How We Made Your Mother

In this General Questions episode, the team brings back Chris Harris (writer of the HIMYM episode “Game Night”) to answer fan questions and explore deeper elements of storytelling from the early seasons. They discuss how HIMYM balanced large, event-style episodes with character development, whether Chris was intentionally given “scope” episodes like “Subway Wars,” and how character traits (like Marshall’s love of games) were assigned in the show’s early, more flexible days. They touch on the importance of continuity in a serialized sitcom, the organic nature of callbacks, and the evolving creative relationships between writers, actors, and the broader crew. They also reminisce about fan theories, including a popular one about who left Robin the welcome mat, and offer a behind-the-scenes look at the collaborative dynamics that shaped HIMYM’s signature tone and complexity. Questions From Fans: 1. Can you talk about putting together the scope versus the character? 2. How did you decide how many episodes you and Carter would write and how many you would give away? 3. Were you planning ahead for continuity details, like Barney mentioning the Peace Corps before his backstory was revealed? 4. What was the inspiration for Marshall’s love of making board games? Was that knowingly a character trait you were building? 5. In the writers’ room, how did continuity work? Was it a hive mind, or did someone “own” the show’s memory? 6. Who gave Robin the welcome mat—Ted or Barney? (posed via fan questions) GET YOUR MERCH! We’ve got HWMYM merch, which is now just a FEW CLICKS AWAY [https://howyougetyourmerch.com/]. CRAIG’S BOOK IS AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER! Head over to CRAIG’S WEBSITE [https://craigthomaswriter.com/novel] to pre-order your copy of That’s Not How It Happened today. And if you’re a business with big orders to fulfill, Amplifier is there to help growing consumer brands and influencers create a unique experience for their customers during the fulfillment process. Visit AMPLIFIER [https://amplifier.com] to learn more, and name-drop How We Made Your Mother for special pricing for your emerging brand's program. CONNECT WITH THE SHOW: Official Website [http://www.howwemadeyourmother.com] (Send us your audio and written messages) Substack [https://howwemadeyourmother.substack.com] (Join the mailing list, get announcements, and read more from Josh and Craig) Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/howwemadeyourmother/] HOW YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE Donate [https://www.howwemadeyourmother.com/makeadifference] to our ongoing campaign to support congenital heart disease research AND MORE: Josh’s “Museletters” on Substack [https://joshradnor.substack.com] Josh’s Official Website [https://www.joshradnor.com] Josh on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/artist/43jyNhxEcJZ2YbwioBjCbY] Craig’s Official Website [https://craigthomaswriter.com] (with links to his published writing) Alek’s “Dead Fathers Society” on Substack [https://aleklev.substack.com] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

In this episode of How We Made Your Mother, Josh and Craig are joined by writer Chris Harris to reflect on the making of Season 1, Episode 15: “Game Night.” The trio breaks down the episode’s structure, the origin of Barney’s backstory, and how the writers constructed a compelling present-day story to balance the flashbacks. They talk about the decision to reveal Barney’s past as a heartbroken hippie and the challenges of maintaining both comedic pacing and emotional depth. Chris shares memories from the writers’ room, including how “Marshgammon” came to life, legal hurdles around parodying Monopoly, and Neil Patrick Harris’s incredible physical comedy (even while sick). They also discuss HIMYM’s early use of narrative flexibility—flashbacks, unreliable memory, evolving tone—which laid the groundwork for later storytelling innovations. A fan letter from the Faroe Islands brings the conversation full circle, reminding them how the show continues to offer comfort and connection to viewers around the world. GET YOUR MERCH!We’ve got HWMYM merch, which is now just a FEW CLICKS AWAY [https://howyougetyourmerch.com/]. CRAIG’S BOOK IS AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER!Head over to CRAIG’S WEBSITE [https://craigthomaswriter.com/novel] to pre-order your copy of That’s Not How It Happened today. And if you’re a business with big orders to fulfill, Amplifier is there to help growing consumer brands and influencers create a unique experience for their customers during the fulfillment process. Visit AMPLIFIER [https://amplifier.com] to learn more, and name-drop How We Made Your Mother for special pricing for your emerging brand's program. CONNECT WITH THE SHOW:Official Website [http://www.howwemadeyourmother.com] (Send us your audio and written messages)Substack [https://howwemadeyourmother.substack.com] (Join the mailing list, get announcements, and read more from Josh and Craig)Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/howwemadeyourmother/] HOW YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCEDonate [https://www.howwemadeyourmother.com/makeadifference] to our ongoing campaign to support congenital heart disease research AND MORE:Josh’s “Museletters” on Substack [https://joshradnor.substack.com]Josh’s Official Website [https://www.joshradnor.com]Josh on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/artist/43jyNhxEcJZ2YbwioBjCbY]Craig’s Official Website [https://craigthomaswriter.com] (with links to his published writing)Alek’s “Dead Fathers Society” on Substack [https://aleklev.substack.com] THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Quince: Get free shipping and 365-day returns at https://quince.com/yourmother [https://quince.com/yourmother] MeUndies: Support the show by going to meundies.com/yourmother [http://meundies.com/yourmother] and using my code YOURMOTHER to get 20% off your first order, plus free shipping. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

In Part 2 of their conversation with Ashley Williams, the How We Made Your Mother team explores the legacy of the episode “Zip, Zip, Zip” while also reflecting on its tonal whiplash following the romantic “Drumroll, Please.” Ashley, Josh, and Craig discuss the writers’ room debate about couples’ bathroom practices, what it’s like to shift from lead storyline to comic side note, and how multi-cam shows use genre to balance intimacy and laughs. Ashley shares touching and hilarious stories about her relationship with her husband Neil—including Snickers-fueled declarations of love. The group also breaks down favorite “Zip, Zip, Zip” moments (like Robin and Barney’s first spark and the sad return of “What’s taking so long?” girl), and consider the challenges of protecting characters’ emotional dignity across episodes. The show ends with a love letter from a fan named Emily, who may have met her Ted at the Bowery Ballroom fundraiser. GET YOUR MERCH! We’ve got HWMYM merch, which is now just a FEW CLICKS AWAY [https://howyougetyourmerch.com/]. CRAIG’S BOOK IS AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER! Head over to CRAIG’S WEBSITE [https://craigthomaswriter.com/novel] to pre-order your copy of That’s Not How It Happened today. And if you’re a business with big orders to fulfill, Amplifier is there to help growing consumer brands and influencers create a unique experience for their customers during the fulfillment process. Visit AMPLIFIER [https://amplifier.com] to learn more, and name-drop How We Made Your Mother for special pricing for your emerging brand's program. CONNECT WITH THE SHOW: Official Website [http://www.howwemadeyourmother.com] (Send us your audio and written messages) Substack [https://howwemadeyourmother.substack.com] (Join the mailing list, get announcements, and read more from Josh and Craig) Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/howwemadeyourmother/] HOW YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE Donate [https://www.howwemadeyourmother.com/makeadifference] to our ongoing campaign to support congenital heart disease research AND MORE: Josh’s “Museletters” on Substack [https://joshradnor.substack.com] Josh’s Official Website [https://www.joshradnor.com] Josh on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/artist/43jyNhxEcJZ2YbwioBjCbY] Craig’s Official Website [https://craigthomaswriter.com] (with links to his published writing) Alek’s “Dead Fathers Society” on Substack [https://aleklev.substack.com] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

In this heartfelt and often hilarious episode of How We Made Your Mother, Josh Radnor and Craig Thomas welcome Ashley Williams—beloved for her role as Victoria—for an in-depth conversation that’s as much about How I Met Your Mother as it is about surviving (and thriving) in the world of multi-cam sitcoms. They reflect on the intimacy and cinematic tone of “Drumroll, Please,” the silliness of “Zip, Zip, Zip,” and the powerful creative safety net provided by director Pam Fryman. Ashley opens up about her early industry struggles, hard lips during on-screen kisses, and the healing experience of joining the HIMYM cast. The trio explore actor insecurities, audition stories, set dynamics, and why the show’s environment was unlike anything else on TV. Bonus: a surprise appearance by Ashley’s tap-dancing husband Neil, a conversation about kissing technique, and some deep theater-kid camaraderie. GET YOUR MERCH! We’ve got HWMYM merch, which is now just a FEW CLICKS AWAY [https://howyougetyourmerch.com/]. CRAIG’S BOOK IS AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER! Head over to CRAIG’S WEBSITE [https://craigthomaswriter.com/novel] to pre-order your copy of That’s Not How It Happened today. And if you’re a business with big orders to fulfill, Amplifier is there to help growing consumer brands and influencers create a unique experience for their customers during the fulfillment process. Visit AMPLIFIER [https://amplifier.com] to learn more, and name-drop How We Made Your Mother for special pricing for your emerging brand's program. CONNECT WITH THE SHOW: Official Website [http://www.howwemadeyourmother.com] (Send us your audio and written messages) Substack [https://howwemadeyourmother.substack.com] (Join the mailing list, get announcements, and read more from Josh and Craig) Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/howwemadeyourmother/] HOW YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE Donate [https://www.howwemadeyourmother.com/makeadifference] to our ongoing campaign to support congenital heart disease research AND MORE: Josh’s “Museletters” on Substack [https://joshradnor.substack.com] Josh’s Official Website [https://www.joshradnor.com] Josh on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/artist/43jyNhxEcJZ2YbwioBjCbY] Craig’s Official Website [https://craigthomaswriter.com] (with links to his published writing) Alek’s “Dead Fathers Society” on Substack [https://aleklev.substack.com] THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: PrettyLitter: Save 20% on your first order and get a free cat toy at prettylitter.com/HWMYM [http://prettylitter.com/HWMYM] Raycon: Go to buyraycon.com/YOURMOTHER [http://buyraycon.com/YOURMOTHER] to get 15% off Raycon's best-selling Everyday Earbuds! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

HWMYM is just taking one week off, but we are thrilled to be able to bring you an appearance that Josh made on an incredibly fun podcast called The Puzzler, where the host, A.J. Jacobs, tested his puzzle skills with a bunch of original word games. As you might know, Josh a big crossword fan, and it sounds like he had a great time. We thought you might enjoy it, too. What you’ll hear are three short episodes they recorded, one after the other. So take a listen, and be sure to subscribe to The Puzzler wherever you get your podcasts. On Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-puzzler-with-a-j-jacobs/id1709071922] On Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/6SNH2hcoRvZuhO4lsZ8ymW?si=85c68487831e4b04] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]