With nine seasons and over 200 episodes, How I Met Your Mother has gone down as one of the most popular sitcoms of all time. Recounting the life of Ted Mosby, the story is told through him as he explains his life and all the ups and downs he has with love, friendships, and work.
The show does a brilliant job of balancing humor with real emotion, making fans feel a true connection to each of the five main characters, especially as their lives develop later on in the show.
However, even an incredible show like How I Met Your Mother has a few episodes that slip through the cracks, and within this article, we will reveal the worst episode of each season, according to IMDb.
Season 2: Columns (8)
The fact that the lowest-rated episode of season two scored a perfect 8 rating shows just how impressive the second season of How I Met Your Mother is, with this arguably being the funniest season of the entire show, with 'Columns' still being a very entertaining episode.
The main storyline throughout this episode features Ted trying to fire his former boss, Hammond Druthers, who is played by the incredibly talented Bryan Cranston, although he learns that Hammond is actually sleeping in the office, which leads to Ted letting him sleep on his couch.
Despite Ted's generosity, Hammond still ridicules his ideas in front of people, yet every time he tries to fire him something else pops up, such as his divorce papers, or the fact it is his birthday which leads to Ted firing him during a heart attack, which he thinks is fake but is actually real.
Season 1: Matchmaker (7.8)
Next on the list is the episode 'Matchmaker,' which comes from the first season of How I Met Your Mother and features Barney and Ted visiting a matchmaker to try and find Ted the perfect woman, while Marshall and Lily encounter a strange creature in their apartment.
The boys end up finding out about the matchmaking service through Robin, who has reported on it. When Barney tricks Ted into visiting he ends up finding out that nobody matches him, which leads Ted to steal information about who the highest match is.
He then goes to find her, but she is getting married in a week, so Ted says to call him if things change. She does call him, only, it is because of something she spotted on his back during their appointment, with the lady actually being a dermatologist.
Season 3: We're Not From Here (7.7)
The lowest rated How I Met Your Mother episode from season three scored a 7.7 rating and was titled 'We're Not From Here,' featuring guest star, Enrique Iglesias, who plays Robin's friend from Argentina, although when returning to America she begins to no longer enjoy living with him.
Marshall and Lily make a decision to write a note in case the other dies which leads to him writing a beautiful note, although when we get a glimpse into the future, it turns out Lily's note is nowhere near as heartfelt as his was, which leads to a funny moment in the episode.
Barney and Ted also feature heavily in the episode with the duo deciding to pretend to be tourists from out of town, but they end up hooking up with two girls from New Jersey which leads Ted to rant about how they're not from New York.
Season 4: I Heart N.J. (7.7)
Speaking of New Jersey, that plays an impact in season four's lowest-rated episode as well (perhaps people really love New Jersey), as the episode 'I Heart N.J'. is rated 7.7 by IMDb, with the majority of this episode taking place there.
Ted convinces the group to go to New Jersey for a night out, as he doesn't want to miss out on things due to being in New Jersey to spend time with Stella. However, after the babysitter is canceled, it turns into a night in at Stella's house, and Stella overhears them complaining.
The rest of the episode is spent featuring a lot of arguing (which is likely why it got a low rating), with Stella claiming New Jersey is better than New York, revealing she doesn't plan on moving her daughter to New York after they're married.
Season 6: Garbage Island (7.7)
Season six's lowest-rated episode also scored a 7.7 on IMDb, with 'Garbage Island' being ranked as the worst from that particular season which focuses heavily on Marshall as he becomes obsessed with saving the environment, while Robin tries to convince Barney he has feelings for Nora.
The 'Garbage Island' episode title comes from a documentary that Marshall watches with the same name, becoming engrossed in it, with this being the reason he wants to save the planet, kickstarting a green initiative at MacLaren's, showing how serious he takes it.
The main comedy of the episode comes from the fact that Marshall won't sleep with Lily due to his obsession with saving the environment, but in reality, this boils down to Marshall admitting his father (who had recently died on the show), was proud of him wanting to be an environmental lawyer, which creates a real touching moment.
Season 5: Zoo Or False (7.6)
In 'Zoo Or False,' season five's lowest-rated episode of How I Met Your Mother by IMDb, Marshall is mugged in Central Park, and instead of coming out with the truth straight away, he created a series of crazy lies to explain how it happened.
One of the stories he says is that he was mugged by a monkey in a zoo, and he goes on a wild rant about how it all took place which leads to Robin wanting to interview him about the situation for the news with the hope that it will make her go famous.
While there are some funny moments in this episode, the storyline is a little too far fetched and dragged on a little too long, which is why it isn't a surprise to see it be one of the lowest-rated episodes in the history of the show.
Season 8: Nannies (7.4)
One of the lowest-rated episodes in the history of the show comes from season eight (which features quite a few lower-rated episodes), with 'Nannies' receiving a 7.4 rating from IMDb, which focuses on Marshall and Lily trying to find the perfect nanny.
After having difficulties in finding one, the pair quickly work out that the reason for it is Barney, who is using it as an elaborate scheme to meet up with women, which obviously leads to a big fallout between him and Lily, although he does his best to patch things up.
Away from the nanny situation, Robin and Ted butt heads as they argue over who has a more serious relationship, in what is quite a strange storyline within the episode.
Season 7: The Burning Beekeeper (7.3)
'The Burning Beekeeper' is not only the lowest-rated episode of season seven but is actually the lowest-rated episode of the entire series, which, considering the fact, there are 208 episodes in total, is proof that the show is very consistent overall.
However, this episode is still rated as the worst in How I Met Your Mother's history, with this episode featuring Marshall and Lily throwing a house warming party which almost leads to Ted coming to blows with Marshall's boss, while Marshall is shocked to learn Lily's father has been keeping bees in the basement.
Future Ted is used a lot in this episode as he describes how the party fell apart in just five minutes, explaining how it happened room by room in what is actually a fun concept for an episode, with each segment leading into the next room, but for whatever reason, it was voted to be the worst.
Season Nine: Last Forever: Part Two (5.6)
When it comes to the lowest-rated episode in season nine (and the show in general), the honor goes to the final episode in the history of the show, 'Last Forever: Part Two,' which failed to finish the show with a bang, as it deserved.
How I Met Your Mother is one of many shows that failed to stick the landing (see: Game Of Thrones, and Dexter as perfect examples), with fans not being pleased with the revelation of how the show actually ends, with it actually having nothing to do with the mother.
In fact, it all ends with Ted attempting to start a relationship with the woman he started with, Robin. All this after his efforts and storytelling, the mother dies, and it was all for nothing, which led to major frustrations from the fans, which is why the 5.6 rating wasn't a surprise.