How I Met Your Mother: Season 5

2009 · 24 episodes · ★ 7.6

What Season 5 of How I Met Your Mother

Season five follows the gang in New York, where Ted focuses on teaching his first college classes and on his search for the mother of his children. Barney and Robin have to decide what kind of relationship they want, something that scares them more than they admit. Lily and Marshall test everyone's patience with double-date plans, trips and setups. Between hookups, bets and blind dates, Barney once again becomes the main driver of the group's craziness. Each episode blends humor with the main characters' romantic doubts.

24episodes

Sep 21, 2009premiered

May 24, 2010latest episode

9.2 hrtotal runtime

Season 5 Episodes

5x01 Definitions
Sep 21, 2009 · 23 min · ★ 7.8
After sharing a kiss at the beginning of the summer, Robin and Barney are unsure how to handle their mutual attraction. After some consideration they tell the gang they have decided to remain just friends, but secretly continue seeing each other. They are able to get away with their secret romance for a couple months, but are discovered when Ted, Marshall and Lily walk in on them together. They explain to the gang that they are happy with their casual relationship, and didn't want to complicate it by defining it. This is unacceptable to Lily, who pressures them to label their situation, and ultimately locks them in Robin's room to force them to address it. Meanwhile, Ted is anxious about his first days as a professor at Columbia, which is made worse when he shows up at the wrong class and starts his lecture.
Directing: Pamela Fryman · Writing: Carter Bays, Craig Thomas · Starring: Joe Manganiello, Dale E. Turner, Kim Matula, Abhi Sinha
5x02 Double Date
Sep 28, 2009 · 23 min · ★ 7.2
Barney takes Marshall, and Robin to a strip club where they find a stripper who looks almost exactly like Lily. Meanwhile, Ted discovers he had been fixed up with the same woman, Jen seven years earlier.
Directed by: Pamela Fryman · Written by: Matt Kuhn · Starring: Lindsay Sloane, Rizwan Manji, Molly Prather, Alyssa Julya Smith
5x03 Robin 101
Oct 5, 2009 · 23 min · ★ 7.7
When Robin fears that Barney is cheating on her, she soon discovers that he is spending his evenings with Ted learning everything there is to know on how to date her.
Directed by: Pamela Fryman · Written by: Carter Bays, Kourtney Kang, Craig Thomas · Starring: Olga Fonda, Sophie Simpson, Kazu Nagahama, Christine Tonnu
5x04 The Sexless Innkeeper
Oct 12, 2009 · 23 min · ★ 7.4
Marshall and Lily want to hook up with Barney and Robin for double-dating and fun, but their desperate eagerness to please is a huge turn-off. Meanwhile, when a succession of girls come to his apartment and immediately fall asleep, Ted is bummed to learn he is a "Sexless Innkeeper" whose "dates" are only interested in a comfy place to crash
Directed by: Pamela Fryman · Written by: Craig Thomas, Carter Bays · Starring: Marshall Manesh, Julianna Guill, Sarah Edwards, Trey Ellett
5x05 Duel Citizenship
Oct 19, 2009 · 23 min · ★ 7.5
Barney tries his best hoping to convince Robin into becoming an American citizen, while Ted and Marshall's road trip takes an unexpected turn for the worst when Marshall invites Lily to come along.
Directed by: Pamela Fryman · Written by: Chuck Tatham · Starring: Kenny Rogers, Pamela Dunlap, Brad Grunberg, Corinne Dekker
5x06 Bagpipes
Nov 2, 2009 · 23 min · ★ 7.2
Even though they do their best in order to be the perfect couple, Barney's attitude of know-it-all lands him in trouble with Robin and they are forced to seek Marshall and Lily for advice.
Directed by: Pamela Fryman · Written by: Robia Rashid · Starring: Sam Stefanski
5x07 The Rough Patch
Nov 9, 2009 · 23 min · ★ 7.4
Lily comes up with a perfect plan to break up the relationship between Barney and Robin when they have a rough patch, but she needs help from Robin's famous friend, Alan Thicke, in order to make it work.
Directing: Pamela Fryman · Writing: Chris Harris · Starring: Matt Jones, Whit Hertford, April Bowlby, Alan Thicke
5x08 The Playbook
Nov 16, 2009 · 23 min · ★ 8.2
After his relationship with Robin ends, Barney dusts off his "playbook" to help him back into the dating scene
Directed by: Pamela Fryman · Written by: Carter Bays, Craig Thomas · Starring: Raquel Alessi, Sarah Wright, Katie Malia, Benjamin Koldyke
5x09 Slapsgiving 2: Revenge of the Slap
Nov 23, 2009 · 23 min · ★ 7.5
Barney freaks out when Marshall bequeaths a "slap bet" slap to Ted and Robin. Meanwhile, Lily's estranged father shows up for Thanksgiving.
Directed by: Pamela Fryman · Written by: Jamie Rhonheimer · Starring: Suzie Plakson, Christina Pickles, Charles Rahi Chun, Jack Walsh
5x10 The Window
Dec 7, 2009 · 23 min · ★ 7.5
When a perfect girl finally shows up, the gang tries everything to help Ted, while Marshall takes action when he discovers a letter written by younger himself.
Directing: Pamela Fryman · Writing: Joe Kelly · Starring: JoAnna Garcia Swisher, Michael Spellman, Jamie Kaler, Alec Medlock
5x11 Last Cigarette Ever Mid-Season Finale
Dec 14, 2009 · 23 min · ★ 7.4
When Marshall picks up smoking again, it prompts Lily, Ted and Barney, ex-smokers all, to succumb as well. Meanwhile, Robin gets a new co-anchor at her show...
Directed by: Pamela Fryman · Starring: Benjamin Koldyke, Bob Odenkirk, Harvey Fierstein, Trent Peltz
5x12 Girls vs. Suits
Jan 11, 2010 · 23 min · ★ 8.0
When Barney debates giving up wearing suits in order to land a hot bartender, his conflicted feelings lead to an amazingly awesome musical number. Meanwhile, Ted gets one step closer to meeting the future mother of his kids.
Directed by: Pamela Fryman · Written by: Carter Bays, Craig Thomas · Starring: Joe Nieves, Stacy Keibler, Rachel Bilson, Tim Gunn
5x13 Jenkins
Jan 18, 2010 · 23 min · ★ 7.8
When Lily refuses to believe that Jenkins, Marshall's attractive female colleague, kissed him, Marshall insists Jenkins tell Lily what really happened. Meanwhile, Robin finds out that a drinking game has been made up about her.
Directed by: Neil Patrick Harris · Written by: Greg Malins · Starring: Amanda Peet, Andrew Lewis Caldwell, Edward Rudolph Flores, Timothy Brennen
5x14 Perfect Week
Feb 1, 2010 · 23 min · ★ 8.0
When Barney is about to complete the perfect week - landing seven different girls in seven days - the gang roots him on in order to forget about their own miserable week.
Directed by: Pamela Fryman · Starring: Larry Poindexter, Jessica Borden, Hong Chau, Ryan Daniel Dobson
5x15 Rabbit or Duck
Feb 8, 2010 · 23 min · ★ 7.5
When Lily and Marshall forget to fix up Ted on a blind date for Valentine's Day, they use one of Barney's many discarded girls to see if they may become Ted's future wife. Meanwhile, Robin's obnoxious colleague invites her to a party at his apartment
Directed by: Pamela Fryman · Written by: Carter Bays, Craig Thomas · Starring: Marshall Manesh, Phil Simms, Benjamin Koldyke, Bar Paly
5x16 Hooked
Mar 1, 2010 · 23 min · ★ 7.4
When the gang tries to convince Ted that he is being strung along by Tiffany, they reflect about relationships where each of them has been in the same situation.
Directing: Pamela Fryman · Writing: Kourtney Kang · Starring: Carrie Underwood, Catherine Reitman, Valorie Hubbard, Jeff Leaf
5x17 Of Course
Mar 8, 2010 · 23 min · ★ 7.8
When Robin confesses that she is still angry with Barney for the way he handled their break-up, she enlists the help of Anita, a self-help author who plans to beat Barney at his own game.
Directed by: Pamela Fryman · Written by: Matt Kuhn · Starring: Jennifer Lopez, Benjamin Koldyke, Joni Bovill, Matt Frewer
5x18 Say Cheese
Mar 22, 2010 · 23 min · ★ 7.7
When Ted ruins Lily's birthday dinner celebration by bringing a date, Lily goes to great lengths to keep her out of the traditional photo she takes every year of the gang.
Directing: Pamela Fryman · Writing: Robia Rashid · Starring: Brooke Nevin, Anne Dudek, Gina Comparetto, Laura Prepon
5x19 Zoo or False
Apr 12, 2010 · 23 min · ★ 7.4
When Marshall gets mugged, Lily decides she wants to get a gun for protection, so Marshall comes up with a convoluted story about the mugging to deter Lily from following through.
Directed by: Pamela Fryman · Written by: Stephen Lloyd · Starring: E.E. Bell, Jon Dore, Matt Jones, Collette Wolfe
5x20 Home Wreckers
Apr 19, 2010 · 23 min · ★ 7.5
When Ted attends his mother's wedding, he is extremely disturbed by her overly affectionate relationship with her fiancé, which forces him to think about his own life and make an impulsive decision.
Directed by: Pamela Fryman · Written by: Chris Harris · Starring: Suzie Plakson, Gary Anthony Williams, Marianne Muellerleile, Linda Porter
5x21 Twin Beds
May 3, 2010 · 23 min · ★ 7.4
When Ted and Barney jeopardize Robin's new relationship by professing their love for her, Robin realizes that she is finally over them. Meanwhile, after spending a weekend sleeping in twin beds, Marshall and Lily decide to get twin beds at home.
Directing: Pamela Fryman · Starring: Joe Nieves, Benjamin Koldyke
5x22 Robots vs. Wrestlers
May 10, 2010 · 23 min · ★ 7.6
When Ted, Marshall, Lily and Barney crash a highfalutin party at a swanky New York apartment, Ted gets the chance to mingle with the snooty guests and show off his intellectual side.
Written by: Jamie Rhonheimer · Starring: Arianna Huffington, Darby Stanchfield, Michele Boyd, Peter Bogdanovich
5x23 The Wedding Bride
May 17, 2010 · 21 min · ★ 7.7
When Ted takes a date to see a new hit movie, "The Wedding Bride," he is shocked to learn the story is loosely based on his life, and that it was written by Tony, the man Stella left him for at the altar.
Directed by: Pamela Fryman · Written by: Stephen Lloyd · Starring: Malin Akerman, Judy Greer, Jason Lewis, Arshad Aslam
5x24 Doppelgangers Season Finale
May 24, 2010 · 23 min · ★ 7.9
Marshall and Lily make a secret pact to start trying to have a baby if they ever finally see Barney's doppelganger. Meanwhile, Robin finally gets an offer for her dream job.
Directing: Pamela Fryman · Writing: Carter Bays, Craig Thomas · Starring: Benjamin Koldyke, Bonnie Bailey-Reed, Brianna Belladonna, Lyndsy Fonseca