The HIMYM spin-off HIMYF took fans of the original show on a trip down memory lane. HIMYF is the story of a group of friends with Sophie as the lead protagonist.
The show has the same premise as the previous one, which means that fans will compare the original with the spin-off series.
While some people are comparing the two to understand which one is better, most of them are merely drawing parallels between to relive memories they’ve had with one of the biggest sitcoms ever.
If you are someone who wants to quickly know all the similarities and differences between HIMYM and HIMYF, this article is just for you.
HIMYM and HIMYF have the same premise. The two shows also have similar characters and use similar tropes to develop the story, create suspense, and more. There are very few subtle differences between the two shows that are not noticeable.
HIMYM and HIMYF: Similarities
1. Ted and Robin VS Sophie and Jesse
Right from the first episode of HIMYF, we know Sophie is the Ted Mosby of HIMYF. She is that awkward soul who has gone on many dates but hasn’t found the right person to be with. This is how Ted’s story began.
Sophie and Jesse’s relationship follows the same story as Ted and Robin’s relationship. For instance, Ted had feelings for Robin, but the two decided to stay friends at the beginning of HIMYM season 1. The same thing happened with Sophie and Jesse as well.
2. Robin and Jesse: The Perfect Distractions
We all thought Robin was going to be the mother in HIMYM. After all, the chemistry between Ted and Robin was one of the most heartwarming parts of the show.
However, as we know, Robin was just a misdirection. In HIMYF, fans think that Sophie and Jesse are meant to be and want Jesse to be the father. However, there is a good chance that the writers are executing the same misdirection they did all those years ago.
3. Charlie and Barney
Every friend’s group has that one guy who’s a ladies’ man. Barney Stinson played that role with an incredible sense of humor in HIMYM. In HIMYF, that mantle is taken on by Charlie, who is funny and has a way with the ladies.
4. Drew and Victoria
In HIMYM season 1, after Ted and Robin decided to remain friends, Ted started dating Victoria. In HIMYF, Sophie began dating Drew after arriving at the same decision with Jesse.
While Victoria appeared much later in the show after leaving in season 1, we still need to see how Drew’s character arc plays out.
5. The Engagement Party
In both HIMYM and HIMYF, the protagonists met their better halves at an engagement party.
This is one of the most significant similarities between the two shows and depicts how the writers are banking on nostalgia to garner attention from fans of the original show.
6. Jesse and Sid’s Apartment VS Ted and Marshal’s Apartment
It is revealed in HIMYF that Sid and Jesse had got an apartment for a steal. This apartment was Ted and Marshal’s old apartment. Numerous major events of HIMYM took place in that apartment, and we can see HIMYF follow a similar trend.
HIMYM and HIMYF: Differences
As someone who has binged the original series multiple times, I feel every frame of HIMYF has HIMYM written all over it.
As mentioned earlier, the differences between the two shows are negligible, and hence HIMYF seems unoriginal and templated to a great extent.
Nevertheless, here’s a list of differences between the two shows:
- In HIMYM, Robin was the outsider who joined the friends’ group, but, in HIMYF, Jesse is not an outsider but very much part of the friends’ group.
- While Barney was charming and sassy, he was toxic, sexist, and had unresolved parenting issues. Charlie seems to be more woke and doesn’t have the same shades of grey Barney had. However, he lacks the ability to make us laugh as hard as Barney did.
- Marshal and Lily’s relationship in HIMYM is not duplicated in HIMYF.
These are the only three major differences between the two shows. I think HIMYF is a show created merely as fan service for people who loved the original show. There seems to be much lesser thought put into the writing process.
This could be because the creators or the production house wants to capitalize on the nostalgia of the fans and do nothing else. Thus all efforts are going into making the new show look and feel similar to the old show.
While some might say it is still early to judge, considering only 4 episodes of the show are out, I think the tonality and the vibe of the show are set already and aren’t going to change.
What I believe might change is how they use their twists, misdirections, and reveals. While it might not be original, it would keep the audience hooked.
About How I Met Your Father
How I Met Your Father (HIMYF) is a spinoff series of the incredibly successful CBS show, How I Met Your Mother. The original show ran for nine seasons, from 2005 to 2014, quickly making its mark with a dedicated cult-like fanbase.
HIMYF was announced to start production in April 2021 with the Lizzy McGuire star Hilary Duff playing the lead called Sophie, narrating her journey to her children in the future.
The show’s flashbacks will start from Sophie and her close friends navigating love, life and struggles in the modern era of dating, paying bills and more, in 2021.
Created by writers Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger of This Is Us fame and directed by the original show’s director, Pamela Fryman, the first season of HIMYF is revealed to have 10 episodes. No further details have yet been released.
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