TV Romances
All of Robin Scherbatsky’s Boyfriends on ‘How I Met Your Mother,’ Ranked
While How I Met Your Mother was mostly focused on Ted (Josh Radnor) finding the love of his life, there were plenty of other love stories involving the other characters on the show. In fact, Robin Scherbatsky’s (Cobie Smulders) messy love life was just as bad as Ted’s.
Throughout the series, viewers got to see her go through plenty of breakups and even a divorce. Her first love was introduced and came back into her life at one point. While there were many short-lived flings, she had some serious love interests that spanned several episodes or even entire seasons, and we’re breaking them all down.
Scroll down for a full refresher on Robin’s most serious relationships on the show in order from worst to best. Let us know in the comments section below who you think Robin’s best and worst boyfriends were. Do you agree with our ranking?
7. Simon
There’s no denying that Simon (James Van Der Beek) was… the worst. He was the worst when he dated Robin as a teenager, and he was the worst when he came back into her life.
Not only was Simon a total loser, but he dumped Robin for the same woman… twice.
The only thing he had going for him is that he knew Robin during the “Robin Sparkles” era, which was the part of her life she initially tried to hide from the rest of the group. Spill your secrets, Simon.
6. Nick
This was just such a weird one. Robin and Nick’s (Michael Trucco) future romance was set up in Season 6 when it was revealed that she had met him years earlier amid her relationship with Ted and had a crush on him. They didn’t get together at the time, but then, in Season 8, Robin and Nick were just all of a sudden… dating.
There was never an explanation as to how they actually got together, so there was no real build-up for fans to start rooting for this union. Plus, Nick was dumb. Very dumb.
5. Gael
Gael’s (Enrique Iglesias) looks alone are enough to put him above some of Robin’s other exes, but really, this was just a case of right place, right time. Robin was dealing with her breakup from Ted in her own way, and that meant rebounding with a hot guy she met in Argentina.
Gael was never going to be the great love of Robin’s life, but he was what she needed in that moment, and it was fun while it lasted!
4. Don
Honestly, if some of Robin’s other exes weren’t so horrible, Don (Ben Koldyke) would be lower on the list. Not only did he act super inappropriately with her at work before their romance started, but they broke up because he took a job in another city that she had turned down to be with him.
Robin putting a man above her career was a big step, so for him to choose a job over her was the ultimate gut punch.
However, when their relationship was good, it was good. It was an important part of Robin’s story.
3. Barney
On paper, Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) and Robin made a lot more sense than Robin and Ted ending up together. They were both less serious about settling down, and it wasn’t until they found the right person (in each other) that they were ready to walk down the aisle.
Barney was far from a good partner, but he had his moments. His playbook proposal was one of the most epic moments of the series.
But, at the end of the day, Barney was not meant to settle down. At the time, neither was Robin. Of course, it’s unfortunate that we had to spend the entire last season focused on their wedding, only to find out they had broken up halfway through the finale…
2. Kevin
Kevin (Kal Penn) was an angel. He proved that almost immediately when he stepped down from being Robin’s therapist because he realized he had feelings for her. Then, when he doubled down on his proposal even after she told him she can’t have kids, he proved to basically be the perfect guy.
In the end, it was Robin not wanting kids that made Kevin realize they weren’t meant to be together, and that’s no fault of his. These two simply had different visions for the future, and she didn’t fit in the life he saw for himself. Recognizing that and ending the relationship before it was too late was the mature decision.
Honestly, Kevin would probably be number one… if he didn’t go on to end up with Ted’s crazy ex Jeannette (Abby Elliott), whom he also met in therapy. Something has to be a little off there.
Plus, Robin clearly had another soulmate (see below).
1. Ted
I know not everyone loved Ted and Robin together, but I’m convinced they were always soulmates. Even Ted’s own children saw it, which they pointed out to him after he finally finished the story of how he met their mother, Tracy (Cristin Milioti), who had died six years earlier.
It was all about timing when it came to Ted and Robin. They weren’t meant to be together until they had enough time to experience the things they needed to on their own. If Robin hadn’t been able to become successful in her career and Ted hadn’t had the life he’d always dreamed of with Tracy, which was sadly cut short, this never would have worked. That was proven time and time again throughout the series.
Having the show end in such a full circle way, with Ted and Robin finally ending up together, was the right move, and proved that these two were the perfect “opposites attract” match.
