Cobie Smulders Revives ‘HIMYM’ Alter-Ego Robin Sparkles for an Updated Pandemic-Inspired Version of ‘Let’s Go to the Mall’

Thursday marked an encore performance from none other than Canadian pop sensation Robin Sparkles. The character, who was the teenage alter ego of Cobie Smulders‘ Robin Scherbatsky on How I Met Your Mother, made an appearance in the actor’s Instagram, with an all-new rendition of “Let’s Go to the Mall.” Updated for today’s social distancing norms, of course.

“Welp. Here it is,” Smulders wrote in the caption. “I hope it takes your mind off some things. It certainly did for me! A huge thank you to Craig Thomas and Carter Bays for the new lyrics. And to Brian Kim, who helped compose many of our songs. He wrote this new piano version and then rewrote it when it was too challenging for me. It was a wonderful journey down memory lane.”

Robin Sparkles was first revealed in a Season 2 episode of HIMYM, and recurred throughout the show until Season 8. The character’s music career was music career seemed to be loosely based on actual Canadian pop star Alanis Morissette. Like Morissette, Robin started out as a teen star before reinventing herself as a more serious, credible musician and songwriter. Robin’s other big hit, “P.S. I Love You,” was similar to Morissette’s 1995 smash hit, “You Oughta Know.”

This also isn’t the first time that Robin Sparkles made her way back to the spotlight. Back in 2017, Tim Horton’s honored the character by naming a donut after her. Smulders, who celebrated the occasion on Instagram, wrote: “I’ve finally made it.”

In addition to the new take on “Let’s Go to the Mall,” Smulders also included links to a trio of carries, including CanadaHelps, Daily Bread Food Bank and Save the Children. “If you are able and willing please donate to the following charities,” she added.

The clip is also part of a new standard in the entertainment industry that’s been forced to work remotely. In addition to mosts newscasts and late-night talk shows, which broadcast from inside talents’ respective homes, there have been some pretty ambitious projects of late. Namely, the Parks and Recreation reading, which featured an all-new script, as well as a Community remote table read, which will feature the original principal cast (minus Chevy Chase), which is set to air on May 18.