The smash-hit sitcom How I Met Your Mother is immensely beloved, and despite its awful ending, and divisive last seasons, it has stood as one of the best sitcoms in the post-Friends era. One of the most divisive and frustrating aspects of the show is the relationship/friendship between Ted Mosby and Robin Scherbatsky.
The two have an on-and-off relationship throughout the show, and the entire show ended up being structured around them, ending up together in the end. They may have been in love at multiple points throughout the nine seasons of the show and been good friends at points too. However, there is a lot of evidence pointing to the two not being friends at all.
THEY HAD AN ON/OFF RELATIONSHIP
This entry is not to say that people who have dated in the past cannot be friends, that is untrue, and some exes can be even better friends than romantic partners.
In the case of Robin and Ted, however, it does hinder their potential friendship. Their first encounter was romantic, overly so with Ted professing his premature love for Robin. They date numerous times, there is lots of romantic tension, and that very tension hurts their friendship.
THEY COULD NOT EVEN LIVE TOGETHER AS JUST FRIENDS
Ted and Robin's friendship went to a new level when they moved in together. After all, it takes a pair of close friends to do such a thing, like Marshall and Ted. However, the pair could not manage it.
They always argued over the stupidest of things that any two close friends could hammer out in five minutes. Even worse, the two tried to solve this by becoming friends with benefits. Eventually, good guy Marshall steps in and convinces Robin to move out for the sake of Ted.
ROBIN DATES, FALLS IN LOVE WITH AND MARRIES BARNEY
This is another example that may not apply to everyone as some rare people who may have briefly dated could separate with one ending up with the other's friend, and the two exes staying friends. But, it does not apply to these two.
Ted, in the end up being a standup friend in this situation. Robin falling in love with and marrying Barney may have been uncontrollable. Still, throughout the entire time of this all happening, her friendship with Ted seemed to be non-existent, purely just unfulfilled romantic tension, and dishonesty.
THEY WERE AN AWFUL COUPLE
Ted and Robin's on-and-off relationship never worked. They may have ended up together at the end of the show, but throughout their time in each other lives post-getting married to other people, they were terrible together.
They argued consistently, had obscenely different desires for two people dating, and their poor compatibility spilled over into their lives as friends. Ted and Robin may have had some fantastic moments as a couple, but when push came to shove they did not suit, and it created a dynamic in their friendship that made it awkward for them to be around each other, and to be friends.
TED HAD AN OBSESSION WITH ROBIN
The romantic tension between Robin and Ted has gotten mention a few times already. But, while there was undoubted tension, it was far more substantial on Ted's side, and a bit too strong at that.
Ted was obsessed with Robin. He may have fallen in love, had his dream home, kids, and the family life he wanted, but he still pined for Robin. No matter whether it was Robin and Barney's wedding, a post-breakup feeling, and every time in between, Ted was romantically obsessed with Robin, and it brings their friendship into question. How could they be friends if one was just obsessed continuously with the other in a romantic way?
ROBIN MOVED ON AFTER HER BIG BREAK
Everyone moves on and changes. This is the course of life, and when we see it inevitably happen in sitcoms and TV shows in general, it is heartbreaking. Nonetheless, all the group manages to stay in good touch, except Robin.
Of course, Robin cannot get blamed for the successful career that takes her across the world and deserves praise for her achievements. However, the rest of the group stays in relatively good touch, and it seems as though Robin does not even contact the group that often via phone call or text. Robin was friends with the group for the shortest time and struggled to stay friends with them past a certain point, especially Ted, for whom she is not happy.
ROBIN ALWAYS LED TED ON
Despite the fact they do not want the same thing, do not have the same dreams or goals, and do not work as a relationship that is one-sided with Ted's obsession, Robin constantly leads on Ted.
Robin may well just be confused at points, which is all well and good. But, Robin constantly toys with Ted's heart, which he often wears on his sleeve. She gives him some sort of false hope, flirts with him, and leads him on despite knowing he loves her more, and that they want very different things. If they were real friends, she would be able not to do this, not flirt, and not lead him on.
TED'S CONSTANT PURSUIT
On the other hand, though Ted hardly does himself, or his friendship with Robin any favors. He cannot help but feel his feelings for Robin, but for the sake of their friendship and the group, he could have gone about it all in a different way.
Ted struggles to maintain boundaries, even when they are not together. On top of that, he tries to change Robin, almost train her into desiring the same things he does. Ted overall just refuses to accept the no and pursues Robin constantly, and while he shows he can be a great friend, his pursuits of Robin ruin it all.
TED MAKES ROBIN GET RID OF HER DOGS
The two were in a relationship when Ted makes Robin get rid of her beloved five dogs, but it shows the two make lousy friends. A lot of the best relationships have a foundation of fantastic friendship, and this just indicates Robin and Ted do not.
When the two finally start dating, Ted gets insanely jealous of the fact Robin's dogs were given to her by ex-boyfriends. This leads to Robin sending away her five dogs and is one of the worst things anyone in the group did to another member.
ROBIN WAS NEVER HAPPY FOR TED
As was mentioned early, Ted ultimately ended up being a good friend, and therefor Robin, on her wedding day, and supported her and Barney's wedding. He even made the adult decision to go to Chicago not to ruin it, and to start anew, he held in his feelings for his friends.
Robin, however, could not repay this genuine act of friendship. Throughout the show, Robin regularly gets emotional when Ted finds love; she simply cannot support him, yet expects him to be there for her when she is in the same situation? Even at Ted's wedding, Robin could not be a supportive friend and just shows the two were not meant to be, neither as friends or as a couple.