CBS’s How I Met Your Mother (HIMYM) ended more than seven years ago, but fans who miss Robin, Barney, Ted, Lily, and Ted—and are also really bummed the Lizzie McGuire Disney+ reboot didn’t happen—had a short reprieve. Hilary Duff starred in a How I Met Your Mother spin-off called How I Met Your Father (HIMYF), a comedy series on Hulu. This is the first show Duff is doing after the series end of Younger, which ran for seven seasons.
The pilot episode was helmed by HIMYM director Pam Fryman, who directed 196 out of 208 episodes of the original series. Although many fans had problems with the show’s finale, they will certainly be happy to see much of the same creative power behind this new project. Original series creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas are back, and Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger will be show-runners.
“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,” Bays and Thomas said in a statement per Deadline. “We are honored by their passion and vision, and look forward to helping them tell a legendary new story. Thanks to all the HIMYM fans out there who waited for it.”
Here’s everything to know about HIMYF.
When did the show air?
On Nov. 17, Hulu released a video of the cast announcing that the show would premiere on the streaming platform Jan. 18, 2022.
An official trailer followed on Dec. 16, teasing Sophie’s (Hilary Duff) chaotic love life and friend shenanigans. And—surprise!—Kim Cattrall makes an appearance as the narrator, Sophie in the future.
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What was Duff’s role in the show?
Duff played Sophie, the show’s protagonist and narrator, telling her son the story of how she met his father. The plot begins in 2021 and depicts Sophie with her close-knit group of friends, who all live—where else?—in New York City.
Duff also produced on the series.
“I’ve been incredibly lucky in my career to play some wonderful characters and I’m looking forward to taking on the role of Sophie. As a huge fan of How I Met Your Mother, I’m honored and even a little nervous that [HIMYM creators] Carter and Craig would trust me with the sequel of their baby,” Duff said, per Deadline. “Isaac and Elizabeth are brilliant, and I can’t wait to work alongside them and all of their genius. Just fan-girling over here getting to join the Hulu Originals and 20th families. I realize these are big shoes to fill and I’m excited to slip my 6 ½s in there.”
What was the show’s format?
HIMYF used both multi-camera and single-camera methods, in much the same way as the original. Just as Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) walked his kids through the ups and downs of dating, working, and cultivating lasting friendships in Manhattan, Sophie told her son how she did the same.
Her story, however, takes place in the age of social media and dating apps. HIMYF’s 2021 debut will look pretty different than HIMYM’s 2006 launch.
Who was in the cast, other than Duff?
Francia Raisa (Grown-ish) played Sophie’s roommate, Valentina, a dear friend and stylist who’s recently returned to New York from London Fashion Week, toting a new British boyfriend named Charlie. “She’s impulsive and adventurous, and Sophie relies on Valentina’s ability to cheer her up when she gets down,” Deadline reports.
Sex and the City alum Kim Cattrall nabbed a major recurring role, playing a future version of Duff’s Sophie, telling her kids about how she met their father, as Deadline reported. (Like the part Bob Saget played for Josh Radnor’s Ted in the original.)
Kim Cattrall will play a future version of Hilary Duff’s character.
Tom Ainsley (Versailles) will tackle Valentina’s boyfriend, Charlie, a model who’s been “living in a rich person’s bubble his whole life” as the son of conservative aristocrats.
Next, Chris Lowell (Veronica Mars) plays Jesse, an Uber driver and aspiring musician who lives with his best friend. Suraj Sharma (Wedding Season) will play this best friend, named Sid, a bar owner and Jesse’s roommate.
Tien Tran (Space Force) will play Jesse’s adopted sister, Ellen, who hopped a plane to New York from a small farming town after ending a relationship with her wife.
Another former child star, Josh Peck of Drake & Josh fame (who now stars of Disney+’s Turner & Hooch) has landed a recurring role. He’ll play Drew, a “handsome vice principal” at Jesse’s school, according to Deadline.
Ashley Reyes (American Gods) also joins in the recurring role of Hannah, a surgical resident in L.A. and Sid’s long-distance girlfriend.
Daniel Augustin (David Makes Man) is also in the recurring cast as Sophie’s Tinder match, Ian.
How many seasons did How I Met Your Father have?
The first season of How I Met Your Father ran for ten episodes, and the second season expanded to 19. But on Friday, September 1, it was announced that the show was canceled after two seasons.
Hilary Weaver is a freelance writer based in New York who writes about politics, queer issues, Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, and every woman the Queen has ever made a dame. I saw Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again three times in theaters, and that’s pretty much all you need to know.
Culture Writer
Lauren Puckett-Pope is a staff culture writer at ELLE, where she primarily covers film, television and books. She was previously an associate editor at ELLE.
