How We Didn't Meet the Goat | S3E17 "The Goat"

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)InstagramTiktokREAD JOSH’S MUSELETTERS ON SUBSTACK:Subscribe HERECRAIG’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: OfficeLadiesPodFollow on TikTokAND MORE:Josh’s Official WebsiteJosh on SpotifyCraig’s Official Website (with links to his published writing)Alek’s “Dead Fathers Society” on Substack