How I Met Your Father hit American screens on January 18, 2022. A Hulu exclusive, the show always had a tough act to follow. How I Met Your Mother was one of the most beloved sitcoms of the noughties and early-10s. Predictably, this new spin-off was subject to high expectations – and a wee bit of skepticism (despite Barney Stinson’s famous assertion, new isn’t always better. Certainly so when it comes to series reboots and spin-offs).
And thus, when HIMYF aired earlier in the year, reviews were…mixed. Critics shrugged their shoulders ineffectually at the series, it was okay, but it pretty much retreads the ground of HIMYM. Hillary Duff and co. were likable enough, and the new gang’s hijinks were chuckle-worthy. But the question remained – what new material did How I Met Your Father offer the world? The answer, in many critics’ summation, is none.
And, in their defense, they’re right in their reviews about HIMYF. The episodes released thus far have shown a loyal faithfulness to its predecessor’s formula. Many quirky, mismatched characters have adventures in New York nightclubs, laughing amongst a barrage of cutaway gags and pop culture references. And also, much like its predecessor, the series maintains a steady diet of heart underneath its zaniness. Much like Ted was the emotional center of HIMYM, Duff’s Ted-genderswap, Sophie plays the same role for her series. And its for the reasons mentioned that despite its downfalls, How I Met Your Father acts as a fitting antidote to modern-day nihilism in TV and society.
Laughter Among the Chaos
Funnily enough, despite accusations in reviews that HIMYF lacks originality, it appears incredibly distinctive now, given the current slate of telly. From the emotional abuse of Succession to the comic-relief-turned-Greek-tragedy of Better Call Saul, modern television seemingly reflects the nihilistic hearts and minds of the Western world. Now, by no means is this is a criticism of said shows. In fact, these shows are very well-written and explore the dark side of humanity in complex and compelling ways. There is always room for shows like these.
That said, in a world bewitched by COVID-19 and country invasions and wars, there is also room for fantasy. This is where light-hearted shows like How I Met Your Father come in. HIMYF is the televised comfort food you can consume while lying on the couch. It shows us a diverse cast of different backgrounds coming together, getting along and having fun adventures, and learning hard lessons about love all the while. The cast, as mentioned above, all have their quirks and are like a family you can return to watching every week.
Indeed, the cast of How I Met Your Father is very charming. The golden spoon-fed fish-out-of-water Brit, Charlie, is pure fun, his struggle to adapt to lower-class New York life often a reliable source of comedy. Likewise, Jesse, who appears to be HIMYF‘s ‘Robin,’ is a handsome and endearing music teacher who is a widespread internet meme after his ex-girlfriend turns down his proposal on a YouTube video. And then we have Hillary Duff’s Sophie, the character who lives inside all of us – a photographer searching for ‘the one.’ And although Sophie has her own quirks (i.e., Trains’ Drops of Jupiter being her comfort song for all situations), she also has depth. She is the daughter of a single mother who often had to ‘big sister’ her mother.
This is just the tip of HIMYF‘s iceberg. However, it affirms my point. The show maintains a delightfully relatable cast (who also prove a good laugh) for millennial and Gen Z viewers that light up an otherwise grim real-life.
How I Met Your Father and Optimism
One of the elements HIMYF borrows from its predecessor is its unrelenting optimism. While How I Met Your Mother was often compared to Friends during its initial run, it did have something its inspiration didn’t. It had the series-long mystery of the titular Mother’s identity. The show revolved around Ted’s journey to the Norman Rockefeller-picket fence dream of starting a family. Now, HIMYF does this via Sophie.
Sophie’s faith that she will meet ‘the one’ despite her hang-ups is unshakeable. And what’s more, she’s blessed with the support of her friendship group. Even Jesse, who acts as the series’ ‘will they-won’t they’ love interest, shows a great deal of empathy towards Sophie’s plight, especially in Episode 3’s coda. After all, Jesse himself has been heart-broken before and possesses the same goal love-wise. He gives Sophie the contact deets for the Vice Principal of the school where he works after realizing they hit it off. He’s a good guy deep down.
But the show’s focus on young people finding love isn’t the only way it challenges our everyday nihilism. The pilot itself clarifies that the show is a celebration of what makes NYC beautiful. Although admittedly cheesy, Sophie’s best friend, Valentina, has a deep affection for the city she calls home. So much so she is anxious to get her outsider-boyfriend Charlie to see it. More importantly, HIMYF wants us to see it. And, to some degree, it succeeds.
HIMYF and New York
Alicia Keys once sang that NYC is “the concrete jungle that dreams are made of.” And, if anything’s inevitable, then it’s that HIMYF agrees. And it’s not merely via the pilot’s ending bridge scene, where the city’s lights shine in the background, that this is made apparent. Instead, it’s through every detail in the show.
In Episode 3, for example, a running gag has a strange man called Frank ask various characters to ‘open wide.’ Much to Charlie’s detriment, he learned this isn’t a wise request to indulge. Because once the unwitting subway-rider opens their mouth, Frank randomly prods their tongue and gums. And yet, as absurd as this sounds, the show plays this for laughs and depicts the seemingly-homeless Frank as one of the many vibrant and characteristic colors in New York’s diverse color palette.
Indeed, the magic of NYC is subtly promoted via its cast alone. This is a show that has the Caucasian Jesse have an adopted Asian sister, Ellen, who is a lesbian. This is also the show with Jesse’s roommate and best friend, Sid, of Indian descent, who runs a bar. The message here being? No matter who you are, NYC has a place for you. Lady Liberty is seldom seen in this show, but her message is written all over Season 1. Undoubtedly, it’ll continue to shine in Season 2.
Climbing out of HIMYM’s Shadow
Now, as its reviews indicate, by no means is HIMYF a perfect show. There’s plenty to criticize. Since the show employs the same hook as its predecessor (“who is the protagonist’s soulmate?”), it feels less compelling. That is, after all, what made How I Met Your Mother unique, despite its similarity to Friends. It made the show feel like it had a purpose and direction, even despite its weekly over-the-top comedy hijinks. It proved that single-camera sitcoms could let loose the laughter while keeping things meaningful and sincere with profound meditations on love.
At this point, How I Met Your Father is still finding its voice. It’s trying some new things (this time, for example, the elder protagonist, played by Kim Cattrall, is obvious, unlike future Ted from HIMYM). But ultimately, it still rests on the laurels of the original show. It is a hopeful message, and endearing characters are a welcome escape from the nihilism and despair of modern-day television and film. And, if the writers can shake things up going forward, then long may it continue.
Do you agree with the mixed reviews of HIMYF? What is your favorite character in the show?
