Robin Scherbatsky

Grew Up… in Vancouver, and her friends (especially Barney) love to joke about the fact that she’s Canadian. Her father – who taught her how to hunt, fish, and survive by dropping her into the middle of the wilderness when she was younger – raised her essentially as a boy. She tried to win his approval by continuing that charade until her early teens when she was caught kissing her (male) hockey teammate. Seeing this caused her father to shun her, at which point she moved in with her mother and became a Canadian pop star under the name of Robin Sparkles.

Living… in an apartment in Park Slope, Brooklyn, with her five dogs. Robin’s apartment is the scene of some memorable moments, such as when Ted stood outside with the blue French horn (long story). But like Barney, Robin spends the majority of her time at “the Apartment” (where Ted and their engaged friends Marshall and Lily all live) or MacLaren’s Pub, the gang’s main hangout.

Profession… on-air reporter for Metro News 1. Robin moved to New York from Canada to pursue her career in TV journalism, but currently only does “fluff pieces” at the end of the actual news segments. Her love for real journalism is the reason she hates her current job.

Interests… drinking Scotch, smoking cigars, and shooting guns. Though estranged from her father, she has retained many of his dislikes, which include almost all things considered feminine. This often causes conflict between her and Ted, who is more in touch with his feminine side than Robin is.  

Relationship Status… single. After a very awkward first date with Ted, she decided they would be better off as friends, but it seems like she still has feelings for him. Because she is so beautiful, though, men often hit on Robin and she has very little trouble finding dates or boyfriends.  

Challenge… becoming more in tune with her emotions. Robin certainly has feelings but has trouble conveying them, since she was essentially scarred by her father into keeping her emotions bottled up. In the words of Ted and Barney, “Robin’s deep-seated need for attention can be traced back to her father’s emotional distance. And no amount of success will ever make up for what she truly needs, which is six simple words from her dad: ‘Robin, I’m proud of you, eh.’”

Personality… no-nonsense with a tough exterior. But deep down, she’s a huge softie and can be easily hurt by even small things that her friends say. Though most people perceive her to be a cold person, she actually cares deeply for all of her friends. She just has trouble showing it.