The Chicago Tribune talked to Craig Thomas about Stella, the strike, and the season finale.
“I liken the Stella situation to our predicament in the middle of the writers’ strike,” Thomas said. “We didn’t know whether the remainder of Season 3 would necessitate — the 4-episode plan, the 9-episode plan or the zero-episode plan. So we thought of plans for all three. (The zero-episode plan was, of course, to get very drunk on box wine and watch ‘Battlestar Galactica’ reruns.).”
“Same thing with the Stella situation,” Thomas continued. “We have to have more than one plan in mind.”
But it sounds as though one of those plans — and a strong contender at that — may have Stella as the mother of Ted’s children.
“We know which version [of Ted’s story] we want to write, and I’m confident that’s the version we’ll get to do,” Thomas said. The version that Thomas and co-creator Carter Bays want to write “involves seeing a bunch more of the delightful Sarah Chalke — whether or not that means she’s the mother, I really can’t confirm or deny.”
Some details of the “HIMYM” season finale are discussed below. If you don’t want to see spoilers, exit here.
“HIMYM’s” May 19 season finale, in which Ted is in an accident that causes him to re-evaluate his life, will leave viewers thinking that Stella may indeed be the mother. But fans of the show will have to wait until Season 4 to find out whether that’s the case.
In fact, regarding the Season 3 finale – the conclusion of one crucial scene won’t air until “HIMYM” returns in the fall. Two versions of the scene’s final seconds were shot, and the producers won’t know which version they’ll be using in Season 4 for at least a few weeks.
The cliffhanger came about in part because of those thorny logistics. Chalke has a commitment to another show, after all.
“Let’s face it, though,” Thomas said. “Ted could do a lot worse!”