Be prepared to not find out who the mother of Ted’s kids is for another 2 years. CBS and How I Met Your Mother producer 20th Century Fox Television have closed a deal to pick up the relationship comedy from Carter Bays and Craig Thomas for 2 additional seasons, through May 2013. I think this is the earliest HIMYM has been renewed; the underrated series usually gets the nod just before CBS’ annual upfront.

With the show continuing to grow in its sixth season and the future of CBS comedy tentpole Two and a Half Men uncertain, I hear 20th TV got nice coin for HIMYM: a new license fee of about $3.3 million per episode. The cast – Josh Radnor, Jason Segel, Cobie Smulders, Neil Patrick Harris and Alyson Hannigan – are all set to return.

HIMYM started off as a cult favorite with great online following but soft ratings. Then something happened in the spring of 2008, right after the show came back from the writers strike. Fueled by a well-cast and -promoted guest appearance by Britney Spears, HIMYM took off in the ratings and never looked back. Later that year, 20th TV inked rich syndication deals for the show.

The two-year pickup for HIMYM follows CBS’ recent three-year deal for comedy The Big Bang Theory. And Two and a Half Men has one more season under its 3-year renewal sealed in 2009.

