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« Scrubs
Episode Recap: "My Own Worst Enemy"
At last, the best sitcom on television is back... alas, for its final, short season.
Synopsis: Picking up with the season finale's emotional cliff-hanger, J.D. (Zach Braff] and Elliot (Sarah Chalke) are about to kiss. J.D. speculates that they are both afraid to commit (even to this), but after seeing Elliot close her eyes, he readies himself, only to discover that Elliot is about to call them both to their senses, or at least to get them both to wonder why they keep pulling themselves and each other out of serious relations. Elliot decides she can't marry Keith (Travis Schuldt), and tells him so, only days before the wedding; he doesn't take it so well. After a week of insulting Elliot at every opportunity, Keith arranges to pick up his stuff at her apartment with the proviso that she'll not be there; she can't abide his hostility, though, and shows up hoping to make things at least civil between them. Instead, they become impulsively romantic... leading to Elliot breaking up with him again, several days later. Meanwhile, J.D. queries Turk (Donald Faison) for hard truth as to why J.D. would attempt to mess up his own budding relationship with Kim (Elizabeth Banks), gravid with J.D.'s child. Turk suggests that J.D. barely knows Kim and was deceived by her almost immediately, thus he has no strong feelings for her and is sticking by her solely because she is pregnant by him. J.D. can no more accept that than he can that the Janitor (Neil Flynn) has a womanfriend whose name is Lady, but nonetheless strives to go a whole day without sabotaging himself in any way. Meanwhile, first Cox (John C. McGinley), then Turk, and finally Kelso (Ken Jenkins) all find themselves charmed by a patient who'd just like you to call him Joe (Kevin Rahm), and strive desperately to find a diagnosis for what seems like Lyme's disease, although the patient doesn't show the telltale symptoms. By the end, nearly everyone is more or less on the way to feeling better, with Carla (Judy Reyes) comforting Elliot. The exception is J.D., who's realized that he really has trapped himself into a relation that might always be loveless.
While not as packed with comic business as the funniest of the episodes of the series, this was one of the most effectively dramatic, particularly since the potential tragedy isn't a matter of death so much as of growing desperation. J.D., mocked throughout the episode by Cox as a "whiny, annoying boy-man," is at his worst precisely that. But he has also demonstrated loyalty and usually an eventual honesty, among other positive attributes, that keep him from being contemptible. We can only speculate how he'll handle being forced to take on a consistently adult role as the series draws to its conclusion. Elliot seems to have lucked out, in comparison, as she extracted herself from a parallel situation, with fewer disincentives for a breakup.
Meanwhile, as noted, this was not the funniest of episodes in the series, but it was by no means lacking in the wit and deft redoubling of jokes that is the show's hallmark. Last season particularly saw a few episodes where they seemed content to run self-conscious variations on previously established jokes and situations, making the show, if not quite airless, then less amusing particularly to those who were seeing it for the first time. Those of us who'd been watching from the beginning could get the references, but also wondered if the writers and the rest of the creative staff were finally feeling the stress of keeping up with high bar set in the first several seasons. There are few sitcoms that have sustained themselves for multiple seasons, and few sitcoms that have been as brilliant as Scrubs is at its best (and few that have been so taken for granted, frequently slighted so that series ranging from the only nearly-as-good Arrested Development to more consistently-popular bland or supposedly "edgy" shows might be overpraised in comparison). It's a tribute to its creators' desire to simply do the best series they could, after the veterans among them had often banked their fires in doing work that simply wasn't their best, that so many disparate elements have hung together so well on the series... that, for example, a frequently (at least momentarily) surrealistic comedy should be perhaps the most realistic of our current medical dramas (medical personnel I know assure me that Scrubs captures the reality of the profession much better than the soapy hour-long series).
This episode is a promising start for what might well be a tour de force of a last season. I'm glad it's getting the opportunity to wrap up.
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Oct 25, 2007 11:28 PM
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Finally, the seventh and final season of "Scrubs" has arrived and surprisingly the episode was very bittersweet. Elliot broke off her impending marriage to Keith. I gotta say Keith took it well what with his "stupid pig whore" comments. Way to go Zach Braff for coming back for "Scrubs" final season. We learn that JD has come to terms with the fact that he really doesn't love Kim. The Janitor however has found a new "love" or so we're led to believe. Something is amiss there but I don't know what it is yet. The Todd was in the premiere and he was his usual self. The t-shirt was a classic giveaway. Turk and Carla are still doing well. To no one's surprise, Dr. Cox and Dr. Kelso still don't get along. Finally, Snoop Dogg resident is now Snoop Dogg attending. Let's hope for it's final season that this show ends with a bang.
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Oct 25, 2007 11:45 PM
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Lots of really quick subtle but quite hilarious moments.
My favorite, by far, was when JD was actually dreaming of beating out Tony Shaloub for an award for a change--brilliant stuff.
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Oct 26, 2007 2:25 AM
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How about various people trying to explain to Dr. Beardface why they pronounce his name like that? Good to see some of the "background" characters (like Dr. B and Snoop Dogg Attending, thank you) get some lines. Loved the Tony Shaloub line, too--LOL.
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Oct 26, 2007 7:57 AM
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Just a word of advice: if you're going to approach the writing of a blog about a TV show as if it were your dissertation, you might want to at least use spell check.
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Oct 26, 2007 8:38 AM
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I also loved the Tony Shaloub comment. Of course I had to explain to my wife who Tony Shaloub was and why that was a funny comment, but I digress . . .
Pint sized docter's voice: nails on a chalkboard.
Loved how Keith called Elliot the "future Mrs. Dudemeister." Forgot that was his last name.
Seeing JD accept responsibility and deciding to be there for his child, despite his lack of a connection with the mother, was amazing. Not only for him, but for TV as a whole. Rarely on TV do we see people putting their own happiness aside for the sake of their children - getting out of a relationship is much easier. Hope people watching the show can learn from JD's maturity, as society would be better as a whole if more people decided to stick around for the sake fo the child rather than leaving just because they don't love the other parent as much as they once did (or think they should). It's called responsibility, folks.
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Oct 26, 2007 9:14 AM
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No, this was not the funniest episode of the series, but they had some heavy episodes towards the end of last season and it seemed fitting. There were still plenty of gags in there.
We did learn that Turk smells like eggs when he sweats. Loved when Kelso kept yelling that he smelled eggs (seriously, is someone eating an omelet?) He was my least favorite character at the beginning of the series and has become one of my favorites.
Cox had his usual awesome one-liners. As mentioned, calling JD an "annoying whiny man-child" was pretty funny, but also when he called Turk "Ghanditty." Or would that be Ghan-Ditty?
I have never been a fan of Elliot and Keith, so I was OK with that outcome. I felt a little bad for him, but I never really thought she was that in love with him. I know many do not want her with JD. I am torn on that one. Bring back Private Dancer. He seemed so smitten with her. Her and Sean were also good together, but isn't he on another show now?
Lastly, since Viva Laughlin was a bust, that frees up Hugh Jackman. Cameo anyone??
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Oct 26, 2007 9:17 AM
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Re: Turk smelling like eggs, the line Kelso had that was so funny was "Seriously, am I having a stroke or is someone making an omelet?"
I'm so glad they did NOT let JD and Elliot get back together. I still think Keith is the best fit for her.
I did find one problem with the writing. JD made reference to his college gf Stacy breaking up with him by having him find her having sex with Turk. Last season, in one of the Private Dancer episodes we learned that Turk did sleep with Stacy but JD didn't know it for sure until he admitted it (remember the hilarious flashback?) Just seemed like a big oversight.
Can't wait for the rest of the season though. Looking forward to how they wrap it all up.
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Oct 26, 2007 9:27 AM
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Oh My Land!!! This is the most boring recap I've ever read. Seriously, my eyes had glazed over by the third paragraph. This is Scrubs - not a PBS documentary on the life of the worker bee! Observe - an excerpt - "...so many disparate elements have hung together so well on the series...that, for example, a frequently (at least momentarily) surrealistic comedy..." Okaaaayyy then. And me without my morning coffee yet.
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Oct 26, 2007 9:48 AM
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This episode wasn't too bad. For some reason, most of what made me laugh were the name gags: Rumplefugly, Lady's brother named "Him", and Dr. Kelso laughing at "Dr. Face". It seemed about consistent with last season, still not up to par with its best.
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Oct 26, 2007 10:20 AM
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Are you kidding me with this? You've managed to make an enjoyable,"zany" comedy sound like Ingmar Bergman film.
"..the only nearly-as-good Arrested Development.." Are you serious?
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Oct 26, 2007 10:58 AM
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Seriously. Todd, you write for TV Guide, not The New Yorker. And you are recapping a sitcom, not a Ken Burns documentary. Let's lighten up a bit next week, huh?
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Oct 26, 2007 11:08 AM
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Apparently so...too serious for a few of you, though I don't see where I've misspelled anything. Arrested Development wasn't quite as good as Scrubs has been, though it was close. Does that opinion surprise you, from someone who's doing a Scrubs blog? And try Bergman's The Devil's Eye sometime--it's hilarious.
I've managed to forget the exact insult Cox tossed at Turk, but it was along those lines, but slightly nastier, JayHawk. Thanks for the comments, everyone.
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Oct 26, 2007 11:10 AM
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Man you guys are hard on Todd! 
This was a very endearing episode. I still love Scrubs just as much as I ever did. I'm glad Elliott called off the wedding with Keith because she was clearly WAY more excited about being married than in love with him. Couldn't stop laughing at all the adjectives he threw in with pig whore.
That guy got a trainer over the summer because the body was nice.
Kelso worrying about the stroke was hilarious.
I don't know why but I'm having a hard time adjusting to Turk with hair.
The Todd is still way funny.
Also loved Beardface and am so proud of Dr. Snoopdog Attending.
Also cool to see the new Wysteria Lane resident being pleasant.
Rumplefugly was my favorite nickname of the night.
mdjones, although Turk never confirmed sleeping with Stacey JD has ALWAYS been convinced that it happened.
Loved the entire Whiny Awards show and laughed outloud at the Tony Shaloub line.
Kyle I gotta say I'm on the other side of the street than you. I truly hope that JD realizes that he shouldn't stay with Kim just because he knocked her up and I definitely don't think that people should stay together because of "responsibility". Love in a relationship is a super important thing. He won't ever be fulfilled being with a woman he'll never love and the kid won't get to see what a loving, fulfilling relationship is like. In all likelihood, both Kim and JD would spend their lives together - both miserable.
He can take care of his kid and live up to his responsibilities without being in a relationship with Kim.
My two cents.
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Oct 26, 2007 12:27 PM
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He can take care of his kid and live up to his responsibilities without being in a relationship with Kim. -
I agree with you there KAD. I believe it is less healthy for a child to witness a loveless marriage than it is to witness two separate parents who get along and love their child very much. The best example they can set is by both finding healthy, loving relationships but still remaining friendly to one another.
I also laughed again at the nicknames that Turk threw out there for JD's ex's. I like that the show re-visits previous gags like those nicknames. I still laugh when I remember that Elliot was SO upset that she was not thought of as one of JD's best girlfriends until she found out she was "mole butt."
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Oct 26, 2007 12:58 PM
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