Robin Sparkles

For a listing of other articles related to Robin Sparkles, see Category:Robin Sparkles

Robin Sparkles is teenaged Robin Scherbatsky's alter ego which she used during her time as a Canadian popstar. The real world inspiration for the character is Canadian singer Alanis Morissette, who recorded two albums of pop music before turning toward more serious songs in the 1990s.

Show Outline[]

The existence of Robin's alter ego, Robin Sparkles, was first revealed in Season two's Slap Bet, when Robin refused to go to an event at a mall and also refused to reveal why. Due to Robin showing shame at the mention of why she hated malls, Barney thought that Robin had been involved in porn. Marshall suggests that she hates malls because she had once gotten married at a mall in Canada, when confronted about this she went along with the story of having been married rather then seeing the truth, going so far as seamlessly inventing details of the band and the catering.

Still thinking Robin is involved in porn, Barney began searching through Canadian porn which is successful when a person in Malaysia sends Barney the video he was looking for. He shows the video to the gang, which opens like porno but turned out to be the music video to her first song "Let's Go To The Mall". Robin is stated that she was a teenage popstar in Canada, and that for a year she had to visit malls across the country singing it.

Robinsparkles-jessicaglitter — Robin Sparkles (left) and her friend Jessica Glitter on Space Teens.

The others reveal in Season three's Sandcastles in the Sand that Robin released another song, "Sandcastles in the Sand", as Robin Sparkles, but this song was unsuccessful as the first. The music video features Robin's ex-boyfriend Simon, Alan Thicke and Tiffany.

The gang also finds out in Season six's Glitter that Robin had appeared on Canadian children's show Space Teens as her alter ego with her best friend back then, Jessica Glitter. The two teenagers worked math to solve galactic problems, thanks to Alan Thicke. Robin and Jessica sang The Beaver Song, a song about friendship, on the show.

In Season eight's P.S. I Love You, the others discover that Robin had obsessed over an unknown man when she was younger. Barney goes to Canada and tracks down the guys she has dated. After encountering Simon once again, he tells Barney of the Robin Sparkle episode of Underneath The Tunes. Barney obtains the tape and the gang watch it. They discover Robin hit her breaking point in February 1996, becoming Robin Daggers. In her obsession, she released a new track called "P.S. I Love You". The man she was obsessed with was Paul Shaffer, although Barney thought P.S. meant post signed.

Robin Daggers[]

Dark Robin Sparkles — Robin as Robin Daggers

In 1996, Robin became obsessed with Paul Shaffer. She filled up her journals about him, and finally got a restraining order. This also reflected on Robin Sparkles. In an interview with MuchMusic (as Robin Sparkles), she stormed out midway through the interview, saying, "I can't do this." Later, in the halftime show of the 84th Grey Cup, Robin revealed to the spectators that Robin Sparkles is dead and that her new name is Robin Daggers. She took off her Robin Sparkles wig and jacket, revealing her new "Robin Daggers look", and began singing her song P.S. I Love You, which Dominant Records had not released, due to its dark genre.

Mentions[]

Let's Go To The Mall was Ted's ringtone in As Fast As She Can.
In Little Minnesota, Marshall sings Let's Go To The Mall during karaoke, at the Hoser Hut.
Robin walks down the aisle to an instrumental version of Sandcastles in the Sand.
Robin sings Let's Go To The Mall at her wedding in a deleted scene: http://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/How-I-Met-Your-Mother-Robin-Sparkles-Deleted-Scene-35741481
Robin Scherbatsky's music career seems to be based on Alanis Morissette. Both were Canadian (forgotten) teenage popstars, heavily contrasting with their later fame in America with much more adult-oriented audience. The fictional song 'P.S. I Love You' bears strong resemblance to Morissette's hit, 'You Oughta Know'. Also, there's some speculation about who was the inspiration behind Morissette's song, somewhat similar to the backstory of Robin's song.

Notes and Trivia[]

On December 20, 2017, Cobie Smulders (Robin) has posted on her Instagram account that she made some Robin Sparkles-themed Tim Hortons donuts. Tim Hortons is a Canadian donut and coffee shop that actually also operates some branches in the US, including in New York.