How I Met Your Mother - Season 8 - TVLine interview with Carter Bays

TVLINE | Is it true that the decision now rests with the actors?

It’s something that we’re all kind of deciding together. Some of it has to do with money, but a lot of it also has to do with the schedule. We want to make sure that our actors continue to be able to do all the fun,extracurricular stuff that they do. They all have really big careers outside of our show, and we respect that and want to make sure that we’re able to make a good product and that they’re still able to do all the things they want to do. More than anything, it’s that. It’s just figuring out if and how we can do another year. That’s the question.

TVLINE | On that note, is a shortened ninth and final season a strong possibility versus a full season order?

I would rather not. I feel like if we’re going to spend a year of our life on it, I’d rather do the full 24 [episodes] to really do it right. That’s where I fall. It’s how [co-creator] Craig [Thomas] and I see it. We’d be open to other possibilities, but our dream would be to do another 24-episode season.

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