Is How I Met Your Father Based on a True Story?

Set in 2050, Hulu’s sitcom ‘How I Met Your Father’ revolves around Sophie, who tells her son the story of how she met his father. Sophie’s story begins in 2022, as she encounters a group of people that turns her life around. Created by Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger, the show progresses through Sophie’s struggles to be in a meaningful relationship and the friendships she cherishes. As her relatable experiences affect the viewers, one must be wondering whether Sophie and her adventures are rooted in reality. If you are curious about the genesis of the show, we have got you covered!

Is How I Met Your Father Based on a True Story?

No, ‘How I Met Your Father’ is not based on a true story. The sitcom is a standalone sequel of ‘How I Met Your Mother,’ created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays. Rather than continuing the narrative of the original show, the sitcom introduces new characters and storylines, sharing a common universe. The narrative structure of the original show — an older Ted Mosby telling his children the story of how he met their mother — is used in the sitcom as an older Sophie narrates the story of meeting her son’s father to him.

Even though it’s a sequel, the show is independent of the narrative of ‘How I Met Your Mother.’ “People keep referring to the show as a reboot and it’s not a reboot. This is called a standalone sequel, which means it’s set in the world of the previous show but it’s really its own thing,” co-creator Isaac Aptaker said during the virtual Television Critics Association winter press tour. Within its independence, the sitcom does allude to the original show through references and several Easter eggs.

Although the genesis of ‘How I Met Your Father’ is not connected to real incidents or lives, the characters and narrative of the show are extremely relatable. The struggles and hardships Sophie faces do resemble reality incredibly. “Sophie isn’t quite where she thought she would be and she’s just flailing a little bit and everyone around her is helping her boost her up. Not that she’s down and out by any means, but she’s just navigating. And it’s so relatable and I can’t tell you how many friends are in that space,” Hilary Duff, who portrays Sophie and produces the show, said during the press tour.

The essence of the sitcom is the sense of reality that is present within its fictional narrative. The show succeeds in depicting the real-life nuances of friendships, dating, relationships, and emotional survival of the late 20s and early 30s through Sophie and her friends impeccably. Sophie’s determination to overcome the difficulties that arise in her pathway adds to the experience of watching the show. Talking about it, Hilary Duff said, “[…] Sophie is very effervescent and it’s hard to get her down. She gets knocked but she keeps trying. It’s a feel-good show, it’s a good time.”

Duff added, “It’s funny and it’s real and you get some tug-on-the-heartstring moments for sure.” As a sitcom, ‘How I Met Your Father’ attempts to stand apart from its predecessors by imparting a great sense of reality in its protagonist and principal characters. Even when its fiction prevails, the show succeeds in connecting with real-life through the honesty it displays in depicting some of the most personal and pivotal subjects that pertain to friendships and relationships.

Read More: Where is How I Met Your Father Filmed?