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Episode Recap: "My Identity Crisis"
Well, like a baseball (or beisbol) team, sometimes a great series needs a "rebuilding" season. "My Identity Crisis" still wasn't up to the heights of most previous years of Scrubs, but it was the funniest episode of the season so far and it will do.
We begin with a dream sequence; Carla (Judy Reyes) is making out with her husband, Turk (Donald Faison) in a hospital bed at Sacred Heart. Turk pulls out a restraint and binds her wrist to the bedframe, but the prospect of kinky fun is dampened by the sudden appearance of JD (Zach Braff) and then Elliot (Sarah Chalke), who are there to murder Carla, allowing Turk and JD to pal around endlessly and Elliot to steal and raise Carla's daughter, Izzi. What turns out to be the most disturbing aspect of the nightmare for Carla, however, when she awakens, is that its the first dream she remembers having in English, rather than in Spanish. Meanwhile, Cox (John C. McGinley) is informed by his partner Jordan (Christa Miller, too absent of late) that she will be taking their children to visit her mother; since his not-quite mother-in-law actually has a restraining order against Cox coming within fifty feet of her house, Cox can't come along. An almost-funny argument ensues about who will cave in and call or admit they missed the other first. (Somewhat more funny is the Risky Business daydream this inspires in JD, with the Todd's [Robert Maschio] too-enthusiastic participation in dancing in underwear.)
Elliot is particularly challenging to Cox, who is at loose ends in his otherwise empty apartment, and even comes into work on his day off to find himself helping JD study photos of the Sacred Heart staff, so JD can win a bet with the Janitor (Neil Flynn). JD, having bragged to the Janitor that he, as a beloved member of the Sacred Heart community, knew everyone's name there, only to realize when the Janitor challenged him that he didn't know anyone's beyond his circle of friends. The Janitor bets that JD can't learn all the staff names in a day; if the Janitor wins, JD has to do the Janitor's job for a day, and if JD wins, the Janitor will actually do his own job for a day. This all boils down into Carla and Cox trying to decide what their own identies are now, while JD tries to memorize everyone else's, while Ted (Sam Lloyd) and the rest of his a cappella quartet work on a version of the Who's "Who Are You" (Scrubs enjoys tweaking its timeslot competitors; it's taken till now, as far as I remember, to get around to CSI, which uses the song as its theme). Carla and Turk have a bit of an argument as to whether their daughter should be raised bilingually from the beginning, an argument Carla eventually wins even as Turk realizes he doesn't really know or care much about his ancestry, while gathering how important it is to Carla. Cox and Jordan reach an understanding and a level of mutual teasing that seems a bit more like that of a true couple. And JD, having failed to ascertain the Janitor's name (he has never been named in the series), finds himself scrubbing the floor, noting how aggressive even the ammonia fumes make him feel; the Janitor is impressed by his quick adoption of janitorial surliness. And we end with another version of Carla's nightmare, this one in Spanish, with the highest level of electrical shock on the murder weapon, a defibrillator, now labelled "Mata Carla" rather than, as in the first nightmare, "Kill Carla." Carla awakens to find herself lying on Turk, who's listening to a recording with earphones; he claims, as she goes back to sleep, that it's a medical lecture, but it's actually Spanish-language instruction for beginners.
This was almost up to speed, so they're moving in the right direction (and Aloma Wright actually had a couple of lines in this one, with her new character); the first routine between Jordan and Cox, as noted above, didn't quite come off for me, but their videophone conversation did. Some of the Cox-JD interaction was as good as any we've seen, other bits seemed a bit forced. But the hilarious nightmare sequences which bookend the episode, and Turk's casual incredulity when Carla thinks he's confused about George Washington Carver's contributions ("Baby, how dumb do you think I am?") help make up for the inconsistencies elsewhere, and more. WGA strike activities interfered directly with the filming of an episode last week; we can only hope for a briefer rather than longer job action for several reasons, perhaps the most selfish of which is the hope to see this show pull further out of its slump as it approaches its last episode...and that it gets to film a legitimate last episode.
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Nov 16, 2007 12:16 AM
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I loved this episode- definitely back on track...unfortunately, not that many left to go...
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Nov 16, 2007 9:57 AM
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Darn! I thought we were going to find out the janitor's name in this episode! Well, I hope they don't end it without letting us know.
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Nov 16, 2007 10:16 AM
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I enjoyed this episode even more than Blogger Todd did--it was clearly the funniest of the season thus far. But I didn't think Carla's dream sequences were funnier than several other scenes.
The coffee table chat with Perry, Kelso, and Elliot was a hoot. And I didn't expect for a minute that we'd learn Janitor's real name.
I hate to admit this, but I had to watch the episode on the NBC site because I keep forgetting to watch "Scrubs" on Thursday nights! As J.D. might say, "Stupid CSI!"
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Nov 16, 2007 11:20 AM
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Sorry, I actually thought the episode was right on par with past episodes (now that it is not bogged down by all of those ill-conceived pregnancy / baby storylines.) I won't go as far as to say it was one of my favorites, but I thought it was quite hilarious.
But I didn't think Carla's dream sequences were funnier than several other scenes.
Now that I completely agree with. That whole storyline is the only thing that didn't work for me...except maybe finding out that Turk is a decendant of the guy that invented packing peanuts.
Some other highlights (for me anyway)
Loved the way Janitor tried to "connect to the people: "Heeey Teddy...lookin' bald and sweaty."
The hospital wave that even Jordan had to join in on.
I did not see any Scrubs previews (until I watched my recording of The Office later,) so the Risky Business shoutout--with Todd adding his usual flair to it--was a surprise to me. I loved that bit. Any scene with Todd in his banana hammock is funny.
Aloma Wright's character used to be named Laverne...now Shirley.
Kelso kicking Elliot for talking too much and Cox commending him for it.
J.D.'s new nickname courtesy of the Janitor.
Colonel Doctor's real name being Coleman Slawski.
Great episode. It was also nice hearing earlier in the week that Bill Lawrence want to finish this series on his terms, not NBC's.
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Nov 16, 2007 2:41 PM
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I laughed out loud many times with the many sight gags and scenes in this episode. I only watch this show sporatically but if they keep this up it will make me regret not watching this show from the very beginning. I love the scene where JD was trying to guess the three doctors' names. Good to see/hear the resurrected nurse get some lines.
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Nov 16, 2007 4:00 PM
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Jayhawk: I'm pretty sure Turk thought he was related to George Washington Carver, who invented a zillion things using peanuts--the kind you eat, not the kind you pack boxes with!
Andrea White: Don't feel too bad about discovering the joy that is "Scrubs" so late in the game. I'm a latecomer to its brilliance too, thanks to syndicated reruns, so I'm still seeing many older episodes for the first time (I guess shelling out some bucks for the dvds will be next for me). It's one of the most comically inventive sitcoms ever.
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Nov 16, 2007 4:02 PM
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I need help!
The part where JD says, "Sometimes you just have to say, what the fudge." to Elliot. and she says that's not the line. Then he responds I saw it on a plane. What movie is that from?
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Nov 16, 2007 9:17 PM
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aaron that was from Risky Business but the word wasn't "fudge"
Todd -- 2nd paragraph wall of text man. Paragraph breaks are your friend!
I hope the strike doesn't make the series end without us ever learning Janitor's name. Overall I thought the episode was pretty good but I agree that it wasn't as strong as usual.
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Nov 16, 2007 9:51 PM
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I thought this episode was awesome. Classic Scrubs, finally. But whoever is blogging for this show is so boring I can't even read the recaps. I feel like I'm reading a college textbook. C'mon, this is supposed to be a comedy. Reading recaps for Office and Earl makes me crack up. Please, lighten up your recaps, or find a replacement!
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Nov 17, 2007 12:07 AM
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The recap blogger is boring Hardly. I thought Todd did just fine.
If you want something boring I ll show you the blueprints for building a second floor deck on my igloo.
The Todd Ted Jordan and Kelso are all superb supporting characters with none of them ever getting stale or boring. probably because they re given just enough to keep them funny yet they don t hog up the screen too often. When they re given their own episode it just works.
I loved how Cox followed up on Janitor s nickname for JD and JD s subsequent inner glee at the fact that he finally has a nickname after 7 years.
I actually enjoyed the Spanish version of Carla s dream much more. Maybe it s because it came off as a cheesy daytime Telemundo soap but it made me laugh. The same happened with the telenova version on My Name is Earl. Man I wish I knew Spanish...but who really needs to learn Spanish at the North Pole.
While Cox sometimes can tend to annoy me at times I do think that his relationship with Jordan is one of the most "real" relationships on the show the other being Turk Carla . I mean they act like a married couple. The verbal barbs sent back and forth at each other are very thinly-veiled loving remarks. When it comes to Cox and Jordan it isn t about what s said it s about how it s said.
Ted has the right idea... make yourself look busy then you ll never have to actually work a day in your life. I think I ll steal that idea and use that the next time I have to go to Santa s workshop for another 18 hour shift.
Maybe I m in the minority but I don t think Janitor should have a name. It would kill the mythos of the character...plus I think it would be a great "final joke" by Bill Lawrence on all of us fans. Or in the very least let him keep the Jan Itor name from a few seasons back.
Have a frosty day everyone.
Your TV pal
FR0STY
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Nov 17, 2007 1:15 AM
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Actually GarryB, Carla made the assumption, based on Turk's claim he was somehow related to the guy that invented peanuts, that he meant George Washington Carver, to which Turk replied that he meant the packing peanuts, which prompted him to ask, "How dumb do you think I am?"
So, now that we know Colonel Doctor's name, does that mean Loyd is Loyd Slawski?
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Nov 18, 2007 7:43 PM
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