These are off the top of my head.  Right at this moment. I maybe purposely didn’t list scenes where Aaron was present with Robert because I think that deserves its own list.  So….here we go. 

1) Robert and Seb’s First Talk

I’m a sucker for this scene. Robert struggled so much after seeing Seb for the first time in the hospital that he thought he had to run.  When he comes back and holds Seb and promises to always be there for him.  I took it as a scene where Robert was vowing not to be Jack. Not to be like Jack to him and listen to him and care about what he is going through.  That scene held a lot of promise that Robert wouldn’t fall into some old Sugden ways and change his families future for the better. The emotion there still gets to me this day.  It has nothing to do with Aaron, Rebecca or how Seb got into Robert’s world. It was about the child and the father trying to be better than the past. Also, it was the first time we got some proper Seb and Robert cuteness. Ryan was amazing, and it made me care about this new relationship in Roberts life.  

2) Robert Talking About Being Bisexual to Lawrence

We had the scene of Robert defending himself against Aaron’s eye roll at word bisexual, but I really loved the scene with Lawrence where Robert talks about his life and what got him to that point.  How denying himself and how that has caused him and others lots of pain that didn’t need to happen.  It was a Maxine written scene, and it shows.  Robert was about to talk about his past openly and say who he was without fear. It shows how far Robert has come as a person and how he was growing into a better person, even among all the scheming he was doing at the time (I have lots of feelings about that too, but that is for later on…if anyone cares what I think).  Robert has grown, and he is getting confident with who he is, and that means he won’t repeat the same mistakes (Under this showrunner at least).  It is a soap but for now…Robert was learning and becoming more confident in himself, and I love that scene for that reason.

3) Andy and Robert (During the Who Shot Robert storyline)

This scene is after the second run of the chicken game with Andy and Robert.  It was a great moment for Robert.  Not only was he not holding back on all the hurt he has carried around for a very long time, he made sure Andy knew about it.  How he felt about being banished when Andy was protected. How Andy killed Sarah. How Jack treated him versus how he treated Andy.  It was all out. No more cool fake confidence.  No more biting wit hiding his true feelings. It was all out there, and it was important for Robert to get that out there.  It’s an intense scene full of history that needed to happen, and of course, Ryan sold it beautifully. I wonder if that created a lot of Robert fans when they aired.  I didn’t have the honor of watching live, but it made me love him a bit more. It also holds on of my favorite lines which I know will anger Katie fans but, it never fails to give me chills and make me snort a bit.

“I killed the bitch!”

4) Vanessa and Robert talking at the pub

Robert and Vanessa are my favorite new friendship.  We don’t get to see them often anymore but while they were hanging out together I liked the scene at the pub after Vanessa was outed by Charity.  Vanessa was lost and not sure of her footing.  Robert was there for her.  He gave her some help that he himself never got with his bisexuality discovery.  It also showed how far he had come. In the past he would have hidden it away, never talked to Vanessa or he would have been sarcastic to her (Hiding his own struggles). It showed his growth that he saw her struggling and tried to help her out.  Also, the famous line, “Be less like Robert.” Is now in my Robert Hall of Fame (Sad Hall of Fame but…its in there).  

5) Robert Helping and Saying Goodbye to Andy 

I’m very interested in the Andy/Robert dynamic. I’ve been catching up slowly, but I really loved this whole half of the episode (I know…I’m cheating).  There is just a lot of Robert goodness there.  His teasing of how his brother needs his help now.  Hiding him out.  Giving him a hard time. Mocking him.  Helping him with Bernice and then at the end they share a very emotionally charged scene. Another moment showing how far Robert has come.  He was slowly figuring himself out and trying to let go of the past. Not let it pepper his future anymore.  That meant helping the brother that caused him so much trouble and bad feelings in the past.  He does it with his normal Robert flair, but it works beautifully.  At the end of the day, Andy is his brother, and he is going to get him out of dodge. Isn’t that like a great soap family?  They may hate each other, but no one is going to do anything to anyone in the family.  They are a unit, and they will take care of each other.  Andy had to learn that too, and I think after Robert showing him the way by helping him out of Emmerdale.  I assume if Andy ever came back ( I know he isn’t anytime soon) I expect Andy to have a different attitude towards Robert. Be a bit more helpful. Anyway, I love seeing how far Robert had come with Andy and how their relationship isn’t over. It never will be. They are family to the bitter soapy end.

(Did I overthink this? YES, I DID! LIKE A GREAT SOAP FAN! I adore Robert, and I only want the best for him. I see that. He has had one hell of a year, and I hope to see Ryan/Robert be on my screen more and more.)