Welcome to a new Sitcom Tuesday! This week, we’re continuing our coverage on the best of Scrubs (2001-2008, NBC; 2008-2010, ABC), which is currently available on DVD and Hulu.

Scrubs stars ZACH BRAFF as J.D., SARAH CHALKE as Elliot Reid, DONALD FAISON as Christopher Turk, JUDY REYES as Carla Espinosa, JOHN C. MCGINLEY as Perry Cox, KEN JENKINS as Bob Kelso, and NEIL FLYNN as The Janitor.

Everything about Season Six is bigger — the comedic ideas are broader, the dramatic beats are bolder, and the narrative arcs have increased in prominence. This is because Scrubs thought this could be its final season — NBC had left it off the fall schedule for two years in a row, Zach Braff’s contract was ending, and there were rumblings that the network didn’t want to continue making money for a rival (ABC, which owned the show). Accordingly, this season was conceived — from premiere to finale — as a potential swan song (just in case!), and it wasn’t until Six wrapped that a renewal officially came. Thus, it makes sense for it to be so inflated, with extremes in its tonal conceits, and a heavier emphasis on overarching storylines that could suggest growth on behalf of the leads — specifically, J.D., who ended the previous season learning his new girlfriend Kim (Elizabeth Banks) was pregnant. Now, I have mixed feelings about this idea. On one hand, J.D. having to ascend into responsibility as a father is ideal for his character — it’s a version of Turk’s journey. But Kim has no personality whatsoever, and she’s not a good endgame love interest… In particular, while it’s nice Six keeps her out of the picture for most of the time, its chosen story mechanics — with her lying about losing the baby, when we know she didn’t — hangs over the year in a strange, foreboding way. Indeed, when she returns, we’re rooting for J.D. to mature, not for him to be with her… And then there’s Elliot, who becomes more serious with Keith as the season looks to resume an inevitable J.D./Elliot focus — I say “inevitable” because of their positioning in the pilot. By now though, the repeated failure of their past romance may have undermined that inevitability, so when the show needs to reach a crescendo here, it’s deliberately ambiguous and… well, complicated; I’ll have many thoughts below and later… In general, a lot of Six is complicated — it’s not as tonally well-balanced as Four and Five, but there are still many standout half hours. And with Seven narratively compromised from both directions, I consider this the last good season of Scrubs…

 

01) Episode 119: “My Best Friend’s Baby’s Baby And My Baby’s Baby” (Aired: 12/07/06)

Carla goes into labor.

Written by Neil Goldman & Garrett Donovan | Directed by Gail Mancuso

This is essentially a Big Event show where Carla gives birth to her and Turk’s baby, while J.D. and Kim discuss what they want to do with her reveal that she is also pregnant — a nice display of thematic cohesion that works in this script’s favor. Speaking of the script, despite the size of its narrative beats, this entry tries to present as “typical” an episode of Scrubs as is possible, with a lot of big comedic centerpieces — including some especially bold ones, like a bit with a talking Jesus statue. Ultimately, though, this outing is most worthwhile because it’s about progressing the leading characters into new life stages that will probably grow them up — that’s Season Six’s primary raison d’être, as it’s writing itself to a “just-in-case” conclusion, and in the sense that this is a memorable, accurate ambassador of the year, it felt like a necessary selection.

02) Episode 121: “My House” (Aired: 01/04/07)

Dr. Cox must solve several medical mysteries.

Written by Bill Callahan | Directed by John Putch

By the 2006-2007 season, Scrubs is old-hat compared to the newer and more popular medical shows — namely House and Grey’s Anatomy, both of which get name-checked this year as deliberate winks to the audience about their similarities (and differences). Heck, this entire offering is about spoofing House — a comedic idea that indicates how Season Six is deploying gimmicks not just within fantasy sequences, but as the foundation for whole scripts. But again, this makes for a standout showing, and it does evidence Scrubs’ sense of idea-driven comedy, which increasingly includes a form of self-referentiality (a big part of the emerging single-cam ethos of the 2000s). Also, I appreciate that the show can still be novel with regard to its medical stories — this is really the last year where that is remotely true. (Dave Foley returns.)

03) Episode 123: “My Musical” (Aired: 01/18/07)

A patient’s experience at Sacred Heart is a musical.

Written by Debra Fordham | Directed by Will Mackenzie

My choice for this year’s Most Valuable Episode (MVE), “My Musical” is simply one of the most memorable installments of the whole series, boasting an oft-used television gimmick that nevertheless feels right at home on Scrubs. In fact, there’s a popular entry from Season Two that already included a musical centerpiece for its grand finale. But just as we’ve been following — Scrubs’ idea-driven whimsy is no longer confined to individual sequences; in this more aggrandized era, where everything is bigger, a musical naturally spans an entire half hour. And, again, it has a logical excuse — it’s in the head of a patient (played by Stephanie D’Abruzzo). However, beyond being representative of the series’ comedic and narrative sensibilities in this era, “My Musical” is actually both very funny and well-done on musical terms. That is, the songs (written by Broadway’s Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx) are catchy, and the cast does a competent job singing, which are both pre-requisites for enacting this kind of stunt that, unfortunately, too many shows overlook. Accordingly, I would say Scrubs’ attempt at an original TV musical is one of the better utilizations of this trope and, as a lover of both sitcoms and showtunes who’s admittedly pretty harsh on such gimmickry — for usually the two are not blended well, undermining sitcommery in the process — this doesn’t come at the expense of what Scrubs usually offers. So, it’s a true highlight. (Incidentally, this outing was nominated for a slew of Emmys, winning one for its sound mixing. Oh, and Karen Ziemba has a small role.)

04) Episode 124: “His Story IV” (Aired: 02/01/07)

A new patient sparks political debates throughout the hospital.

Written by Mike Schwartz | Directed by Linda Mendoza

This excursion continues the gimmick of trading narration duties, and this time, they go to Dr. Kelso, a centripetal force who keeps the proceedings jokey and also justifies the notion of having such an atypical subject matter: then-contemporary politics, which are audaciously discussed in a manner congruent with his audacious depiction. That is, a debate erupts in the hospital about the Iraq War after a solider is admitted as a patient (he’ll recur over the next few weeks), and everyone but J.D. has an opinion — with reveals about folks’ partisan leanings that are insightful but surprising… Now, this may seem jarring, for we might expect such divides to be handled dramatically, instead of as a typical ensemble workplace conflict, where people of various backgrounds comedically disagree, and some probably won’t like this — especially because the topic is never again addressed with such vigor, making this feel like an aberration rather than a genuine example. But since it’s funny, unique, and links these idea-based concerns to clashes between characters, I ultimately think it succeeds more than it fails. And, of course, it’s another testament to the year’s heightened go-for-broke episodic gimmickry.

05) Episode 125: “My Road To Nowhere” (Aired: 02/08/07)

J.D. brings his friends with him on a road trip to Kim’s first ultrasound.

Written by Mark Stegemann | Directed by Mark Stegemann

There are really two parts to this offering. The first has J.D. and the majority of the cast taking Dr. Kelso’s new RV to Tacoma for Kim’s first ultrasound. It’s an excuse to put funny characters in tight quarters together, and it’s an easy success. For that stuff alone, this entry stands out enough to make my list. But the other half has a clear narrative purpose — to temporarily drop Kim and the baby story from the show, so things can get somewhat back to normal and she doesn’t have to be a regular presence. So, Scrubs chooses to have Kim lie to J.D. about having lost the baby — something we soon find out is untrue — a terrible decision that renders everything from here on out foreboding, for we know this immature character (J.D.) has no clue about how his life is going to change. This is not a tension that makes for big comedy, and since we know it’s going to pop up at season’s end, it’s an albatross…

06) Episode 129: “My Fishbowl” (Aired: 03/08/07)

The doctors and nurses at Sacred Heart try to help a patient about to be released.

Written by Kevin Biegel | Directed by Chris Koch

Six’s arc with its solider patient (Michael Weston) concludes in this outing, which handles some serious themes that remind us of Scrubs’ tonal complexity, as the army deems his injuries too severe — a crushing blow that is also a threat to his mental health. As the core four plus Dr. Cox rally around the guy, the majority of the action takes place with them together in the same room — and the subplot with the Janitor and the fishbowl is a nice metaphor for this bottle show, which essentially puts the main characters in a tight space and examines them, as they fight (for instance, J.D. and Turk argue over a romantic scar from their college days) and make up, while ultimately trying to help their patient. It’s a unique medical show that’s actually about the leads — a great display of the series’ situation, via its premise and these regulars.

07) Episode 131: “My No Good Reason” (Aired: 03/22/07)

Dr. Cox argues with Laverne about divine predetermination.

Written by Janae Bakken | Directed by Zach Braff

One of the funnier installments on this list, “My No Good Reason” features a purely comedic story where J.D. and Turk are aroused by watching the “nanny cam” of an attractive woman that Carla has hired. This yields a terrifically fun centerpiece where they alert all the guys in the hospital to the live feed, and then must lie about what they’re doing when Carla catches them. It’s all laughs. But the other story, which puts two different characters in believable conflict based on who they are, is both amusing and thoughtful, as Dr. Cox and the peripheral Nurse Laverne (Aloma Wright) argue about whether everything happens for a reason — which speaks to their contrasting ideas of faith and of optimism. Of course, this is mainly to set up the following, which makes it extra poignant, but it’s otherwise fine sitcommery too. A favorite.

08) Episode 132: “My Long Goodbye” (Aired: 04/05/07)

The staff mourns as Laverne is in a coma.

Written by Dave Tennant | Directed by Victor Nelli Jr.

Continuing where the previous left off, this entry sees Nurse Laverne — who was in a car accident on her way home — die after being in a coma. Now, the only reason this happened was because Bill Lawrence thought Scrubs was possibly ending after this season, and thus, he wanted to celebrate one of its finest peripheral players with a sentimental farewell that honored her presence. Naturally, it’s also a display of Scrubs’ increasing penchant for extremes, as this is a very dramatic development — something we’d be more likely to see on, say, Grey’s Anatomy — but it allows the series to play into the serious emotionality that’s long been an aspect of its identity. As you all know, I prefer comedy — because that’s what should be most important to any sitcom that’s fulfilling its promise to the audience — but the hospital setting implies life-and-death stakes, and when they’re personalized, there is a situation-based connection. What’s more, this tone is key to how Scrubs distinguishes itself, so this half hour can’t be overlooked — it’s too accurate a sample. And, actually, to give it credit, it has laughs too.

09) Episode 134: “Their Story” (Aired: 04/19/07)

Ted, Todd, and Jordan have active days in the hospital.

Written by Andy Schwartz | Directed by Richard Alexander Wells

Continuing the recurring gimmick of having other regulars narrate and assume episodic focus, “Their Story” divides its time with three of the most important side characters on the series — the hilarious Ted, the outrageous Todd, and the narratively useful Jordan. They’ve all been fairly reliable in terms of filling out story and building laughs. Ted is basically a catch-all for goofiness, but he works in that capacity, and it’s nice to see him with a little more gravitas. Todd is also very funny, but with a more rigid comedic depiction, and so it’s also exciting to see him applied more directly in plot. As for Jordan, I think she was funnier early on when she was sharper and pricklier (like Elliot), but she remains an additive presence whose possibilities, if better integrated with the ensemble, are abundant… So, with those three well-featured, this segment simply stands out above all the other Honorable Mentions below.

10) Episode 139: “My Point Of No Return” (Aired: 05/17/07)

J.D. and Elliot both panic in the wake of major life developments.

Written by Neil Goldman & Garrett Donovan | Directed by Linda Mendoza

Written as the season finale but also as an insurance policy in case it ended up being the series finale, this entry uses Elliot’s forthcoming marriage and J.D.’s pending fatherhood to give them parallel crises, as they both worry about their readiness for these major life changes. It makes sense for both characters, as both have been shown to be immature, particularly in romance, and this season, by progressing them to a viable endgame, was theoretically about evolving them into more responsibility — specifically J.D… Now, there are two ways to view their possible hookup at the cliffhanger ending: either they’re realizing their commitments are unideal because they both deep down want to be with each other, or they’re just looking to blow up their lives and know this is a reliable means of doing so. The latter is more in line with their past attempts at romance, which always ended with at least one not feeling the love. But the implied finality also suggests something more formal, and with the inevitability of their pairing promised by the pilot’s structure, well, this could be it. Such ambiguity would have probably made for a dissatisfying closer — but it’s actually more hampered by what comes in Season Seven, and then Season Eight. More on that in the weeks ahead…

 

Other notable episodes that merit mention include: the two closest to the above list, “My Therapeutic Month,” a solid entry that examines several characters and relationships well, and “My Cold Shower,” which has a running gag where all the guys imagine what it would be like if married to Elliot — a device meant to help reignite J.D.’s possible feelings for her. Meanwhile, I’ll also take this space to cite the J.D.-centralizing “My Perspective,” the memorably visual “My Scrubs,” and the Janitor-heavy “My Words Of Wisdom,” along with “My Turf War,” which introduces the arc with Keri Russell.

 

*** The MVE Award for the Best Episode from Season Six of Scrubs goes to…

“My Musical” 

 

 

Come back next week for Season Seven! And stay tuned for a new Wildcard Wednesday!