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.

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

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.