Negotiations reportedly came down to the wire but How I Met Your Mother is now set to be renewed for a ninth and final season.
The current eighth season is the last under CBS’ license deal and the contracts with HIMYM creators Craig Thomas and Carter Bays and the cast are set to expire as well. HIMYM is the network’s fourth-highest rated sitcom and has stood up to tough Monday night competition, particularly from NBC’s The Voice. CBS clearly wanted to keep the show going if possible.
The producers, Josh Radnor, Cobie Smulders, Neil Patrick Harris and Alyson Hannigan were apparently all willing to return for a ninth season but Jason Segel was not. His movie career has really taken off, had been talking about leaving for awhile, and he’d already spent eight years on HIMYM.
According to Deadline, Segel didn’t want to sign on and any plans to continue the show were dead.
Then, at the last minute, Segel changed his mind. The cast is quite close so it’s suspected that their comradery had a lot to do with his decision.
CBS and the studio haven’t made a statement yet but it will surely come in time. Hannigan retweeted the news and added, “I’m happy the world(s) didn’t end.”
