Robin was one of the most iconic characters on How I Met Your Mother. Over nine seasons, fans rallied behind her self-sufficient and independent personality while watching one of the most successful sitcoms ever. And while there are some people who think that HIMYM had too many references from Friends, it had and always will have a huge fanbase.
The show wouldn’t have been nearly as great without the Canadian, Robin Scherbatsky, as she delivered some of the most hilarious jokes and shadiest burns in the series’ run. Known for being a tomboy who wasn’t exactly the most sensitive person, Robin could sometimes actually come off as a bit of a bully, and this was especially true when it came to her interactions during her on-and-off-relationship with Ted.
10 “Judging From How Many Clients That Hooker Has Serviced, I’d Say We’ve Been Here Almost An Hour.”
Robin’s quick wit made her arguably the most sarcastic main character of the show. Her deprecating burns could be directed towards her clan or really to any stranger. In this scene from season 7, Robin was upset because the squad had been robbed by a sex worker and her pimp.
Lily and Marshall were missing from the gang and Barney thought he could step in and be the “leader.” While waiting to decide if the group was going to go a new party or just call it a night, Robin looked to a stranger and made this very sarcastic remark.
9 “If You Want Him To Be Raised By His Underwear On A Flagpole, Ted’s Your Guy. If You Want Him Pulling The Cord On Some Nerd’s Panties, I’m Your Guy.”
It’s never easy to decide who’s going to be the godparent of your child when you have more than one really close friend to choose from. And that was the case with Lily and Marshall’s decision regarding their son, Marvin. While fighting the case with Ted, Robin showed, once more, one of her best qualities, which was being fearless in whatever she said (even if it often came across as a bit cruel).
Ted politely suggested to the new parents-to-be that if called upon, he would be honored to raise the little kid, but Robin cut in and was incredibly blunt about the subject.
8 “I’m Sorry. Sometimes I Forget How Seriously You Guys Take American Thanksgiving. ‘Real Thanksgiving’ Happened Over A Month Ago.”
Robin didn’t miss a chance to throw in the squad’s faces this clever joke about the fact that she was Canadian. While the group usually made her feel bad because of her nationality, she loved the opportunity to get revenge and show superiority on this matter, and this quote has to be one of the shadiest burns Robin has ever said.
To respond, the sassiest member of the group, Barney said, “I’m sorry. Did you just say Canadian Thanksgiving was, and I’m quoting, ‘The Real Thanksgiving’? What do Canadians even have to celebrate?”
7 “Well, You’re One-Quarter Canadian, So By That Logic, You One-Quarter Suck.”
If there’s one thing that usually left Barney stumped for words was being called a Canadian. Sure, he was great with legendary quotes and lines of his own, but when Robin found out that he had a Canadian grandparent, she realized he couldn’t get away with insulting her origins anymore.
So, as her sarcastic style dictated, she had to throw this one at him the first chance she got. In a scene where Barney took a shot at her country by claiming it sucked, Robin hit back and let him know that, actually, he also sucked.
6 “I Love A Scotch That’s Old Enough To Order Its Own Scotch.”
Full of witty lines, Scherbatsky was often seen as someone emotionally closed off, with a tough exterior. Perhaps that’s part of the reason why her shady burns are often whip-smart when compared to the other characters. Still, when it came to showing that side of her that she was not afraid of showing and having strong opinions, she nailed it like nobody else.
Robin would often take pride in undermining stereotypes about women, one of them being that women don’t drink. She loved her scotch and wasn’t shy about it, and Robin thought: the older, the better.
5 “Dude, I’m A Girl. Our Lady Parts Are Like Spiderwebs. Sometimes You’re Going To Catch Stuff You Don’t Want.”
When it came to sex, Robin was usually “too real” when talking about it. In season 5, there was a scene in which she was having a conversation with Ted about her struggle to balance her work and love life. Ted made a remark saying that she was Captain Hook, to which she promptly disagreed and added this burn.
What’s funny about Robin is that she be self-deprecating and talk about her body with no shame. She took this one, aiming at herself, to try to justify her unavailable/disrespectful actions towards her then-boyfriend, Mike.
4 “Well, Proposing A Three Way Was Bad, Starting Without Us Was Worse, Finishing In The Hallway Was The Nail In The Coffin.”
Classic Robin was always quick to make ironic statements about anyone and, in this case, she really didn’t hold back with her thoughts on Sandy Rivers, who almost made it onto her list of exes. He was introduced to the show right in season 1 as the anchor who worked alongside Robin. He had always had a crush on her but she always turned him down.
Eventually, Robin got closer to Sandy, but things went south in season 7 when she had to replace him as a news anchor. Clearly upset by this unexpected twist, she made this remark during a conversation, which left the man speechless.
3 “Anytime You Even Hear The Word Kids You Get Two Little Lactation Stains On Your Shirt!”
It’s no secret that Robin had zero maternal instincts and fans felt for her when she learned that she was infertile. She may have come across as cynical and bitter on the topic, but deep down everyone knew this was a heartbreaking discovery.
But before Robin knew this fact, there were lots of moments where she picked on Ted for wanting, so desperately, to find “the one” and start his own family. During season 4, in a scene where they were talking, she threw this shade, to which Ted replied: “Thank God you’re not a mom. You are such an ice queen, any baby nursing from you would get brain freeze!”
2 “Don’t Sell Yourself Short There, Teddy. You’re A Slapping Rock Star. Your Name Should Be Eric Slapton.”
Many of Robin’s best, toughest lines were during conversations with the funny and sweet Ted Mosby. This shady burn was said in reference to Barney’s and Marshall’s long-running “slap bets.” By the time Barney was about to receive his fourth slap, in an episode called “Slapsgiving 2: The Revenge of the Slap,” Marshall decided to give his holiday slap to either Ted or Robin.
While discussing if either one of them would do it, Robin said this epic quote, to which Ted replied: “No, seriously Robin, you should get the slap. I mean, you’re a great slapper. In fact, I want to study slapping under your tutelage. I want to be your slap-prentice.”
1 “Nobody Asked You, Patrice!”
Everyone remembers that Robin had a habit of yelling at her co-worker, Patrice. Sometimes viewers felt bad for her, but other times, screaming seemed the only appropriate reaction because she really could be very annoying. This shady burn has got to be Robin’s most memorable ever, as she repeated it so often and it was funny every single time.
Robin’s hatred for Patrice was “legendary” and she made no attempts at hiding it. Initially, Robin disliked her colleague because she loved Barney and Nora as a couple. But as time went on, her hate for the producer only grew stronger, despite Patrice being nothing but kind towards the journalist.
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