The best How I Met Your Mother episodes show why the sitcom was so beloved and critically successful during its 2005-2014. Across its 9 seasons and 208 episodes, How I Met Your Mother redefined the blueprint of what to expect from sitcoms focusing on the dating exploits of a group of friends in their mid-20s. Starring Josh Radnor, Jason Segel, Cobie Smulders, Neil Patrick Harris, and Alyson Hannigan, HIMYM managed to juggle being absolutely hilarious and tear-jerkingly emotional when it needed to.