12 Things 'How I Met Your Father' Needs To Include

The news that a How I Met Your Mother spinoff might happen after all has surprised plenty of fans. While the original pilot for How I Met Your Dad , starring Greta Gerwig, never made it to the air, the writers of the hit show This Is Us have been tasked with writing a brand new HIMYM spinoff, according to Deadline. Aside from the fact that the series is called How I Met Your Father, there are very few other details at present. So what should the How I Met Your Mother spinoff include, if it does happen after all?

Deadline reported that the HIMYM spinoff features an ensemble and "tells the story from a female point of view. It is a brand new take on the premise with new characters and new writers: This Is Us co-executive producers Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger." With this exciting new team on board, it sounds as though the spinoff is headed in a completely different direction. However, are there any How I Met Your Mother staples that fans would like to see in the follow-up? I can think of several ideas. With nine seasons featuring so many iconic moments, there's so much inspiration to draw from in the making of How I Met Your Father .

1. MacLaren's

While it's unlikely the spinoff would feature the same set, it's hard to think about How I Met Your Mother without MacLaren's being involved. Perhaps How I Met Your Father will feature a different hangout, though using MacLaren's would have a certain poetry about it.

2. A Yellow Umbrella

The unforgettable yellow umbrella was the only clue the audience had about Ted's future wife for the longest time. What if that umbrella had a whole other life after How I Met Your Mother ended?

3. The Words "Challenge Accepted"

Surely it's impossible to make a How I Met Your Mother spinoff without uttering the words "challenge accepted" at least once, right?

4. A Smattering Of High Fives

This '90s gesture was a favorite on the original show. These retro stylings need to make it into the spinoff.

5. Kids Who Don't Want To Hear The Story

The storytelling mechanism used in How I Met Your Mother is what made the show so unique, so clearly How I Met Your Father has to utilize it somehow. Perhaps the stories could be told via FaceTime instead, though?

6. Moments In Cars & Taxis

So many crucial moments seemed to happen in taxis and cars — from couples getting back together to terrible road trips. How I Met Your Father could use this format too.

7. An Epic, Yet Unexpected, Love Story

Say what you like about How I Met Your Mother, but it was never predictable. With the appointment of two of the people responsible for This Is Us , one of the most twisty shows on TV right now, it seems likely that the spinoff will surprise us all.

8. Embarrassing Flashbacks

Ted Mosby's college years. That is all.

9. Pranks

The original series featured so many longstanding pranks, it was hard to keep up.

10. More Phones, Internet, & Social Media

How did Ted not track down his future wife sooner? He wasn't a seasoned Catfish pro, that's why. The spinoff will have some explaining to do.

11. Amazing Friendships

How I Met Your Mother was so fun to watch because of the incredible friendships among all of the characters.

12. More Diversity

The How I Met Your Mother spinoff could definitely benefit from some much-needed diversity, and hopefully that's something that the This Is Us writers will be able to deliver. As the lead character is likely to be female, How I Met Your Father already has a lot of promise.

It might be some time before we find out if the How I Met Your Mother spinoff is actually happening, but until then, we can dream.

Images: CBS; Giphy (12)