Is he somebody you went to Degrassi with?

How I Met Your Mother – Sandcastles in the Sand
Robin renews her relationship with an old flame that hurt her in the past, and she’s too blind with emotion to see that he’s still a loser.

I’ve found myself singing “Let’s Go to the Mall” the whole evening prior to this episode.

Robin’s old boyfriend Simon, who broke her heart, is in town and she’s excited to show off her hot self. The usual Canadian teasing ensues, from jokes that are elegant and well crafted (“Did he break up with you by saying he just wasn’t that Inuit?”) to crude and ill formed (“Something about fur trapping”). In the flash backs, Robin’s Canadian accent is hysterical. James Van Der Beek sounds like he’s trying to be Scottish, and he still looks exactly like Dawson. In the present, Simon is fat and bald, but Robin can’t stop giggling as soon as she sees him.

Simon is kind of mean to Robin, but she falls for him anyway. The gang learns that there is another Robin Sparkles video out in the world, and Barney is determined to track it down. Marshall introduces the notion of “revertigo,” whereby individuals revert to certain behaviors around people from their past. To illustrate, Marshall tells Lily to call her friend Michelle. When Michelle shows up, Lily stars talking all ghetto.

Simon dumps Robin again, in the same way and for the same reason. She ends up at the bar alone. Barney appears, frustrated that he can’t find her video, and finds her crying. He comforts her, telling her she’s one of the most awesome people he knows. The show teases up by making it seem like they’re going to kiss, and Robin invites Barney back to her place. One would hope it’s for sex, but really it’s to show him the second Robin Sparkles video.

It’s a ballad shot on the beach. And Tiffany and Alan Thicke are in it. It’s certainly no “Let’s Go to the Mall.” And then HOLY SHIT!! Barney and Robin start making out!



This has been a long time coming, and it’s thrilling. I don’t really expect anything to evolve between them – I mean really, we love Barney just the way he is – but I’ve always thought Robin might be the one girl who could make Barney change his ways. I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if they have a secret sexual fling. Neither of them is relationship-oriented, so it could work … for a time. We have heard rumors that by the end of this season Ted will begin to turn his back on Barney and his wanton ways – could this be the reason? I can’t imagine the young Mosby will react well to the news.