Despite an uncertain beginning to its streaming life course,Huluhas announced it will renewHow I Met Your Fatherfor at least one more season that will feature twice as many episodes as the show’s debut season.
Hulu’sHow I Met Your Fatherpilot premiered on January 18 as part of a two-episode release. A sequel to the hit sitcomHow I Met Your Mother, which ran on CBS from 2004 to 2014,How I Met Your Fathertakes place in the exact same universe with characters from the new series even living in Ted, Marshall, and Lily’s formerNew York Cityapartment. At the time of writing,How I Met Your Fatherhas released six episodes, although critical reception has been mostly lukewarm and quick to point out the show’s over reliance on nostalgia for the original.
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Nevertheless, Hulu executives believe they have something special on their hands becauseHow I Met Your Fatheris officially getting a second 20-episode season, which in itself is a rare extensive run for astreaming comedy series. Hulu’s head of scripted content, Jordan Helman, was quite supportive of the show, giving a special shout-out to its lead actor and producer Hilary Duff for her work on the show. “Isaac and Elizabeth’s inspired vision forHow I Met Your Fatherhas proven to be true appointment viewing that fans cannot get enough of week to week,” said Helman. “The lives of these characters, as portrayed by the immensely talented cast led by Hilary Duff, are just starting to unfold and we’re thrilled to bring more of this group’s journey to our viewers with a supersized second season.”
How I Met Your Fatherdoes bring backHow I Met Your Mothercreators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas, now acting as executive producers, though they also had time to co-write the pilot episode. The possibility of them returning in that capacity in the future has not been ruled out. Duff’s Sophie is joined by Francia Raisa (Valentina), Christopher Lowell (Jesse), Suraj Sharma (Sid), Tom Ainsley (Charlie), Tien Tran (Ellen Gilbert), and Kim Cattrall as future Sophie.
So far theHow I Met Your Fatherseems keen to explore the same themes that made the original show one of the greatest sitcoms in recent memory, but it’s debatable whether a multi-camera comedy with pre-recorded laughs can still be successful in 2022. That said, it’s clear Hulu wants to giveHow I Met Your Fathera shot by backing the show for at least one more year, with the company alsoeager to revive another hit likeFuturamain the near futureto add more content to a platform already brimming with great shows in all genres.
This is something the show’s creators have said to enjoy, as they’re no longer restricted to a specific number of episodes in the way sitcoms of old used to be. Thus, they have extra creative freedom over the pacing of Sophie’s story, which is something even Bays and Thomas struggled with at some point when writing Ted’s story.
How I Met Your Fatherepisodes drop on Hulu each Tuesday.
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