this HIMYM episode was solid but not groundbreaking. There was an all-too-rare Marshall and Robin subplot about

Richard Cartwright/CBS

How I Met Your Mother | Season 2, episode 7 We’ll be the first to admit it: ‘‘Swarley’’ is a ridiculous episode. Between the introduction of the term ‘‘crazy eyes’’ into

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How I Met Your Mother | Season 2, episode 21 Lily and Marshall’s wedding was anything but perfect. And despite Lily’s attempt to put on a brave face, eventually every crappy

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How I Met Your Mother | Season 6, episodes 13 & 14 Even though they aired on two separate weeks, this pair of episodes truly felt like a two-parter of how-is-this-a-comedy?

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How I Met Your Mother | Season 9, episode 16 After eight and a half seasons, expectations were sky-high for when we finally got to meet the Mother. And this season

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How I Met Your Mother | Season 4, episode 24 For a comedy, this show sure could deliver a gut punch sometimes. Not knowing what the future will hold is hard,

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How I Met Your Mother | Season 3, episode 5 Ted introduces the gang to his newest girlfriend, Blah Blah, which leads Barney to introduce the oft-referenced ‘‘Hot/Crazy Scale.’’ Blah Blah’s

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How I Met Your Mother | Season 5, episode 1 The back half of the show was dominated by Robin and Barney. Fans may have had their skepticism about their relationship

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How I Met Your Mother | Season 2, episode 9 Every group of friends has its inside jokes, and this season 2 standout debuted two of the best recurring elements of

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