Which classic sitcom are the How I Met Your Mother creators looking to for series finale influence?

How I Met Your Mother will wrap up its nine-season run on March 31, and fans have naturally started to ramp up their curiosity about how the show would end. Many assumed that Ted (Josh Radnor) would meet The Mother in the final episode, maybe even the final scene, but then Cristin Milioti appeared in the Season 8 finale; however, co-creator Craig Thomas may have given fans a clue what to expect.

Thomas went on Twitter on Thursday to share the following little nugget of information with his followers:

"Watched the #Cheers series finale again for inspiration; cried as hard as I did in 1993. A reminder why we do what we do. #HIMYM"

For those unfamiliar with the Cheers finale, you can check it out here. Suffice to say, it's a fitting ending to a classic television series. The passion of HIMYM fans runs deep, so expecations for the ending are understandably high. Thomas' tweet does not necessarily mean that the Cheers imprint would be visible on HIMYM's last episode, but finality is something that many fans crave.

Thomas then tweeted out the following three messages:

"'Boy, I tell you, I'm the luckiest son of a bitch on Earth.' #cheers #perfection"

"I'd be proud if #HIMYM finale were even half as good as that! #cheers"

"Crowd-sourcing: What are your favorite series finales ever? #HIMYM"

Fans have already seen more of The Mother than they probably ever expected, so it still remains a possibility that the fateful meeting between her and Ted could take place in that final episode. But there are numerous other scenarios, including a flashforward to 2030, the year in which Future Ted (Bob Saget) is telling this story to his children.

What do you think, HIMYM fans? Should any other sitcom influence the ending? What are your expectations for the finale? Let us know in the comments below.