Ted Mosby and Robin Scherbatsky have come a long way on How I Met Your Mother. They have been through everything together, experiencing all of the highs and lows over the course of a decade, while remaining close friends throughout the whole process. Most people would find it extremely difficult to remain best friends with your ex-lover, yet somehow these two manage to do the impossible.
This on-and-off-again couple means well, but sometimes their personalities and desires clash too much for love to save the day. With that said, what were some of the instances when Ted should have dumped Robin and vise versa? Read on to find out for yourself!
ROBIN SHOULD DUMP TED: TED MADE ROBIN GET RID OF HER PETS
This one still gets to us, even though it's been over a decade since the episode aired! When Ted found out that all of Robin's pet dogs were given to her by ex-boyfriends, he became extremely jealous and possessive and he guilted Robin into getting rid of all her beloved k-9 friends so he wouldn't feel so insecure in her home. While love is about sacrifice, giving up your pet dogs seems a bit excessive even for the sake of a great romance. Robin should have definitely dumped Ted for this.
TED SHOULD DUMP ROBIN: SHE WANTED HIM MORE WHEN SHE COULDN'T HAVE HIM
Ted should have been a bit more attentive to the fact that the girl of his dreams only seemed to truly want him when she couldn't have him. She only became entranced by Ted when his attention was geared towards another woman. It wasn't really a matter of her loving Ted as a person, but more so the attention he was able to provide her.
When he put that attention elsewhere after getting rejected time and time again by Robin, that's when she would start to swoon over Ted. This kind of behavior does not promote a solid foundation for a relationship, and Ted should have dumped Robin after realizing her cycle of behavior.
ROBIN SHOULD DUMP TED: SHE REALIZED THEY DIDN'T WANT THE SAME THING
Robin made it clear from the very beginning that she was only looking for something casual because getting in a serious relationship, she assumed, would get in the way of her dreams as a journalist. Robin had a deep desire to travel the world and experience the thrill of having many lovers.
There is nothing wrong with this, but it was a bit unfair of her to lead Ted on at times because she knew from the beginning that he wanted something a lot more serious than she was willing to give. In an effort not to break his heart, she should have dumped him the moment she realized their desires for the future were far from aligned. At one point on the show, they actually did break up for this very reason. Yet none of that mattered because they ended up getting back together not long afterward.
TED SHOULD DUMP ROBIN: AFTER OFFICIALLY MEETING TRACY
Ted ended up getting back together with Robin after the unfortunate passing of his soulmate, Tracy. Tracy was absolutely perfect for Ted, and her unconditional love, as well as her admiration for him, should have given Ted more of a perspective on what a healthy romance looks like.
While Tracy fully accepted Ted as the dorky hopeless romantic he is, Robin was always hesitant towards him and all his grand gestures. She didn't appreciate his behavior in the same way that Tracy did, and that's why he should have never considered returning to her in the end.
ROBIN SHOULD DUMP TED: WHEN HE PRESSURED HER INTO BEING HIS GIRLFRIEND
It is never a good idea to pressure someone, especially when it comes to romance. When you push too hard to get someone to return your feelings, you only end up getting hurt and it will almost always backfire. Ted tried way too hard to pressure Robin into a committed relationship to the point where she was clearly overwhelmed by his behavior. He got an entire string quartet to play in his apartment complete with an abundance of romantic moves, despite the fact that he knew Robin wasn't into big romantic gestures. Robin should've known right then and there that Ted was unable to listen to her or respect her needs at that moment.
TED SHOULD DUMP ROBIN: WHEN SHE WENT FOR BARNEY
It should be common knowledge that you should never romantically pursue your ex's best friend. This should be a given, but clearly Robin doesn't respect this notion enough to prevent her from engaging in a romantic relationship with Barney. Sure, love comes from unexpected places and we can't control who we have feelings for, but still, Robin had a choice here. She had the option of turning down Barney, a notorious womanizer, in order to prevent Ted's heart from breaking in half. Ted should've never gotten back with Robin after the whole Barney x Robin relationship saga.
ROBIN SHOULD DUMP TED: WHEN THEIR LOVE LANGUAGES CLASHED
While it is true that opposites attract and people with opposing personalities tend to do quite well together in order to balance each other out, when people have opposing desires and aspirations, that is when things get complicated. This is especially true when it comes to romantic relationships, and Ted and Robin have extremely polarizing views on what it takes to live a happy and fulfilled life. Ted and Robin have extremely different love languages that don't mesh very well together since he has a deep desire for passionate romance while she simply doesn't.
TED SHOULD DUMP ROBIN: WHEN SHE KEPT FLAKING OUT ON HIM
At the very beginning of the series, Ted kept throwing parties a-la The Great Gatsby just so he could get Robin to show up to one of his shindigs. While the gesture is extremely romantic in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, in reality, it is a little bit much. Another important element to contrast the two scenarios is the fact that when Gatsby did this with Daisy, they already had a history together. Ted, on the other hand, just met Robin. She kept ditching his parties even though she said she'd attend, and most self-respecting individuals would call quits on a person who is always too flakey to show up on plans.
ROBIN SHOULD DUMP TED: WHEN HE BEHAVED LIKE A STALKER
The fact that Ted kept throwing these parties in order to get a total stranger to show up to them is honestly starting to sound a bit less like a series of romantic gestures and a bit more like the works of Joe Goldberg. He was acting rather obsessive with Robin, and obsession is not the same thing as love. Because of this very reason, Robin should have ditched Ted for his stalkerish behavior.
TED SHOULD DUMP ROBIN: HE ONLY PURSUED HER BECAUSE OF HER LOOKS
Ted should have come to his senses and realized that it was superficial of him to fall for Robin because of her appearance alone. He supposedly "fell in love" with her the moment he first saw her at the bar, without knowing a single detail about the woman. He didn't even know her name, yet he was already convinced this woman was "the one". Why? Because she was pretty. That's not exactly a great foundation for an everlasting relationship. He should have connected the dots by realizing he was infatuated by her physical features rather than the person that she is.