Here are the best elements of How I Met Your Mother that its spin-off series How I Met Your Father needs to copy. Created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays, How I Met Your Mother is a nine-season sitcom following Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor), as he tells his children how he met their mother, Tracy McConnell (Cristin Milioti). Joining him in his journey are his friends Robin Scherbatsky (Cobie Smulders), Marshall Eriksen (Jason Segel), Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris), and Lily Aldrin (Alyson Hannigan). Although How I Met Your Mother ended on a disappointing note, the show had been praised for its unique narrative structure and humor, which the spin-off series How I Met Your Father can benefit from copying.
Even before How I Met Your Mother’s finale in 2014, it was announced that there would be a spin-off series, How I Met Your Dad. However, the show, which supposedly starred Little Women director Greta Gerwig, was ultimately scrapped. In 2016, a new version of the canceled spin-off, How I Met Your Father, was reportedly in the works. The idea was seemingly shelved for a long time, as it was only in April 2021 that the show was officially ordered by Hulu.
The ten-episode series How I Met Your Father is finally slated to premiere on January 18, 2022. Pamela Fryman, the original sitcom’s director, lent her talents for the pilot, while Hilary Duff, who plays the central character Sophie, also serves as a producer. Duff is joined by Chris Lowell, Francia Raisa, Tom Ainsley, Tien Tran, and Suraj Sharma, and Kim Cattrall from Sex and the City plays Sophie’s future self. As How I Met Your Father finds its footing, it needs to adapt these parts of How I Met Your Mother that many fans have loved over the years.
Running Gags
How I Met Your Mother’s humor had been elevated with its running gags. For instance, Ted and Robin have created a running inside joke from military rankings. Every time a friend uses phrases like, “major buzzkill” or “general knowledge,” they mockingly repeat them and salute. Barney has his own share of gags, too, including his different variations of high-fives such as “self five,” “phone five,” and “condolence five”. The gang is also fond of holding interventions when an issue arises, so much so that an intervention is needed for their interventions. Additionally, perhaps the most popular running gag featured in the episodes of How I Met Your Mother is Marshall and Barney’s slap bet, which spans eight seasons. While How I Met Your Father does not need to exactly copy or even reference these running gags, creating their own will surely pay off. These gags will definitely attract and reward viewers, creating a sense of continuity, even with humor.
Catchphrases
Almost every sitcom has its own catchphrases, but How I Met Your Mother’s became instant fan-favorites. Barney Stinson’s “legen-wait for it-dary”, “suit up,” and “challenge accepted” are just some of his popular catchphrases, while Marshall also frequently uses “lawyered”. Not only did these phrases reflect these characters’ personalities, with Barney’s penchant for inappropriate remarks and Marshall’s habit of disproving people’s arguments, but they also enriched the dialogue of the show. At this point, it may be difficult to introduce catchphrases that will positively stick to the collective consciousness of viewers. However, given how the spin-off How I Met Your Father is connected to HIMYM, the show already has a lot of potential, and subsequently, expectations, to meet.
Flashbacks and Flash-Forwards
How I Met Your Mother had been primarily praised for employing an unconventional format. The show’s main premise is anchored on flashbacks, as Ted recounted his life as a young adult in New York. This narrative structure had also been the show’s go-to means for its comedy, with the characters getting fleshed out through glimpses of their past and recollecting memories or even fantasies. On the other hand, HIMYM’s use of flash-forwards showed where Ted and his friends end up and even make predictions about the future. Since the show’s playing with timelines made it engaging and successful, it would be a waste if How I Met Your Father did not adopt it. Furthermore, as most of the spin-off’s viewers come from the original show’s fan base, they will surely expect this element.
Clever Euphemisms
Because Ted Mosby is narrating his youth to his teenage children, he tries his best to censor his stories, especially since most of them are inappropriate for their age. For starters, instead of explicitly saying that they are smoking marijuana, Ted tells his kids that they are “eating sandwiches”. He also switches curse words with “grinch” and “fudge,” and vulgar gestures, such as flipping off and having loud sexual relations, with “giving a thumbs up” and “playing the bagpipes,” respectively. How I Met Your Mother also spared the audience from offensive punchlines, similar to how the show explained Lily’s disappearance in season 4. Aside from allowing the series to stick to its concept, these euphemisms offered more creative opportunities for storytelling, which How I Met Your Father can follow.
Mystery of the Future Spouse
What maintained How I Met Your Mother’s charm is the way it continued to reference the Mother, even though Ted had not physically met her yet. Throughout the show, the Mother’s identity has been alluded to with Easter eggs, particularly the iconic yellow umbrella. This technique kept the viewers invested, urging them to watch the show in order to meet Ted’s mystery wife. Sadly, HIMYM might have executed this perfectly because its fans grew attached to the Mother even though she was only around for one season, leaving them devastated from learning about Tracy’s death in the series ending. But since How I Met Your Father follows the same premise, it is only logical that it keeps the mystery of Sophie’s future spouse alive. However, the spin-off needs to take it up a notch, since its audience will be more inclined to binge-watch and will be eagerly looking for clues.
Musical Performances
In a twist unexpected from sitcoms, How I Met Your Mother had a rich repertoire of musical performances. Original songs were seamlessly incorporated into the story by making music an integral part of the characters’ background, with the most notable one being Robin as a famous pop star in her teens. While this inclusion of music emphasized the talents of the cast members, it also left a longer-lasting impression on its viewers. Similarly, giving How I Met Your Father’s cast the chance to showcase their musical talents will add to its replay value, which is vital for gaining a following similar to its well-loved predecessor, How I Met Your Mother.