Hulu’s How I Met Your Father debuted the first two episodes on Tuesday, a spin-off of CBS’ How I Met Your Mother, which ran for nine seasons from 2005 to 2014.
The show features most of the same hallmarks of its predecessor – a group of friends in New York City trying to figure out their lives while hanging out at a bar, along with a narrator revealing the thoughts of the main character.
Early indications from the first reviews is that the spin-off will not match the critical acclaim of the original, with The Hollywood Reporter critic Angie Han perhaps putting it most succinctly: ‘It feels so far like a pale imitation.’
Debut: Hulu’s How I Met Your Father debuted the first two episodes on Tuesday, a spin-off of CBS’ How I Met Your Mother, which ran for nine seasons from 2005 to 2014
Pale: Early indications from the first reviews is that the spin-off will not match the critical acclaim of the original, with The Hollywood Reporter critic Angie Han perhaps putting it most succinctly: ‘It feels so far like a pale imitation’
Han adds that the spin-off tries to ‘recreate the spark’ from the early seasons of the original show, but it only succeeds in the most ‘superficial aspects’ and feels like ‘a pale imitation’ in ‘the ways that count most.’
The show follows Hilary Duff’s character Sophie, with Kim Cattrall voicing the future Sophie from the year 2050, looking back at her time in 2022, following in Bob Saget’s footsteps as the narrator for Josh Radnor’s Ted Mosby in HYMIM.
Duff, like Mosby before her, is a hopeless romantic looking for love, with Han praising Duff for her, ‘delicate balance of starry-eyed and grounded keeps Sophie on just this side of relatable.’
Recreate: Han adds that the spin-off tries to ‘recreate the spark’ from the early seasons of the original show, but it only succeeds in the most ‘superficial aspects’ and feels like ‘a pale imitation’ in ‘the ways that count most’
Romance: Duff, like Mosby before her, is a hopeless romantic looking for love, with Han praising Duff for her, ‘delicate balance of starry-eyed and grounded keeps Sophie on just this side of relatable’
The Guardian‘s Adrian Horton also praised Duff, stating, ‘what charm this sequel does have it largely owes to Duff – doe eyes, open face, innocent – grounding the shallow Sophie as much as she can.’
Still, Horton added that the show, ‘offers no reason to watch other than fondness for the original.’
The Wrap‘s Jennifer Keishin Armstrong bashed the show for its rehashed premise and dialogue, including, ‘Some lines sound literally like jokes rejected from the original run of How I Met Your Mother.’
Charm: The Guardian ‘s Adrian Horton also praised Duff, stating, ‘what charm this sequel does have it largely owes to Duff – doe eyes, open face, innocent – grounding the shallow Sophie as much as she can’
Rejected jokes: The Wrap ‘s Jennifer Keishin Armstrong bashed the show for its rehashed premise and dialogue, including, ‘Some lines sound literally like jokes rejected from the original run of How I Met Your Mother’
She added that the awkward dialogue is, ‘underscored by a laugh track that thinks the show is funnier than it is.’
The New York Post‘s Lauren Sarner called the show an ‘unnecessary sequel while The Los Angeles Times‘ Robert Lloyd also echoed, ‘there is nothing particularly new here.’
Polygon‘s Petrana Radulovic said she was expecting to be disappointed by the show, but she ended up enjoying it.
Laugh track: She added that the awkward dialogue is, ‘underscored by a laugh track that thinks the show is funnier than it is’
‘I’ve shed my cynicism and reluctantly embraced How I Met Your Father — which may yet disappoint me, but I am clinging to the way this first episode made me feel,’ she said.
Many fans were equally underwhelmed as the critics, with @jsjjazzfan78 adding, ‘I’m watching How I Met Your Father…. I’m not sure this show is a good idea.’
@Miscell_Thought added, ‘How I Met Your Father is very much an average show. I gave it an “eh.” I’ll give it a few episodes to see if it has the charm of the original and if I feel invested in the characters.’
Not sure: Many fans were equally underwhelmed as the critics, with @jsjjazzfan78 adding, ‘I’m watching How I Met Your Father…. I’m not sure this show is a good idea.
Average: @Miscell_Thought added, ‘How I Met Your Father is very much an average show. I gave it an “eh.” I’ll give it a few episodes to see if it has the charm of the original and if I feel invested in the characters.’
@lyrics321 added, ‘I’ve watched How I Met Your Mother my whole life since I was like 5. Can probably quote every line from any episode that I watched. It helped me thru my entire life. How I Met Your Father has to be the worst thing. Hoping it gets better but rn I hate it.’
@pagefold added, ‘Couldn’t resist checking out the How I Met Your Father pilot today. I’m instantly convinced Bob Saget’s death was a direct result of an early screening of Kim Cattrall’s performance as his successsor to the original series that he must have seen.’
Still, others enjoyed it like @potaylortotstoo, who said, ‘How I Met Your Father is actually pretty fun and I like the cast diversity!!’
Hate: @lyrics321 added, ‘I’ve watched How I Met Your Mother my whole life since I was like 5. Can probably quote every line from any episode that I watched. It helped me thru my entire life. How I Met Your Father has to be the worst thing. Hoping it gets better but rn I hate it’
Death: @pagefold added, ‘Couldn’t resist checking out the How I Met Your Father pilot today. I’m instantly convinced Bob Saget’s death was a direct result of an early screening of Kim Cattrall’s performance as his successsor to the original series that he must have seen.’
Oof: @reedthurston added ‘How I Met Your Father. Oof.’
Diversity: Still, others enjoyed it like @potaylortotstoo, who said, ‘How I Met Your Father is actually pretty fun and I like the cast diversity!!’
Grow up: @tatianateneyro shared a pic of Duff and Cattrall adding, ‘How I Met Your Father really expects me to believe she grows up to be her? lol okay sure’
No hate: @ChelseaStreeter said, ‘So, I uh… I didn’t hate How I Met Your Father. Let’s just hope I don’t feel the same disappointment as HIMYM’
No judge: @CourtesanOfCake said, ‘Don’t judge me, but as someone who loves How I Met Your Mother, I’m going to watch every episode of How I Met Your Father. Two episodes in and I’m a fan despite its many flaws.’
Cliche: @anther93 said, ‘How I Met Your Father seems cliche but adorable so far through two episodes’
Worsse: @annieweying said, ‘I was pleasantly surprised but How I Met Your Father, I thought would be worse. But it was pretty fun!’
Not sure: @seeingalex said, ‘Not really sure how to feel about How I Met Your Father yet… but I love Hilary Duff and HIMYM (and the ode to the apt/swords/Bob Saget is so *sad face emoji)
Rooting: @Wallflo_2001 said, ‘I thought I wouldn’t like the reboot but I genuinely enjoy the first two episodes of How I Met Your Father’
