‘HIMYF’ Heads Talk [SPOILER]’s Return, the Pineapple and Season 2

SPOILER ALERT: Don't learn when you have not watched “Timing Is Every little thing,” the March 15 finale of “How I Met Your Father.”

The finale of “How I Met Your Father” didn't reveal who the daddy is — however it did give followers a cameo from the unique present they've been ready for. In the course of the Season 1 finale, Sophie (Hilary Duff) and Jesse (Chris Lowell) lastly get collectively, in a relationship so transient that, by the tip of the episode, they're already accomplished.

After Jesse tells Sophie that he ended issues with Meredith (Leighton Meester), the pair spend the evening collectively and he mutters “I like you” in his sleep. When she playfully brings it up forward of her gallery debut, he explains that it's not a giant deal as a result of he turned down happening tour with Meredith for her — one thing that may be a bit scary for her. After she expresses that, he asks her to depart and he or she heads downstairs to a bit bar referred to as MacLaren's. (After all, that is the spot that the gang gathered in throughout practically each episode of “How I Met Your Mom.”)

When she arrives, not solely does she order from Carl the Bartender (Joe Nieves), she is greeted by the one and solely Robin Scherbatsky (Cobie Smulders), the right particular person to present her recommendation a few man shifting too quick. Sophie — starstruck since Robin is now a really well-known reporter — explains her heartbreak to Robin, who desires to assist.

“I as soon as had a man say ‘I like you' on our first date,” she says, referencing Ted (Josh Radnor). When Sophie responds, “Dude appears like an actual piece of labor,” she shares extra.

“You haven't any concept,” Robin tells her. “However a superb piece of labor. Which brings me to my recommendation: Don't waste your time being scared, Sophie. Worry could make you run away from issues that may very well be good — nice even, issues which are purported to be part of your story. So, actually give it some thought: What did Jesse do fallacious aside from say every part you ever needed a man to say, simply quicker than you anticipated.”

Afterward, Sophie runs again upstairs, however stops when she sees Jesse kissing Meredith. She walks away earlier than he can see her, returning to the bar to inform Robin what occurred. Nonetheless optimistic, Robin tells her, “If I've realized something in any respect about love, it's that timing is every part. Typically, timing's a bitch.”

With that, they make a date to satisfy once more in 20 years.

Showrunners Elizabeth Berger and Isaac Aptaker broke down the finale episode, gave particulars about Robin's shock look and talked about what's coming in Season 2.

Diving proper in, how and when did you resolve that Robin can be the one you'd carry again?

Isaac Aptaker: We began speaking about it fairly early within the season. We at all times knew we needed to play with bringing again characters from the unique, however we have been additionally very adamant that this was a present that kinds its personal set of characters and its personal group of pals first. So we knew we didn't need that to occur too early. We additionally knew that after we needed to carry again characters, we needed them to have one thing actually vital to do — to information one among our characters on their journey. Robin is coming into our present at an important level in Sophie's life and serving to to level her in a single route. So it felt actually natural that in our finale when Sophie's at this romantic crossroads, that she would cross paths with with Robin and get some recommendation from this wiser character who's in a distinct level of their life.

Was it at all times going to be Robin, or have been there discussions about Josh Radnor, Jason Segel, Neil Patrick Harris or Alyson Hannigan?

Elizabeth Berger: There have been completely discussions, and there proceed to be discussions about who else can be enjoyable and what approach they'll be utilized. This kind of clicked in very early and felt proper. We cherished the thought of them having this discuss woman-to-woman and commiserating about their love lives and about timing. As soon as we began circling that concept, that grew to become the winner early on, and we determined we'll save all these different concepts for a bit bit down the street.

Robin says, “I've been married, I've been single, I've been every part in between. The one choices I remorse making are those that I made out of concern.” She has no ring on and doesn't point out Ted instantly. Was that each one deliberate?

Aptaker: Yeah, it's all very deliberate. We labored with [original creators] Carter [Bays] and Craig [Thomas] fairly extensively on that scene collectively. We gave out precisely the quantity of knowledge that all of us felt after we have been prepared to present out about Robin. I imply, we're coming again and doing 20 extra. There's much more to inform each of our gang's story and tidbits about what the “How I Met Your Mom” crew is as much as. Every little thing in that staff was very intentional and what we have been prepared to inform viewers at this level.

Nicely, MacLaren's as a location was such a giant character within the authentic too. Now that the set is up once more, will you be again?

Aptaker: twentieth Tv has this warehouse on the outskirts of L.A. the place they maintain all these iconic units from their long-running exhibits. We weren't positive if we have been gonna need to construct it from scratch. After which lo and behold, identical to with the blokes' condominium — the partitions of it not less than, have been simply there ready for us. Our unbelievable manufacturing design staff checked out all these archives and data and located as a lot of that authentic decor or replicated it. So yeah, it's on the market, ought to we ever resolve to return it.

You additionally lastly solved “The Pineapple Incident” thriller, one thing that followers of the unique present by no means bought the reply to except they watched the later-released deleted scene!

Aptaker: Yeah, that was an unanswered query, one of many dangling ones [from “How I Met Your Mother.”] That's really to Craig and Carter's credit score. They have been like, “What if we threw it in right here?”

This finale ended with Meredith and Jesse kissing. What are you able to say of how a lot Leighton can be in Season 2?

Berger: We don't wish to say an excessive amount of. Clearly, we see them kiss on the finish of the season, so there's positively nonetheless one thing there. That being mentioned, we expect it's attainable that viewers may assume they break free from that kiss and Jesse says, “Oh, my God. What did I do?” and backs away from her or there's a risk that they're headed off collectively. That's kind of up within the air as we transfer into Season 2.

Aptaker: What I would like for Leighton Meester is extra singing. That tune, we solely play a tiny little bit of it on the present as a result of the episodes are so brief however she recorded extra of a full-length model. She's so proficient and it was caught in everybody's head on set for your entire week. I wish to file extra music on the present along with her.

Berger: We actually imagine that “jay Avenue” would climb the charts if we launched it.

Sophie and Jesse clearly have an extended arc coming. What are you able to say about that?

Aptaker: They're at a very attention-grabbing place the place they've had this season-long friendship and there was clearly one thing extra there. Then, as quickly as they determined to take that leap, it went south very quick. They didn't even make it 24 hours collectively earlier than issues fell aside. So now they're on this actually, actually difficult place in a gaggle of pals. They tried it, it didn't go so nice. There's clearly nonetheless emotions there. However she walked in on him hooking up along with his ex moments after they break up up, in order that they're in a very actually precarious place as pals and as a brand new potential couple.

Clearly you realize who the daddy is. Do you additionally know proper now who's endgame for Sophie proper now?

Berger: We have now a really free plan of the ending. I imply, we clearly come from the “This Is Us” world. So we've realized during the last virtually full six seasons how vital it's to have kind of the large strikes of your plan mapped up out whereas nonetheless leaving your self the room and the liberty to pivot or to push a bit bit from what you anticipated. We actually are those that have locked into the significance of getting a plan, and we positively have one as we as we go ahead.

Season 2 goes to be 20 episodes, which is fairly unprecedented for streaming as of late. How'd you resolve on 20?

Berger: It's a choice that's above our pay grade. We have been thrilled to obtain it. It was very stunning. I feel that Hulu weighed a bunch of various elements, all people did. This felt, to everybody, what was finest for the present, and we're thrilled. We definitely assume it's finest for the present. We love doing our 10, however it did kind of put strain on each episode to kind of transfer alongside our romantic serialized arc in a approach that you just simply need to do when you could have such restricted actual property. We are able to let our arcs breathe, we will let our enjoyable, less-serialized tales breathe — and simply do these loopy, hanging-out-till-dawn episodes if we wish to. So we simply assume it's so nice from a storytelling perspective.

So many different huge relationship updates occurred within the finale. Will Season 2 choose up instantly or have a time bounce?

Aptaker: Good query. I imply, there's quite a bit left on the desk proper there. So we positively are going to revisit the quick occasions. We actually minimize to black, so I feel we're definitely going to see what occurs the remainder of that evening, whether or not we do it linearly or bounce round a bit bit earlier than we get there, I feel individuals are gonna have to attend and see.

Lastly, is there an opportunity that we've not met the daddy but?

Berger: After all there's a probability. You already know, we clearly selected our language very fastidiously in our first episode. Future Sophie says, “That's the evening I met your father.” So we all know that we may probably return to that evening. Clearly, that's one thing we wish to do very sparingly, ought to we select to do it, as a result of we don't need followers to revolt in opposition to us and say, “Hey, you're simply going again to that evening 100 instances!” However there may be at all times an opportunity.

This interview has been edited and condensed.