Robin gets a new co-host on her morning show, Don Frank, who is an industry legend. After telling Ted about her new host, Robin goes up to the roof to have a cigarette. This is the first time we’ve ever heard about Robin being a smoker.
Marshall the Smoker
Turns out, Marshall is also an occasional smoker. He began smoking on a camping trip when he was 13…it was the first of his very many “last” cigarettes. Marshall wants a cigarette after finding out that his old boss Arthur, who he parted badly with, has become the head of the legal department at his current job. Arthur doesn’t remember him, but Marshall is still very worried about his job. Apparently Arthur hates everyone, it’s the people he doesn’t know that he fires.
Marshall has a system for Lily not finding out that he has been smoking. It involves smoking without his clothes on, then showering, and sanitizing his teeth. Turns out, Lily can still tell when he has been smoking.
At the studio, Don Frank has a very unusual hosting style. He doesn’t seem to be taking it that seriously, which Robin does not appreciate. Don tells her that her only audience at this hour is a half-drunk slob, and therefore it doesn’t matter.
Marshall is offered a cigarette by Arthur, which he initially turns down. Arthur says that he misses being able to bond with people over a cigarette, which causes Marshall to change his mind. Arthur immediately starts remembering his name and shows him a picture of his dog.
Marshall comes home to the apartment and Lily immediately notices that he has been smoking. He confesses that he has had 3 cigarettes that day, and that he bought a pack and a lighter on the way home…along with a Viking lamp. Lily is upset because they already have 3 Viking lamps and smoking kills!
Lily demands that Marshall give her the cigarettes and the lighter. She then lights up. Whenever Marshall falls off the wagon, Lily always ends up smoking too.
Robin Struggles with Don Frank and Work
Robin accuses Don Frank of being bitter that he never got on a network show, attributing that to his weird behaviour on set. In a scene that spoofs Bull Durham, Don Frank tells her that he has been on a network show…for one Labour Day weekend.
While venting to Lily and Marshall, Robin finds out that they don’t watch her show either. Inside the bar, Ted and Barney are upset that smoking has divided their group into smokers and non-smokers. They decide to join them outside.
How I Met Your Mother Gang Tries to Quit Smoking
About a week later, the gang begins to hit their wall on smoking. Lily’s voice turns husky, Ted can’t make it up stairs, Barney’s tie has a cigarette burn, and Marshall’s boss keels over while smoking.
They decide to quit all together. Well, Barney congratulates the “smokers” on quitting while maintaining that he has never been a smoker, despite the cigarette hanging out of his mouth. Robin comes up to the roof and tells them all about her interview with the mayor the next day. To celebrate, she tries to light up a cigarette, but Ted tells her that they have all decided to quit. Robin refuses.
Eventually, Ted prevails and they all quit smoking. The first day is really difficult for everyone – Barney, Ted, Lily, and Marshall are all at the bar eating to curb their cravings, Robin freaks out on Don at the studio. Turns out, the mayor has cancelled their interview. Don tells Robin that she is never going to be a network anchor, and never going to quit smoking.
Last Cigarette Ever
Don tries to tell her that no one is watching the show and it doesn’t matter if she shares a cigarette with him on air. He challenges any impressionable viewers watching to phone in and say that they are upset. Marshall phones in; turns out that he, Lily, Barney, and Ted are all watching her show.
Robin is really touched that they all are watching. Robin puts out the cigarette on air, and they all celebrate that she isn’t going to smoke. Then they all go up to the roof to have a cigarette. Robin joins them on the roof for a cigarette after work.
The sun is coming up and they are all together, and Robin declares that this is the perfect time for a last cigarette ever. Ted says that they all quit for a while but that it was no one’s last cigarette. But eventually, they all did quit for real.
In the last segment of the episode, Marshall visits his thirteen-year-old self and shows him a picture of the woman he is going to marry.
How I Met Your Mother airs at 8/9c on CBS.
Allison McNeely - Allison McNeely is a Toronto based freelance writer. A recent graduate of McGill University, Allison is a political junkie and avid ...
