(S07E01) One thing I can say about the season premiere of Scrubs' seventh and last season: It wasn't as lurchingly awkward as last year's season premiere. Or most of the first half of last season, for that matter. But that doesn't mean it was good.
There were a few laugh-out-loud moments, but most of the jokes fell pretty flat. And none of the flatness had anything to do with the conclusion of last year's cliffhanger, where J.D. and Elliot, trying to escape some big life changes, lie next to each other, and kinda sorta lean in for a kiss...
...and not much happened. Elliot somehow slipped out and ran across the room (and changed her hairstyle, miraculously enough). That seemed to be a good way to go, as far as I was concerned. I'd imagine this final season isn't going to be one where J.D. and Elliot become a couple in the first few episodes and then we see artificially-created couple-y ups and downs. No, I think we're going to be slowly building towards some sort of resolution of this issue, even if that resolution is that it looks like something's starting between them but we won't get to see it.
(By the way, this isn't some sort of amazing guess on my part; I've seen interviews where Zach Braff, Bill Lawrence and some of the cast have mentioned this "slow build" method. I'd imagine that they figure the ride is going to be better than the destination.)
So, we're at the first step: the application of Occam's razor (the principle that sometimes the simplest solution is the correct one) to make the crew see that a) Elliott can't stay with Keith, b) J.D. is only with Kim because he got her pregnant and he will never leave, c) that maybe that nice patient Joe really does have Lyme disease, and d) Turk likes Bit o' Honey more than he thought.
The last two storylines didn't really do anything for me. Except for Carla's "I want to shoot myself" looks she shoots as Turk explains the entire process of selecting the only candy bar he'll get to eat until the New York presidential primary, the Turk plot seemed to be a throwaway. Yes, we know Turk has diabetes. We get it. And the story where patient Joe charms Cox, Turk and even Kelso into going the extra mile to treat him was just... eh. It was only there to set up the Occam's razor tie-in; if I wanted weak medical cases that only served to sledgehammer home the parallels with the doctors' lives, I'd start watching Grey's Anatomy again.
One question: if, during their engagement, Keith had mustered up the same passion it took to call Elliot a "pig whore" after she dumped him, would they still be together? Anyway, Keith was never a good match for Elliot. And Kim wasn't a good match for J.D., especially after she did the unthinkable and let Mike Ausiello be her obstetrician... oops, I mean lie to J.D. about a miscarriage. So, in this case, is J.D.'s staying with her a sign of maturity? It seems like that's not what Bill and company are saying here. If he's to no longer be that "annoying whiny manchild" that Cox thinks he is, according to the writers, it looks like J.D. is going to have to drop the mother of his child. How they're going to do that and still make it look like he's grown as a person is beyond my comprehension right now.
The laugh-out-loud moments? Elliot's mussed hair after she sleeps with Keith again. The opening, when everyone looks down and is sad at Elliot's breakup, but is happy Snoop Dogg Attending and Bite Size Intern are getting together. Kelso thinking he had a stroke because he smelled eggs (which is really a sweaty Turk). "Take that, Tony Shalhoub." That's about it. The fantasy cutaway for Cox's awards for his self-absorbed colleagues was chuckleworthy (how can you not like "Dame Judy Dorian"?), but didn't deliver the way a good Coxian rant would have in that spot. And it's nice to see that Janitor has a girlfriend named Lady (whose brother is named "Him"), but for right now, Neil Flynn seems to be on the outside looking in, comedy-wise. Even the bits about Dr. Beardface -- pronounced "Beard-fa-CAY" -- weren't as good as they were in the past.
One last item: when Turk and J.D. were going over the list of women J.D. has been with, you knew that "Mole Butt" was code for "Elliot," right? We found that out two years ago in "Her Story II." She's got a mole on her butt, see, and... oh, just watch the episode and you'll find out about it.
I'm hoping that we get a replay of last year, where the episodes improved as the season went along. But given the fact that this season has only 18 episodes instead of the traditional 22, I hope the ramp-up time is a bit shorter this time around. There isn't enough time left to waste with mediocre episodes like this one.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
10-25-2007 @ 11:15PM
rusty said...
I thought this was an improvement over much of the past season. Clearly they had to resolve SOMETHING from the cliffhanger and they did both - Elliot dumps Keith, J.D. acknowledges what he's doing (though interestingly, doesn't think its self sabotage; in his determination to be something other than a man child he's actually becoming MORE of a man child by just settling into a situation where he isn't comfortable). The humor was random and silly (Todd's shirt, the "awards", "Dr. Face...ha ha ha ha"...and I thought she was called fun sized intern? Am I that deaf? I didn't DVR and too early to google...), and at least it set us up.
I'm wondering.
Last season Kelso made a comment to the effect that he couldn't believe J.D. trusted Kim after what she did, especially since she seemed like a slut - or maybe he said tramp. I don't know. Either way, I didn't forget that - and I'm hoping JD didn't either...how DOES he know that kid is his?
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10-25-2007 @ 11:50PM
Lindsay said...
Who was the actor who played Joe? I know I recognize him....and I cant find the actor's name anywhere!
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10-26-2007 @ 1:05AM
Jen said...
I disagree that the ep felt off; I thought they hit the ground running. There were a bunch of laugh-out loud moments to keep the funny. More importantly, the cast were all interacting with each other (unlike last year where it seemed they teamed up into smaller groups that didn't gel with each other), including Kelso who had a diminished role last year. Based on the premiere, I'm optimistic about the remaining eps.
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10-26-2007 @ 1:38AM
Travis said...
To Rusty i quote " Um have there been any other Penises?" and "its your JD" soo um ridiculous thought but A for effort.. I think it might have been because i was already going to love this season opener no matter what, but it is truly an amazing one. like someone said, all the characters meshed.. i was sad not to see ted. the Todd never fails to impress.. kelso is more integrated Cox seems almost brighter(light wise) the part with joe i think is going to lead to something about doctor cox caring.. elliot is not meant to be with anyone in my opinion. i think that JD and kim made a great couple at the end of the last season and it is too bad that its a rocky opening. I dont want JD to leave her... but he might... when he left the bar in pheonix i was really turned off to zach braffs character. JD and turk said they were going to go out drinking but it never showed it which is too bad.. those moments are allways classic( flashback to the bartending day). The lack of laverne is heartwrenching. all in all it will be a great season like all the rest..
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10-26-2007 @ 1:44AM
Zac said...
Actually, it was "Suck it, Tony Shaloub!" :)
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10-26-2007 @ 2:42AM
Rich said...
I loved this episode. This episode felt very season 3-5. All of last season, though it had some very good episodes, felt off. I think it was the brightness of the show or something; things just felt odd. But this episode felt right.
Plus I was laughing the entire time! I thought it was hilarious. I felt the humor wasn't as random as it has been usually. Things seemed more grounded.
I'm just worried about Elliot and JD. It seems very abrupt that she suddenly ends it with Keith. And now I worry how they're going to handle things with JD. Yeah, he's in this relationship for a wrong reason, but how can they get him out of this without making him look like a bastard (more than usual)?
I think they'll tease the JD/Elliot thing for most of this season, but in the end, they'll do the right thing and not have them end up together.
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10-26-2007 @ 2:52AM
Michael said...
I thought the episode was pretty good. Except for Musical episode and the episode where Turk and Carla's baby was born last year, I thought season 6 was pretty weak compared to the goodness before that. This episode sort of got back to the good old days of simple goodness. A bunch of innocuous jokes with a nice human touch at the end. I got into it enough that by the end I forget that JD had been flashing back to a week before.
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10-26-2007 @ 3:16AM
Jen said...
Another thought - I watched season 6 on Comedy Central, and it definitely grew on me - the eps definitely warm up on repeated viewing.
Only bad ep in syndication (ironically, since it was the best ep last year) was the Musical, because they sped it up to add commercial time and the music sounded positively cartoonish!
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10-26-2007 @ 5:08AM
Brittany said...
Lindsay- the actor who played Joe is Kevin Rahm. He is currently on Desperate Housewives, but he's been on a bunch of things!
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10-26-2007 @ 6:01AM
MCW said...
Pig Tramps. I was surprised by this episode. Much funnier than a lot of the ones from last season. It's really going to be sad to see "Scrubs" go. I've grown to love all of the characters and actors on this show, and I can't imagine them in something else right now. Having them all together in this ensemble cast is the way I'd prefer 'em.
:(
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10-26-2007 @ 7:28AM
Wendy said...
Joel... I think you're being a bit hard on the season opener. I loved it and felt there were a lot of laugh out loud moments -- which I didn't get a lot of from last season. If they keep this momentum and build some, this will be a great final season!
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10-26-2007 @ 8:34AM
Toymao said...
I think this was a very good episode, and I see the past season just the opposite you do. The first part was hilarious, then it got too romantic and emotional - except for the last 2 episodes.
But still, Scrubs rock. And I'm very curious how will they bring back Aloma Wright as her own (e.g. Laverne's) twin sister.
Lindsay: The actor is called Kevin Rahm, you can see him nowadays as a regular (or recurring) in Desperate Housewives since last Sunday.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0706716/
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10-26-2007 @ 8:48AM
rusty said...
Travis:
You actually believe her after what she did?
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10-26-2007 @ 9:51AM
carocaitbob said...
I think the easy way out for JD is something happens to the baby--stillborn or terrible illness and baby won't survive. Sad, but it lets JD off the hook with Kim.
As far as JD and Eliot, I'm not sure. When Kim first moved away, I thought maybe JD should go with her--break away from his codependence on everyone else. The question is, can JD really grow up when he needs so much from those around him? Or does he need to spread his wings and put some distance between himself and those who have been carrying him? Or am I thinking way too much about the emotional life of a fictional character? I just don't think I'll be happy if he ends up with Eliot. I feel like they've done that already, let's not get too Ross and Rachel here, you can only do that once.
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10-26-2007 @ 9:53AM
Duane said...
Rusty, Kelso's comment from the season finale last year was this:
Kelso: Dorian? Tell your baby mama she can have her job back. By the way, I think it's hysterical you trust her again.
JD: I know sir, I got your email.
Found at
http://www.morinfamily.com:8888/blog/2007/09/23/1190596480650.html
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10-26-2007 @ 11:34AM
rusty said...
Whoops, thanks Duane. Should have googled it myself.
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10-26-2007 @ 11:50AM
Justin said...
Hopefully it mean no more Keith! He was a terrible character and more so, the actor who played him can't act.
I thought last night's episode was fine. Scrubs isn't the type of show that will reach for the heights it once occupied but it's still a better show than 95% of the crap network television tries to tell me is good (*cough*30 Rock*cough*).
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10-26-2007 @ 12:14PM
Matt said...
I agree with most of the comments. I thought the episode was a solid start to the season, and enjoyed a lot of the bits. I don't know where they'll go, but I know JD and Kim won't be going there together.
@ Justin
Obviously you haven't seen 30 Rock. If you had, you wouldn't call it crap, seeing as how it's wickedly clever, and easily one of the best shows on NBC right now.
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10-26-2007 @ 12:44PM
metz said...
Please do anything other than the JD + Elliot storyline. It's been done. It's been done more than once. It's been done to death. The only thing worse for Scrubs would be if they went down an Elliot, Dr Cox, JD love triangle path or went down the Turk & Carla marital difficulties path.
You now have 17 episodes left. Make them funny. Please....
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10-26-2007 @ 1:34PM
Rob said...
Thank you Justin,.. and I thought I was the only one who thought 30 Rock was crap.
Good to know I'm not alone.
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