On September 19th, 2005, the CBS-sitcom, "How I Met Your Mother", premiered on television. Created by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas, the show stars Josh Radnor, Neil Patrick Harris, Jason Segel, Alyson Hannigan, and Cobie Smulders. The pilot of the show drew in an estimated 10.94 million viewers, and while the show's viewers fluctuated over nine years, it famously peaked in its final season, with the series finale drawing in a series-high 13.13 million viewers. In its early season, HIMYM had a standard sitcom budget, but in its final season, each epsiode cost an estimated $2 million per episode, with Neil Patrick Harris earning $400,000 per episode himself. The show won a total of 10 Primetime Emmy Awards out of 30 nominations, with most winning for its technical work in art direction, editing, and cinematography.
