In this post I'll discuss the best episode of "Scrubs" ever made - "His Story." You can read my analysis of the other episodes throughout this blog, as I don't have many other posts right now. The analysis of the seventh-best episode will be provided last.
Synopsis
The theme of this episode is the costs and benefits of taking risks. Cox considers the risks of listening to others. Carla evaluates the risk of accepting (and rejecting) Turk's wedding proposal. Elliot debates dating someone that goes against the culture of the hospital, and our country. Most importantly, "Scrubs'" creators take a risk in the format of the show.
Commentary
From the very first scene of the very first episode, the television show "Scrubs" has been narrated from the point of view of JD as our protagonist. Throughout episodes we watch the show and are treated to some of his inner thoughts to help move the story along. "His Story" breaks that mold by allowing us to view an episode from Dr. Cox's point of view and his inner monologue. This becomes important later on, when we see how symbiotic the relationship between Cox and JD has become.
At the start of this episode we have Turk still proposing to Carla to take his hand in marriage, but Carla still refuses. What could it be? Turk commits to asking regularly until he gets the answer he desires. Meanwhile Elliot meets a guy at the bar; she assumes the guy, who acknowledges that he works at Sacred Heart, is a physician. And JD admits that for the first time in his life, he doesn't have a story to tell.
From there we pick up Cox's inner monologue. We learn that he sees a shrink regularly in order to work through his emotional problems, which lead him to demean everyone in his life (that's the short version). Kelso needs a physical and JD encourages Cox to perform it to get on Kelso's good side. When Cox reported Kelso's high blood pressure, it increased Kelso's life insurance premium dramatically...and gave him another reason to despise Cox.
Elliot inadvertantly learns that the man she met is actually a Nurse...Nurse Paul...Nurse Paul FLOWERS. There are certain stigmas attached to men who perform duties typically expected only of women. Nurse Flowers is attracted to Elliot so we know he doesn't swing the other way, but that doesn't mean other hospital employees won't take full advantage of poking fun at Elliot. Can she deal with this like an adult?
Lastly, over the course of the episode, Carla's constant rejection causes Turk to stop asking her to marry him. He eventually feels that he's had enough and wants her to figure things out without him bugging her about it. It takes Carla, who'd already declined Turk's initial proposal a few episodes prior to "His Story," until the end of the episode to articulate what bothers her - and to move on from it.
So how do things end up? By reporting Kelso's blood pressure rather than rubber-stamping the physical (which JD nudged him to do), Cox actually saved Kelso's life in the short term. Kelso's regular physician notes that it would have killed Kelso soon had it not been diagnosed when it was. Kelso takes the time to thank Cox. In the least important of the three stories, Elliot gets over what it means to date a male nurse and ends up accepting a date with Nurse Flowers. And Carla, through projecting her own psychological issues onto Elliot, realizes that the risk of not being with Turk is greater than the risk of marrying him. (That sounds less romantic than I intended but it's technically true, so I'm leaving it as is.)
But how do all these subplots translate into the best episodes of "Scrubs?" Consider these two points on a high level. First Elliot's fickleness about dating a male nurse allows Carla to see the folly of not accepting Turk's proposal from the very start. Carla and Turk get engaged in this episode!
Secondly, because we see Cox's point of view for a change, we see him coming to the self-realization that he needs JD. How could we empathize with Cox's feelings on JD if not for being directly exposed to them? If this story was told from JD's point of view, we would have seen Cox pat JD on the back at the end of the episode and not have it mean anything. Cox realizes he needs JD just as much as JD needs Cox.
It was a stroke of genius by Bill Lawrence to alter the theme of the show to fully achieve this. As referenced above, JD is our protagonist but he relies extensively on Turk and Cox. Turk is always present in JD's life but in a big-brother manner. Cox is that father figure JD feels like he's missed all his life. And now Cox needs JD to help guide him along his own path.
Finally, another factor in making this the best episode is all the funny quotes in this episode. Lawrence and his writers had a unique skill (along with Joss Whedon) to strike a perfect balance between comedy and drama. This isn't the heaviest "Scrubs" episode in terms of emotional weight, but it still finds the right amount of comedy to complement Cox's and Carla's dramatic moments of realization.
Quotes
Turk: "Kevin was really freakin' out about his divorce, and I was just trying to be supportive."
Cox: "Yeah - by dragging home some random bar skank."
Turk: "Dude, you're not helping."
Cox: "...not trying to help..."
JD: "So what, you're just gonna keep asking her?"
Turk: "If you love someone you gotta be willing to break their spirit."
JD: "Good morning, Dr. Cox!"
Cox, inner monologe: <Gladys, Ginger, Tiffany...no - Cheryl, Betsy, BETSY! Hmm, that's new!> "Betsy, good morning!"
JD: "You know, you already used 'Betsy' six months ago."
Cox: "I don't care!" inner monologe: <DAMNIT!>
Kelso: "Perry - hi, how are you, et cetera..."
Nurse Flowers: "Plenty of fresh bed pans! Get 'em before they're hot!"
Janitor, angrily looking for JD: "Good morning, ma'am."
Woman: "I can't move my neck."
Janitor: "So what?"
Elliot: "I'm dating a male nurse. A 'murse.'"
JD: "It's better than dating a 'mecretary,' or a 'manicurist'...no wait, that one works..."
Nurse Roberts shouts "Dr. Reed and Nurse Paul dating!" throughout the hospital; ends up next to Dr. Cox out of breath: "Dr. Reed...Nurse Paul...dating..."
Cox: "...giant 'who cares?'"
The Todd: "Hey, I gotta run. They're doing a breast reduction surgery up on Floor Three, and I gotta get up there and STOP it!"
Nurse Flowers: "She's covering because she's embarrassed that she's dating a male nurse. I really can't figure out why."
Kelso: "Well, that's because you're doing a woman's job, son. Have a good one."
Dr. Cox's Shrink: "Come on, you mean to tell me that YOU took the advice of another human being?"
Cox: "Yeah."
Shrink: "...this is a great moment for me...and Perry, if there's one person in that hellhole of a hospital who you actually listen to, you should do everything in your power to keep them around. That person is nothing short of a GENIUS." <immediately cut to JD singing "Kung Fu Fighting" alone in an elevator>
Summary
This episode is effective on two fronts. First, we have two powerful moments of self-realization - Carla belongs with Turk, and Cox needs JD in his life. Secondly, switching the point of view from JD to Cox enhances the power of Cox's realization. But then, what's the chorus of the them to "Scrubs?" "I can't do this all on my own, no I know - I'm no superman." The world of "Scrubs" became more complete by showing the thoughts of someone other than JD.
Showing posts with label Scrubs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Scrubs. Show all posts
Monday, July 18, 2011
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Scrubs Episode #2 - "My Fruit Cups"
This is my analysis of the second best episode of "Scrubs" ever made, "My Fruit Cups." You can read my posts on episodes 3-10 (sans #7) previously on this blog by searching for the tag "Scrubs" at the bottom of this post. WARNING - this is not a short post. There's a lot to analyze in this episode.
Synopsis
Even if you don't like this show, you need to watch "My Fruit Cups" immediately. You don't need to know the characters to identify with pretty much all of them. JD, Turk, Elliot and Cox all experience life-altering moments in this one episode. Ramifications are enormous.
Commentary
One very basic reason this second-season-episode sticks out over time is the number of memorable quotes provided. The writers hit high marks with the dialogue and the actors deliver the lines perfectly. Read below for the (numerous) best quotes.
The episode starts with a simple enough premise - young physicians are in serious financial debt upon entering the workforce. They do what they need to do, including stealing fruit cups from the hospital and taking midnight shifts to earn a couple hundred bucks. Most people who graduate college and rely on financial aid of any kind can empathize.
The best way to analyze this episode is to look at the three major plotlines. In most TV series, episodes have one major plotline with at least one subplot to space out the action of the main theme. This specific episode has three plotlines that deserved their own episodes, but they are written and performed such that each plot is emphasized equally and expertly to be encompassed in one stand-alone episode. The three plotlines follow Elliot and her dad, Cox and Jordan/Heather Locklear, and Turk and JD.
Elliot and her Dad
During the series we learn that Elliot is raised by a very wealthy but emotionally-defunct Connecticut family. Having listened to all my friends, everyone thinks their families are the least functional ever. But guess what? To varying degrees, everyone's family is dysfunctional. Elliot at least had the benefit of having a dysfunctional family that is independently wealthy.
Young, attractive female physicians of Sacred Heart's OBG/YN department attempt to recruit Elliot to join their speciality. Her upbringing makes Elliot uncomfortable with her sexuality and femininity, which is extraordinary so when you consider that she's a doctor. Despite their recruiting efforts, Elliot hesitates to consider this as a career path. We learn that she can't even say the word "vagina!" How could a doctor who cannot say the word "vagina" be expected to provide clinical services to the female anatomy of other women?
NOTE: I meant that last statement in a strictly professional manner. There will be plenty of other opportunities in this blog and in real life for sexual innuendos later on, but I really mean that an OBG/YN doctor should at the very least be comfortable saying the word "vagina."
So Elliot's father shows up in town, and it turns out he himself is the person who's encouraged Sacred Heart's OBG/YN staff to pursue Elliot. Why? Because obstetrics provides the highest future earnings potential for female physicians. Should she choose to not heed her father's advice, he would cease supporting her financially. Mind you, he's paid for $100K-plus in college education along with all current living expenses. When Elliot learns what his father's true intentions have been all along, she must decide whether to stand up for herself. Can she defy her father or will she simply submit and do what he wants to keep up with her current lifestyle?
Cox and Jordan/Heather Locklear
For the record, I don't care what Heather Locklear's character is named. In everything she's ever acted in, she is Heather Locklear, not a character. Dr. Cox obviously understands what I mean because by the end of the previous episode, he had succumbed to her flirtatious manner. His first scene in the episode involves him waking up to Heather staring at him in bed. "Duh! Winning!" - Charlie Sheen
Through the course of the episode we learn (through Heather's own admission) that she's slept with several physicians of Sacred Heart. This upsets Dr. Cox, who clearly wants to be with a woman who's a bit more committed to being with one person than sleeping around with the entire hospital staff. When he acknowledges that he hasn't been himself and commits himself to being more emotionally present for her in the relationship despite her past, a very-pregnant Jordan shows up in the apartment.
Thus begins a face-off between the tiny, blond Healther Locklear and a pregnant, not-as-tiny-and-not-Heather-Locklear Jordan. They both want Perry's love and affection. Heather Locklier appears to take the lead in the competition for Dr. Cox. Be honest - would rather take back your ex-wife who's knocked up by another man (according to her), or...Heather E'ffing Locklear? Perry must decide what's best for himself and for the other women.
(Quick side note - does Heather Locklear really want Perry's love and affection, or does she just want him for his body? Does Dr. Cox take this into account when making his final decision?)
Turk and JD
It is known from the very first episode of "Scrubs" that Turk and JD have serious guy-love with each other. They do not have homosexual feelings for each other, not that there's anything wrong with that, but they love each other in every other way possible. (In interviews, Zach Braff and Donald Faison have acknowledged that they immediately became genuine friends in real life. It took other actors time to warm up to each other, but Braff and Faison hit it off like they were life-long friends, which contributes to their on-screen chemistry.)
Turk and Carla started dating seriously about 1/3 of the way through the first season. Over time they became more and more serious; it was a gradual thing rather than a "BOOM" moment of "I love this person" (at least to this point in the series; Carla has such a moment in the next episode I'm going to review...WHICH JUST HAPPENS TO BE THE #1 SCRUBS EPISODE EVER!!!).
JD always naturally fit as a third wheel with them, so that it was a couple consisting of three people. In fact, the show establishes comedic situations for Carla to be considered the third wheel rather than JD. It's all a part of the whole "guy-love" concept. Suffice it to say, Turk and JD treat each other like brothers who like each other, not brothers who are constantly competing with each other. They've been unquestionably supportive of the other to this point. And then, Turk took advantage of JD in ever the slightest way.
Remember at the start when I mentioned that our heroes were all in significant debt from college? They learn that they can make extra money by "moonlighting" at over-night clinics. The lead physician at the clinic where Turk worked offered $300 to another physician Turk would bring in the next night. Turk pocketed $100 of that amount ("a finder's fee") and brought in JD the next night for an expected $200. Eventually JD learns that Turk had withheld that $100 for each night he worked, and then he lied to the clinic to get Turk fired.
If you're reading this blog then I presume you're old enough to have been hurt by someone who loves you and whom you love unconditionally. It wasn't much fun, was it? JD reacted immaturely, by lying to the clinic about Turk rather than confronting Turk directly about this, so JD himself isn't exactly of pure heart in this situation. Turk eventually joined an EMT team to make extra money at night to make ends meet. JD could not empathize with Turk until speaking with Carla, whose rant provided JD the information he needed to understand why Turk had done what he did.
Real Life Happened
So what do these three plots have in common? They are situations that created life-altering decisions. Elliot did not want to get into obstetrics but her father paid for her life to get her there. Cox was tempted by the physical hotness of Heather Locklear but was conflicted by genuine love for Jordan. JD felt betrayed by literally the best friend he ever had but understood Turk's intentions.
Here's the deal. Real life is about conflict, and real life happened in this episode. We are all helped by others to get us to where we are (Elliot and her dad) but at a certain point we must define ourselves as individuals. We all have physical and emotional desires (Cox and Heather Locklear) but there are more important things than superficial flesh. We are all betrayed by those closest to us (Turk and JD) but sometimes relationships change as others enter our lives.
Elliot chose a life of her own. Cox chose to support the woman he loves. JD recognized that Carla had become more important to Turk than he had and was willing to step aside because it would make Turk happier and better. Real life happened. Something I hear all the time is that "everything happens for a reason." Personally I hate that phrase. Things happen and we define ourselves by how react. Elliot, Cox, and JD decided to make difficult decisions in the face of difficult situations.
All of that said, this episode is probably the best in terms of quotable dialogue between characters. See the next section for examples.
Memorable Quotes
Turk to patient, looking at bottle of pills: "This is the reason for your headache. That's actually pronounced 'ANNAL-gesic' not 'ANAL-gesic.' Sir - the pills go in your mouth."
Elliot: "My dad is coming to town."
Carla: "You don't seem stressed."
Elliot: "I haven't pooed in six days."
JD: "...twice since this morning and I haven't had my coffee yet."
Elliot: "You really pick the oddest things to brag about."
JD: "I'm just saying, if I had to get to three by lunch, I probably could."
Elliot: "We must have looked at 100 different bajingos today. Bajingo, bajingo, bajingo...I can't even look at my own bajingo."
Carla: "Is that because it looks so much like a vagina?"
Cox: "I'm not angry. So my girlfriend has serviced most of the staff. I'm proud of her commitment to medicine!"
Carla: "Please! What about all the women YOU'VE slept with? Your ex-wife, that med student, your ex-wife, that cute nurse from Radiology, YOUR EX-WIFE..."
Cox: "Will you get off my ex-wife?"
Carla: "I will if you will."
Cox, speechless at first: "...damnit, now I'm too proud of you to be mad at you."
Elliot: "So Dad, how are things at home?"
Elliot's dad: "Good, good...Mom re-did the bedroom...I'm gonna keep mine the way it is..."
Elliot: "Well, you don't want to be one of those couples who does EVERYTHING together!"
Kelso to Elliot: "Paging Dr. Backbone to the Bajingo Ward..."
Heather Locklear: "Who are you?"
Jordan: "Who do you think I am?"
Heather Locklear: "Well you have keys to the apartment so I'm going to say...the maid."
Jordan to Cox: "OK, have one last fling, but everywhere you look, you'll see me."
Heather Locklear: "Everywhere ANYONE looks, they'll see you."
Janitor: "Hey, idiot!" <JD looks back> "Ha! I said 'hey idiot' and you looked."
JD's inner monologue: "You can't predict what's gonna happen. Sometimes the thing you didn't expect was what you wanted after all."
Summary
We don't often get what we want, but that doesn't mean we don't get what we need. But if you don't make important decisions at important times inf your life, decisions will be made for you, and you may not like the outcome.
Synopsis
Even if you don't like this show, you need to watch "My Fruit Cups" immediately. You don't need to know the characters to identify with pretty much all of them. JD, Turk, Elliot and Cox all experience life-altering moments in this one episode. Ramifications are enormous.
Commentary
One very basic reason this second-season-episode sticks out over time is the number of memorable quotes provided. The writers hit high marks with the dialogue and the actors deliver the lines perfectly. Read below for the (numerous) best quotes.
The episode starts with a simple enough premise - young physicians are in serious financial debt upon entering the workforce. They do what they need to do, including stealing fruit cups from the hospital and taking midnight shifts to earn a couple hundred bucks. Most people who graduate college and rely on financial aid of any kind can empathize.
The best way to analyze this episode is to look at the three major plotlines. In most TV series, episodes have one major plotline with at least one subplot to space out the action of the main theme. This specific episode has three plotlines that deserved their own episodes, but they are written and performed such that each plot is emphasized equally and expertly to be encompassed in one stand-alone episode. The three plotlines follow Elliot and her dad, Cox and Jordan/Heather Locklear, and Turk and JD.
Elliot and her Dad
During the series we learn that Elliot is raised by a very wealthy but emotionally-defunct Connecticut family. Having listened to all my friends, everyone thinks their families are the least functional ever. But guess what? To varying degrees, everyone's family is dysfunctional. Elliot at least had the benefit of having a dysfunctional family that is independently wealthy.
Young, attractive female physicians of Sacred Heart's OBG/YN department attempt to recruit Elliot to join their speciality. Her upbringing makes Elliot uncomfortable with her sexuality and femininity, which is extraordinary so when you consider that she's a doctor. Despite their recruiting efforts, Elliot hesitates to consider this as a career path. We learn that she can't even say the word "vagina!" How could a doctor who cannot say the word "vagina" be expected to provide clinical services to the female anatomy of other women?
NOTE: I meant that last statement in a strictly professional manner. There will be plenty of other opportunities in this blog and in real life for sexual innuendos later on, but I really mean that an OBG/YN doctor should at the very least be comfortable saying the word "vagina."
So Elliot's father shows up in town, and it turns out he himself is the person who's encouraged Sacred Heart's OBG/YN staff to pursue Elliot. Why? Because obstetrics provides the highest future earnings potential for female physicians. Should she choose to not heed her father's advice, he would cease supporting her financially. Mind you, he's paid for $100K-plus in college education along with all current living expenses. When Elliot learns what his father's true intentions have been all along, she must decide whether to stand up for herself. Can she defy her father or will she simply submit and do what he wants to keep up with her current lifestyle?
Cox and Jordan/Heather Locklear
For the record, I don't care what Heather Locklear's character is named. In everything she's ever acted in, she is Heather Locklear, not a character. Dr. Cox obviously understands what I mean because by the end of the previous episode, he had succumbed to her flirtatious manner. His first scene in the episode involves him waking up to Heather staring at him in bed. "Duh! Winning!" - Charlie Sheen
Through the course of the episode we learn (through Heather's own admission) that she's slept with several physicians of Sacred Heart. This upsets Dr. Cox, who clearly wants to be with a woman who's a bit more committed to being with one person than sleeping around with the entire hospital staff. When he acknowledges that he hasn't been himself and commits himself to being more emotionally present for her in the relationship despite her past, a very-pregnant Jordan shows up in the apartment.
Thus begins a face-off between the tiny, blond Healther Locklear and a pregnant, not-as-tiny-and-not-Heather-Locklear Jordan. They both want Perry's love and affection. Heather Locklier appears to take the lead in the competition for Dr. Cox. Be honest - would rather take back your ex-wife who's knocked up by another man (according to her), or...Heather E'ffing Locklear? Perry must decide what's best for himself and for the other women.
(Quick side note - does Heather Locklear really want Perry's love and affection, or does she just want him for his body? Does Dr. Cox take this into account when making his final decision?)
Turk and JD
It is known from the very first episode of "Scrubs" that Turk and JD have serious guy-love with each other. They do not have homosexual feelings for each other, not that there's anything wrong with that, but they love each other in every other way possible. (In interviews, Zach Braff and Donald Faison have acknowledged that they immediately became genuine friends in real life. It took other actors time to warm up to each other, but Braff and Faison hit it off like they were life-long friends, which contributes to their on-screen chemistry.)
Turk and Carla started dating seriously about 1/3 of the way through the first season. Over time they became more and more serious; it was a gradual thing rather than a "BOOM" moment of "I love this person" (at least to this point in the series; Carla has such a moment in the next episode I'm going to review...WHICH JUST HAPPENS TO BE THE #1 SCRUBS EPISODE EVER!!!).
JD always naturally fit as a third wheel with them, so that it was a couple consisting of three people. In fact, the show establishes comedic situations for Carla to be considered the third wheel rather than JD. It's all a part of the whole "guy-love" concept. Suffice it to say, Turk and JD treat each other like brothers who like each other, not brothers who are constantly competing with each other. They've been unquestionably supportive of the other to this point. And then, Turk took advantage of JD in ever the slightest way.
Remember at the start when I mentioned that our heroes were all in significant debt from college? They learn that they can make extra money by "moonlighting" at over-night clinics. The lead physician at the clinic where Turk worked offered $300 to another physician Turk would bring in the next night. Turk pocketed $100 of that amount ("a finder's fee") and brought in JD the next night for an expected $200. Eventually JD learns that Turk had withheld that $100 for each night he worked, and then he lied to the clinic to get Turk fired.
If you're reading this blog then I presume you're old enough to have been hurt by someone who loves you and whom you love unconditionally. It wasn't much fun, was it? JD reacted immaturely, by lying to the clinic about Turk rather than confronting Turk directly about this, so JD himself isn't exactly of pure heart in this situation. Turk eventually joined an EMT team to make extra money at night to make ends meet. JD could not empathize with Turk until speaking with Carla, whose rant provided JD the information he needed to understand why Turk had done what he did.
Real Life Happened
So what do these three plots have in common? They are situations that created life-altering decisions. Elliot did not want to get into obstetrics but her father paid for her life to get her there. Cox was tempted by the physical hotness of Heather Locklear but was conflicted by genuine love for Jordan. JD felt betrayed by literally the best friend he ever had but understood Turk's intentions.
Here's the deal. Real life is about conflict, and real life happened in this episode. We are all helped by others to get us to where we are (Elliot and her dad) but at a certain point we must define ourselves as individuals. We all have physical and emotional desires (Cox and Heather Locklear) but there are more important things than superficial flesh. We are all betrayed by those closest to us (Turk and JD) but sometimes relationships change as others enter our lives.
Elliot chose a life of her own. Cox chose to support the woman he loves. JD recognized that Carla had become more important to Turk than he had and was willing to step aside because it would make Turk happier and better. Real life happened. Something I hear all the time is that "everything happens for a reason." Personally I hate that phrase. Things happen and we define ourselves by how react. Elliot, Cox, and JD decided to make difficult decisions in the face of difficult situations.
All of that said, this episode is probably the best in terms of quotable dialogue between characters. See the next section for examples.
Memorable Quotes
Turk to patient, looking at bottle of pills: "This is the reason for your headache. That's actually pronounced 'ANNAL-gesic' not 'ANAL-gesic.' Sir - the pills go in your mouth."
Elliot: "My dad is coming to town."
Carla: "You don't seem stressed."
Elliot: "I haven't pooed in six days."
JD: "...twice since this morning and I haven't had my coffee yet."
Elliot: "You really pick the oddest things to brag about."
JD: "I'm just saying, if I had to get to three by lunch, I probably could."
Elliot: "We must have looked at 100 different bajingos today. Bajingo, bajingo, bajingo...I can't even look at my own bajingo."
Carla: "Is that because it looks so much like a vagina?"
Cox: "I'm not angry. So my girlfriend has serviced most of the staff. I'm proud of her commitment to medicine!"
Carla: "Please! What about all the women YOU'VE slept with? Your ex-wife, that med student, your ex-wife, that cute nurse from Radiology, YOUR EX-WIFE..."
Cox: "Will you get off my ex-wife?"
Carla: "I will if you will."
Cox, speechless at first: "...damnit, now I'm too proud of you to be mad at you."
Elliot: "So Dad, how are things at home?"
Elliot's dad: "Good, good...Mom re-did the bedroom...I'm gonna keep mine the way it is..."
Elliot: "Well, you don't want to be one of those couples who does EVERYTHING together!"
Kelso to Elliot: "Paging Dr. Backbone to the Bajingo Ward..."
Heather Locklear: "Who are you?"
Jordan: "Who do you think I am?"
Heather Locklear: "Well you have keys to the apartment so I'm going to say...the maid."
Jordan to Cox: "OK, have one last fling, but everywhere you look, you'll see me."
Heather Locklear: "Everywhere ANYONE looks, they'll see you."
Janitor: "Hey, idiot!" <JD looks back> "Ha! I said 'hey idiot' and you looked."
JD's inner monologue: "You can't predict what's gonna happen. Sometimes the thing you didn't expect was what you wanted after all."
Summary
We don't often get what we want, but that doesn't mean we don't get what we need. But if you don't make important decisions at important times inf your life, decisions will be made for you, and you may not like the outcome.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Scrubs Episode #3 - "My Unicorn"
Below is my analysis of the third best "Scrubs" episode, "My Unicorn." You can search for the other episodes with the tag "Scrubs" at the bottom of this post. My composition for #7 will be provided at the end of the list, for reasons that will become clear when it's posted.
Synopsis
In the middle of the fourth season, we find our heros trying to push their limits. JD goes well out of his way to help a patient who needs a kidney translplant, even though Dr. Cox clearly told him to not get so involved. Meanwhile Elliot learns how to effectively flirt (which is odd for an intelligent hottie in her mid/late 20's), but will she learn where the line is?
Commentary
JD talks to his current favorite patient, Gregory Marks, who needs a new kidney. Mr. Marks is such a likeable guy - he's handsome, genuinely charming, and just a good soul. JD is almost brought to tears that Mr. Marks bought him a journal with a unicorn on it. (As JD mentions twice, it's not a unicorn; it's a horse with a sword on its head to protect JD's hopes and dreams).
So JD does some research and finds out that Gregory has a son, Murray Marks. (Murray is played phenomenally by Matthew Perry, not one of my favorite actors from his time on "Friends." Murray's father Gregory is played by Perry's real life father.) JD finds out that Murrary works at a small, local airport that gets one plane a day. After their introduction, Murray agrees to go to the hospital to give his dad a kidney...for $70,000. What? Gregory is beloved by the entire hospital staff; how could his own son not want to help him out?
We come to find out that Murrary resents his father for illogical reasons, which is not uncommon among fathers and sons - he doesn't like being named "Murray" and he doesn't like how much more attention his father got. JD talks him into it (finally), only to find out that Gregory is NOT Murrary's biological father. What? Murray leaves the hospital without the donation. At the end of the episode, JD and Cox coach Murray into doing the right thing.
Meanwhile, Elliot is learning that Carla and Jordan get their way by using their femininity to their advantage. She gives this a shot but comes up well short on her first attempts. (Seriously, a woman as physically attractive as Sarah Chalke should have learned how to do this well before her fourth year as a physician. But it's a TV show, and no one's perfect.) With the help of a wet scrubs top, she learns that men can be easily influenced by her "charms."
Turk, who as the man is obviously the voice of reason (I think I was kidding as I typed that), warns Barbie that excessive flirting will hurt her in the long run. Absolute power corrupts absolutely, and Elliot was too far gone to take heed. She ends up unknowingly giving a terrible first impression to a potential employer, but thankfully Janitor is there to save the day. This may be the only time you could ever say that about Janitor.
So after all this plot, why is this episode named "My Unicorn?" The unicorn on JD's new journal had maybe 10 seconds of actual screen time. He even states that he's given the fictional animal charge over his "hopes and dreams." What are the three things JD wanted most throughout nine seasons of "Scrubs?" Women, a hug from Dr. Cox, and helping patients (not necessarily in that order). JD had just gotten done chasing Dr. Molly Clock (Heather Graham) so he wasn't back in the market yet for another woman. Dr. Cox helped JD through the trauma of his father's death, essentially giving him a psychological hug along the way. So that leaves his current dream of helping patients.
I've written previously in my analysis of "My Own American Girl" that it's easy to root for these main characters because of how much they care for their patients. I'm not going to rehash that here. It should suffice to say that we're once again in a situation where JD takes time away from the hospital trying to help his patients by bringing a family together. One subtle lesson Cox tries to teach JD on occasion is that he's going to burn out if he takes helping patients so personally all the time. However, there's an entire episode entitled "My Extra Mile" where JD unintentionally teaches Cox the importance of going the extra mile. They are a good yin and yang couple on so many levels, and this is one.
It should be noted that Matthew Perry came on set and immediately commanded his character. You felt like Murray was a character that could have had his own show - there's just a nice depth to the character that is uncommon for a one-episode guest star. He and Zach Braff had fantastic chemistry onscreen. The exchange narrated below between the two of them when Murray doesn't immediately believe JD's father recently died, followed by the horror of recognizing that JD wasn't lying, is some of the best acting of anyone on the show. Perry and his father also (obviously) had great chemistry. For one of my least favorite actors, Matthew Perry had potentially the best guest star appereance ever.
On top of all of this, this is such a fun episode. The journal, Gregory's singing, the airport personnel, Janitor letting on that his long term plan is to marry Elliot, slow-motion running...it's got it all.
Memorable Quotes
Elliot: "Do you have choclate cake?" Lunch server: "No." Elliot: "Well isn't THAT the giant pickle on top of the crap sandwich that is my day today?" Turk: "Relax Elliot, I never get chocolate cake." Elliot: "Oh right, you're diabetic. BOO HOO! You know what, Turk? If you want sympathy, get a diseases that people can see!" Turk, genuinely shocked: "...WOW!" Elliot, genuinely: "Turk, I'm SO sorry!" Turk, grabbing his crucifix: "No problem! Forgive and forget, right?" <Elliot looks away, Turk whispers "GET HER" to the crucifix>
JD: "You'll never guess what I found online!" Cox: "A set of adult male shoulders?"
Cox after Murray offers a kidney for $70K: "I love this moment so much right now, I wanna have sex with it."
Elliot runs her hand across Janitor's hand and winks; Janitor races to jewelry store. Janitor: "I wanna see THAT engagement ring." Jeweler: "That costs $10,000." Janitor, not missing a beat: "I got twelve bucks."
Murray: "You obviously have issues with your own father that you're projecting onto me. Why don't you give him a jingle?" JD: "He's dead." Murray: "Good stuff!" JD: "I'm serious." Murrary: "Classic!" JD: "He had a massive heart attack." Murray, instantly transformed from laughing to horrified: "...I'm sorry for you loss!"
Cox, after informing JD that Gregory is not Murray's biological father: "By the by - I love THIS moment so much, I'd cheat on the other moment from before, marry this one, and raise a whole family of tiny baby moments."
Cox: "You do know he's not your son, right?" Gregory: "I figured it out, mostly because his mother was eight months pregnant when I met her, but there were other signs..."
Summary:
Hopes and dreams. Family and flirting. Learning where boundaries exist, and learning when and how to push them. The best guest star ever. Everyone needs protected at times. (JD more than most, but most dudes are more manly than him.)
Synopsis
In the middle of the fourth season, we find our heros trying to push their limits. JD goes well out of his way to help a patient who needs a kidney translplant, even though Dr. Cox clearly told him to not get so involved. Meanwhile Elliot learns how to effectively flirt (which is odd for an intelligent hottie in her mid/late 20's), but will she learn where the line is?
Commentary
JD talks to his current favorite patient, Gregory Marks, who needs a new kidney. Mr. Marks is such a likeable guy - he's handsome, genuinely charming, and just a good soul. JD is almost brought to tears that Mr. Marks bought him a journal with a unicorn on it. (As JD mentions twice, it's not a unicorn; it's a horse with a sword on its head to protect JD's hopes and dreams).
So JD does some research and finds out that Gregory has a son, Murray Marks. (Murray is played phenomenally by Matthew Perry, not one of my favorite actors from his time on "Friends." Murray's father Gregory is played by Perry's real life father.) JD finds out that Murrary works at a small, local airport that gets one plane a day. After their introduction, Murray agrees to go to the hospital to give his dad a kidney...for $70,000. What? Gregory is beloved by the entire hospital staff; how could his own son not want to help him out?
We come to find out that Murrary resents his father for illogical reasons, which is not uncommon among fathers and sons - he doesn't like being named "Murray" and he doesn't like how much more attention his father got. JD talks him into it (finally), only to find out that Gregory is NOT Murrary's biological father. What? Murray leaves the hospital without the donation. At the end of the episode, JD and Cox coach Murray into doing the right thing.
Meanwhile, Elliot is learning that Carla and Jordan get their way by using their femininity to their advantage. She gives this a shot but comes up well short on her first attempts. (Seriously, a woman as physically attractive as Sarah Chalke should have learned how to do this well before her fourth year as a physician. But it's a TV show, and no one's perfect.) With the help of a wet scrubs top, she learns that men can be easily influenced by her "charms."
Turk, who as the man is obviously the voice of reason (I think I was kidding as I typed that), warns Barbie that excessive flirting will hurt her in the long run. Absolute power corrupts absolutely, and Elliot was too far gone to take heed. She ends up unknowingly giving a terrible first impression to a potential employer, but thankfully Janitor is there to save the day. This may be the only time you could ever say that about Janitor.
So after all this plot, why is this episode named "My Unicorn?" The unicorn on JD's new journal had maybe 10 seconds of actual screen time. He even states that he's given the fictional animal charge over his "hopes and dreams." What are the three things JD wanted most throughout nine seasons of "Scrubs?" Women, a hug from Dr. Cox, and helping patients (not necessarily in that order). JD had just gotten done chasing Dr. Molly Clock (Heather Graham) so he wasn't back in the market yet for another woman. Dr. Cox helped JD through the trauma of his father's death, essentially giving him a psychological hug along the way. So that leaves his current dream of helping patients.
I've written previously in my analysis of "My Own American Girl" that it's easy to root for these main characters because of how much they care for their patients. I'm not going to rehash that here. It should suffice to say that we're once again in a situation where JD takes time away from the hospital trying to help his patients by bringing a family together. One subtle lesson Cox tries to teach JD on occasion is that he's going to burn out if he takes helping patients so personally all the time. However, there's an entire episode entitled "My Extra Mile" where JD unintentionally teaches Cox the importance of going the extra mile. They are a good yin and yang couple on so many levels, and this is one.
It should be noted that Matthew Perry came on set and immediately commanded his character. You felt like Murray was a character that could have had his own show - there's just a nice depth to the character that is uncommon for a one-episode guest star. He and Zach Braff had fantastic chemistry onscreen. The exchange narrated below between the two of them when Murray doesn't immediately believe JD's father recently died, followed by the horror of recognizing that JD wasn't lying, is some of the best acting of anyone on the show. Perry and his father also (obviously) had great chemistry. For one of my least favorite actors, Matthew Perry had potentially the best guest star appereance ever.
On top of all of this, this is such a fun episode. The journal, Gregory's singing, the airport personnel, Janitor letting on that his long term plan is to marry Elliot, slow-motion running...it's got it all.
Memorable Quotes
Elliot: "Do you have choclate cake?" Lunch server: "No." Elliot: "Well isn't THAT the giant pickle on top of the crap sandwich that is my day today?" Turk: "Relax Elliot, I never get chocolate cake." Elliot: "Oh right, you're diabetic. BOO HOO! You know what, Turk? If you want sympathy, get a diseases that people can see!" Turk, genuinely shocked: "...WOW!" Elliot, genuinely: "Turk, I'm SO sorry!" Turk, grabbing his crucifix: "No problem! Forgive and forget, right?" <Elliot looks away, Turk whispers "GET HER" to the crucifix>
JD: "You'll never guess what I found online!" Cox: "A set of adult male shoulders?"
Cox after Murray offers a kidney for $70K: "I love this moment so much right now, I wanna have sex with it."
Elliot runs her hand across Janitor's hand and winks; Janitor races to jewelry store. Janitor: "I wanna see THAT engagement ring." Jeweler: "That costs $10,000." Janitor, not missing a beat: "I got twelve bucks."
Murray: "You obviously have issues with your own father that you're projecting onto me. Why don't you give him a jingle?" JD: "He's dead." Murray: "Good stuff!" JD: "I'm serious." Murrary: "Classic!" JD: "He had a massive heart attack." Murray, instantly transformed from laughing to horrified: "...I'm sorry for you loss!"
Cox, after informing JD that Gregory is not Murray's biological father: "By the by - I love THIS moment so much, I'd cheat on the other moment from before, marry this one, and raise a whole family of tiny baby moments."
Cox: "You do know he's not your son, right?" Gregory: "I figured it out, mostly because his mother was eight months pregnant when I met her, but there were other signs..."
Summary:
Hopes and dreams. Family and flirting. Learning where boundaries exist, and learning when and how to push them. The best guest star ever. Everyone needs protected at times. (JD more than most, but most dudes are more manly than him.)
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Scrubs Episode #4 - "My Cake"
This blog entry is my review of the fifth best episode of the TV series "Scrubs." You can read my write-ups of the fifth, sixth, eighth, ninth and tenth best episodes to get caught up. Number seven will be provided last.
Synopsis
At the start of the episode, JD's brother Dan (played by Tom Cavanagh) showed up at the apartment with cake...to tell JD their father died. JD spends the episode trying to deal with the loss. Meanwhile Turk deals with a diabetes diagnosis.
Comments
John Ritter made a couple cameos as Sam Dorian, father of JD and Dan. In September 2003 Ritter passed away due to an aortic dissection. "My Cake," one of the first episodes of Season 4, deals with this tragic loss through JD's eyes. Anyone who has lost a parent can relate to some part of this episode.
After the funeral Dan promises to "be there" for JD, then subsequently spends the rest of the episode drinking beer in the bathtub. In the series we never meet Mrs. Dorian so JD has neither her nor his brother to help him cope with Sam's death. He goes to work and gets support from Elliot, a lack of terror from Janitor, and a warm hug from...Chuck Woolery (!?!?).
While JD seeks support from an unwilling Dr. Cox, Turk experiences diabetic-type symptons but refuses to see a physician. Dr. Molly Clock, a visiting psychiatrist expertly played by Heather Graham (she doesn't get the credit she deserves for being a good actress), tricks Turk into self-diagnosing himself. But he's Big Bad Turk! He's infallable! He spends the rest of the episode trying to figure out why he can't bring himself to tell Carla.
But that story and the Janitor almost convincing Dr. Kelso that he's slowly losing his memory pale in comparison to something as heavy as the death of Sam Dorian. Eventually Dr. Cox realizes that JD deeply needs support and he's the only one who can provide it. This moment is the first in the series in which Cox directly shows genuine support to JD. In the first season Cox references JD to the Board of Directors as an intern with worlds of potential, and throughout the first three seasons he helps JD diagnose patients because it's his job. But he had never "been there" for JD.
As we're coming down to the top three episodes of the series, one theme I've noticed is the emphasis placed on relationships among the characters. I would classify "Scrubs" as a comedy well before considering it as a drama, but the dramatic moments add something that most other comedies lack. In this episode we are shown how JD looks to specific people for support - his relationship with Cox, with his brother, with Elliot (their relationship could be classified as "absent" at this point in the series)...but we don't see Turk interact with JD much because of his own plotline. For goodness sake, they sang a song called "Guy Love" in the musical episode! How come they don't spend the entire episode in one long dialogue?
At such crucial moments in their lives (death and diabetes), they barely have screen time together. Is this a hole in the plot? I think it's necessary because we need to see Cox come in to save the day. We also need to see Turk genuinely rely on Carla in a difficult time for the first time. Turk and JD cannot be there for each other because they're both going through challenges separately and cannot be emotionally strong for the other.
And that's where Dr. Cox rises to the occasion to "be there" for JD. At the end he pulls Dan out of the bath, they grab some beers, and then have a serious talk with JD in the only way possible - watching college football. We find out that Cox is genuinely proud of JD. It's important, rare praise from JD's mentor when he needed it the most in his life.
A couple paragraphs ago I mentioned that the relationship between JD and Elliot was "absent." Barbie still hasn't forgiven JD for making her break up with Sean for himself, then dumping her almost immediately. But who was there pushing Dr. Cox to support JD? None other than Elliot. Even though she hated JD at that time, to the point that they were barely talking, she still cared for him enough to indirectly help JD. Is there a doubt these two belonged together at the end of the series?
Quotes
Chuck Woolery: "'Love Connection' was never cancelled; it's just not TV anymore. I still do the occasional episode in my basement with singles from the neighborhood!" <Carla and Molly look puzzled> Chuck: "I'm NOT crazy." <Carla and Molly laugh along unconvincingly>
Cox: "I have a plan today." Elliot: "...which is...?" Cox: "Yeah, unfortunately the first part of the plan is to NOT share it with people who annoy me. Wanna hear the second part?" Elliot: "Sure." Cox: "I can't. My hands are tied by the first part."
Cox: "Barbie, what do you want me to do?" Elliot: "I don't know, hug him?" Cox, astounded: "Barbie...you've MET me before, right?"
Cox: "Let's break down the kid's support system, shall we? He's got ME, an emotionally-crippled narcissist. And he's got YOU, an emotionally-crippled narcissist who's soaking in a tub of what by now HAS to be mostly your own urine." Dan: "I believe the ratio has certainly shifted that way, yes." Cox: "And I have GOT to believe that the two of us together, TOGETHER Dan, we can make it at least halfway to one legitimate adult."
Cox: "Now talk." JD, well-known for a lack of sports knowledge: "What do you want me to talk about, the pros and cons of blitzting a corner on third and long?" <JD thinks to himself, "thank you 'Football for Dummies!'">
Conclusion
All families are unique. The Dorian's are apparently a family who break the news of death with cake. Cox shares grief over beers and football. The Turkelton's play hide-and-seek with minor information, such as a diagnosis of diabetes. But what's important is that families are there for each other. JD needed help and Dr. Cox provided it. We knew there was a reason JD always looked up to Perry.
But that story and the Janitor almost convincing Dr. Kelso that he's slowly losing his memory pale in comparison to something as heavy as the death of Sam Dorian. Eventually Dr. Cox realizes that JD deeply needs support and he's the only one who can provide it. This moment is the first in the series in which Cox directly shows genuine support to JD. In the first season Cox references JD to the Board of Directors as an intern with worlds of potential, and throughout the first three seasons he helps JD diagnose patients because it's his job. But he had never "been there" for JD.
As we're coming down to the top three episodes of the series, one theme I've noticed is the emphasis placed on relationships among the characters. I would classify "Scrubs" as a comedy well before considering it as a drama, but the dramatic moments add something that most other comedies lack. In this episode we are shown how JD looks to specific people for support - his relationship with Cox, with his brother, with Elliot (their relationship could be classified as "absent" at this point in the series)...but we don't see Turk interact with JD much because of his own plotline. For goodness sake, they sang a song called "Guy Love" in the musical episode! How come they don't spend the entire episode in one long dialogue?
At such crucial moments in their lives (death and diabetes), they barely have screen time together. Is this a hole in the plot? I think it's necessary because we need to see Cox come in to save the day. We also need to see Turk genuinely rely on Carla in a difficult time for the first time. Turk and JD cannot be there for each other because they're both going through challenges separately and cannot be emotionally strong for the other.
And that's where Dr. Cox rises to the occasion to "be there" for JD. At the end he pulls Dan out of the bath, they grab some beers, and then have a serious talk with JD in the only way possible - watching college football. We find out that Cox is genuinely proud of JD. It's important, rare praise from JD's mentor when he needed it the most in his life.
A couple paragraphs ago I mentioned that the relationship between JD and Elliot was "absent." Barbie still hasn't forgiven JD for making her break up with Sean for himself, then dumping her almost immediately. But who was there pushing Dr. Cox to support JD? None other than Elliot. Even though she hated JD at that time, to the point that they were barely talking, she still cared for him enough to indirectly help JD. Is there a doubt these two belonged together at the end of the series?
Quotes
Chuck Woolery: "'Love Connection' was never cancelled; it's just not TV anymore. I still do the occasional episode in my basement with singles from the neighborhood!" <Carla and Molly look puzzled> Chuck: "I'm NOT crazy." <Carla and Molly laugh along unconvincingly>
Cox: "I have a plan today." Elliot: "...which is...?" Cox: "Yeah, unfortunately the first part of the plan is to NOT share it with people who annoy me. Wanna hear the second part?" Elliot: "Sure." Cox: "I can't. My hands are tied by the first part."
Cox: "Barbie, what do you want me to do?" Elliot: "I don't know, hug him?" Cox, astounded: "Barbie...you've MET me before, right?"
Cox: "Let's break down the kid's support system, shall we? He's got ME, an emotionally-crippled narcissist. And he's got YOU, an emotionally-crippled narcissist who's soaking in a tub of what by now HAS to be mostly your own urine." Dan: "I believe the ratio has certainly shifted that way, yes." Cox: "And I have GOT to believe that the two of us together, TOGETHER Dan, we can make it at least halfway to one legitimate adult."
Cox: "Now talk." JD, well-known for a lack of sports knowledge: "What do you want me to talk about, the pros and cons of blitzting a corner on third and long?" <JD thinks to himself, "thank you 'Football for Dummies!'">
Conclusion
All families are unique. The Dorian's are apparently a family who break the news of death with cake. Cox shares grief over beers and football. The Turkelton's play hide-and-seek with minor information, such as a diagnosis of diabetes. But what's important is that families are there for each other. JD needed help and Dr. Cox provided it. We knew there was a reason JD always looked up to Perry.
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