Somewhere in the twenty-first century, a group of late-twenty and early-thirty-year-olds have religiously tuned into Hulu’s hit original series How I Met Your Father while excessively screaming at their smart televisions and debating if their love-hate relationship with the main character Sophie is even worth continuing to watch the remainder of the show.
The reason why How I Met Your Father invokes apparent emotion is a testament to how amazing the series actually is. At the same time, the constant back and forth between Sophie (Hilary Duff) and Jesse (Chris Lowell), questioning whether to confess their love for each other eventually or not, sends viewers on a downward spiral. As closeted romantics, viewers want to see Sophie happy. On the other hand, it's easy to question if Sophie actually wants that for herself.
As a present-day Sophie (Kim Cattrall) retells the story to her now-adult son, detailing how she initially met his father (set in the year 2050), the past Sophie, via 2022, attempts to navigate through the world of numerous dating apps, meaningless hookups, as she steers away from the fear associated with possibly never finding her person. As season one came to an abrupt end, let's dissect pivotal moments from the spin-off series to CBS's original How I Met Your Mother and why the show strikes a fierce chord with its fan base.
Sophie Can’t See What She Has in Front of Her
For some odd reason, Sophie becomes consumed with finding the perfect guy who will charm her, and she intentionally steers herself away from Jesse, the guy who has a crush on her and is willing to be everything she needs, plus more. Like many girls, we paint a fictionalized image of a genuinely nice guy who treats us right (while also possessing flaws, but manageable ones that aren't red flags). The same guy can be right in front of us, and we intentionally choose not to notice them.
After the second episode, Sophie friend zones Jesse, conveying to him that she isn't ready to be in a relationship and needs time. She turns around and dates his co-worker, the school principal where Jesse teaches music classes, Drew (Josh Peck). At this point, it feels as if Sophie's running away from happiness because deep down inside, she feels as if she doesn't deserve it. No one can blame Sophie. If you've ever experienced a definite feeling that someone is indeed your person, the overall vibe becomes increasingly overwhelming.
The Structure of Dating in New York City Is Relatable
Going through excessive dating apps, impromptu hookups, never-ending heartbreak, and multiple breakups just to get back together (Valentina and Charlie's go-to cycle), the head-spinning adventure on-screen and off-screen connects to viewers. These are all stages that many seasoned adults have experienced. The thing is, living in New York further magnifies the pitfalls in dating. In a city where all anyone ever wants to do is have casual encounters with no strings attached, the whole basis of dating is overwhelming and exhausting.
For Valentina (Francia Raisa) and Charlie (Tom Ainsley), their relationship is based on the premise of Charlie leaving everything he knew behind in London to be with Valentina in America. For Charlie, the cultural aspect of the city is jarring to him at first. As Charlie becomes somewhat settled into the new environment, Valentina proposes to have a casual relationship where the two can date other people. While this revelation is confusing for him, this has culturally been a normal way of dating.
New Yorkers are consumed with their work dedication and financial situations. Most people don't want to carve out the time, adding another commitment of being in a relationship to their to-do list. As Valentina is more of a free spirit when it comes to being in control of her life and doing what she wants, when she wants, she ultimately lets Charlie in and warms up to the idea of commitment.
Ultimately, How I Met Your Father strikes a chord with its fan base because it's relatable to viewers, and although we love Sophie, her dogging of Jesse becomes unbearable. Despite the fact that Jesse is a fan favorite, it becomes uninspiring, and kind of let down as viewers notice the two travel in two opposite directions from time to time.
Fans may be missing the central message that the series revolves around. As Sophie learns by the end of season one, no matter how hard you try, no one can rush what is meant for them. We see layers of ourselves in Sophie, and while we're yelling at her through the screen from time to time, we should be yelling at ourselves. If in the same situation, we probably would be making the same choices out of fear. Timing can sometimes leave anyone on edge, but you must trust in its process.