'Pilot': Writers' Second Draft

Look It Up. You'll Find the Second Draft for HIMYM's First Episode

So I was bored a couple of days ago, doing some random Google searches, when I stumbled upon a PDF of the pilot's second draft script on dailyscript.com, and I noticed quite a few different and interesting things in it. I thought I might list those things for the people who haven't come across it yet but curious to find out how the writers thought it out and what didn't end up in the final cut of the How I Met Your Mother pilot. Or if you want to check it out for yourself: http://www.dailyscript.com/scripts/How_I_Met_Your_Mother_--_Pilot.pdf

  

1. Future Ted thought his kids were old enough to hear the story, hence why he's telling it in 2030.

2. Marshall is described as Ted's "boyish, midwestern best friend".

3. Future Ted may be bald.

4. Marshall's worried he's got cancer - the nerves about proposing to Lily are getting to him.

5. Barney is described as "32, devilish, lives on steaks and cigars".

6. Lily is decribed as "earthy, strong, maternal".

7. The kid that put the handprint stragetically on Lily's blouse is named Justin Stangel. I instantly remembered that Lily and Marshall's fertility doctor in 'Bad News' (S6X13) was Dr Stangel. Quite appropriate for the possible son of Barney's doppelganger.

8. Ted originally planned to have two sons (Daughter: "Hey!" Future Ted: "Oh, honey, I'm very glad we had you").

9. Ted says he's six days older than Marshall.

10. Robin is described as "28, beautiful, sophisticated".

11. Barney's first comment about Robin was originally "Oh, yeah, check out that rack! That is some Grade-A sweater meat" and he recognises her as a reporter from New York One (changed from Metro News One).

12. On their date, Ted tells Robin it was Barney that originally came up with the description for the blue french horn: "smurf penis".

13. Marshall then gets worried he has canine diabetes ("I never go on walks anymore!").

14. After Barney kisses Marshall, Marshall says Barney needs a shave. Barney might have been originally imagined as having stubble or even a beard.

15. Ted's kids cringe when they think their father is about to sleep with Robin. On the actual show, the fact that their father is telling them about all the women he has been with doesn't seem to bother them.

16. Marshall gets arrested by refusing to hand over a bottle of champagne to a policeman on the street, and Lily bails him out later. Barney and Ranjit abandon them, but Barney makes up for it later by giving them a replacement champagne.