Podcast Summary: How We Made Your Mother – "How We Met Ol' Swarley" (S2E7 "Swarley")
Podcast: How We Made Your Mother
Hosts: Josh Radnor & Craig Thomas
Guest: Greg Malins (Writer/Producer)
Episode Date: December 8, 2025
Covered TV Episode: How I Met Your Mother, S2E7 “Swarley” (first aired Dec 8, 2006)
Episode Overview
This episode dives deep into the now-iconic "Swarley" episode of How I Met Your Mother with special guest Greg Malins, the episode's writer and a sitcom veteran (Friends, Will & Grace). The hosts and guest reflect on how the show, and this episode in particular, blend classic sitcom structure, innovative storytelling, and heartfelt character moments. The conversation is brimming with behind-the-scenes anecdotes, writers' room lore, debates about creative choices, and affectionate reminiscing about cast and crew. The Swarley episode’s unique humor, the work that went into Marshall and Lily’s reunion, and the legendary running joke of Barney’s “wrong” name are explored in loving detail.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Welcoming Greg Malins + Sitcom Pedigree
[02:35–06:03]
- Craig Thomas introduces Greg Malins, emphasizing his intimidating and impressive sitcom credentials from Friends and Will & Grace.
- Greg recounts how he gravitated to How I Met Your Mother after admiring its fresh narrative approach (“a show like I’d never seen”) and wanting to stretch beyond classic sitcom formulas:
"On Friends, we did seven flashbacks, maybe in 10 years… It seemed like I could learn so much from you guys." – Greg Malins [05:29]
Breaking TV Conventions and Writers’ Room Dynamics
[06:03–09:31]
- Discussion of HIMYM’s narrative experimentation versus the more rigid structure of Friends.
- Craig credits Greg for encouraging the team to double down on what made HIMYM unique, rather than “making it more like Friends.”
- The (possibly subconscious) Friends “dig” in the cold open (coffee vs. beer) is debated, with Greg insisting any reference was accidental:
"All I can tell you is it wasn’t." – Greg Malins regarding the “dig” [08:57]
“Swarley” – Origins of the Joke & Writers’ Room Alchemy
[10:01–12:29]
- Greg explains how the “Swarley” name was born: in a spontaneous moment after a quick bathroom break, Rob Greenberg pitched it and Greg immediately saw the comedic potential.
"He goes, swirly. And I said, you don’t need to tell me anything else. I’ve got this." – Greg Malins [11:12]
- Josh and Craig revel in the fun of wordplay and the tradition of sitcoms generating silly, sticky names. The episode’s nods to Friends, Cheers, and The Simpsons are charted [09:09–09:31, 27:45–27:52].
The “Name Sticking” Phenomenon
[27:07–37:35]
- The hosts discuss the comedic tradition of giving friends embarrassing nicknames, and how it mirrors real-life dynamics—a thread revisited in the listener question at the end of the episode.
- Barney’s humiliation at the hands of his friends (“Swirly,” “Swarlos,” “Swirls Barkley,” “Swarlos Barkley de España,” etc.) is celebrated for bringing a necessary vulnerability and equilibrium to his character.
Writers’ Room Credit and Memory—The Revengeance Bit
[14:14–16:18]
- Greg and Craig share a classic writers’ room story about the unproduced “Revengeance” novel and the tagline, “This time, it’s personal… again,” mused over who actually wrote it:
"It’s a good portrait of a good writer’s room where people are fighting NOT to take credit for a joke." – Craig Thomas [15:49]
- Josh draws a parallel to the show’s theme of unreliable memory.
Friends vs HIMYM—Character Chemistry & Structural Lessons
[18:02–22:38]
- Greg discusses his growth as a writer, contrasting the “ultimate education” of Friends with the boundaries HIMYM pushed:
"I wouldn’t have been effective if I didn’t first know all the rules that we were kind of breaking." – Greg Malins [19:34]
- Advice Greg (or possibly Stephen Lloyd) gave early on: the magic happens when “any two characters, put them in a room…you can kind of see the scene.” [21:30]
- Early seeds planted for Robin’s “one-hit wonder” Canadian pop star arc, with Greg suggesting Robin “Sprinkles” (before “Sparkles”). [22:03–22:16]
Marshall and Lily’s Reunion—Heart & Comedy
[24:07–25:10, 36:36–38:51]
- Greg’s pride in writing the emotionally significant Marshall-Lily reunion scene and the challenge of making a “funny couple” work on TV, unlike Ross and Rachel who got less funny together post-coupling.
“To see a couple that is funny together was a revelation to me. And I was like, I gotta learn how to do that.” [25:10]
Easter Eggs and Self-“Theft” from Friends
[28:09–32:01]
- Greg reveals he “stole from himself” for the closing joke—he used a joke construction essentially identical to a Friends episode he penned (the Chandler/“Gene” bit).
- The room reacts with comic “scandal”:
“Breaking news!” – Craig Thomas [31:04] “It’s weirdly complicated ethically because you stole it from Friends. But you wrote the joke. It’s your joke.” – Josh Radnor [30:55]
The Joy of Playing the Joke
[35:18–37:10]
- Greg observes the genuine joy among the cast in the Swirly storyline, especially noting Josh/Ted’s relish in “winning” against Barney for once.
Marshall & Lily’s Reunion Scene
[36:36–38:51]
- The heart at the end of the episode—a sweet, moving, understatedly funny reunion on the stoop—demonstrates one of HIMYM’s greatest strengths: “The last scene is the one that rips your heart out and you didn’t see it coming.” – Josh Radnor [37:35]
Behind the Scenes: Flashbacks, Visual Gags, and Directing
[41:09–46:47]
- Praise for Pamela Fryman’s direction, the challenge and craftsmanship in shooting New York street scenes on the Fox lot, and the show’s innovative visuals (crazy eyes, trippy graphics, “Pulp Fiction” freeze-frames).
- Greg admits his initial skepticism toward visual gags, then delight when they worked.
Commitment, Physical Comedy & Cast Dynamics
[44:18–45:05]
- The entire cast’s willingness to “commit hard to the bit,” especially Alyson Hannigan’s manic performance as Lily and Morena Baccarin as “Crazy Eyes.”
The “Crazy Eyes” Theory & Gendered Counterparts
[47:24–48:08]
- Ted and Barney’s instant, in-sync agreement on the “Crazy Eyes” theory contrasted with the women’s counter-theory about “jerk nails”—demonstrating the show’s balance between silly male bonding and playful battle-of-the-sexes.
The Billy Joel Debate & Music Licensing Woes
[48:12–51:09]
- Greg is “haunted” by the episode’s Billy Joel slander, as Billy Joel was his first concert and musical idol.
- Legal and rights headaches: a joke about “We Didn’t Start the Fire” is whittled down due to music clearance issues.
“There is a whole team of people clearing that, paying royalties, paying clearance…” – Josh Radnor [51:09]
Shoutouts: Guest Stars & Actor Training
[52:24–53:02]
- Praise for guest stars Tom Lenk and Morena Baccarin (noting her Julliard training and “game”-ness for comedy and physical bits).
HIMYM’s Bonding Through Ball-Busting
[40:24–40:46]
- The joy and core of the show: “Friends know how to bust each other’s balls in such a particular way that is—is bonding. It comes from love… it’s a love language.” – Josh Radnor [40:24]
- The need for characters—especially Barney—to sometimes lose, to maintain camaraderie and balance.
The Episode’s Resonance and Timelessness
[60:28–63:10]
- Responding to a listener’s question: why do stories like “Swarley” stay funny and relatable?
“The core of why hasn’t changed… people have loved uniting over ridiculous situations with a bit of schadenfreude.” – Swirly Memes listener question [60:32–60:43]
- Craig and Josh agree: it’s Dr. Seuss wordplay, the delight in silly words, and the fact that the teasing comes from love.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On the writer’s room:
“It’s a good portrait of a good writer’s room where people are fighting to not take credit for a joke. You know it’s good people in that room.” – Craig Thomas [15:49]
-
On “stealing” the Friends joke:
“I was just like, all right, well, I know this joke to work. There’s no way. It’s going to last all the way till shooting. It’s going to get replaced by something else, because it always does.” – Greg Malins [29:46]
“Breaking news!” – Craig Thomas [31:04]
“It’s weirdly complicated ethically because you stole it from Friends. But you wrote the joke. It’s your joke.” – Josh Radnor [30:55] -
On teasing in friend groups:
"This one is like a classic old timey. The wrong name was written and it is suddenly his name. And it's gonna stick and we're gonna come up with every variation of it and we're just gonna roast him." – Josh Radnor [62:31]
-
Advice to actors:
“Don’t stress if you’re not the A story every week. People are tuning in because they like the vibe of all of you guys together.” – Greg Malins (paraphrased by Josh Radnor) [38:51]
-
On the Marshall/Lily couple:
“To see a couple that is funny together was a revelation to me. And I was like, I gotta learn how to do that.” – Greg Malins [25:10]
-
On making “New York” out of LA:
“It was probably 75 and sunny that day. Everything, the camera crew and, like, lighting and everybody had to do, and the rain machines… it really felt like this gothic sequence shot in New York streets.” – Craig Thomas [43:13]
Essential Timestamps
| Segment | Timestamp | |-----------------------------------------------------------|------------------| | Swarley name origin story | 01:37, 10:39–11:47 | | Opening/coffee vs. beer (Friends “dig”) | 08:00–08:57 | | Writers’ room “Revengeance” joke | 14:14–16:18 | | Marshall & Lily reunion, writing for a “funny couple” | 24:07–25:10; 36:36–38:51 | | Greg “stealing from himself” (Friends joke reveal) | 28:09–32:01 | | The magic of cast chemistry with the Swirley gag | 35:18–36:31 | | Visual innovation (crazy eyes graphic, Pulp Fiction gag) | 45:38–46:42 | | Billy Joel/music licensing constraints | 48:12–51:09 | | Listener question, timelessness of group teasing/friendship| 60:28–63:10 | | Final thoughts on re-enchanting painful places (the stoop) | 56:36–57:25 |
Epilogue: Culture, Legacy, and the “Swarley” Effect
The episode concludes on the idea that How I Met Your Mother endures because it captures the ineffable magic of both hilarious and heartbreakingly real moments—often in the same episode. The “Swarley” nickname, like many details from the show, unlocked both the absurd and the emotionally resonant: it’s the ageless joy of friends gently tormenting one another, but always anchored in deep affection.
On why Swarley—and HIMYM—lasts:
“It comes from love. Even these little stupid stories we’re telling are people we love. And that’s why that’s the timeless piece, I think.” – Craig Thomas [64:10]
Final shoutouts:
- Appreciation for guest stars appending to the Whedon-verse, great directorial work, and stories of writer’s family lore (“work up a joke,” go kart 15).
- Greg Malins’ humility, wisdom, and calming energy earned praise—along with his contributions to sitcoms, new and classic.
For die-hard fans and newcomers alike, this podcast episode is a masterclass in sitcom writing, a love letter to group dynamics, and a celebration of a story that felt fresh even as it honored its roots.
Further listening:
- Josh Radnor’s music and substack
- Craig Thomas’ novel That’s Not How It Happened
- Website: howwemadeyourmother.com