Season 1 of "How I Met Your Mother" premiered on September 19, 2005, and concluded on May 15, 2006. The season consists of 22 episodes, each about 22 minutes long. The story is framed by the older Ted Mosby, in the year 2030, telling his children how he met their mother. The main storyline, set in 2005 New York, follows 27-year-old Ted Mosby, an architect, and his search for true love after his best friend Marshall Eriksen gets engaged to Lily Aldrin. Key highlights from Season 1 include Ted meeting Robin Scherbatsky, an ambitious Canadian reporter, at a bar, sparking a romantic storyline. Ted's quest for "the one" includes dating other women, such as Victoria, who later moves to Germany for a fellowship. The season also explores the friendships and relationships of the group, including Marshall and Lily's engagement and occasional struggles, plus the antics of Barney Stinson, Ted's self-appointed wingman who encourages one-night stands. The season ends with Ted officially dating Robin but Marshall dealing with the breakup after Lily leaves for an art fellowship in San Francisco. The season mixes romantic comedy with heartfelt moments and introduced the unique narrative style that made the show popular. It received mixed to positive reviews and had an average U.S. viewership of 9.47 million per episode.