The Scrubs proposal - Aftermath

Rather than play into a who was "right" type of scenario, I'll just highlight the actor's portrayals of the scene

The scene in the hospital:

Jason's portrayal of Patrick's earnest love and declaration made it seem less about forcing Robin's hand at commitment and more about wanting her to understand that he wanted it all with her. I thought that Kimberly's choked voice when she said the proposal was "crowded" made the audience more sympathetic to the situation Robin was put in, And John J. York played Mac's skepticism well, but he also wiped his cheek as she was rushing out, which was a great addition to a heartfelt scene. Just all around great acting.

The scene on the bench:

These were the most heart-wrenching, painful and well-played scenes since the breakup scenes and/or the bet. The acting was pitch perfect - The assurances of love Robin gave him, the bittersweet kiss of love and regret, their foreheads touching, the regret in her "I'm so sorry", the pause of hope on his side/dread on hers, then "but I can't marry you", Patrick's muffled sob and pulling back in hurt, Robin holding his face to hers to comfort him, and then her need to walk away while he reels and is in tears. This was the most amazing performance by these actors so far this year, and an absolutely worthy reel for Emmy consideration. Jason Thompson has a gift for showing Patrick's emotions in his eyes and in his voice, and the incredible hurt Patrick was feeling when Robin said "No" was palpable. Kimberly's portrayal of love and regret throughout the lead up to her rejection of the proposal helped reinforce to the audience that Robin is in love with Patrick and has her reasons for saying no. It's the caliber of these type of scenes that keep the fanbase tuning in, and believe in them as actors and their characters.

However, this segues into a criticism of these scenes and really for Robin's storyline. You can skip this if you just want to just read the positive review of the scenes..otherwise you can click

For one of the better female protagonists on the show, Robin's feelings have become strangely silent. Throughout Patrick's baring of his soul, there was a significant lack of "I" statements coming from Robin - such as "I feel", "I want", "I need" - that would explain or even half-explain her ambivalence to marriage. And this is not the only time it's happened, this was also true in the lead up to the court scenes, in most aspects involving her pregnancy, her feelings on the future, how having a baby affects her views on mortality, etc. As many connections to other characters she has on the show, there are few characters asking her about her viewpoints on all these topics. We can only infer from her actions, make guesses based on her history, and read meaning in what she says about other people's lives to understand her motivations. It's a tragedy that with such a rich characterization to draw on, that Kimberly rarely gets scenes these days where Robin states what she wants, what she needs, what she fears.

And, while many viewers have been patient in allowing the writers to realistically turn Patrick in the direction he is now, the dissatisfaction in the lack of Robin's voice has also been increasing at the same time - the tide should turn now to Robin in order to evolve this couple toward the next step. We need to hear from Robin, and understand why she "can't" marry Patrick - is it because he's still not marriage material? Is it because it relates to her illness and mortality? Is it because she feels it's the beginning of the end of the relationship and that terrifies her? The audience wants to hear her motivations and understand this character; she's grown up on this show and viewers are invested in her. Otherwise, Robin becomes an unsympathetic heroine who is seemingly afraid of allowing herself stability and happiness, and viewers will increasingly tune out of General Hospital and into Night Shift to find the characterization that gives her that voice.