Disney Surprise Cancels Fan-Favorite Streaming Comedy
When Hulu announced the spinoff How I Met Your Father, fans were beyond excited for the continuation of the charming stories and relatable scenarios that characterized the original series How I Met Your Mother. The show promised a refreshing take with new characters and an updated storyline set in the modern dating landscape. Sadly, after two seasons, Hulu has canceled the series, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
How I Met Your Mother went on for too long, but How I Met Your Father has already been canceled after only two seasons.
In How I Met Your Father, Sophie (played in the future by Kim Cattrall and Hilary Duff in the present) recounts to her son the tale of how she met his father. The story weaves through her younger years in the heart of New York City, diving deep into her relationships, adventures, and misadventures with her close-knit group of friends. Christopher Lowell, Francia Raisa, Suraj Sharma, Tom Ainsley, Tien Tran, Josh Peck, Ashley Reyes, and Leighton Meester also star.
How I Met Your Father was conceived by This Is Us showrunners Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger. They worked as executive producers alongside How I Met Your Mother creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas, director Pamela Fryman, and others, including Adam Londy and Suzy Mamann Greenberg. Additionally, Hilary Duff contributed as a producer.
How I Met Your Father brought back stars from the original series for cameo appearances, including Cobie Smulders and Neil Patrick Harris.
The journey to develop a spinoff of How I Met Your Mother began in 2014. After several iterations, 10 episodes were ordered by Hulu in April 2021. How I Met Your Father debuted in January 2022, later earning a renewal for a split 20-episode second season.
Upon its debut, How I Met Your Father received mixed reviews, contrasting the widespread acclaim of How I Met Your Mother. While some fans lauded the fresh take on a classic story, others believed it didn’t match the charm and humor of the original. Both the dynamics of the new cast and the story’s pacing were points of contention among viewers.
Moreover, the comparison to How I Met Your Mother was inevitable. Nostalgia can be a double-edged sword. While it drew initial interest, it also set a high bar for How I Met Your Father to meet, perhaps an unrealistic one, given that the cultural and media landscape has evolved since the end of the original series.
Fans are now left to debate which is more unsatisfying: the divisive ending of How I Met Your Mother or the lack of closure for How I Met Your Father.
Debuting in 2005, How I Met Your Mother enjoyed a remarkable run spanning nine seasons and encompassing a whopping 208 episodes, becoming a staple in many households. In stark contrast, How I Met Your Father had a much shorter lifespan, with a mere 30 episodes gracing the screens. Adding to the melancholy of its short run, what left fans truly disheartened about the cancelation was the lingering mystery, as they were never provided with the revelation of the identity of the protagonist’s child’s father.
The news of How I Met Your Father’s cancelation comes just days after Hulu axed The Great after three seasons. Showrunners Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger reportedly intended for most of the original characters from How I Met Your Mother to appear in How I Met Your Father, but these plans remain unrealized. Fans are now left to debate which is more unsatisfying: the divisive ending of How I Met Your Mother or the lack of closure for How I Met Your Father.
