'How I met your Father': Is the gender flip on the 'Mother' format a hit?

'How I Met Your Father' is a spin off from the original sitcom 'How I Met Your Mother'. Image credit: Twitter)

Spawning from the sitcom hit show 'How I Met Your Mother', the new show  'How I Met Your Father' stars Hillary Duff as the protagonist.

There are many elements inside the storytelling of this show that are similar to the tropes from the original show. It is considered a sequel to the but it only flips the gender of the titular character.

'How I Met Your Father' started streaming on Hulu and it has been received poorly by critics who gave it a 38% score on Rotten Tomatoes. But, this is also one of those polarizing shows where the audience has a very different opinion about it. Until now, they have given it a 77% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

The show revolves around the mother of the children in 2050. In 'How I Met Your Mother', the late US comedian Bob Saget played the narrator. In 'How I Met Your Mother', actor Kim Cattrall--who played Samantha in 'Sex and the City' TV series and movies-- will be the voice of the mother.

Read more: Sexless and the city: Ageism and other real problems

Similar to the style of the original show, Cattrall will begin every episode with a story that brought her closer to meeting the children's father. Sophie, played by Duff is just as desperate as Ted Mosby was to find her soulmate and has been relying on dating apps when she is introduced to the story.

Stop what you're doing because @HilaryDuff has an important message for all of you...#HIMYF is now streaming on @hulu! pic.twitter.com/9ikbgyU2yD

— How I Met Your Father (@HIMYFonHulu) January 18, 2022

The sequel will track the journey of Sophie where she tells her son how she met his father. In parallel storylines, her friends will find their own path trying to figure out who they are and what they want out of life. 

Critics, however didn't like that the main tropes are almost identical to the previous show without any creative decisions bein taken. No risks have been offered to the characters and their arcs so far. Opinions on Twitter have been mostly positive.

How did you guys just happen to pull off the the song choice of Drops of Jupiter episode2. It’s a this generation thing and it completely Threw me into a midlife thing. #30’s LOVES it though. Patiently waiting for you know who! Can’t wait!

— Justcuz (@hopefor2012Jess) January 19, 2022

I. Love. This. Show.

Actually, everything about it!@KimCattrall is legendary.
Ms. Duff funny AF.

Every. Thing.

Thanks, j.

— John M. Rinaldi ג'ון (@JohnMRinaldi) January 19, 2022

Watched the first 2 episodes last night! Love it! Gotta go find me a Jason Momoa doppelganger now. #JasonFOMOa! Can't wait for the rest of the episodes

— (@samoanroots) January 19, 2022

However, the show only got started and there's still a long way to go.

The original hit series ran on CBS for nine seasons with over 200 episodes from 2005-2014. It featured Josh Radnor, Neil Patrick Harris, Jason Segel, Cobie Smulders, and Alyson Hannigan.