Dead Pilots Society

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Bonus: Top Five Funniest Openings in Dead Pilots Society History - Number 1 May 01, 2026

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Bonus: Top Five Funniest Openings in Dead Pilots Society History - Number 1

As a special bonus for MaxFunDrive 2026, we bring you the top five funniest openings in Dead Pilots Society history, as voted by the DPS staff. It was a challenge to narrow it down to just five, but that just means you’re getting the best of the best.

The show is supported by MaxFun members contributing $5 a month or more, and this is the time of year to say thanks and invite new listeners to join. Throughout the drive, there will be more episodes and a few extra check-ins along the way. To learn more or become a member, visit https://maximumfun.org/joindeadpilots

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joindeadpilots

Episode 199: Carter Bays and Craig Thomas Interview Part Two Apr 30, 2026

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Episode 199: Carter Bays and Craig Thomas Interview Part Two

This is the After Show for Gimme Five, featuring part two of Andrew’s conversation with Carter Bays and Craig Thomas, creators of How I Met Your Mother.

The discussion digs into the real-life inspiration behind Gimme Five, a project shaped as much by nostalgia as it is by firsthand experience. Carter and Craig reflect on the writers’ rooms that shaped the pilot, and the kind of shared comedy culture that gets handed down over time, something that now feels increasingly rare.

The conversation is loose, funny, and occasionally thoughtful, touching on collaboration, process, and what makes a great room work.

Dead Pilots Society is supported by MaxFun members contributing $5 a month or more, and this is the time of year to say thanks and invite new listeners to join. To learn more or become a member, visit https://maximumfun.org/joindeadpilots

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joindeadpilots

Bonus: Top Five Funniest Openings in Dead Pilots Society History - Number 2 Apr 29, 2026

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Bonus: Top Five Funniest Openings in Dead Pilots Society History - Number 2

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Bonus: Top Five Funniest Openings in Dead Pilots Society History - Number 3 Apr 28, 2026

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Bonus: Top Five Funniest Openings in Dead Pilots Society History - Number 3

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Episode 198: Gimme Five by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas Apr 27, 2026

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Episode 198: Gimme Five by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas

This month’s second dead pilot from Carter Bays and Craig Thomas is Gimme Five.

Best known as the co-creators and longtime showrunners of How I Met Your Mother, Carter and Craig previously wrote for The Late Show with David Letterman and produced American Dad. They co-wrote this pilot with legendary writer Peter Tolan, whose credits include The Larry Sanders Show, Rescue Me, Analyze This, Analyze That, and many more.

Here's the log line. It's 1985, and Gimme Five is the number two family sitcom in America. But behind the scenes of this feel-good show is a dysfunctional workplace family on the verge of self-destruction. Showrunner Cliff McConnell must somehow keep it together and keep being funny in the midst of his newborn son's health crisis.

Sharp, outrageous, and wildly funny, Gimme Five gives a behind-the-scenes look at comedy writing that feels both absurd and strangely authentic. It may also be one of the funniest pilots ever featured on the podcast.

Major content Warning, definitely think twice about listening to this one with small children in the room. You may hear something that offends you early on in this pilot, but please stick with it.

Stay tuned for part two of Andrew’s Interview with Carter and Craig, in your feed April 30th.

Our cast for the show includes Taran Killam (SNL, High Potential, Stumble), Chris Diamantopoulos (Beavis and Butthead, Silicon Valley), Scott Foley (Scandal, Scream 7), Dallas Goldtooth (Reservation Dogs), Tami Sagher (Inside Amy Schumer), Chris DiStefano (stand up), James Urbaniak (Venture Brothers), Isabella Gomez (One Day at a Time, Shrinking), Cyrina Fiallo (High Potential, 911 Lonestar), Alyssa Limperis (What We Do In the Shadows), Burl Moseley (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend)

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Episode 197: Carter Bays and Craig Thomas Interview Apr 25, 2026

Show notes

Episode 197: Carter Bays and Craig Thomas Interview

This is the After Show for New York Mythological, featuring Andrew’s conversation with Carter Bays and Craig Thomas, creators of How I Met Your Mother.

As part of this MaxFunDrive run, Dead Pilots Society is featuring two pilots from Carter and Craig. In a few days, the second one, Gimme Five, will be released, followed by part two of Andrew’s interview with them.

The conversation gets into the real origins of How I Met Your Mother, the experiences, influences, and unexpected ingredients that eventually became the show. Carter and Craig also talk about the years before that success, and the many turns a writing career can take along the way.

It’s a funny, candid conversation about writing, setbacks, success, and the odd resilience it takes to keep making things.

Here is a link to "The Future is Now”, Oliver Beene theme song by Carter and Craig’s band “The Solids”

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joindeadpilots

Bonus: Top Five Funniest Openings in Dead Pilots Society History - Number 4 Apr 23, 2026

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Bonus: Top Five Funniest Openings in Dead Pilots Society History - Number 4

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Bonus: Top Five Funniest Openings in Dead Pilots Society History - Number 5 Apr 22, 2026

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Bonus: Top Five Funniest Openings in Dead Pilots Society History - Number 5

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Casters on Casters: Ben Blacker, Alonso Duralde, and Hal Lublin Apr 20, 2026

Show notes

It's MaxFunDrive. And here, for the first time, we give you an exclusive look (well, listen) at the craft of podcasting: presenting Casters on Casters.

In this episode, Ben Blacker (Dead Pilots Society), Hal Lublin (Tights and Fights & We Got This with Mark and Hal) and Alonso Duralde (Maximum Film!) take listeners behind the scenes and swap stories about the ups and downs of podcasting. Plus, why does every TV reboot have a character that's a podcaster? And how did COVID change the podcasting game? Listen to find out!

If this glamorous, in-depth journey into what makes your favorite hosts tick inspires you, support them by joining as a member at maximumfun.org/join.

Edited and Produced by Laura Swisher for Maximum Fun.

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Episode 196: New York Mythological by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas Apr 20, 2026

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Episode 196: New York Mythological by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas

This month’s dead pilot, kicking off the 2026 MaxFunDrive, is New York Mythological, written by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas.

Best known as the co-creators and showrunners of How I Met Your Mother, Carter and Craig previously wrote for The Late Show with David Letterman and produced American Dad. Carter is the author of the novel The Mutual Friend, Craig wrote the novel That’s Not How It Happened, and together they’re also members of the band The Solids. Craig also recently launched the How We Made Your Mother rewatch podcast. To celebrate the MaxFunDrive, Dead Pilots Society is featuring not one, but two pilots from Carter and Craig this month.

The log line for New York Mythological - A new arrival joins the team at a museum devoted to exploring supernatural and paranormal phenomena in New York City.

With kind of a How I Met Your Mother meets Ghostbusters feel, the pilot features a fantastic cast featuring Isabella Gomez (One Day at a Time, Shrinking), Devon Bostick (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Crime 101), Alyssa Limperis (What We Do In the Shadows), Josh Fadem (The Lowdown; American Dad), Kal Penn (Harold and Kumar, Industry) Cyrina Fiallo (HIgh Potential, 911 Lonestar), Tami Sagher (Inside Amy Schumer)

It’s MaxFunDrive season, which means celebrating the listeners who make Dead Pilots Society possible. The show is supported by MaxFun members contributing $5 a month or more, and this is the time of year to say thanks and invite new listeners to join. Throughout the drive, there will be more episodes and a few extra check-ins along the way. To learn more or become a member, visit https://maximumfun.org/joindeadpilots

Help support this show and unlock bonus content! Become a member at https://maximumfun.org/joindeadpilots

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