How Exactly How I Met Your Mother and How I Met Your Father Are Connected

Warning: contains spoilers.

And the story begins!

The first four episodes of How I Met Your Father, starring Hilary Duff, Josh Peck and Kim Cattrall, dropped on Hulu on Jan. 18, and with it, a surprise we didn't see coming. The How I Met Your Mother sequel has something very specific in common with the original series: part of the story takes place in the old apartment of Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor).

At the end of the pilot episode, we learn that Chris Lowell and Suraj Sharma's characters, Jesse and Sid, live in the iconic 4D apartment located in the Upper West Side and we are living for this Easter egg.

"Wow, I love your place," Sophie (Duff) says as she walks into the living room.

"Thanks, it was a total score," Jesse replies. "We got it from this old married couple who posted it on the Wesleyan [University] alumni group. We even got them to leave their swords."

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Fans of the original series will recall that Ted, Marshall (Jason Segel) and Lily (Alyson Hannigan) all attended and met at Wesleyan.

When Jesse mentions the "old married couple," he is referring to Marshall and Lily. In the season finale of How I Met Your Mother, Marshall and Lily, who were living in the apartment at the time, become pregnant with their third child and decide to give up the apartment. But of course, before they do, they throw an amazing Halloween and "Goodbye Apartment" party.

As far as the swords go, back in season one, Marshall and Ted had a sword fight to determine who would keep the apartment when Marshall and Lily got married. But the duel quickly came to an end after Marshall fell and accidentally ruined Lily's dress.

Though the shows share an apartment, they are very different, according to HIMYF star Francia Raisa. In an exclusive interview with E! News, the 33-year-old actress said How I Met Your Father is "its own" show.

"Now it's from a female perspective," she continued. "What I love is these females are their own women, that are inspired with their careers. Yes, love is a big part but what I love about Sophie (Duff) is she's not willing to change herself too much for anyone else, and if she does, she's quick to come back. And I love the friendship between them."

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See the old apartment in all of its glory in season one of How I Met Your Father, now streaming on Hulu.

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