How I Met Your Mother (often abbreviated to HIMYM) is an American sitcom created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays for CBS. The series follows the main character, Ted Mosby, and his group of friends in New York Citys Manhattan. As a framing device, Ted, in the year 2030, recounts to his son and daughter the events that led him to meet their mother.The series was loosely inspired by Thomas and Bays friendship when they both lived in New York City. Among the 208 episodes, there were only four directors: Pamela Fryman (196 episodes), Rob Greenberg (7 episodes), Michael Shea (4 episodes) and Neil Patrick Harris (1 episode).The show ran from 2005 to 2014. How I Met Your Mother is a joint production by Bays Thomas Productions and 20th Century Fox Television and syndicated by 20th Television.Known for its unique structure, humor, and incorporation of dramatic elements, How I Met Your Mother has gained a cult following over the years. The show initially received positive reviews, while the later seasons received more mixed reviews. The show was nominated for 30 Emmy Awards, winning ten. In 2010, Alyson Hannigan won the Peoples Choice Award for Favorite TV Comedy Actress. In 2012, seven years after its premiere, the series won the Peoples Choice Award for Favorite Network TV Comedy, and Neil Patrick Harris won the award for Favorite TV Comedy Actor.