TV’s How I Met Your Mother, Created by Bays ’97 and Thomas ’97, Reaches Its 100th Episode

The successful CBS sitcom, How I Met Your Mother, had its milestone 100th episode on Jan. 11. The show was created by Carter Bays ’97 and Craig Thomas ’97, who serve as executive producers and writers for the program. The series deals humorously with the lives of a group of friends living in New York.

How I Met Your Mother gets its title from a framing device: the main character, Ted Mosby (played Josh Radnor, with narration by Bob Saget) in the year 2030 recounts to his son and daughter the events that led to his meeting their mother. The show then proceeds to tell the comic misadventures of Ted and his friends when they are younger. One of the running jokes of the sitcom is that the identity “mother” of the title has yet to be revealed. The exuberant cast also includes Jason Segel  (I Love You, Man), Cobie Smulders, Alyson Hannigan (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), and Neil Patrick Harris (Doogie Howser MD, Harold & Kumar films, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog).

For the 100th episode titled “Girls vs. Suits,” Bays and Thomas decided to celebrate the occasion with a big musical number with Neil Patrick Harris as the lead singer, backed by 65 dancers and a 50-piece orchestra. The two producers wrote a song, “Nothing Suits Me Like a Suit,” which Harris sings when he has to choose between a woman bartender and his love for formal wear.

How I Met Your Mother was not an immediate hit during its early run and sometimes faced cancellation, but it had its faithful fans early on. The now popular program was recently nominated for an Emmy Award for best comedy and has become one of the mainstays on CBS’s Monday evening. The show employs playful and sometimes zany storylines and often uses flashbacks. Episodes incorporate new media that is featured on the show and online, including videos and blogs. Scripts also have included references to Wesleyan over the years.

Hollywood Reporter and TV Guide reported on the 100th episode.