Ted and Robin's relationship spanned the entire How I Met Your Mother series, and was complicated, to say the least. From the meeting at the very beginning of the show to the eventual reconciliation at the end, the love they shared was long-lasting, built on a strong friendship.
Whilst they spent quite a lot of the show with other people, when they were together, their relationship was one filled with laughter, trust and passion. Their love for one another proved to be one of the most relatable aspects of the show and stood the test of time in the end.
They Were Friends For Years
Whilst Ted and Robin meet with the intent to date one another, as seen in the show's first episode, they make quick friends after realizing that maybe they would be better that way. Despite the fact that their friendship lead to them falling in love, the pair prove to be great friends first and foremost and were always there in each other's time of need.
One of the greatest examples of this is in the episode "Sunrise," which flashes back to Ted trying to track down Robin's missing locket. Despite the potentially selfish intentions behind Ted's actions, he eventually comes to his senses that he has to let his love for Robin go, and allows Barney to take the credit for finding the locket in "The End of the Aisle." The gesture is sweet, as it shows that Ted values his friendship with Robin over their romantic past, and it is relatable to audiences as it shows an organic path to their romance.
They Argued
Rather than present couples who never encountered problems, How I Met Your Mother did well to present couples realistically, showing that it is completely normal for there to be fights in relationships. Ted and Robin's arguments ranged from small and sometimes petty to big enough to cause a break-up.
For instance, the episode "Stuff" saw them bickering about them both harboring possessions from previous relationships - a contentious but completely ordinary situation. The arguments that had more catastrophic results were less frequent, but they were still apparent.
They Had Private Jokes
One of the sweetest things about Ted and Robin's relationship is the jokes that the two share, which is portrayed most memorably in the episode "Slapsgiving." At this point, Ted and Robin are fighting with one another after the revelation that since the breakdown of their relationship, they aren't really friends anymore.
However, as Lily forces them to discuss the roots of their issues (and the fact that they slept together to avoid talking about them), they soon realize that their friendship had been there all along. After resolving their argument, they sit across from each other somewhat awkwardly, until Robin's boyfriend Bob says "major buzzkill," prompting them both to salute. It's a reminder of their friendship and, in turn, is a relatable aspect of their relationship too.
They Both Had Meaningful Relationships With Other People
Unlike Lily and Marshall, Ted and Robin both have serious relationships outside of just one another, which is easy for audiences to relate to, as sometimes it is unrealistic to assume that someone is going to be with one person for the whole of their lives. The fact that they both had great relationships with other people shows the authentic nature of their romance when do they actually get together, forming one of the best relationships on How I Met Your Mother.
Most notably, they both get married to other people -- Ted to the Mother and Robin to Barney -- but they also have numerous partners throughout the show. This aspect of their relationship is relatable to watch, as it exemplifies to audiences that relationships are rarely linear, and shows that real love never really goes away.
They Had Very Different Upbringings
Ted and Robin's upbringings couldn't be more different, which many fans may find relatable through the realism it brings to their relationship. With Ted being raised in Ohio and Robin in Canada, they both had different experiences, particularly in their childhoods, which shaped them to be how they are in adulthood.
It would have been remiss to have one of the show's central couples having identical upbringings, and whilst they may have similar experiences, the representations of their different childhoods prove to be realistic. The differences are something that they also bonded over, as seen in the episode "Robin 101," where Ted crudely uses his knowledge of Robin's fractured relationship with her father to help Barney understand her better, hinting that it's something that Robin confided in Ted.
They Broke Up
Like a lot of couples, Ted and Robin experienced heartbreak before they got their happy ending. The pair ended their relationship in "Something Borrowed" after realizing that the things they wanted in life were incompatible, and therefore their relationship was doomed.
Relationships aren't always easy, and the show did well to explore Ted and Robin's breakup, especially as they both still loved each other. Whilst sad to watch, especially considering it took them years to reconcile, it is a realistic representation of the obstacles couples face in long-term relationships.
They Got Jealous Of One Another's Relationships
Like many exes, when Ted and Robin weren't together, they tended to get jealous if the other person was in a relationship. This was particularly true when they first broke up at the end of season two, in the episode "Something Blue." The following episode, "Wait For It," saw the pair compete to try and 'win' their break-up by proving who had moved on the quickest.
This is also seen before Ted and Robin even get together in the show's first season - in "Purple Giraffe," Ted tries to make Robin jealous by continually answering her calls and calling her a different woman's name. Similarly, Robin acts irrationally towards Ted's girlfriend Victoria in "Game Night!" where she constantly jibes at Victoria in an effort to release her feelings of envy. The way that they both care for each other even when not together is notably realistic and resonates with audiences.
They Were Always There For Each Other
Throughout all of what Ted and Robin went through in their relationship timeline, the pair often urged the other to make the right decisions and gave each other some much-needed advice. Whilst the advice Ted and Robin gave one another sometimes went awry, they mostly had good intentions and it is truly relatable from a place of romance, and friendship too.
Even when they weren't together romantically, Ted and Robin still cared for each other and always tried to be there for the other. Much of the show's sixth season explored their friendship, when Robin moves in with Ted after being broken up with by Don, and Ted proves to be a great friend, particularly in the episode "Big Days," where he consoles her.
They Wanted Different Things
A trope that can oftentimes seem unrealistic is when couples seem to want everything that their partner wants, without much discussion prior. However, with Ted and Robin, it was the opposite and was actually the reason for their break up in the first season. Ted was desperate to be a father and to settle down, whilst Robin didn't want kids and wanted to make her career her main priority.
Whilst it can sometimes be seen across the genre of sit-coms that, when faced with such a glaring issue, the couples involved work it out, usually by one them caving, Ted and Robin don't. Instead, they break up and spend years apart, only reconciling years later when both have fulfilled their personal passions. It is an aspect of their relationship that is considerably realistic, as it conveys the real-life issues that many fans can relate to.
Their Love Story Wasn't Straightforward
Perhaps the most relatable part of Ted and Robin's relationship is the fact that their path to each other wasn't always easy, and was often riddled with various obstacles and difficulties with timing. Whilst Ted is responsible for some of Robin's worst love life decisions, what they went through personally was a relatable part of their journey back together.
Considering the nine-season run of the show, having Ted and Robin get back together at the very end in "Last Forever" showed audiences that it wasn't always an easy ride. Despite there being a happy ending, it took a great deal to get there and a lot of reconciliation, which is realistic, to say the least.