HIMYM: Barney Breaks Up Nick and Robin

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

The problem with this episode is that we knew it was coming. I mean, we've known since the second episode of the season that 2012 will feature The Autumn of Break-ups! With Ted now done with Victoria, it was only a matter of time before Robin and Nick ended. But, let's look at some of the other things going on here... the Midtown Professional Basketball League has mini-leagues like the "Little Ivies Professionals Over 30 Who Work in Midtown League" ?? Really? With that, two more things. First, was it just me or did Marshall look younger than usual? I mean, not Freaks and Geeks young, but much younger than recently. Plus, Ted's "T-Squares" team came out of nowhere, though I did enjoy that they play a mental, non-aggressive game where they use geometry to get the ball to move around the room and into the net, though they still lose by over 100 points. And, lastly, the idea that one might swallow your vocal cords to be talking out your @$$ was funny but I had to listen to it twice. 

How I Met Your Mother "Splitsville" (S08E06): When Nick injures his groin playing basketball with Marshall, he and Robin have to go three days without having sex. This causes her to realize that's the basis for their relationship and that he's kinda "dumb," something everyone else had figured out long ago. [pause to laugh at both "Force Majeurs" and Abu-Bakr being the ringer. and, the "shoes on the wrong feet" was the straw for me!] Robin decides to break up with Nick, but she caves when he's shirtless. [this is one of those really annoying traits from which many women suffer.] So, Barney decides to blackmail Robin into breaking up with Nick by threatening to send out an invitation for "Robin & Patrice's BFF Fun Day," and we all know how much Robin hates Patrice!

So, Robin takes Nick to a break-up restaurant, but he gets an upsetting phone call in the middle of it, so she holds off. [First of all, the fact that this "exists" is crazyfunny. Also, you'd think that Nick would get jokes about food! He has a cooking show for crying out loud! And, I laughed at, "man, he dumb!"] But, Barney won't stop the invite so she has to dump Nick while Barney is listening via speakerphone. [Barney sitting on Marshall's back during the lawyer's pushups was odd. and fun!] Well, the upsetting news was that his groin injury is pretty severe and will keep him out for the season. After Robin keeps stalling, Barney shows up to tell Nick that he can't last with Robin because things are not over between the Bro and Robin. [hold up, wait a minute!!] Barney gives a speech about his deep love for Robin, but as soon as he and Robin leave, he says that it was fake. [...except the audience knows it's not.] HOWEVER, Barney does forget to stop the invite, so Robin and Patrice have to get massages, have their hair done, and ride a Ferris Wheel.  

Richard Cartwright/CBS

And, for the other three characters on the show... Marshall and Lily have not yet continued being intimate since Marvin was born because the baby cries from the other room whenever they touch one another. So, Ted takes the baby and the couple goes back to their normal routine of jumping on one another.