Medical shows go several ways. If one wants a sexual tension filled McDrama, go for "Grey's Anatomy." Forensic fanatics and pharmacological sleuthing your thing? Watch "House MD." But if you veer to the silly side of the surgery theater, "Scrubs" is the catheter of mirth for you.
Scrubs - The Complete Fifth Season is not the strongest season of the ongoing show. It's the beginning fraying and wears in plot, premise and even a touch too much schticky sentimentality.
Despite these facts, you shouldn't be put off. Scrubs is still a great afternoon kill, the 24 episodes are damned good, particularly the Mandy Moore episodes and towards the end of the season.
The season starts off with J.D. (Zach Braff) in between places to live, Elliot (Sarah Chalke) is now at another hospital, and working on a research fellowship while dating Jake (Josh Randall), and Turk and Carla are in a constant Lucy and Ricky comedy of newlywed slapstick moments, will they get pregnant, and the power struggle that ensues.
Jordan (Christa Miller) has returned to work for the first time since she and Dr. Cox (John C. McGinley) had their first child. And, of course, the Janitor (Neil Flynn) stands by, leaning on his mop, eating his kishkas out, organizing Air Bands, dodging Dr. Kelso and spinning ill advised advice and yarns about his past. Flynn's chemistry pitted with Kelso is a guaranteed winner scene too.
Scrubs is solidly established in various sub-story lines, with Elliot coming back to Sacred Heart within a couple of episodes. The Scrubs formula has stayed consistent, which is comforting to die-hard fans. Braff is the Sun in the Scrubs Universe, his cheerful and dead-pannish voice over works for me.
The writers do an excellent job of whip pan flashback reveries and flights of fantasy that make this show unique from the typical workplace sitcom. A ticked-off Carla morphing into Storm from X-Men is hands down a great example here. Okay, the sex gong bit J.D. and Turk share is a winner too.
These sequences are always hilarious: My personal favorites: Turk battling the other surgeons in a Kung-fu fight scene; the 100th episode extended version with a pink towel headed J.D. eating the Mango body butter in the bubble bath while jamming to Toto, and my favorite character, Dr. Cox locking Jordan in a glass case so he can watch basketball in peace.
Scrubs Episode 9, "My Half-Acre," introduces new girlfriend, Julie played by Mandy Moore joins the cast for two shows, and her presence is a needed shot into the cast chemistry.
Playing J.D.'s perfect female foil, Julie is a klutz and as goofy as J.D., her fantasy daydream on their first date where she pops the balloons in the waitress' shirt is hilarious. Braff is up against a fresh energy with her, she shines next to him. The scene where J.D. imagines Elliot is donning a J.D. wig making out with Julie is pretty forward stuff for a network show, they are really kissing..
A moment of praise for the egomaniacal Turk. His delightful Air Band stardom playing Boston's "More than a feeling," his version of Hell: Watching "The View" down in Hades, a thought that horrifies him and J.D. to no end. Turk goes from glib and fly to serious on a dime, when coming clean with a father and his decision for his brain dead son's potential heart donation and what it will mean for Turk's career.
Turk and Carla's baby making grist going from amusing to very touching stuff. He pops birth-control pills into a sleeping Carla's mouth; Carla puts her foot down on the "ribs while having sex" problem, to the drama over Carla's aging fears and not wanting to have any children. There is a touching scene in the 100th episode where Cox bucks up Carla to allay her fears of her own children one day.
Elliot also gets a good run at being the super doctor. Coffee robots gone bad, new assignments, a relationship "go" with J.D. who moves in with her, when then the end of that as he starts dating Julie. Elliot and J.D.'s shared scenes for the intern booty calls and Elliot's wistful desire to just go home and watch Grey's Anatomy are good times. Even when she is dating a new intern, Keith (Travis Schuldt) her public displays of affection spur jealousy in J.D.
In addition to the very talented Mandy Moore, Scrubs: The Complete Fifth Season also has an interesting array of guest stars. Curb Your Enthusiasm's Cheryl Hines shows up as Cox's pious sibling, Maria Menounous, Markie Post, Jason Bateman and Michael Learned turn up too.
Even ex Kids in the Hall star Dave Foley appears playing the new counselor at Sacred Heart (the position previously filled by Heather Graham). Foley is perfectly smarmy, and gets under Cox and J.D's skin easily. Cox's toe to toe verbal smackdown with Foley are great scenes.
J.D.'s deadbeat older brother, Thomas Cavanagh (Ed), is still a deadbeat and needs to retire, note to writers.
Elizabeth Banks comes on for the final two episodes as J.D.'s new love interest, and she helps make the season go out on a high note.
John C. McGinley's portrayal of control freak Dr. Perry Cox steals every frame he is in. Cox's constant repartee with J.D. and Elliot gives great comedic moments. .Dr. Cox has a great Coxian styled moment in Episode #19 when he lambastes Turk for not being black enough.
The writers give us a wink with Episode #22, "My Déjà Vu, My Déjà Vu," takes a swipe at the tendency for sitcoms to start getting that stale cracker taste after they've gone on for five years. J.D. goes to work and begins to notice that everything that is happening to him feels like it's happened before, and chalks it up to having worked at the hospital so long, and he eventually finds comfort in the predictability of a life well-lived.
The episodes included in Scrubs - The Complete Fifth Season are:
Disc 1:
2-My Rite of Passage - J.D. wants to show Dr. Cox and Dr. Kelso how to treat interns, but instead he finds out that they laugh at his bad jokes out of fear and respect. Everyone at the hospital is avoiding Jordan to get rid of her except for Turk.
3-My Day at the Races - J.D. finds a list of things he wanted to accomplish for his birthday, before he turned 30. He enters a triathlon to begin. Elliot discovers a side of her boyfriend Jake that freaks her out. Turk is working hard to impress his bosses, all in effort to be promoted.
4-My Jiggly Ball - J.D. has to introduce Kelso at an awards banquet--a job made more difficult when he rejects a patient for a drug trial in favor of a richer patient. Meanwhile, the guys want to try to get Elliot's job back.
5-My New God - Dr. Cox's sister (Hines) arrives at the hospital. She's a born-again Christian who wants him to participate in his son's baptism. Perry wants nothing to do with it.
6-My Missed Perception - J.D. mistakes an elderly woman's happiness as her wish to stop treatment for a fatal illness. Turk and Elliot struggle to find the cause of a patient's body pain and Carla tries to organize a group photo.
7-My Way Home - 100th episode. As a tribute to "The Wizard of Oz", the four companions go on a similar journey. Turk needs a heart from a patient in order to be the first resident to assist performing an in-house heart transplant. Carla needs courage to have a child with Turk even though she thinks she can't stand babies, Elliot needs the brains to handle speaking in a medical seminar, and J.D. wants to get home.
8-My Big Bird - J.D., Turk, Elliot and Carla are accused of neglect and must face an interrogation by Cox and Kelso, when a patient unexpectedly dies during their watch.
9-My Half-Acre - Elliot offers J.D. relationship advice with new love interest played by Moore, Jordan and Carla each have problems with Dr. Cox, and Janitor sucks Turk into the Air Band.
Disc 2:
11-My Buddy's Booty - Mrs. Wilk (Learned), has to undergo an extremely risky procedure. While J.D. and Elliot try to get lucky in love, or maybe just find themselves booty calls, Dr. Cox finds a new drinking buddy in the Janitor, and Carla encourages Turk to fight for a female-friendly hospital gym.
12-My Cabbage - J.D.'s dislike towards intern Keith increases to the point where J.D. tries to get him dismissed from Sacred Heart, but the plan backfires. Elsewhere, Elliot and Turk misplace their patient's deathbed statement to his children; and the Janitor attempts to keep a pet bird in the hospital without Kelso knowing.
13-My Five Stages - Grief counseling is offered to Mrs. Wilk, whose condition has worsens. J.D. and Dr. Cox turn to each other for support as they face losing their favorite patient. Elsewhere, Ted and the Janitor team up to give bitter Kelso a taste of his own medicine, and Elliot's relationship with Keith changes.
14-My Own Personal Hell - Elliot gets upset with J.D. when he doesn't defend her after she's accused by the other interns of giving preferential treatment to Keith. Cox is stuck caring for one of Dr. Kelso's demanding friends, and Carla tries to see if Turk is sterile.
15-My Extra Mile - Cox scoffs at reading lines with a patient preparing for a play, J.D. urges his fellow doctors to do special things for their patients. J.D. not sure he can shave his head for a woman undergoing chemo. Turk and Carla attempt to eliminate stress to conceive, but Turk has to compete for a surgical resident spot and Carla loses Dr. Kelso's VIP patient. Meanwhile, Elliot showers Keith with stupid gifts.
16-My Bright Idea - Turk finds out before Carla does that she's finally pregnant. After J.D. persuades Turk to take advantage of her not knowing so they can pull off the "greatest surprise", their plan backfires of course.
17-My Chopped Liver - J.D. rearranges his schedule to allow himself more time with Turk, Turk secretly resents hanging out with J.D. because it interferes with his own "Turk Time." Cox and Jordan go on a double date with Elliot and Keith, and Carla covers for Kelso at work as he grieves for his dead dog. The hospital staff learns about making sacrifices for the people they really care about.
18-My New Suit- J.D. is forced to show his loser brother Dan some tough love when he shows up in town. Carla and Turk pick baby names. Cox realizes the consequences of making negative comments about Kelso's son.
Disc 3:
20-My Lunch - J.D. accidentally runs into Dr.Cox in a store, who both then run into annoying former suicidal patient Jill Tracy. Meanwhile Elliot and Carla do a little investigating and find out that Todd hasn't actually slept with anyone in the hospital – they then think he is gay.
21-My Fallen Idol - Carla persuades all her coworkers to prop up despondent Dr. Cox, after three of his patients die because of his mistake. Everyone participates except J.D.
22-My Déjà Vu, My Déjà Vu - Dr. Cox returns to the hospital, but Elliot quickly learns the hard way that he's still his same old obnoxious self. Carla forces Turk to also give up the things she has to give up while she's pregnant.
23-My Urologist - J.D. challenges a urologist's assessment on a consult for a patient who might need a risky surgical procedure, feeling that she's playing it safe professionally and personally. Elliot considers breaking up with her boyfriend/intern Keith for being too weak, especially when he's being picked on by Dr. Cox.
24-My Transition - J.D. tries to plan the perfect date for Dr. Briggs, but Elliot keeps getting in the way. Elliot plans a baby shower for Carla while two other women also discover they're pregnant.
Technical notes: DVD
Extras:
Footage from the celebratory party for that episode is also shown in "My 117 Episodes: Five Seasons of Scrubs," cast and crew interviews and highlight clips from the year. The very well done 100th episode of the series is episode #7 of the season, the "Wizard of Oz" episode.
There are seven deleted scenes and nineteen alternate line takes included here. The deleted scenes are both short and lengthy, and are along the normal lines you'd expect. The "alternate lines" consist of rough footage showing different readings for various jokes, sometimes with different lines altogether, various inflections, and bloopers.
The third and final commentary for this season is on episode 20, "My Lunch," and is given by John C. McGinley and director John Michel. McGinley shares some good technical details for his scenes as Dr. Cox.
Scrubs - The Complete Fifth Season is now available at Amazon . It is available for pre-order at AmazonUK for a June 18th release. Visit the DVD database for more information.
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