In this episode of How We Made Your Mother, Josh and Craig revisit How I Met Your Mother’s second episode, “Purple Giraffe.” They talk about the pressure of following up the pilot, the decision to structure the story around three parties, and how the show continued to play with time and storytelling. They also reflect on Ted’s optimism, his flaws, and what this episode reveals about his character. The episode includes behind-the-scenes stories about writing, editing, and production, including how the purple giraffe came to be and why the rooftop scene was so important. Josh shares what it was like navigating early fame, and his wife Jordana offers thoughtful insight into Ted’s emotional growth. 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) Instagram HOW YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE: Donate to our ongoing campaign to support congenital heart disease research AND MORE: Josh’s “Museletters” on Substack Josh’s Official Website Josh on Spotify Craig’s Official Website (with links to his published writing) Alek’s “Dead Fathers Society” on Substack THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Surfshark: Go to https://surfshark.com/yourmother and use code YOURMOTHER for 4 extra months of Surfshark. Advertising inquiries: [email protected] AND IN CASE IT HELPS: 03:08 Creating Episode Two: Purple Giraffe 06:13 The Challenges of Writing a Second Episode 09:03 The Great Gatsby Influence 17:57 The Essence of Ted Mosby 20:49 Balancing Humor and Heart 35:16 The Art of Cinematic Storytelling 40:39 Ted's Journey: The Tug of War Between Control and Destiny 49:00 The Evolution of Ted: From Childish Dreams to Adult Realities 59:00 Audience Engagement and Community Connection Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.