After HIMYM ended Robin and Barney’s relationship, both Slate’s John Swansburg and members of our esteemed commentary pool asked: Was it too soon? Now Carter Bays, the show’s executive producer, is weighing in over at The Ausiello Files.
“None of us wanted to see Barney wearing a sweater-vest and going to bed-and-breakfasts,” says Bays, adding that it makes sense the relationship would “flame-out fast” given that “neither of them, at their core, really wanted to be tied down.”
Our take? First, Bays’s point about the suddenness of the break up is valid. Second, we wanted old philandering Barney back as much as anyone. BUT … all of a sudden, we’re remembering things. Like how the writers have been dropping hints about the Barney and Robin union over a couple of seasons now. And how they’ve been leaving signs that Barney’s lust for the ladies leaves him empty inside for almost as long. And that Barney and Robin should make sense together. So did we (as in, the HIMYM audience) bully Bays and company into pulling the plug on a plotline that’s been brewing for quite a while, and in theory, should work? According to Bays — “It’s one of those things where you can give people what they think they want, or what they really want.” Well, now we’re just confused.
Exclusive: Why ‘Mother’ split up Robin and Barney [EW]
