Hulu is looking to tap into some name recognition with the news that “How I Met Your Father,” a spinoff of the beloved sitcom “How I Met Your Mother,” will be shipping directly to its streaming service.
The title may sound familiar to some fans, as CBS shot an ill-fated pilot looking to carry the show’s torch in the form of “How I Met Your Dad” after the original show’s end in 2014 after nine seasons.
“How I Met Your Mother,” starring Neil Patrick Harris, Jason Segel, and Colbie Smulders, focused on the backstory of how a man played by Josh Radnor fell in love with his kids’ mother, played by Cristin Milioti. “How I Met Your Father” flips the script by having a mother, to be played by Hilary Duff, tell her son the story about how she met his father.
Duff herself is set to produce the series along with executive producers Isaac Aptaker, Elizabeth Berger, and original “How I Met Your Mother” creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas.
While CBS passed on the show in 2015, Hulu is hoping to reignite the fanbase with their latest acquisition.
“How I Met Your Mother is a crown jewel in the 20th library, and its fans have clamored for more ever since our final broadcast seven years ago,” said 20th Television president Karey Burke. She goes on to say that Aptaker and Berger “have created a spectacular new take which both honors the original and is entirely their own. Let the speculation as to who the father is commence!”
Craig Erwich, president of Hulu Originals and ABC Entertainment agrees, saying that the team has “an inspired take on this new version that honors what Carter and Craig created with the original and moves the franchise forward.”
“How I Met Your Father” will find good company in Hulu’s diverse comedy lineup. The roster already includes shows like “Pen15,” “Ramy,” “Letterkenny,” and “Dollface.”
Those looking to see what all the fuss is about can catch up thanks to the original 9 seasons of “How I Met Your Mother” also appearing on Hulu as well as Amazon Prime Video.
How I Met Your Mother
A father recounts to his children - through a series of flashbacks - the journey he and his four best friends took leading up to him meeting their mother.