# How I Met Your Mother season 8

The eighth season of the American television comedy series How I Met Your Mother was announced in March 2011 along with confirmation of the seventh season. The season premiered on September 24, 2012 and concluded on May 13, 2013.
In addition to the Region 1 DVD release of the season on October 1, 2013, it was also added on Netflix for streaming in the same day.

## Cast
### Main cast

* Josh Radnor as Ted Mosby
* Jason Segel as Marshall Eriksen
* Cobie Smulders as Robin Scherbatsky
* Neil Patrick Harris as Barney Stinson
* Alyson Hannigan as Lily Aldrin
* Bob Saget as future Ted Mosby (voice only) (uncredited)

### Recurring cast

* Michael Trucco as Nick Podarutti
* Ashley Williams as Victoria
* Ellen D. Williams as Patrice, Robin's coworker
* Lyndsy Fonseca as Penny, Ted's future daughter
* David Henrie as Luke, Ted's future son
* Chris Elliott as Mickey Aldrin
* Becki Newton as Quinn
* Abby Elliott as Jeanette Peterson
* Kyle MacLachlan as The Captain
* Thomas Lennon as Klaus
* Joe Manganiello as Brad Morris
* Ray Wise as Robin Scherbatsky, Sr.
* Suzie Plakson as Judy Eriksen
* Marshall Manesh as Ranjit

### Guest stars

* Geddy Lee as himself
* Steven Page as himself
* Rachel Bilson as Cindy
* Ashley Benson as Carly Whittaker
* Laura Bell Bundy as Becky
* Bill Fagerbakke as Marvin Eriksen, Sr.
* David Burtka as Scooter
* Frances Conroy as Loretta Stinson
* Alexis Denisof as Sandy Rivers
* Alex Trebek as himself
* James Van Der Beek as Simon Tremblay
* Peter Gallagher as Professor Vinnick
* Mike Tyson as himself
* Seth Green as Daryl LaCourte
* Joe Lo Truglio as Honeywell
* Ralph Macchio as himself
* William Zabka as Clown/Himself
* Dave Coulier as himself
* k.d. lang as herself
* Jayma Mays as the Coat-Check Girl
* Keegan-Michael Key as Calvin
* Casey Wilson as Krirsten
* Cristin Milioti as Tracy McConnell, The Mother
* Alan Thicke as himself
* Jason Priestley as himself

## Episodes

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code | US viewers (millions) |
| 161 | 1 | "Farhampton" | Pamela Fryman | Carter Bays & Craig Thomas | September 24, 2012 (2012-09-24) | 8ALH01 | 8.84 |
| To calm an anxious Robin on her wedding day to Barney, Ted recounts the story of how he persuaded Victoria to write a left-at-the-altar note to her ex-fiance Klaus explaining why she ran out on their wedding. Meanwhile, Barney attempts to hide the fact that he and Robin used to date from Quinn, but Quinn learns the truth when sleep-deprived Marshall and Lily accidentally blurt it out. ||||||||
| 162 | 2 | "The Pre-Nup" | Pamela Fryman | Carter Bays & Craig Thomas | October 1, 2012 (2012-10-01) | 8ALH02 | 8.17 |
| Barney prepares a comprehensive pre-nup, causing the other guys to think about relationship amendments for their significant others. Tension sparks among the couples when Quinn sets up her own pre-nup proposal. ||||||||
| 163 | 3 | "Nannies" | Pamela Fryman | Chuck Tatham | October 8, 2012 (2012-10-08) | 8ALH03 | 7.82 |
| Lily and Marshall have trouble finding a nanny when Barney comes up with an elaborate scheme to meet girls. Meanwhile, Robin and Ted fight over whose relationship is more serious. ||||||||
| 164 | 4 | "Who Wants to Be a Godparent?" | Pamela Fryman | Matt Kuhn | October 15, 2012 (2012-10-15) | 8ALH04 | 7.93 |
| When Lily and Marshall can't decide on whom to appoint as godparents for baby Marvin, they put the gang to the test to see who would be the best choice. ||||||||
| 165 | 5 | "The Autumn of Break-Ups" | Pamela Fryman | Kourtney Kang | November 5, 2012 (2012-11-05) | 8ALH06 | 7.22 |
| As the season of break-ups continues, Ted and Victoria decide to end their relationship. Meanwhile, Barney uses a dog as his wingman which worries Robin. ||||||||
| 166 | 6 | "Splitsville" | Pamela Fryman | Stephen Lloyd | November 12, 2012 (2012-11-12) | 8ALH05 | 7.95 |
| Barney helps Robin break up with Nick, when she is hesitant to do so herself. Meanwhile, Lily and Marshall desperately look for some time alone. ||||||||
| 167 | 7 | "The Stamp Tramp" | Pamela Fryman | Tami Sagher | November 19, 2012 (2012-11-19) | 8ALH07 | 7.45 |
| Marshall recommends his old law-school classmate Brad (Joe Manganiello) for a job at his firm, but the interview goes awry, and Marshall must do damage control with his boss. Meanwhile, Robin helps negotiate Barney's return to the strip club circuit. ||||||||
| 168 | 8 | "Twelve Horny Women" | Pamela Fryman | Eric Falconer & Romanski | November 26, 2012 (2012-11-26) | 8ALH08 | 8.73 |
| Marshall competes against his old friend/new nemesis Brad in the most important court case of his career. Meanwhile, the rest of the gang reminisces about their run-ins with the law as teenagers; which leads to a debate over who was the biggest delinquent. ||||||||
| 169 | 9 | "Lobster Crawl" | Pamela Fryman | Barbara Adler | December 3, 2012 (2012-12-03) | 8ALH09 | 8.26 |
| A determined Robin goes to great lengths to get back together with Barney. Meanwhile, Ted substitutes as Marvin's nanny, leading Marshall and Lily to realize that Ted is using baby Marvin as a replacement for his other baby, the GNB building. ||||||||
| 170 | 10 | "The Over-Correction" | Pamela Fryman | Craig Gerard & Matthew Zinman | December 10, 2012 (2012-12-10) | 8ALH10 | 8.82 |
| Robin becomes suspicious of Barney's motives for dating Patrice. Meanwhile, Marshall and Lily are disturbed by the fact that his widowed mother begins dating her father. ||||||||
| 171172 | 1112 | "The Final Page" | Pamela Fryman | Dan Gregor & Doug MandCarter Bays & Craig Thomas | December 17, 2012 (2012-12-17) | 8ALH118ALH12 | 8.70 |
| Before the opening of his building, Ted confronts his architecture professor from college. Meanwhile, Robin confronts Patrice, Barney gets jinxed by Marshall, and Marshall and Lily run into an old friend from college.It's almost Christmas, and Barney has told Ted that he plans to propose to Patrice. Ted then must decide whether to tell Robin. Meanwhile, Lily and Marshall have their first night away from Marvin, but their plans are nearly ruined when they suffer from a case of separation anxiety. ||||||||
| 173 | 13 | "Band or DJ?" | Pamela Fryman | Carter Bays & Craig Thomas | January 14, 2013 (2013-01-14) | 8ALH13 | 10.51 |
| Robin wants Barney to ask her father for permission to marry her. Lily and Ted feud about planning the wedding, which gets Ted to admit his regrets about letting go of Robin and Lily to confess her regrets about motherhood and her career. Baby Marvin's bout of constipation stresses Lily and Marshall. ||||||||
| 174 | 14 | "Ring Up!" | Pamela Fryman | Jennifer Hendriks | January 21, 2013 (2013-01-21) | 8ALH14 | 10.07 |
| Even though Ted and his new girlfriend share none of the same interests, Barney urges Ted to sleep with her, until they find out she is Barney's half-sister. Meanwhile, Robin is adapting to her new status as an engaged woman. ||||||||
| 175 | 15 | "P.S. I Love You" | Pamela Fryman | Carter Bays & Craig Thomas | February 4, 2013 (2013-02-04) | 8ALH15 | 10.30 |
| While trying to find out the identity of the person with whom Robin was once obsessed, Barney uncovers the 'Robin Sparkles' episode of the music-documentary series Underneath the Tunes. Marshall and Lily are concerned that Ted's latest girlfriend might be stalking him. ||||||||
| 176 | 16 | "Bad Crazy" | Pamela Fryman | Carter Bays & Craig Thomas | February 11, 2013 (2013-02-11) | 8ALH16 | 8.98 |
| Ted is reluctant to break up with his girlfriend Jeanette despite her unstable behavior, and Lily offers him advice. Meanwhile, after an adventurous experience babysitting, Robin finally overcomes her fear of holding baby Marvin and becomes emotionally attached to him. Guest starring Mike Tyson. ||||||||
| 177 | 17 | "The Ashtray" | Pamela Fryman | Carter Bays & Craig Thomas | February 18, 2013 (2013-02-18) | 8ALH18 | 8.85 |
| Zoey's ex-husband, The Captain, unexpectedly calls Ted, and the gang reminisces about what happened when they last saw him a year and a half earlier. Lily gets a surprising new career opportunity when The Captain offers her a job as his art consultant. ||||||||
| 178 | 18 | "Weekend at Barney's" | Pamela Fryman | George Sloan | February 25, 2013 (2013-02-25) | 8ALH17 | 8.59 |
| After Ted and Jeanette part ways, Barney steps in as matchmaker using the supposedly-destroyed Playbook. Meanwhile, Marshall has some embarrassing moments at an art gallery opening where Lily is battling to make a good impression. ||||||||
| 179 | 19 | "The Fortress" | Michael Shea | Stephen Lloyd | March 18, 2013 (2013-03-18) | 8ALH20 | 7.44 |
| Barney reluctantly attempts to sell his apartment by holding an open house, during which Ted and Marshall get mistaken for a couple. Tension arises between Lily and Marshall when her new job causes her to spend less time at home. ||||||||
| 180 | 20 | "The Time Travelers" | Pamela Fryman | Carter Bays & Craig Thomas | March 25, 2013 (2013-03-25) | 8ALH19 | 6.99 |
| Ted and Barney's future versions attempt to persuade present day Ted to go see Robots Versus Wrestlers. Marshall challenges Robin to a dance-off after she is given credit at MacLaren's for a cocktail he invented. ||||||||
| 181 | 21 | "Romeward Bound" | Pamela Fryman | Chuck Tatham | April 15, 2013 (2013-04-15) | 8ALH22 | 6.58 |
| The Captain asks Lily to relocate to Rome for a year to work as his art consultant, but she is afraid Marshall will resent her if she agrees. Ted and Barney notice a beautiful woman wearing a puffy coat and become obsessed with finding out what she's hiding. ||||||||
| 182 | 22 | "The Bro Mitzvah" | Pamela Fryman | Chris Harris | April 29, 2013 (2013-04-29) | 8ALH21 | 7.06 |
| The gang brainstorms to plan the ultimate bachelor party for Barney. ||||||||
| 183 | 23 | "Something Old" | Pamela Fryman | Carter Bays & Craig Thomas | May 6, 2013 (2013-05-06) | 8ALH23 | 6.99 |
| Robin desperately tries to locate the antique locket that she buried in Central Park (when she visited at 14 years old) to wear as her "Something Old" for the wedding. Meanwhile, Marshall and Lily ask Ted to help them pack for Italy and Barney invites Robin's father to play Laser Tag in order to bond with him. ||||||||
| 184 | 24 | "Something New" | Pamela Fryman | Carter Bays & Craig Thomas | May 13, 2013 (2013-05-13) | 8ALH24 | 8.57 |
| As the gang prepares to go to Robin and Barney's wedding, Ted invites Lily to see the final renovations he made on his house in Westchester. Meanwhile, Robin and Barney's night of relaxation is ruined by an obnoxious couple and Marshall takes baby Marvin on a last-minute trip to visit his family in Minnesota. The episode concludes with The Mother onscreen for the first time. ||||||||

## Reception

The eighth season of How I Met Your Mother received mixed reactions. The review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes reported that 54% of 13 critics gave it a positive review, with an average rating of 6.1/10. The consensus reads: "How I Met Your Mother wears out its welcome this season, with an anticlimactic reveal and rote, less-than-fruitful humor."
Alexander Lowe of We Got This Covered criticised the reveal of the mother, writing: "After 8 long years and 192 episodes of How I Met Your Mother, the future Mrs. Ted Mosby has finally been revealed. And it was dreadfully anticlimactic". Matt Roush of TV Guide Was critical of its season premiere, writing: "I find it hard not to stifle a yawn. Move on, show, and please give serious thought to wrapping things up this season while we might still care." While the majority of the reviews were mixed, some were positive, with Donna Bowman from The A.V. Club giving its season premiere "Farhampton" a "B" grade.

## Ratings

| No. | Title | Air date | Rating/share | Rating/share (18–49) | Viewers (million) |
| 1 | Farhampton | September 24, 2012 (2012-09-24) | 5.4/8 | 3.6/11 | 8.84 |
| 2 | The Pre-Nup | October 1, 2012 (2012-10-01) | 5.1/8 | 3.3/9 | 8.17 |
| 3 | Nannies | October 8, 2012 (2012-10-08) | 5.1/8 | 3.1/9 | 7.82 |
| 4 | Who Wants to Be a Godparent? | October 15, 2012 (2012-10-15) | 5.0/8 | 3.2/9 | 7.93 |
| 5 | The Autumn of Break-Ups | November 5, 2012 (2012-11-05) | 4.6/7 | 2.8/7 | 7.22 |
| 6 | Splitsville | November 12, 2012 (2012-11-12) | 5.0/7 | 3.0/8 | 7.95 |
| 7 | The Stamp Tramp | November 19, 2012 (2012-11-19) | 5.1/8 | 2.9/8 | 7.45 |
| 8 | Twelve Horny Women | November 26, 2012 (2012-11-26) | 5.6/8 | 3.3/9 | 8.73 |
| 9 | Lobster Crawl | December 3, 2012 (2012-12-03) | 5.3/8 | 3.1/9 | 8.26 |
| 10 | The Over-Correction | December 10, 2012 (2012-12-10) | 5.7/9 | 3.2/9 | 8.82 |
| 11/12 | The Final Page | December 17, 2012 (2012-12-17) | 5.4/8 | 3.4/9 | 8.70 |
| 13 | Band or DJ? | January 14, 2013 (2013-01-14) | 6.4/10 | 3.9/11 | 10.42 |
| 14 | Ring Up! | January 21, 2013 (2013-01-21) | 6.2/9 | 3.7/10 | 10.07 |
| 15 | P.S. I Love You | February 4, 2013 (2013-02-04) | 6.5/10 | 4.0/11 | 10.30 |
| 16 | Bad Crazy | February 11, 2013 (2013-02-11) | 5.8/9 | 3.2/9 | 8.98 |
| 17 | The Ashtray | February 18, 2013 (2013-02-18) | 5.6/8 | 3.4/10 | 8.85 |
| 18 | Weekend at Barney's | February 25, 2013 (2013-02-25) | 5.5/8 | 3.3/10 | 8.59 |
| 19 | The Fortress | March 18, 2013 (2013-03-18) | 4.7/7 | 3.0/9 | 7.44 |
| 20 | The Time Travelers | March 25, 2013 (2013-03-25) | 3.8/6 | 2.7/8 | 6.99 |
| 21 | Romeward Bound | April 15, 2013 (2013-04-15) | 4.3/7 | 2.7/8 | 6.58 |
| 22 | The Bro Mitzvah | April 29, 2013 (2013-04-29) | 4.4/7 | 2.7/9 | 7.06 |
| 23 | Something Old | May 6, 2013 (2013-05-06) | 4.4/7 | 2.6/8 | 6.99 |
| 24 | Something New | May 13, 2013 (2013-05-13) | 4.4/7 | 3.4/11 | 8.57 |