As Ted continues to date his way through New York City, How I Met Your Mother fans have been wondering for years who the title character of the CBS show will be.

Finally, HIMYM co-creator Carter Bays says Ted is getting close to the real thing. But does that in turn mean the end of the comedy? Or just a new cast member?

Here's what Bays tells TV Guide Magazine about that and more ...

On the show's recent Golden Globe nomination: "There is a tendency for the creator of the show to think that no one's actually watching. I feel less like the creator of the show and more like its biggest fan because I like to see what's going to happen each week. So you forget it's actually being broadcast and pumped through cable wires across the world."

On Neil Patrick Harris' directing efforts: "He just directed last week's episode, which will air in January. He did a fantastic job. You tell Neil to juggle, and he'll juggle and be amazing. Tell him to sing and dance, and he'll sing and dance. There's nothing he can't do. Which is why I'm dreading the day that he decides to write an episode. We're all out of work."

On Amanda Peet guest starring: "She plays a part in a really fun episode about Marshall and Lily. It's exploring two people who have grown together like two trees and are so connected. I really like it when we do stuff like that on the show. Small stories about relationships.

On Nick Swisher guest starring: "If you do a show about dating in New York, then you have to [include a Yankee]. We try to observe every phenomenon about dating, specifically in New York. [Nick Swisher] is an obstacle for Barney getting a girl - his biggest competition so far."

On whether we're getting closer to the Mother: "Oh, very much so. We just saw the Mother. We get as close to her as you can possibly get in the one the one we just edited, our 100th episode. That airs in January. It's a moment that will make hearts a twitter."

On whether the Mother will be the end of the show, or just a new chapter: "We don't want to come down on one side or the other. There could be a show after Ted meets the Mother. Early on it sort of felt like once he meets her, there's no show. But the more it goes on, the richer the story gets. We came to that conclusion before we knew that Barney was going to be such a huge part of the story. And that Robin and Barney would be a thing. It does seem like we could meet her and keep the story going. Because that's certainly not the end of the story for most people. It's not just meeting the girl. There is more than that."

Steve Marsi is the Managing Editor of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Google+ or email him here.