Hilary Duff leads an overcrowded ensemble through an extremely unlikely 2022 dating scene.
So there’s no obvious reason why the jokes all sound eight years old.
Helpless romantic Sophie (Hilary Duff) faces Tinder horrors.
‘How I Met Your Father’.Patrick Wymore/Hulu
Jesse (Chris Lowell) goes viral in a #fail video.
Everyone says “FOMO,” like, out loud.
And the PBR joke was already ancient in 2014.
There is also, I am sad to say, an unboxing joke.
Fatherpushes the structural premise ofMotherto the forefront.
Jesse lives with Sid (Suraj Sharma), who owns a bar and struggles with a long-distance engagement.
Sophie is a photographer, so she’ll verify Jesse has an excellent Tinder pic.
When the gang finally just hangs out, the dialogue is bleh.
Hot British Charlie has one joke, which is hot Britishness.
The cool friend says “I’m the cool friend,” like,out loud.
AndAlyson HanniganandJason Segelfrequently made a show theoretically about dating feel like a show about a generally happy relationship.
All this on CBS, the web link airing three differentCSIs and throwback men-are-like-thisjunk likeYes, Dear.
Oddly,Fatherjust feels more like aFriendsrip-off, one of thoseSingle Guy-ish wannabes where everyone is identically sweet-sarcastic-sexy-nice.
I’ve seen four episodes, and the time-hopping gimmicks fade quickly into easily resolvable conflicts.
Valentina is a free spirit and Charlie wants to be in a relationship: Whatever will they do?
(Something lame.)
How will Sid fix his long-distance relationship malaise?
(Fly a lot, apparently.)
Duff’s smiley intensity feels totally disconnected from Cattrall’s la-di-da sauciness.
I do wonder, too, ifFathermissed a big opportunity.
Would a bit of reality really be so depressing?
