How I Met Your Mother: All Halloween And Thanksgiving Episodes Ranked Worst To Best

The first How I Met Your Mother Halloween episode starts off a great thematic arc that wouldn't be resolved for six years. It was ultimately worth the wait, but we'll discuss that further in another entry. The most important element in this initial Halloween outing is the juxtaposition between Ted's idealism and Robin's independence.

Despite occasionally demonstrating how much he and Barney truly have in common, How I Met Your Mother has always tried to peg Ted as a dreamer. That's why, even if he can't seem to reference her without calling her slutty, he's able to so easily picture this random woman he met four years ago as the eventual mother of his children. The irony is that by standing on the roof waiting for a woman who might never show up, he's potentially missing out on a better relationship.

Meanwhile, we learn more about Robin and her disdain for sicky-sweet couple activities like sharing food or wearing matching costumes. This not only holds her back, but leads to a pretty harshly worded breakup with her current date.

Robin and Ted are opposite sides of the same coin, a theme beautifully explored in this episode. Unfortunately, most of the actual plot is bland and repetitive, with only Barney's costume changes and multiple rejections adding a bit of comedic flavor to the mix.