How We Made Your Mother

Josh Radnor and Craig Thomas welcome actor and comedian Jason Jones, who played Tony, to revisit the Season 4 episode “Shelter Island,” in which Ted’s whirlwind wedding plans come crashing down. Jason shares memories of working with Josh and Sarah Chalke, his transition from Shakespeare to comedy, and some wild behind-the-scenes stories from The Daily Show, including a potentially dangerous adventure in Iran. He also reveals why How I Met Your Mother remains one of his most recognizable roles, with unforgettable fan encounters in Yosemite and Tuscany. Josh and Craig dig into the episode’s shocking ending, the clever misdirection surrounding Robin, and how scheduling challenges helped shape Ted and Stella’s rushed wedding. They also celebrate the episode’s callbacks, hidden clues, memorable jokes, and emotional final montage, while reflecting on Ted’s tendency to skip ahead in his love story, the importance of listening to friends, and why even devastating heartbreak can ultimately lead us exactly where we need to be.
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Guys, guys, guys! Josh Radnor and Craig Thomas are revisiting “Intervention,” one of their all-time favorite episodes of How I Met Your Mother, and Alek surprises them with a guest: Michael Shea, the show's longtime first assistant director, who made his television directing debut with this very episode! Michael shares behind-the-scenes stories about the challenges of filming the show's elaborate flashbacks, Neil Patrick Harris's old-man makeup, and Josh's desperate race to catch a flight to Burning Man. Plus, the origin of Michael's legendary “Guys, guys, guys!” catchphrase, and a heartfelt tribute to director Pamela Fryman's leadership on set. Josh and Craig also dig into the episode's brilliantly interconnected storylines, from Barney's outrageous time-travel pickup scheme to the gang's increasingly ridiculous interventions, and explore the deeper themes of friendship, nostalgia, and the fear of change. But first, an emotional message from a listener reminds Craig just how powerful sharing our most vulnerable stories can be.

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As a bonus episode for you this week, we are presenting an interview that Josh conducted with Ian Leslie, the author of a book that Josh and Craig have talked about on the podcast several times, John and Paul: A Love Story in Song. This was originally presented by Barnes and Noble as a virtual event.

Check out the book at http://BN.com.

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New York City or New Jersey? Love or compromise? Josh Radnor and Craig Thomas revisit the Season 4 episode “I Heart NJ,” as Ted and Stella discover that falling in love and building a life together are two very different things. Josh and Craig explore the challenges of relationships, the sacrifices that come with commitment, and why becoming a parent has completely changed their perspective on Ted’s dilemma. Along the way, they celebrate Marshall’s hilarious meltdown, Barney’s unwavering commitment to a fist bump, Robin’s increasingly ridiculous Metro News assignments, and the early seeds of two future HIMYM classics: The Playbook and The Blitz. Plus, Craig reveals how the show landed Bruce Springsteen’s “Jersey Girl,” Josh reflects on the difference between fear and intuition, and a heartfelt letter from a listener reveals just how deeply How I Met Your Mother continues to shape lives.

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Josh and Craig revisit Season 4, Episode 2, “The Best Burger in New York,” a beloved episode that turns Marshall’s search for an elusive burger into something much bigger: a story about nostalgia, aging, compromise, and trying to recapture the wonder of your younger self. They celebrate Regis Philbin’s legendary guest appearance, Jason Segel’s Amadeus-inspired burger monologue, the real New York locations that inspired the episode, and the little details that make the gang feel like a family. Josh shares his own version of Marshall’s quest involving a mysterious “lost Moby song,” while Craig remembers watching the landmarks of his twenties disappear as New York changed around him. They also discuss Marshall’s struggle between his youthful idealism and taking a job at Goliath National Bank, Neil Patrick Harris treating even the smallest Barney storyline like an A-story, and the hilarity of discovering that a contemporary critic gave this now-classic episode a D. Plus, Jordana returns with an analysis of Marshall’s burger obsession as a way of processing the grief of growing up and letting go of the person you once imagined you would become — and how friendship and love help carry us through that loss.

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Read Why on Earth Have I Seen the Same Broadway Show 13 Times? An Investigation by Taffy Brodesser-Akner
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Josh Radnor and Craig Thomas kick off Season 4 with “Do I Know You?,” revisiting Ted and Stella’s engagement and the question at the heart of the episode: how well do you really need to know someone before deciding to marry them? They dig into the now-iconic “Star Wars test,” Ted’s anxiety over whether Stella will love the things he loves, and the larger challenge of accepting that your partner won’t always share your tastes. They also explore Barney’s newly revealed feelings for Robin, Lily’s role as his emotional coach, and Neil Patrick Harris’s remarkable physical comedy, while celebrating Sarah Chalke’s chemistry with Josh and her very specific technique for a perfect pratfall. Along the way, Josh and Craig talk about the hidden craft behind seemingly effortless acting, why everyone feels so comfortably inside their characters by Season 4, and the season that earned How I Met Your Mother its only Outstanding Comedy Series Emmy nomination. Plus, Josh remembers realizing at the Emmys that every camera was already pointed at Tina Fey, Craig connects the episode’s Star Wars test to Josh watching HIMYM with Jordana for the first time, and a listener shares how the series helped her through heartbreak and an ADHD diagnosis.

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Josh and Craig close out Season 3 with director Pamela Fryman to revisit “Miracles,” an episode about fate, near-death experiences, and the universe’s uncanny way of pushing people back toward one another. Pam remembers the extraordinary teamwork required to produce nine episodes in eleven weeks after the writers’ strike, while Josh and Craig unpack Ted’s car accident, Barney’s collision with a bus, Ted and Barney’s reconciliation, and Ted’s impulsive proposal to Stella. Chris Harris reveals the painfully true story behind the pencil-up-Barney’s-nose gag, and the trio discuss Neil Patrick Harris’s commitment, Sarah Chalke’s arrival, the episode’s memorable Radiohead and Replacements needle drops, and Pam’s daughters’ hidden cameo. Plus, Josh’s wife Jordana shares what it was like watching him rediscover the series, Pam reflects on the crew’s lasting family bond, and a listener explains how How I Met Your Mother became the soundtrack to his family’s life.

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Peter Hamby, Puck’s award-winning political correspondent, takes you deep inside the machinery of modern campaigns with the actual strategists, operatives, pollsters, lobbyists, politicians, and shadow power players working to elect the next president. Focused on the road to 2028 but ranging far beyond it, the show explores the media, money, technology, and generational forces transforming how politics is practiced—and how power is won.

Listen Here: http://link.pscrb.fm/f0281/TMP

Josh and Craig revisit Season 3, Episode 19, “Everything Must Go,” and Josh makes a rare confession: he didn’t love this one — especially Ted’s inexplicable devotion to those red cowboy boots. Craig explains how the episode emerged from the post-Writers’ Strike scramble to produce nine episodes in eleven weeks, resulting in a slightly chaotic collection of stories that nevertheless gave us Britney Spears’ hilarious return as Abby, Lily discovering an unexpected audience for her paintings, and some now-iconic HIMYM moments. They also reveal the remarkable real-life story behind http://MarshallandLilySellTheirStuff.com, where props and costumes from the show were auctioned to raise nearly $24,000 for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, remember guest stars Larry Wilmore and UCB legend Matt Besser, and celebrate the music that helped give Lily’s story its heart. Plus: Knicks mania in New York, the lost art of experiencing pop culture together, and a moving listener letter that sparks a conversation about masculinity, forgiveness, and what it means to create a space that feels safe, smart, and human.

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And check out the archived version of:

http://guyforceshiswifetodressinagarbagebagforthenextthreeyears.com

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Josh and Craig revisit “Rebound Bro,” the post–writers’ strike episode that sends Barney searching for a new wingman after his breakup with Ted — and finds the perfect sad-sack replacement in Randy Wharmpess, played by the incomparable Will Forte. They talk about Forte’s unique mix of sweetness and insanity, Barney and Randy’s surprisingly romantic dynamic, and how the episode’s comedy grows out of Barney’s very real heartbreak. Meanwhile, Ted learns Stella hasn’t had sex in five years, setting off a debate about trust, intimacy, and whether Ted was wrong to tell Marshall and Lily. Plus: Sarah Chalke’s incredible laugh, the frantic pace of producing the final nine episodes of Season 3 after the strike, “sweaty” sitcom plot mechanics, Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo, Geraldine Ferraro, Nell Carter, the TV reruns that raised a generation of comedy writers, and what Rocky can teach us about Barney Stinson.

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From the Emmy-nominated co-creator and Executive Producer of How I Met Your Mother, Craig Thomas’s debut novel, THAT’S NOT HOW IT HAPPENED, is a smart, funny, bighearted story about a family turned upside down after Hollywood decides to make a movie version of their lives. Told through the shifting perspectives of Paige, Rob, Emmett, and Darcy, a flawed, funny, complicated family is forced to confront past wounds and present betrayals—and questions about how we think and talk about disability, how our stories get told (and who gets to tell them), and how love stories can come in many different shapes and sizes. We’re presenting, free, the first chapter of the audiobook, narrated by Josh Radnor, Cobie Smulders, Marli Watson, and Kevin Iannucci.

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Hear Chapter One here, then get the complete audiobook and keep listening.
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Josh and Craig revisit Season 3, Episode 17, “The Goat,” which, despite its title and Future Ted’s spectacularly unreliable memory, is really about the breakup of Ted and Barney’s friendship after Barney sleeps with Robin. They dig into Barney’s guilt, Marshall’s attempt to find a loophole in the sacred Bro Code, Ted’s surprisingly brutal reaction, and the growing connection between Barney and Robin that had been quietly building throughout the season. Craig recalls why the writers decided to make such a huge story move in Season 3 and how the frantic post-WGA-strike schedule pushed them to take some of the show’s biggest creative swings. They also talk about friendship breakups being every bit as painful as romantic ones, the creation of the real-life bestselling Bro Code, Barney’s mysterious job, the goat story that technically hasn’t happened yet, and the show’s fascination with memory and time. Plus, longtime second second AD Chris Hissong looks back on nine seasons of wrangling the enormous and often insane background action of How I Met Your Mother.

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For everyone who has found How We Made Your Mother in the last few weeks, maybe from our episodes with Sarah Chalke and Bob Odenkirk, we just wanted to drop our original rewatch of the HIMYM pilot. And if you are enjoying this look back with Josh and Craig, please follow in your podcast app of choice and start from the very beginning.

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Here are the O.G. show notes…

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This week, Josh Radnor and Craig Thomas kick off the official rewatch of the PILOT episode of How I Met Your Mother! They reflect on the origin of the series, the narrative complexity of the show’s storytelling, and the way the pilot sets up the entire series—from Ted’s romantic optimism to Barney’s legendary schemes.

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They also revisit memories from filming, discuss the impact of the show’s themes on fans, and answer the big question: If they could rename the first episode, what would it be?
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Josh and Craig revisit “Sandcastles in the Sand,” exploring the very real phenomenon of “revertigo,” Robin’s transformation around her gloriously awful ex-boyfriend Simon, and James Van Der Beek’s hilarious, deeply committed performance. Cobie Smulders shares memories of filming the star-studded music video with Van Der Beek, Alan Thicke, and Tiffany, while Craig reveals the surprisingly emotional story behind writing the song—with help from his one-year-old son, Elliot. Plus: the origins of “Murder Train,” the introduction of Punchy, Robin and Barney’s shared emotional armor, and the kiss that launches the final stretch of Season 3.

Listen to HOW I MET YOUR MUSIC on Apple Music or Spotify.

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Josh and Craig revisit Season 3’s “The Chain of Screaming,” an episode about work, money, dignity, and the question of whether we pass anger down the line or choose to break the cycle. Then they’re joined by the great Bob Odenkirk, who looks back on playing Artillery Arthur, explains how a HIMYM scheduling conflict inadvertently helped lead to the creation of Mike Ehrmantraut on Breaking Bad, and remembers being genuinely surprised by the warmth and enthusiasm of the HIMYM set. The conversation expands into creativity and the value of limitations, why writers are always working even when they appear to be doing nothing, Spielberg’s love of problem-solving on set, and Bob’s evolution from comedy into drama. They also talk candidly about fame, ambition, knowing when “more” isn’t necessarily better, and parenthood—including Bob’s moving reflections on missing the years when his children were young and recognizing the rare moments when grown children are ready to hear a little hard-earned wisdom from their dad.

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Josh and Craig welcome writer Joe Kelly for a lively look back at “The Bracket,” Joe’s very first How I Met Your Mother episode. They reminisce about Joe joining the staff just before the Writers Guild strike, the frantic race to restart production afterward, and how the episode evolved into one of the show’s most memorable Barney stories. Joe reflects on learning to balance broad comedy with emotional storytelling—a lesson that later shaped Ted Lasso and Detroiters—while Craig and Josh discuss building the writers’ room, crafting Barney’s outrageous persona without losing audience sympathy, and turning a March Madness promotion into a mystery episode. They also dive into behind-the-scenes stories about the show’s collaborative writing process, memorable jokes, the creation of http://TedMosbyIsAJerk.com, and how the pressure of the post-strike schedule forced everyone to trust their instincts, resulting in one of Season 3’s funniest and most ambitious episodes.

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Josh and Craig are joined by Sarah Chalke to revisit “Ten Sessions,” one of the series’ most beloved episodes, and the conversation is every bit as joyful as the episode itself. Sarah shares behind-the-scenes stories about being cast at the last minute, balancing Scrubs and How I Met Your Mother simultaneously, and filming the iconic two-minute date, while Josh and Craig reflect on emerging from the Writers Guild strike, welcoming Britney Spears to the show, and why the episode became such a perfect blend of inventive storytelling, heartfelt romance, and rapid-fire comedy. They also reminisce about the extraordinary chemistry that made Ted and Stella’s relationship work, celebrate the cast and crew’s intricate choreography behind the episode’s biggest moments, and explore why “Ten Sessions” remains one of the defining episodes of the series.

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Josh and Craig return after the three-month Writers Guild strike to revisit “No Tomorrow,” reflecting on the frantic challenge of producing the back half of Season 3 and why this episode serves as a turning point for Ted. They discuss Ted’s attempt to embrace Barney’s carefree philosophy, the importance of consequences, and how Marshall’s heartfelt intervention reminds Ted—and the audience—who he really is. Along the way, they share personal stories about moments that forced them to reevaluate their own lives, celebrate the ingenious reveal of the yellow umbrella as Ted unknowingly takes his first real step toward meeting the Mother, and explore why How I Met Your Mother is ultimately a story about becoming the person you’re meant to be before finding the love you’re meant to have.

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Josh and Craig revisit “The Platinum Rule,” one of the series’ most structurally ambitious episodes, while sharing the remarkable behind-the-scenes story of how it became the only How I Met Your Mother episode produced during the 2007 Writers Guild strike. They reflect on the unusual experience of shooting without writers on set, discuss the episode’s intricate “flashback within a flashback” storytelling, and explore whether some life lessons—especially about love and relationships—can only be learned through experience. Along the way, they celebrate memorable performances from Charlene Amoia, Kristen Schaal, and Hayes MacArthur, revisit Ted’s unwavering optimism, and close with two extraordinary listener letters that examine The Platinum Rule through the lenses of psychology, storytelling, and why the show continues to provide comfort and companionship years later.

Listen toEMOTIONAL CHAMP by New Buffalo

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Josh’s Official WebsiteJosh on SpotifyCraig’s Official Website (with links to his published writing)
Alek’s “Dead Fathers Society” on Substack

Josh and Craig revisit “The Yips,” candidly reflecting on why they consider it one of the weaker episodes of the series while pulling back the curtain on the realities of making network television. They discuss how a corporate mandate to feature the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show shaped the story, why Barney’s crisis of confidence still offers an interesting glimpse into his past, and how production challenges—including last-minute recasting and enormous guest-star logistics—made for an unusual week on set. Along the way, they explore the balance between art and commerce, what gives How I Met Your Mother its emotional heart, and why even the episodes that don’t fully come together still reveal fascinating stories about how the series was made.

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AND MORE:
Josh’s Official WebsiteJosh on SpotifyCraig’s Official Website (with links to his published writing)
Alek’s “Dead Fathers Society” on Substack