How I Met Your Mother - Series Finale
March 31, 2014 in Television
On March 31, 2014, the series finale of How I Met Your Mother is going to be aired on CBS between 8:00 and 9:00 PM, ET/PT. After 208 episodes told over nine seasons, the series will conclude with a special one-hour series finale. How I Met Your Mother, often abbreviated to HIMYM, is an American sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 19, 2005. The 2013-14 season is the show's ninth and final season. The series revolves around Ted Mosby narrating the story of how he met his wife to his children. While living in New York City and working as an architect, the narrative deals with his best friends, including the long-lasting couple Marshall Eriksen and Lily Aldrin; the eccentric, womanizer-playboy Barney Stinson; and news anchor Robin Scherbatsky. The series explores many storylines, including a love triangle between Robin, Ted, and Barney; Marshall and Lily's relationship; as well as the careers of the characters.
Each episode is usually shot over three days in the Los Angeles-based Soundstage Studio 22 and features upwards of 50 scenes with quick transitions and flashbacks. However, the "Pilot" episode was filmed at CBS Radford. The laugh track is later created by recording an audience being shown the final edited episode. Thomas claims that shooting before a live audience would be impossible because of the structure of the show and the numerous flashforwards in each episode and because doing so "would blur the line between 'audience' and 'hostage situation'." Later seasons started filming in front of an audience on occasion when smaller sets are used.
Josh Radnor as Ted Mosby, an architecture teacher and the central character of the series. Ted moved to New York City with his friends Marshall and Lily after graduating from Wesleyan University. In New York he met Barney and Robin, who became part of the group. Ted is on a quest for happiness and "The One", the woman he will marry. Jason Segel as Marshall Eriksen, Ted's best friend. Marshall is married to Lily, with whom he has been in love since his freshman year of college, and they serve as an inspiration for Ted to find his true love.
Cobie Smulders as Robin Scherbatsky, a news anchor and Ted's ex-girlfriend. Robin emigrated from Canada to take a job in a news station and met Ted at MacLaren's, setting him on his journey to find "The One". Though her relationship with Ted did not work out, they continue to remain close friends. Her Canadian background is a source of many jokes from her friends, particularly from Barney. Alyson Hannigan as Lily Aldrin, a kindergarten teacher and Marshall's wife. Lily is the group's moderator, always there to resolve a conflict or to offer a shoulder to cry on. Barney goes to her as a confidante, though she is terrible at keeping secrets.
Neil Patrick Harris as Barney Stinson, the holder of an unknown position at Goliath National Bank and Ted's "bro". Due to his father leaving him as a young child, Barney has abandonment issues and clings to his friends. He is a serial playboy, using his relative wealth and an array of outrageous strategies to seduce women for sex with no intention of engaging in a relationship. Cristin Milioti plays "The Girl With The Yellow Umbrella" or "The Mother", and is the future wife of Ted Mosby. Milioti is the only main character to be added to the show.