‘How I Met Your Father’ Season 2 Has a Surprising Connection to ‘Friends’
When How I Met Your Mother premiered in 2005, many viewers instantly compared it to another popular sitcom that had just concluded its 10-season run the year prior — Friends. Both shows were about a group of friends braving New York City, but there were plenty of differences between them. And now, in 2023, How I Met Your Mother‘s spinoff, How I Met Your Father, featured a direct link to Friends in season 2.
Neil Patrick Harris reprises his role as Barney Stinson in ‘How I Met Your Father’ Season 2
The How I Met Your Father Season 2 premiere ended on a legendary note. Neil Patrick Harris, who starred as Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother, returned to this universe, making fans everywhere scream with glee.
As Sophie did the Electric Slide during Sid and Hannah’s reception in the premiere, she remarked that she had hit rock bottom. But Future Sophie reassured her son that “rock bottom” wouldn’t come until later that year. The episode then jumped ahead to the night Barney entered Sophie’s life.
Sophie was frantically driving as she called her mother and left her a message. She said, “Mom, please call me back! I think I’m dating my dad.” After she hung up, Sophie promptly rear-ended another car. She got out of her own vehicle, and when the camera panned over to the one she ran into, its license plate gave the driver’s identity away. It read, “LGNDRY.”
Barney got out of the car, fixed his suit, and exasperatingly said, “Dude…”
As How I Met Your Father Season 2 continues, fans will continue to learn more about the flash-forward. But don’t worry; Barney isn’t Sophie’s dad.
The flash-forward was filmed on the same lot as a famous ‘Friends’ sequence
During an interview with Entertainment Weekly, How I Met Your Father showrunners Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger discussed Neil Patrick Harris’ return as Barney in the season 2 premiere. And when asked if the actor shot all of his scenes for the season in one day, the co-creators revealed a fun fact about the filming location.
“[Harris] is the busiest guy. He said yes to this very immediately and then getting into actually finding a chunk of time in his schedule — I mean, he does everything,” Aptaker explained. “Not just acting but magic, being a dad … If one day of my life is as interesting as the most boring day of Neil’s, I would be very happy. So we shot all his stuff in one go. It was right in the middle [of the season].”
He continued, “We filmed it on the Warner Ranch. This iconic suburban studio backlot where they did Bewitched and the Friends fountain opening credits. These amazing sitcom moments happened there so it was extra special in that sense. We actually just found out it’s getting torn down.”
Berger added, “We were very excited. We didn’t know it was being torn down. And once we learned it that night, we were very sad about it. We were blessed to be a part of that Hollywood legacy before it got torn down.”
The place where Friends filmed the iconic opening credits is the same spot where How I Met Your Father Season 2 shot Barney’s return.
When will Barney return in ‘How I Met Your Father’ Season 2?
It’s unclear when fans will see more of the Barney flash-forward in How I Met Your Father Season 2. However, we know that the finale will solve the mystery surrounding that night.
“[The season 2 premiere] was really truly just a little tease. But we do have some really meaty stuff coming,” Berger told Entertainment Weekly. “More is coming. By the time his appearance on our show is over, people will feel really satisfied by what they’ve seen.”
As for how Barney’s presence impacts Sophie, Aptaker said, “It sends her in a totally new direction, which becomes the engine for a big chunk of our season. He’s really seminal in setting Sophie on the path she needs to be on to continue her journey to come of age and find love. I’m really excited for how his character changes Sophie’s life and the totally new direction that he sends her on.”
How I Met Your Father Season 2 airs Tuesdays on Hulu.
