TV series
A love story in reverse.
A father recounts to his children - through a series of flashbacks - the journey he and his four best friends took leading up to him meeting their mother.
Streaming, rental and purchase options
Checked Jul 22, 2026
How I Met Your Mother is available to stream on DirecTV On Demand, Disney+, Hulu, and YouTube TV in United States. You can also rent or buy it from Google Play, Amazon, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home. Use the direct links below to open the provider.
A father recounts to his children - through a series of flashbacks - the journey he and his four best friends took leading up to him meeting their mother.
Choose an episode, then use the watch options above for the show.
Episode 1
The gang tries to help Marshall get over Lily, especially when he finds a credit card bill that leads to a hotel in New York City where some of her charges are listed.
Directed by Pamela FrymanWritten by Carter Bays, Craig ThomasGuest stars George Clinton, Jenae Altschwager, Joey Diaz, G.J. Echternkamp, Lyndsy Fonseca, David Henrie
Episode 2
Barney works with Marshall on his bachelor skills, which include hitting on women. Lily is back from her venture. Robin helps her look for a new apartment but gets sick of hearing about San Francisco.
Directed by Rob GreenbergWritten by Carter Bays, Craig Thomas, Chris HarrisGuest stars Nicole Garza, Natalie Garza, Diane Mizota, Kelly Mullis, Lara Wickes, Richard Wharton, Josh Wingate, Sundeep Ahuja
Episode 3
Ted's parents visit New York for their anniversary and he learns a family secret. Robin worries that they won't like her. Lily and Marshall try to adjust to the new format of their relationship now that they are no longer together.
Directed by Pamela FrymanWritten by Stephen LloydGuest stars Michael Gross, Cristine Rose, Charlene Amoia, Noel True
Episode 4
After Ted and Robin's first big fight, Barney tries to convince Ted that being an architect is an easy in to picking up chicks. Lily and Robin start following his trail after discovering that Ted hit it off with a girl named Anna shortly afterward.
Directed by Pamela FrymanWritten by Kristin NewmanGuest stars Joe Nieves, Dawn Olivieri, Stephen Keys, Maria Arcé, Aisha Kabia, Joe Manganiello, Ryan O'Connor, Bach Hoang
Episode 5
Marshall tries to get used to being single in a world that is very coupled-oriented. Barney intended one-night-stand won't go away. Barney uses Lily to get out of his "horrifying" situation. Lily finds a place to stay.
Directed by Pamela FrymanWritten by Brenda HsuehGuest stars Jake Broder, Valerie Azlynn, Aisha Kabia, Joe Manganiello, Claudia Mason
Episode 6
Barney seduces Marshall's law professor in hopes of getting her to grade more leniently. Lily takes a job at Ted's office, where she promptly steals to teach Ted's boss a lesson.
Directed by Pamela FrymanWritten by Jamie RhonheimerGuest stars Jane Seymour, Charles Robinson, Ewan Chung, Bryan Cranston
Episode 7
Marshall goes on his first real date post-breakup with Lily. Not only do Ted and Barney try to warn him that this girl has got the crazy eyes, but Lily decides to do everything she can to find out about this her and break them up. Also, Barney gets a new name.
Directed by Pamela FrymanWritten by Greg MalinsGuest stars Joe Nieves, Tom Lenk, Morena Baccarin, Dana Power, Charlene Amoia, Shawn Carter Peterson, Vanessa Vander Pluym
Episode 8
Marshall and Lily drag the gang to Atlantic City to elope, and their quest to overcome the three-day wait for a marriage license crosses them with some Chinese gamblers, a ship captain, and a sexy novelty shirt.
Directed by Pamela FrymanWritten by Maria FerrariGuest stars Richard Gant, Patricia Belcher, Monique Edwards, Todd Stashwick, Kate Micucci, Michael David Cheng, Mary Gillis, Jim Lau
Episode 9
Ted and Barney discusses their viewpoints on knowing things about women. Barney thinks that the more you know the more likely you are to find a deal breaker. Ted wants to know the deal breakers right away, as Robin refuses to go to the mall to cover her secret.
Directed by Pamela FrymanWritten by Kourtney KangGuest stars Rachel Specter, Candace Kroslak, Wayne Nickel, Courtney Abbiati
Episode 10
Barney's brother, James (Wayne Brady), visits and Robin, the only one in the group that has never met him, is suprised. But James has a surprise for Barney that he finds difficult to swallow.
Directed by Pamela FrymanWritten by Kristin NewmanGuest stars Gabrielle Richens, Sarah Cahill, Michael Cotter, Kvon Harris, Dimitri Lekkos, Megan Mullally, Wayne Brady, Brian T. Delaney
Episode 11
Ted almost ruins Christmas for everyone when, still carrying around anger toward Lily, he calls her a horribly disgusting name. Robin tends to Barney while he has a cold.
Directed by Pamela FrymanWritten by Brenda HsuehGuest stars Michael Gross, Moon Unit Zappa, Harry Groener, Cristine Rose, Zachary Gordon, Hannah Payne, Carlease Burke, Marcus Folmar
Episode 12
Robin wants to tell Ted that she loves him, but she can't tell him. Meanwhile, her sister visits and brings her boyfriend, and Robin doesn't know how to react when her sister says she's ready to lose her virginity.
Directed by Pamela FrymanGuest stars Misti Traya, Brian Kubach, Ryan Pinkston, Lucy Hale, Lyndsy Fonseca, David Henrie, Stuart Randy Smith
Episode 13
When Ted is constantly insulted by his former boss, who is now working for him on a project, he is told to fire the man, but he finds that a hard thing to do. Meanwhile, Barney offers Lily a lot of money to paint a nude portrait of him.
Directed by Rob GreenbergWritten by Matt KuhnGuest stars Joe Nieves, Preston Bailey, William Schallert, Ewan Chung, Ben Tolpin, Bryan Cranston, Thomas Anthony Jones
Episode 14
When a funeral conflicts with the Super Bowl, the gang vows to avoid hearing the score and watch it together on Monday. This proves difficult, as Marshall is threatened with the score by a boy in Lily's class, while doing the news puts Robin in danger of finding out who won.
Written by Carter Bays, Craig ThomasGuest stars Joe Nieves, Robert Michael Morris, Monique Edwards, John Ducey, Nicholas Roget-King, Charlene Amoia, Emmitt Smith, Ron Nicolosi
Episode 15
Ted can't seem to catch a flight to interview for his dream job and he and Robin contemplate why. The story unfolds backwards as they think about it they remember when Robin and Lily went hunting for a wedding dress and when Barney got stuck on the subway.
Directed by Pamela FrymanWritten by Jamie RhonheimerGuest stars Kelly Perine, John Rosenfeld, Meredith Scott Lynn, Connie Sawyer, Jason Medwin, Lyndsy Fonseca, David Henrie, Gabrielle Allan
Episode 16
Lily gets asked to play in an off-off-off-off-broadway play, and the gang shows up to support her. Ted and Robin get hung up on what each kept from their past relationships. Barney performs his own play to prove a point to Lily.
Directed by Pamela FrymanWritten by Kourtney KangGuest stars E.E. Bell, Rick Malambri, Diana Gettinger, Taylor Hoover, Terryn Westbrook, Ashley Ford, Evan Mann
Episode 17
Marshall is all set to celebrate his beloved Fiero hitting the 200,000 mile mark but it stops. While the gang sits in the mechanic's garage and waits to hear what will happen to the vehicle they think about times gone by that they have spent together in the car. We also get the story of how Ted met Marshall.
Directed by Pamela FrymanWritten by Chris HarrisGuest stars Frank Clem, Robert Michael Ryan, Jonathan Browning, Ned Rolsma, Jack Salvatore, Jr.
Episode 18
Barney takes drastic measures to prevent Ted from moving into Robin's apartment. Meanwhile, Marshall and Lily are discovering the ups and downs of having the apartment to themselves.
Directed by Pamela FrymanWritten by Maria FerrariGuest stars Rachelle Lefevre, Jessica Barth, Ailsa Marshall, Ella A. Thomas, Necar Zadegan
Episode 19
Robin attends Lily's bridal shower and finds the gift that she brought is out of place. Barney hires a stripper for Marshall's bachelor party.
Directed by Pamela FrymanWritten by Carter Bays, Craig ThomasGuest stars Meagen Fay, Erin Cardillo, Corie Vickers, K Callan, Matt Boren, Joe Manganiello, Patricia Place, Jamie Hagan
Episode 20
Thinking that Bob Barker may be his father, Barney is overjoyed to be a contestant on The Price is Right. Marshall and Lily try sleeping apart prior to the wedding.
Directed by Pamela FrymanWritten by Gloria Calderón KellettGuest stars Bob Barker, Rich Fields, Alan Finkelstein, Lisa Hoggatt, Sharon Madden, Rachel Reynolds, Tanner Maguire
Episode 21
With everything going wrong on Lily and Marshall's wedding day, to everyone's surprise it's confirmed bachelor Barney who tries to fix it all.
Directed by Pamela FrymanWritten by Greg MalinsGuest stars Meagen Fay, P.J. Marino, Michael Mantell, Candice King, Shulie Cowen, David Burtka, Joe Manganiello, Rachelle Wood
Episode 22
It's still Marshall and Lily's big wedding day but now we're at the reception. Robin tries to tell a story but keeps getting interrupted. Barney tries his hardest to figure out Ted and Robin's secret.
Directed by Pamela FrymanWritten by Carter Bays, Craig ThomasGuest stars Marshall Manesh, K Callan, Scoot McNairy, Mark Cirillo, Gattlin Griffith, Jeff Meacham, Ron Nicolosi, Tony Rossi
Episode information updated Jul 23, 2026
Josh RadnorTed Mosby
Neil Patrick HarrisBarney Stinson
Jason SegelMarshall Eriksen
Alyson HanniganLily Aldrin
Cobie SmuldersRobin Scherbatsky
Cristin MiliotiTracy McConnell
Becki NewtonQuinn Garvey
Jennifer MorrisonZoey Pierson
CBSUnited States
20th Century Fox TelevisionUnited States
