“How I Met Your Father”, yes you read that right, father! This new, fresh and exciting series takes after the beloved CBS sitcom series “How I Met Your Mother.”
This article will tell you everything that you have wanted to know about this new spinoff series starring Hilary Duff. All you need to do is sit back and enjoy the read!
Introduce It, please!
“How I Met Your Father” is an American sitcom created by “This Is Us” showrunners Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger. This standalone sequel to “How I Met Your Mother” premiered on Hulu on January 18, 2022. The series stars Hilary Duff, Christopher Lowell, Francia Raisa, Suraj Sharma, Kim Cattrall, Tom Ainsley, and Tien Tran. The executive producers are Craig Thomas and Carter Bays, creators of “How I Met Your Mother.”
So, when did this series start its journey? It was in April 2021 that the news broke out about “How I Met Your Mother” getting a spinoff. The filming commenced a few months later on September 1st according to the show’s official Instagram. Following this, on November 22nd, the production for season 1 wrapped up.
What’s The Main Story?
Similar to the sitcom it was inspired by, How I Met Your Father places the spotlight on a young, close-knit group of friends. They are all in the midst of trying to find their way through life, which of course, comes with its highs and lows, especially when it involves dating and falling in love.
Let’s Meet the Cast & Characters
The show How I Met Your Father centers on a female protagonist, Sophie, played by Hilary Duff. She is a hopelessly romantic photographer in search of her soulmate.
Christopher Lowell plays Jesse, an ambitious musician who is also working as an Uber driver. He resides in Ted, Marshall, and Lily’s old apartment.
Valentina, Sophie’s best friend, and roomie is played by Francia Raisa. She is an impulsive assistant- stylist who has just returned from London Fashion week with a handsome chap named Charlie.
Tom Ainsley comes as Charlie who is a British aristocrat. He travels to New York to move in with Sophie and Valentine, after meeting them at London Fashion Week.
Sid, played by Suraj Sharma, is Jesse’s optimistic best friend and roommate. He is also a bar owner and is engaged to Hannah.
Tien Tran comes as Ellen, Jesse’s adopted sister. She moves to New York City after splitting up from her wife.
The Future Sophie is narrated by Golden Globe winner Kim Cattrall. In the year 2050, she tells her son the story of how she met his father. Cattrall’s role is similar to the duty of Bob Saget in “How I Met Your Mother” when he lends his voice to narrate Josh Radnor’s Ted Mosby in the original series.
The Episodes
Pilot
After several let-down Tinder dates, Sophie meets who she thinks is the perfect guy. Valentina, Sophie’s roommate, returns from London Fashion Week with an interesting souvenir. A car service phone mishap leads them to a new group of friends.
FOMO
Sophie and her crew head to a new club for a wild night out. Valentina is uncertain about her relationship with Charlie. Sid pushes Jesse to let love in. Ellen is trying to get lucky with women at the club.
The third episode is “The Fixer” which will be released on January 25th followed by “Dirty Thirty” on February 1st.
Season 1 of How I Met Your Father comprises 10 episodes, each with a duration of around 30 minutes.
What Does the Team Have to Say about How I Met Your Father?
Craig Thomas and Carter Bays, the executive producers wrote in a statement “Kids, I’m going to tell you an incredible story: It’s the story of how two writers got lucky enough to make their dream TV show for nine seasons and now get to pass the torch to an inspired new creative team with their own incredible story to tell, the story of How I Met Your Father”.
During the NBC News virtual press meet-up, Hilary Duff emphasized that “We are not trying to reboot and re-create. We are borrowing some important parts of the [original] show that made people fall in love with it.”
Ultimately, the theme of How I Met Your Father remains rooted in a story of finding love. But, Duff noted, it’s also “very much about these people who really need each other. They are all building this new friendship and realizing how well they all fit together.”
Christopher Lowell said he was excited to be part of the project. “I’m not being tasked with the pressure of being the new whatever, like trying to be the Barney or the Robin or the Ted. To put that on us would be, I think, a disaster for everybody,” he said on How I Met Your Father.
“I think what writers did so brilliantly here is they allowed us to live within the same world without feeling trapped by it. As a result, you get plenty of room for us to become our own characters, for our show to become our own show without abandoning what made the original so special.”
In terms of the narrative format, there is a change in How I Met Your Father. The future Sophie played by Kim Cattrall is seen on- camera as she narrates to her son the story of how she met his father, rather than having that story in a voice-over. On this note, one of the creators, Isaac Aptaker said “As soon as you try and replicate something successful you fall flat on your face. So, we thought, what if instead we showed an older version of the character telling the story to her son but also to the audience?”
What Does the Audience Have to Say?
After the first two episodes of “How I Met Your Father” premiered on Hulu, “How I Met Your Mother” fans were flooded with feelings of nostalgia, especially with the very familiar apartment. It didn’t take long for the fans to notice it and share their excitement on Twitter.
In terms of reviews, the series How I Met Your Father received mixed reviews. While many viewers enjoyed the show’s humor and pacing, some compared it to “How I Met Your Mother” and didn’t seem to be amused by this series.
