How I Met Your Mother (or HIMYM) is an American situation comedy (sitcom) that started on CBS Broadcasting on September 19, 2005.

The story is set in New York City. It is about a man named Ted Mosby who tells his son and daughter how he met their mother. Ted is played by Josh Radnor and the story is narrated by Bob Saget who plays Ted Mosby in the future year 2030. Other characters and friends of Ted are Marshall Eriksen (Jason Segel), Robin Scherbatsky (Cobie Smulders), Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris), and Lily Aldrin (Alyson Hannigan). "How I Met Your Mother" is also said to be the inheritor of "Friends" -- another famous sitcom from 1994 to 2004.

The 9th and final season started airing on September 23, 2013. The show ended on March 31, 2014.

Plot
A retelling of Ted Mosby's (Josh Radnor) life before he met his wife (Cristin Milioti), whom is telling his kids in the year 2030, hence the title, 'How I Met Your Mother'. The story focuses on Ted's everyday life and relationships between his four best friends, Marshall Eriksen (Jason Segel), Lily Auldren (Alyson Hannigan), Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris) and Robin Scherbatsky (Cobie Smulders). The show is mainly a comedy, along with heart-warming scenes and tearful moments. The show was loosely based on the lives of the show's producers; Carter Bays and Craig Thomas.

Main Characters
 Ted Mosby by Josh Radnor.  An architect, idiotically romantic. A 30 years old man living in New York and is looking for true love. All he wants to do is to find a wife, so he is always misled to do many stupid things by or with his friends, especially Barney.
 Barney Stinson by Neil Patrick Harris.  A histrionic businessman, he has numerous ideas about how to get a girl, and frequently does. Ted's best friend (self-proclaimed). The "Playbook" is his most prized possession. Met with Ted in a bar named "McLaren" and become one of Ted's friends.
 Robin Scherbatsky by Cobie Smulders  A Canadian TV reporter, journalist and newscaster. A beautiful and elegant woman, but is slightly tomboyish,  due to being raised as a boy by her father whom wanted a son. Was Ted's initial love interested, and became a major part of Ted's personal life.
 Marshall Eriksen by Jason Segel.  A lawyer, filled with honesty and justice. A typical boy born in Minnesota, loves his mother, wants help the world by his work. Ted's best friend from college.
 Lily Aldrin by Alyson Hannigan.  A kindergarten teacher, who studied art history in college. Loves to paint. Bright and bubbly, and can't keep a secret. Became one of Ted's best friends after she started dating Marshall, whom she married at the end of Season 2.
 The Mother by Cristin Milioti.  She was an Economics student in Colombia university (where Ted teaches), she plays bass in a reggae band (a major plot point of the story), and that she has been portrayed as 'the girl with the yellow umbrella' since the first season.

By season
 Season 1: Ted meets Robin, started dating but blew it on the first one. Marshall is engaged to Lily. Ted meets Victoria, a baker, whom had to leave for Germany to continue her studies, thus they broke up. Ted officially dates Robin, Lily left Marshall to pursue her dreams in the finale.
 Season 2: Ted and Robin have some conflicts about their marriage and about having children and broke up in the end. Robin's past was brought to light, where she was a teenage pop star called Robin Sparkles. Lily and Marshall reconciles, and gets married in the finale.
 Season 3: Barney slept with Robin, both confused with their feelings. Ted dates Stella, a Dermatologist. He proposes to her near the finale.
 Season 4: Ted opens his own firm, Mosbius Design, but it later failed. Barney finds out he loves Robin. Ted was left at the altar, being one the biggest blows in his life.
 Season 5: Ted decides to teach architecture as a professor in college. The playbook is introduced.
 Season 6: Ted gets to fulfill his life-long dream; to design a skyscraper in New York City for GNB. Ted dates Zoe, the ex-wife of an aristocrat, who was also against GNB on blowing up the Arcadian, making her also being against Ted, thus making their relationship very confusing and fragile. Marshall's father died from a heart attack. Barney meets his real father. Lily gets pregnant.
 Season 7: Robin and Barney's relationship becomes more complicated and confusing. The 'Duckie Tie' deal. Lily gives birth to baby Marvin in the finale.
 Season 8: Barney's big and elaborate 'play' to propose to robin. Ted's building is finished. Lily gets a second chance at an art career and Marshall received an offer to be a judge. Ted decides to move to Chicago, in hopes to get away from Robin, whom he is afraid still harbor feelings for. The mother is introduced in the finale.
 Season 9: Ted holds a blue French horn in the series finale.

Other websites 

 Official Website

References

2005 American television series debuts
2014 American television series endings
2000s American sitcoms
2000s romance television series
2010s American sitcoms
2010s romance television series
CBS network shows
English-language television programs
Histrionic personality disorder in fiction
Television series about friendship
Television series set in New York City