How I Met Your Mother: Every Season Ranked Worst To Best

9. Season Eight

Though most look to the show's final season as its worst, season eight is actually weaker than the final entry in Ted's epic tale. Leaning into the sombre tone the show had adopted over the last couple seasons, season eight is HIMYM at its most tragic, alienating and redundant. Yes, season nine suffers because they decided to set it over one weekend, but season eight is so much messier and hard to enjoy.

This was the season that brought audiences Barney's convoluted plan to propose to Robin, Ted's realisation that his life hasn't really changed, and Marshall and Lily's parenthood, which should have offered up the show's most touching and emotionally rewarding moments, but instead was left cheapened by a silly and awkward collection of episodes.

On the plus side, fans also got a chance to see Ted and Barney conversing with future versions of themselves, and featured an extra satirical and over-the-top reprise of the Robin Sparkles/Robin Daggers storyline. Also, the Mother finally turns up on screen, which was a welcome addition to the coming final season. There just wasn't enough of these stronger moments to make it as good as what came before.

Best Episodes: The Time Travelers, P.S I Love You