"How I Met Your Mother", a nine-season series, aired on CBS. CBS
"How I Met Your Mother" ran nine seasons. But even the most avid fans may not be aware of all of these facts.
Britney Spears's guest role saved the show from early cancellation and low ratings.
Numerous of the lead cast members had their significant others appear in small roles on the show.
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Bob Saget voiced the narrator who was to be Ted Mosby older.
The voice of future Ted sounds familiar. Rich Fury/Getty Images
Josh Radnor was Ted on CBS's show. Bob Saget, however, was cast as the voice-over for "future Ted", which narrated the series.
The show was not actually shot in New York City.
Sometimes, the NYC set was quite convincing. 20th Century Fox
Although New York City is a prominent character in the series they actually filmed in Los Angeles on a lot that was specifically designed to look like the Big Apple, according to the New York Post.
Jim Parsons almost played Barney.
Jim Parsons was Sheldon in CBS' "The Big Bang Theory". Chuck Lorre Productions
Jim Parsons auditioned to play Barney before Neil Patrick Harris was cast. The "The Big Bang Theory” star has no hard feelings.
According to Yahoo!, Parsons stated that "Look, it all worked fine Neil's better than the part, let’s be real" on a 2015 episode "Live With Kelly."
Jennifer Love Hewitt almost played Robin.
Jennifer Love Hewitt chose to appear on "The Ghost Whisperer". Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images
The real-life Canadian Cobiesmulders finally got the role of Robin after Jennifer Love Hewitt declined.
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Britney Spears saved the show's low ratings.
Britney Spears was a major contributor to new viewers. CBS
Pop singer Abby, the receptionist, guest starred in episode 13 of season 3. E! News: Carter Bays, the cocreator of E!
Bays wrote, "By God she put our show onto the map. Bays said that it cannot be overstated. Britney Spears saved us from being ever again in the [renewal] bubble. Britney, thank you!
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The creators of the show are part of a real band and wrote and performed the theme song.
The Solids are made up of Craig Thomas and Carter Bays. CBS
The "HIMYM" theme song is well-known for its catchy and infectious tune. It turns out that the show's creators were involved in creating it.
The song "Hey Beautiful" is by The Solids, of which Bays and Carter both are members. Bays sings and plays guitar while Thomas plays the drums.
During filming, a real proposal took place.
Many viewers didn't know the proposal was real. YouTube/Tim Ru via Fox
According to the New York Daily News Jana Rugan and Timothy Russo were actually engaged during the season-two finale.
Russo's friend wrote the series and organized for Rugan's friends to act as extras.
Robin and Ted went on a date with Ted when a waiter brought Robin a champagne flute with a ring in the bottom. Ted was not proposing to her, so she freaked out.
"She thought that I was making the scene worse, but then she realized it was her fault and started crying. Everyone was clapping. Russo said that it was amazing to the Daily News.
Some of the most famous props from the show were taken home by the actors.
Cobie Smulders wore her Robin Sparkles jacket, which she got from "How I Met Your Mother." CBS
Bays and Thomas revealed to Yahoo News in 2014 that some of the iconic props from the show ended up being returned home by the stars following the series' end.
Harris took Barney's Playbook, the tabletop and their booth at McLaren's. Robin Sparkles' bedazzled jacket was kept by Smulders. Alyson Hannigan got a little British phone booth while Radnor retained Ted's beloved blue French horn.
Bays ended up decorating his home with the two swords that Ted and Marshall had left him. Thomas also took a few pieces from McLaren’s including one of the red booths.
Harris set out to bring Robin and Barney together on the show.
Neil Patrick Harris supported the characters being together. Ron P. Jaffe/Fox
Smulders was initially apprehensive about Harris trying to get the characters together during filming.
Harris shared his personal mission to bring Robin and Barney together by telling The Fan Carpet, "I would try to do little tasks in our scenes together where she gave me an extra look or stare only at her throughout a whole scene just for to see if anyone was paying attention."
Ted made Barney sound worse in order to make him look better.
Ted tells the story to his children so that he can stretch truth a bit. CBS screencap
Harris spoke out in 2018 to Digital Spy about a popular fan theory.
According to the theory, Ted made Barney seem more sleazy and womanizing because he didn’t want his children to think that he was judging Robin for falling for Barney’s ex-wife.
Harris said to Digital Spy, "I think that's very accurate." "Given the story structure and Ted telling the story to his children, everything was possible to be overdrawn."
Some of the most prominent actors had significant others who made it on the show.
David Burtka was Lily's ex boyfriend Scooter. CBS
Harris, Harris' real-life husband David Burtka, played Lily's high school sweetheart Scooter.
Hannigan, who played Lily in the series, shared the screen with Alexis Denisof, her husband. Alexis was Robin's coanchor Sandy Rivers.
Taran Killam, Smulders' spouse, was also a member of "HIMYM." Two characters actually appeared on the show: Derrick, one-time, and Gary Blauman, the recurring character.
Hannigan and Smulders had to conceal pregnancies while filming.
They used many props to cover their stomachs. 20th Century Fox
Season five saw both the actor playing Robin and the actor playing Lily become pregnant. However, their characters weren't. The props team kept their growing bellies hidden behind large props, handbags, and other accessories.
Director Pamela Fryman said to the Chicago Tribune that they have the largest purses of any television show.
Hannigan wanted her daughter playing her on-screen child.
She was too old to play the role. 20th Century Fox
Hannigan's young daughter, Lily, was chosen to play the role of Lily when she had a child.
Hannigan, however, told HuffPost 2017 that she felt too old to play the role.
"They fired my child from that position. Carter Bays said that she was going to be the baby. Hannigan stated that she was too old and had to be replaced.
Barney was made more interesting by Harris' love of magic.
Neil Patrick Harris has a real-life passion for magic. Monty Brinton/CBS
Entertainment Weekly reports that Harris has written a children's book on magic for children. This is clear evidence of Harris' influence on Barney's hobby.
"The Bro Code" is real.
You can purchase your copy of "The Bro Code" 20th Century Fox
The series-approved version can be purchased, and even written by Barney Stinson.
Many of the websites featured on the show are also real.
The bizarre websites featured on the show can be viewed online. Richard Cartwright/Fox
Her Campus reported that many of the websites mentioned by the characters are live online.
See for yourself at tedmosbyisajerk.com, barneysvideoresume.com, and notafathersday.com to name a few.
Named after the assistant to the cocreator, the favorite bar of the characters was named after it.
McLaren's last name holds a special meaning. 20th Century Fox
Bays revealed to TV Squad that McLaren, his assistant, gave his name to McLaren's bar and its bartender Carl.
The fictional bar was also inspired by a real New York City establishment.
McLaren's is inspired by McGee's NYC pub. Richard Cartwright/CBS
According to The New York Post McLaren's was modeled after a McGee's pub in New York City.
Bays and Thomas spent time in real life when they were writing for "The Late Show With David Letterman".
Before they could watch the episode, some fans discovered who the mother was via Facebook.
Many people were disappointed by the post. CBS
The Obsessive Watcher claims that the official Facebook page of "HIMYM", posted a photo with the mother shortly after the episode revealed her identity.
But not everyone was able live to see the episode, so the spoiler alerts were sent to those who scrolled past this post.
If the show was canceled earlier, Victoria would have been the mother.
The writers were able, fortunately, to realize their full vision. 20th Century Fox
E! E! News reports that Bays said to Reddit, "A season-one cancellation would have led to them writing Victoria in as mother."
The show lasted nine seasons so the plan was scrapped.
Ted's children were played by actors who knew the ending for years.
All scenes involving children were shot early in the series. 20th Century Fox
CBS News reports that the last scene in Ted's children learning that Robin still loves Ted was shot in 2006, so the actors still look the same.
It was just one year since the premiere of the show and eight years prior to the finale. Many precautions were taken to keep it a secret.
Lyndsy and David Henrie, who played the children, had to sign nondisclosure agreements. Only one camera operator was permitted in the room as they shot the final scene.
It almost had a spin-off with Greta Gerwig.
Greta Gerwig is now an actor and director. How I Met Your Mother screencap
Deadline reports that "How I Met Your Dad" was originally in the works following the finale of "HIMYM", but was scrapped by CBS in 2014. This was due to creative differences between CBS and the writers.
Greta Gerwig portrayed Sally, a divorcee on the search for love.
Hulu is currently developing a sequel series featuring Hilary Duff seven years after "HIMYM's" final.
Hilary Duff will star in the series. Frazer Harrison / Getty Images
Deadline reported that in 2017, a new "How I Met Your Father” series was being developed after the failure of "How I Met Your Dad." It took several years to get it on the ground.
Variety reports that the sequel series is now in production, with Hilary Duff playing the lead role.
The premiere date of the show has not yet been determined, but it will air on Hulu.
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