General Questions | S1E3 "The Sweet Taste of Liberty"
Explicit content warning
04/10/25 • 40 min
1 Listener
In this bonus General Questions episode of How We Made Your Mother, Josh, Craig, and Alek dive deep into how How I Met Your Mother actually got made. They walk through the production week—from table reads to rewrites, from blocking to shooting—and share behind-the-scenes memories from the early days of the show. They also revisit the creation of the show’s opening credits, the music choices that almost happened, and the story behind Barney’s first big catchphrase. A true behind-the-scenes look at how television comes together—complete with New York Street, Liberty Bell licking, and Barney zipped in a suitcase.
Questions We Attempt to Answer in This Episode:
How far into filming did you create the opening sequence and bar photos?
Was the opening montage made just for this episode?
Is the basement in this episode the same as Stella’s house later in the series?
Did the studio or network have to approve the title sequence?
What was a typical production week like for Josh and Craig?
How did scripts get delivered to the cast?
Did actors ever feel responsible for jokes being cut after table reads?
What sets were permanent and which ones changed?
What was it like filming on New York Street?
Where did the idea of picking up girls at the airport come from?
Is Barney actually successful at picking up women in the early episodes?
How many takes did it take to film the police room scene with Neil?
Were there a lot of bloopers in season one?
Was Ted too bummed out in this episode?
Why do they keep hanging out with Barney?
Who came up with “legend—wait for it—dary”?
Did Chris Miller and Phil Lord invent some of Barney’s signature language?
How many HIMYM fans have actually tried to lick the Liberty Bell?
Why was there drink service on a flight from NYC to Philly?
CONNECT WITH THE SHOW:
Official Website (Send us your audio and written messages)
Substack (Join the mailing list, get announcements, and read more from Josh and Craig)
HOW YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE:
Donate to our ongoing campaign to support congenital heart disease research
AND MORE:
Josh’s “Museletters” on Substack
Craig’s Official Website (with links to his published writing)
Alek’s “Dead Fathers Society” on Substack
Advertising inquiries:
AND IN CASE IT HELPS:
00:00 Introduction and Overview of the Episode
01:41 Behind the Scenes of Episode Production
06:45 The Table Read Experience
10:10 Script Revisions and Feedback Process
17:00 Shooting Schedule and Production Insights
21:32 The Writer's Room: Crafting Ideas and Characters
22:01 Barney's Character: The Comedic Genius
26:00 Memorable Scenes: Bloopers and Behind-the-Scenes Fun
30:08 The Evolution of Humor: Legendary Moments
34:21 Friendship Dynamics: Ted and Barney's Relationship
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
In this bonus General Questions episode of How We Made Your Mother, Josh, Craig, and Alek dive deep into how How I Met Your Mother actually got made. They walk through the production week—from table reads to rewrites, from blocking to shooting—and share behind-the-scenes memories from the early days of the show. They also revisit the creation of the show’s opening credits, the music choices that almost happened, and the story behind Barney’s first big catchphrase. A true behind-the-scenes look at how television comes together—complete with New York Street, Liberty Bell licking, and Barney zipped in a suitcase.
Questions We Attempt to Answer in This Episode:
How far into filming did you create the opening sequence and bar photos?
Was the opening montage made just for this episode?
Is the basement in this episode the same as Stella’s house later in the series?
Did the studio or network have to approve the title sequence?
What was a typical production week like for Josh and Craig?
How did scripts get delivered to the cast?
Did actors ever feel responsible for jokes being cut after table reads?
What sets were permanent and which ones changed?
What was it like filming on New York Street?
Where did the idea of picking up girls at the airport come from?
Is Barney actually successful at picking up women in the early episodes?
How many takes did it take to film the police room scene with Neil?
Were there a lot of bloopers in season one?
Was Ted too bummed out in this episode?
Why do they keep hanging out with Barney?
Who came up with “legend—wait for it—dary”?
Did Chris Miller and Phil Lord invent some of Barney’s signature language?
How many HIMYM fans have actually tried to lick the Liberty Bell?
Why was there drink service on a flight from NYC to Philly?
CONNECT WITH THE SHOW:
Official Website (Send us your audio and written messages)
Substack (Join the mailing list, get announcements, and read more from Josh and Craig)
HOW YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE:
Donate to our ongoing campaign to support congenital heart disease research
AND MORE:
Josh’s “Museletters” on Substack
Craig’s Official Website (with links to his published writing)
Alek’s “Dead Fathers Society” on Substack
Advertising inquiries:
AND IN CASE IT HELPS:
00:00 Introduction and Overview of the Episode
01:41 Behind the Scenes of Episode Production
06:45 The Table Read Experience
10:10 Script Revisions and Feedback Process
17:00 Shooting Schedule and Production Insights
21:32 The Writer's Room: Crafting Ideas and Characters
22:01 Barney's Character: The Comedic Genius
26:00 Memorable Scenes: Bloopers and Behind-the-Scenes Fun
30:08 The Evolution of Humor: Legendary Moments
34:21 Friendship Dynamics: Ted and Barney's Relationship
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Previous Episode
How We Made a Cartoon | S1E3 "The Sweet Taste of Liberty"
In this episode of How We Made Your Mother, Josh and Craig revisit “The Sweet Taste of Liberty” and talk about how it marked a shift in tone for the show. The episode introduced Barney’s cartoonish side, the “legend—wait for it—dary” catchphrase, and a more outrageous style of storytelling. They discuss the influence of writers Chris Miller and Phil Lord, the origins of Barney’s character, and the episode’s mission to answer two big questions: Why is this wild man part of the friend group? And how do Robin and Lily become friends?
The conversation also explores how Ted became more reactive in this episode, the challenge of balancing sitcom energy with character growth, and how early episodes were still “auditioning” the show’s style. They end with heartfelt letters from listeners about how How I Met Your Mother impacted their lives—and Craig shares his personal story about making the show while navigating his own family’s medical crisis, adding emotional depth to the series and the podcast.
Make sure to listen through to the end, when Craig Thomas will announce the permanent fundraising campaign of this podcast, How You Make a Difference, raising money for congenital heart disease.
CONNECT WITH THE SHOW:
Official Website (Send us your audio and written messages)
Substack (Join the mailing list, get announcements, and read more from Josh and Craig)
HOW YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE:
Donate to our ongoing campaign to support congenital heart disease research
AND MORE:
Josh’s “Museletters” on Substack
Craig’s Official Website (with links to his published writing)
Alek’s “Dead Fathers Society” on Substack
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR:
Nutrafol: Start your hair growth journey with Nutrafol at nutrafol.com and use the code YOURMOTHER.
Advertising inquiries:
AND IN CASE IT HELPS:
00:00 Emotional Growth Through Television
07:14 The Creative Process Behind 'How I Met Your Mother'
14:00 Character Dynamics and Relationships
21:04 The Evolution of Storytelling in Sitcoms
30:54 The Creative Process Behind Iconic Moments
32:41 Balancing Character Arcs and Storytelling
35:49 The Role of Chaos and Creation in Relationships
39:03 Exploring Vulnerability and Masculinity
43:23 Fan Impact and Personal Stories
55:08 The Timelessness of Love and Resilience
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Next Episode
How We Returned a Shirt | S1E4 “Return of the Shirt”
In this episode of How We Made Your Mother, Josh and Craig are joined by longtime HIMYM writer and producer Kourtney Kang to break down Season 1, Episode 4: “Return of the Shirt.” Together, they explore the emotional roots of the story—from the awkwardness of rekindling old relationships to the anxiety of breaking up with someone (twice, on their birthday, at a surprise party). They also highlight how this episode marks a turning point for Robin as a comedic character and showcases one of the earliest examples of the show’s signature blend of heart and absurdity. Plus, the real story behind the sock monkey, the birth of the “ineffable” joke, and why Belle and Sebastian helped define the HIMYM vibe.
CONNECT WITH THE SHOW:
Official Website (Send us your audio and written messages)
Substack (Join the mailing list, get announcements, and read more from Josh and Craig)
HOW YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE:
Donate to our ongoing campaign to support congenital heart disease research
AND MORE:
Josh’s “Museletters” on Substack
Craig’s Official Website (with links to his published writing)
Alek’s “Dead Fathers Society” on Substack
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:
Betterhelp: How We Made Your Mother is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/yourmother
Quince: Get free shipping and 365-day returns at https://quince.com/yourmother
Advertising inquiries:
AND IN CASE IT HELPS:
02:18 Writer's Journey and Personal Growth
06:06 The Complexity of Relationships
10:48 The Role of the Shirt in the Episode
18:29 The Dynamics of Ted and Robin
27:13 The Writer's Room Experience
35:14 The Art of Comedy and Writing
40:45 The Journey of a TV Writer
44:00 The Magic of Sock Monkeys and Montages
49:23 Memorable Moments from the Shoot
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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