I’ve been rewatching the show and have some random thoughts

- future Sophie: what is that belt she wears? It’s a weird fashion choice

- if she met the father in the first episode, what’s the point of the rest of the show?

- another Easter egg: in an episode in season 2, Sophie is recalling her exes and how they are all dating new people, when it flashes to Robert it says his full name is Robert McGuire. Reference to Lizzie McGuire.

I spotted some actual viewership numbers for HIMYF, provided by an official Nielsen source and thought it'd be nice to share them here!

For those of you who do not know what Nielsen is, they've been tracking viewership data since 1923 and expanded to tracking streaming data in 2018.

The numbers below are for the second season of HIMYF. I'll also provide a comparison to other 2023 Hulu shows (namely Futurama and Only Murders in the Building) that are around 30 minutes in length, similar to HIMYF.

How I Met Your Father:

Futurama:

Only Murders in the Building:

Other Hulu shows which charted in 2023 and 2024 include: Shogun (~500 million), Goosebumps (~400 million), The Bear (~400 million), American Horror Stories (~300 million), The Act (~300 million), Perfect Wife (~300 million), Under The Bridge (~300 million).

I know that according to some comedy set by an ex writer of the show, it’s Sid. I also have seen some theories that Jesse may die and then Sophie and Sid get together and have their child. My theory adds another layer to that — that Jesse is the father but dies either during pregnancy or infancy, and Sid becomes the step father, the only father the son has ever known, even though Jesse is his biological father.

I genuinely wish this show would have finished. I kinda hated season one when it aired, but I absolutely loved season two. I kinda felt that way with HIMYM too, the characters take a couple seasons to set into themselves and the story. But this show had real potential. I wish we could see it unfold! If not, I hope another spinoff happens. The “How I Met Your…” format is just brilliant.

I just binged watched the series after signing up for hulu temporarily. It took a little bit, but the later half of season one seem to have found its footing a little and then season two was really good and funny. I started to really enjoy the characters and their stories.

It's three years too late, but damn I wish they continued this show so I could continue watching.

So obviously, the fandom consensus is that Jesse or Sid woud have eventually been revealed as the Father. Sid seems to be the community favorite, but Jesse still has a lot of supporters, and every other option seems less likely.

But just for fun, let's come up with some alternative answers. Not ones that you think are likely necessarily, but ones that could have be interesting, unexpected, and/or cute to see.

I'll start with my selection of Charlie as the Father. With the added twist that he, Sophie, and Valentina are all together as a throuple.

Now obviously there are some major flaws with the suggestion, such as future Sophie repeatedly calling Valentina "Aunt Valentina" when talking to the son (rather than your other mother or something like that), but it also works surprisingly well in some ways.

First up, Charlie is included in the montage of possible Fathers at the end of the pilot, but there's really zero indication that he is ever really even remotely a contender to become the Father. This would explain why he's still in the list and be a geniuine suprise twist (as long as it was done well).

Secondly, at one point Sophie tells the son that by the time she was forty she had kissed all the people in the friend group and the son reacts with shock that "even Aunt Ellen" is included. Which implies that was the biggest surprise for him, rather than for her to have kissed Charlie or Valentina. If they are all together, then obviously he wouldn't be surprised about that.

And my favorite thing it does is make the season 2 finale turned series finale final reveal stronger. Because Sophie isn't just revealing how Valentina and Drew dating lead to Charlie and Valentina having a kid together (or raising one together), but that would mean the baby Alex reveal would be talking about the son's older half-brother. Which would be more meaningful to him, but also to the audience if that is the case.

UGH! I want this show to come back SO BAD!

Additionally, after my first time watching, I came here to see a lot of people vouching for Sid being the dad and I didn’t understand it but now…I see the vision. Not only is Sid gorgeous, but him and Sophie have this interesting chemistry. Plus ending on that devastating cliffhanger for Sid really left it wide open.

While I’m still of the belief that Jesse and Sophie are better together, I wish the show could come back just to perhaps explore that Sid storyline (or just to expand on Sid in general since he’s my second favorite character after Valentina).

Or just renew the show god damn it 😔

Other than Hilary is anyone from the cast busy rn?