Ep 3. Smoking

In NewsRadio season 1 episode 3 titled "Smoking," tensions rise in the newsroom as smoking is banned in the office. Dave, the news director, announces that smoking will no longer be allowed in the office due to the health risks and concerns of non-smoking employees. This causes a rift between the smokers and non-smokers in the office.

Matthew, a production assistant and avid smoker, protests the ban by smoking in the bathroom and refusing to comply with the new policy. Despite warnings from Dave and other coworkers, Matthew continues to smoke in secret, causing the smoke detectors to go off and disrupting the work environment.

Meanwhile, Beth, the station's bookkeeper, tries to quit smoking with the help of Joe, the electrician. Joe offers her his "smokealyzer," a device that gives electric shocks to the user whenever they attempt to smoke. While Beth initially resists the device, she ultimately becomes addicted to the shock and the rush it provides.

As the ban on smoking continues to cause tension in the office, a focus group is brought in to determine how viewers feel about the new policy. However, the focus group ultimately becomes more interested in the personal lives of the news team, causing chaos and confusion in the office.

In the end, the smoking ban remains in place, and Matthew is forced to comply with the new policy. Beth, on the other hand, becomes a victim to the smokealyzer's addictive nature, causing her to struggle with quitting smoking even further. The episode ultimately shows the difficulties and consequences of quitting smoking in a work environment and the challenges that come with change.