With 208 episodes in the books, How I Met Your Mother finally came to an end this year, as Ted Mosby finished telling his kids the tale of how he met his beloved wife. No doubt, the long-running comedy series enjoyed many strong stories following its debut in 2005 and offered all kinds of humorous and heartwarming anecdotes (while shaping unforgettable characters along the way). Yes, the show also had its ups and downs over its nine seasons, but overall HIMYM was a show that struck a chord with viewers and left its mark on the sitcom genre.

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In honor of the show's end, we've compiled a Top 10 Episodes of How I Met Your Mother list, looking back at some of our favorite storylines. Of course, it was no easy task narrowing the list down to just 10. Other episodes that almost made the list include "How Your Mother Met Me," "The Naked Man," "Trilogy Time," "Swarley" and "How Lily Stole Christmas." However, as legendary as those episodes were, the following 10 are what we consider to be the best of the best. As always, though, we'd love to hear your favorites in the comments below!Naturally,to follow...

HM "Last Forever"

10 "Pilot"

9 "The Best Burger in New York"

8 "The Time Travelers"

7 "Arrivederci, Fiero"

6 "Ten Sessions"

For the sake of argument, we've decided not to include HIMYM's series finale in the Top 10, due to... well, obvious reasons. That said, as far as finales go, it did at least accomplish what it set out to do: answer questions. Despite what you thought about how it all turned out, you have to admit that "Last Forever" delivered a bold and resolute ending that satisfied all five of its main characters -- which is more than most shows can say at the end of their run.The episode that started it all, and one that changed sitcoms forever. Using flashbacks as its go-to device, How I Met Your Mother's pilot revitalized the three-camera genre by creating dynamic characters and adding an air of mystery to the overall narrative. From Ted meeting Robin for the first time to Barney Stinson's legendary first appearance -- and don't forget the blue French horn! -- HIMYM's very first episode stands out for daring to try something new."The Best Burger in New York" may be Marshall's pièce de résistance, as he drags the gang across town to find a long-lost burger joint that he claims has the best burger in all of NYC. It's a great episode, one that effectively clumps its characters into a single storyline (while also throwing Regis Philbin into the mix) and keeps momentum. It also has one of the best comedic monologues ever in Marshall's extravagant description of what has to be the most delicious burger of all time."The Time Travelers" is a truly distinctive episode of HIMYM, if only because it bends the rules of its own format. More than that, it's also really funny. In this episode, Ted manifests multiple future versions of himself to help him decide whether or not to go to Robots vs. Wrestlers with Barney. But what starts out as a cheeky deconstruction of alternate timelines soon becomes something more, and it gives fans their first real clue to the Mother's fate. On a lighter note, it also features one helluva barbershop cover of "For the Longest Time," as performed by three Teds and three Barneys."Arrivederci, Fiero," about Marshall's beloved and near-shot Pontiac, is just good, wholesome fun. It has everything that made How I Met Your Mother awesome: riotous humor, entertaining flashbacks and genuine character moments. Between Ted and Marshall's classic college road trip, Barney learning how to drive a car and Robin and Lily's Thai food coverup, this episode remains one of the greats.While the whole Ted/Stella thing never panned out, the two characters' chemistry together was nevertheless electrifying onscreen (thanks in part to the ever charismatic Sarah Chalke). There were many great moments over the course of Ted and Stella's arc, but the one that stood head-and-shoulders above the rest was the couple's first two-minute date, which capped off the Season 3 episode "Ten Sessions." Basically, this was Ted at his romantic best, as a long tracking shot created one of the show's sweetest moments.

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