How We Made Your Mother How They Got it Made [with co-creator Carter Bays]
Mar 17, 2025
Carter Bays, co-creator and executive producer of How I Met Your Mother, shares the fascinating journey of pitching and crafting the iconic series. He dives into the challenges of developing a narrative filled with flashbacks and emotional depth, while emphasizing the show's unique storytelling style. Listeners get an inside look at audition stories and the personal connections that made the characters resonate. Most importantly, Bays reflects on the heartfelt impact the series has had on its audience, highlighting themes of resilience and chosen family.
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Show's Origin
- Carter Bays and Craig Thomas pitched How I Met Your Mother among other ideas to their agent, Matt Rice.
- Rice immediately recognized the show's potential, advising them to pursue the idea closest to their hearts.
Fortuitous Timing
- CBS, known for its older demographic, sought a younger show, aligning perfectly with How I Met Your Mother's target audience.
- This timing proved crucial for the show's acceptance and success.
Novelistic Approach
- Inspired by Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Carter and Craig envisioned How I Met Your Mother as a novelistic series with a season-long arc.
- This contrasted with CBS's preference for episodic sitcoms, leading to creative differences.