How We Made Your Mother

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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CRAIG’S BOOK IS AVAILABLE!
Head over to CRAIG’S WEBSITE to order your copy of THAT’S NOT HOW IT HAPPENED.
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SUPPORT PEDIATRIC CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE RESEARCH:
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AND MORE:
Josh’s Official Website
Josh on Spotify
Craig’s Official Website (with links to his published writing)
Alek’s “Dead Fathers Society” on Substack

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.

CONNECT WITH THE SHOW:
Official Website (Send us your audio and written messages)
Instagram
Tiktok
READ JOSH’S MUSELETTERS ON SUBSTACK:
Subscribe HERE
CRAIG’S BOOK IS AVAILABLE!
Head over to CRAIG’S WEBSITE to order your copy of THAT’S NOT HOW IT HAPPENED.

SUPPORT PEDIATRIC CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE RESEARCH:
Click HERE to learn more and donate today.

FOLLOW THE OFFICE LADIES:
Check out "Office Ladies" at https://officeladies.com/ or wherever you get your podcasts!
Follow on Instagram: OfficeLadiesPod
Follow on TikTok
AND MORE:
Josh’s Official Website
Josh on Spotify
Craig’s Official Website (with links to his published writing)
Alek’s “Dead Fathers Society” on Substack

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.
Here are the O.G. show notes…
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.
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?

CONNECT WITH THE SHOW:
Official Website (Send us your audio and written messages)
Instagram
Tiktok
READ JOSH’S MUSELETTERS ON SUBSTACK:
Subscribe HERE
CRAIG’S BOOK IS AVAILABLE!
Head over to CRAIG’S WEBSITE to order your copy of THAT’S NOT HOW IT HAPPENED.

SUPPORT PEDIATRIC CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE RESEARCH:
Click HERE to learn more and donate today.

FOLLOW THE OFFICE LADIES:
Check out "Office Ladies" at https://officeladies.com/ or wherever you get your podcasts!
Follow on Instagram: OfficeLadiesPod
Follow on TikTok
AND MORE:
Josh’s Official Website
Josh on Spotify
Craig’s Official Website (with links to his published writing)
Alek’s “Dead Fathers Society” on Substack

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.
CONNECT WITH THE SHOW:
Official Website (Send us your audio and written messages)
Instagram
Tiktok
READ JOSH’S MUSELETTERS ON SUBSTACK:
Subscribe HERE
CRAIG’S BOOK IS AVAILABLE!
Head over to CRAIG’S WEBSITE to order your copy of THAT’S NOT HOW IT HAPPENED.

SUPPORT PEDIATRIC CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE RESEARCH:
Click HERE to learn more and donate today.

FOLLOW THE OFFICE LADIES:
Check out "Office Ladies" at https://officeladies.com/ or wherever you get your podcasts!
Follow on Instagram: OfficeLadiesPod
Follow on TikTok
AND MORE:
Josh’s Official Website
Josh on Spotify
Craig’s Official Website (with links to his published writing)
Alek’s “Dead Fathers Society” on Substack

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.
CONNECT WITH THE SHOW:
Official Website (Send us your audio and written messages)
Instagram
Tiktok
READ JOSH’S MUSELETTERS ON SUBSTACK:
Subscribe HERE
CRAIG’S BOOK IS AVAILABLE!
Head over to CRAIG’S WEBSITE to order your copy of THAT’S NOT HOW IT HAPPENED.

SUPPORT PEDIATRIC CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE RESEARCH:
Click HERE to learn more and donate today.

FOLLOW THE OFFICE LADIES:
Check out "Office Ladies" at https://officeladies.com/ or wherever you get your podcasts!
Follow on Instagram: OfficeLadiesPod
Follow on TikTok
AND MORE:
Josh’s Official Website
Josh on Spotify
Craig’s Official Website (with links to his published writing)
Alek’s “Dead Fathers Society” on Substack