Scrubs

[Lj.]

Seriously, just let everyone know the Janitor's name, have JD & Elliot get married or find out she's pregnant, & have the final scene of Dr. Cox & Kelso, who would be moving away in the last episode, shaking hands while the entire casts watches on....with Death Cab for Cutie playing or Overkill.

[Guest King Tut]

Second-last episode on ABC/CITY tonight at 8, hour-long possible series finale tomorrow at 8. In case you were wondering.

[Guest King Tut]

And since I blogged about tonight and the future of the show, I'm sharing it with you.

In the "that sure came up quick" department, the end is nigh.

The end of Scrubs, that is.

There's an episode tonight at 8, followed by the possible (more on that later) series finale tomorrow at 8 (it's an hour long).

The most recent episode - you're forgiven if you've forgotten due to all the times Obama has pre-empted the show - ended with JD deciding he wanted to move to Seattle so he could be around his kid.

Of course, JD has conveniently forgotten that he only knows two people in Seattle, doesn't particularly like either of them, would be moving away from everybody he does know, and would have no job. And yet, we're supposed to like him because of his motivation - which, really, is out of jealousy over the amount of time Sean spends with the kid.

One of the great mysteries of Scrubs, at least to me, is how JD has remained so lovable to the show's fans despite the fact that he is petty, jealous, annoying, controlling, insecure, and selfish all at once. I don't expect this mystery to be unraveled by tomorrow night.

One mystery which will be solved, however, is reportedly that of the Janitor's real name. Yet again, I'm not happy. The Janitor's entire character - at least up until the introduction of his now-wife - was that he'd show up, mock people, and you'd never really have any idea if whatever he was telling you was true or not. The only way I would be satisfied with Janitor revealing his real name would be if it turned out to be John Dorian, and there was still that sizable doubt as to whether this time he's telling the truth.

Plus Elliot will have to decide if she wants to go to Seattle with JD, Carla and Turk will become the hospital's new power couple, Ted will look like a loser, Cox will show that he has a heart, Kelso won't. Yadda yadda yadda.

The interesting part is that this might not be the end of the line for Scrubs. There's been rumours off-and-on over the last year that ABC will bring the show back for another season, even if Zach Braff and more of the main cast don't want to come back. A lot of people are opposed to this move, but I think it could work, and here's how:

(I've run this idea by Dan and he disagrees. So maybe I'm out to lunch.)

Obviously the show won't be the same without JD. Every episode starts and ends with him monologuing. Eliminating the monologue, or handing it off to different characters based on the episode, would seem hokey.

Instead, introduce a new character. A new intern, just starting off at Sacred Heart. Make the guy a lot like JD (it's okay for viewers to see him as a poor excuse for a replacement JD), at least in that he cares about his patients and has that off-the-wall sense of humour. But at the same time, make him not like JD - make him the genuinely good person everybody seems to see JD as even though he's nowhere close. Don't give us a single reason to dislike the new guy.

Whatever main actors want to stick around, can, as frequently or infrequently as they wish. The show can survive with some main characters gone completely, and otheres barely around. I wouldn't have said that even a year ago, but there's one significant change now - a cast of interns who have actually had their characters fleshed out beyond one-joke stereotypes. Can Unemotional Female Intern (I'm bad with the names) summon the compassion to deal with New Guy and his class? Would Always Happy Intern be able to maintain her smile through deaths and other trials? Would Cocky Black Intern have any desire at all to be a mentor? Would Kid From Little Giants Intern...well, you get the point.

It will be a little unsettling at first, seeing the show in something closer to its first couple of seasons - actually dealing with life inside a hospital, rather than being about a group of main characters who happen to work in a hospital - but I think it can work. There can be plenty of callbacks to JD's first year as well - does Cox give the same sunny speech to first-day interns that Kelso always did?, that sort of thing.

It won't be the same, obviously, It won't be as good. But I have faith that the Scrubs production team can pull off a good show with new characters, and occasional reappearances by the main cast will keep the diehard fans satisfied.

--Ryan

[Whisper]

On the whole "How can you love JD when he's such a twat?" argument... I always figured that it was down to the fact that he is all of those things you listed; jealous, controlling etc... Just like the average joe... I've always thought that, compared to the other characters, JD is the one that's a more genuine true to life type character, if that makes sense.

Either way, there's something thoroughly loveable about JD in my opinion. Maybe I'm just in love with Zach Braff. Who knows.

[naiwf]

I've always hated JD which is why I don't watch Scrubs' new stuff. When they first hit syndication here on Fox, I watched two episodes every night for months at a time and pretty much caught up on everything I needed to know. I then realized that I didn't really care for JD to be happy, and I didn't understand why his "friends" put up with his nonsense. So, I've never seen anything from the last couple of seasons aside from 5 minutes here or there but I really don't like the idea of him and Eliot together at the end. The show should end with him being a miserable, petty, lonely, slightly younger version of Cox from Season 1 because that's what he deserves.

The lead character's complete and utter lack of likability is also the reason I stopped watching How I Met Your Mother since Ted and JD are practically the same character.

[YI]

I don't get that with Ted from "How I Met Your Mother". He at least seems likeable and he's generally a 'sound guy'. JD is just a total cunt.

Edited May 5, 2009 by YI

[naiwf]

I don't get that with Ted from "How I Met Your Mother". He at least seems likeable and he's generally a 'sound guy'. JD is just a total cunt.

Ted is the type of guy who calls "dibs" on a woman, dates countless other women but acts like he's been violated when someone else dates his "chick". He's basically Ross from Friends who was the prototypical self centered douchebag that the fans wanted to see happy for some reason. Why should he still care about who Robin dates 3 or 4 seasons into the show when he was banging other chicks and engaged to someone else? Ted's just as arrogant and completely self absorbed as JD, but at least Barney was good enough to make me sit through 2 seasons of the show before giving up on it. Has Ted even met the mother yet? How long have those kids been sitting on the couch listening to this same story? That's child abuse

[YI]

I don't get that with Ted from "How I Met Your Mother". He at least seems likeable and he's generally a 'sound guy'. JD is just a total cunt.

Ted is the type of guy who calls "dibs" on a woman, dates countless other women but acts like he's been violated when someone else dates his "chick". He's basically Ross from Friends who was the prototypical self centered douchebag that the fans wanted to see happy for some reason. Why should he still care about who Robin dates 3 or 4 seasons into the show when he was banging other chicks and engaged to someone else? Ted's just as arrogant and completely self absorbed as JD, but at least Barney was good enough to make me sit through 2 seasons of the show before giving up on it. Has Ted even met the mother yet? How long have those kids been sitting on the couch listening to this same story? That's child abuse

Haha, I do kind of get that. But what, he broke up with Robin and a few months later one of his best friends knobbed her...I'd be canny pissed off too.

And he hasn't met the mother yet, they've brought Stella back this past episode, which apparently is going to lead to him meeting the mother by the end of the series, I think. This series has been a bit shit. Some hilarious episodes/moments, but it's really went the way of a bunch of other American programs in that they will keep making shows as long as there's demand for it, instead of having a story, figure out how many episodes it will take to tell that story, make that many episodes, which seems to be the norm over here. Seeing as they don't want to 'finish' the story so early, there's just been a shitload of filler episodes.

[thatblindgeye]

That was just a great episode. I seriously cannot wait for the hour long episode tomorrow.

Spoiler: Click here to view

Cox being sad/upset that JD is up and leaving? The Janitor looking sad at the end of the episode? Turk and JD being apart?

Just wow. Fucking writers on Scrubs pulled gold out of their asses for this season. It has really been a great season, and if it is truly the series finale, it is probably the best way they can end it, depending on how tomorrows episode is.

This episode just had laugh out loud moment after laugh out loud moment for the most part.

I honestly cannot wait to see how JD leaving goes tomorrow. The Janitors reaction and Cox's reaction are the two things I wanna see done in a non-comedic way (although if they did do it in a comedic way, Im sure they could pull it off). Turk and JD saying goodbye has to be good... I just cant wait to see what the closing moments of tomorrows episode is.

IF they bring the show back for another season, I think it could be decent. If anything, just try to label it as a spinoff and use the Scrubs: Interns name and theme from the webisodes (I just fucking love the theme to that). I think they could have a decent base with the new interns. You have about four right now, which isnt too bad considering the early seasons really only focused on JD, Turk, and Elliot as interns/the new doctors, while usually having a 'flavor of the season' kinda guy (Ronnie, Doug to an extent). Then you could probably try and get Cox to stick around for the COM role, get Turk to stay and have Carla be written off as being home with the kids (since the actress I guess wants to leave after this season), get Kelso to stick around for his one off appearances, keep The Janitor, keep Jimmy the Orderly for his one offs as well... Even though it would come nothing close to this season, I think I would still enjoy on its own, even for a 13 episode season or something.

Edited May 6, 2009 by Vitamin E

[edcq]

Great episode tonight. I seriously hope they keep the show around and it looks like they may give it a trial season, they're planting seeds (or so I think) for the interns to become the lead roles.

As for the JD hate, to be completely honest, I love the character. Granted, the last couple of seasons he has been a shadow of what it used to be, but I still enjoy his "dream" sequences and I don't know, I guess I'm just a big fan of the awkward comedy.

[thatblindgeye]

Sometimes I hate JD, othertimes I can stand him. Some of the times I cant stand him is the episodes where he says somethnig despite thinking "dont say _____", or when he gets pissy that someone is *gasp* better than him. Things like that annoy me about the character. Plus, the whole "I WANT ELLIOT I DONT WANT HER WAIT I DO NEVERMIND!" crap from the first several seasons.

[Pesci]

I've enjoyed pretty much this entire season. I think 6 + 7 were very weak but the new characters have breathed life into this. I like how at the start, Denise was this stern intern who was only good for jokes about her insensitivity or banging fat guys and now they've already fleshed her out. If they made a new season I'd probably want her as the main character. I mean, ideally the interns would share the responsibilities of main character so that there isn't really a dominant JD-type character but there's always one who sticks out the most and I think that should be her.

I definitely think they need to try their hardest to keep Cox, even if it's just for a few episodes a season. He ties everything together and there needs to be a character like that but if they try to introduce a new character in the Cox mould, I doubt it'd work.

Edited May 6, 2009 by Pesci

[thatblindgeye]

Wow....

Spoiler: Click here to view

The first 40-45 minutes I think was rather standard Scrubs stuff, but it was really great.

JD giving Cox a book of all his rants over the years, Janitor telling JD "his name" only for another employee to walk past him and call him a different name was classic, Janitor bringing the penny out, Kelso taking his table from the Coffeebucks, and JD tricking Cox into spilling his guts was just great. Im glad they got it out there, even if it was done in a comedic kinda way.

After that point, though... Seriously, I got teary eyed. Seeing JD walk down the hallway, Dan passing him, Todd giving him the high five... The holy shit. So many fucking people from past episodes, people you would never expect to have a guest appearance... Just holy fuck. That hallway scene, even if it ended with Hooch in a straightjacket going "Hooch is crazy".... That was just phenomenal. Then JD staring at the white sheet at the entrance and see the home movies kinda thing was incredibly heartwrenching to me. That entire, like, 10-15 minutes.... THAT was a fucking great ending.

The final 5-10 minutes of the episode being behind the scenes kind of stuff was great I think too. Just seeing everyone having fun and all.

I seriously could not ask for a better ending though. That was just... words really cannot describe how great I thought it was. Bravo, Scrubs. You turned shit around this season, and you delivered one HELL of a teary eyed finale. Bravo.

After tonights episode, I would not be upset if they decided to not do a new season with the new interns. Tonights episode was the perfect ending to the show, and now I kinda just want the show to be over with and let it be known for that amazing series finale.

Edited May 7, 2009 by Vitamin E

[Guest King Tut]

Okay so that was surprisingly good.

Spoiler: Click here to view

I was worried that the guest stars would be showing up every 30 seconds, but getting everyone to just stand in the hallway at the end was perfect. Janitor's 'real name' unfolded exactly how I wanted it to. The overarching monologue story was good. The callbacks to earlier seasons were a little much, but not horribly offensive. Cox's compliments to JD were perfect, believable, and a nice callback to Season 1. Overall I'm happy.

[Powerhart]

I just finished watching the Season Finale and I gotta tell you, I almost cried, it was awesome. I hadn't seen it yet, but I loved the ending, the video they shown about his future (as he imagined it) and hoe the words from that guy Dan (or whatever his name was) that it was better not to know the day you were gonna die, as your future could be whatever you wanted it to be, great episode and it's definitely my favorite series of all time, hopefully they do give it a trial season with the new interns to see how they develop even though it won't be the same without the main guys, I think we (the Scrubs fans) would like it.

[edcq]

That was a fantastic season ending.

Spoiler: Click here to view

I loved everything about that episode. It was classic Scrubs from beginning to end. JD trying to get sex from Elliot in the morning was great. Dr. Cox was being such a cock (pun intended) but when he finally gave it up, well I think that was one of the all time great Scrubs moment. I was surprised they didn't give more time to Turk and JD, but I guess common sense says that they are best friends and will most likely see each other the most. I almost cried when that video hit at the end, and I burstesd out laughing when JD's son and Turk's daughter got engaged and JD fainted. Class. I really think they'll give the interns a trial season, I know they didn't really put the spotlight on them on this episode, but seriously, it's JD's last day. But I have a feeling that Jo and some of the interns will get their chance to shine. Maybe Dr. Cox will stay around to keep it all together. Also, I'm not sure if anyone noticed, but at certain points I noticed they kept saying "season" as opposed to "series" Like when they were playing the outtakes, they said "that's a season wrap for Judy Reyes" and at the end they also said "that's a season wrap for Zach Braff" I don't know, hopefully they do one season with the interns.

Edited May 7, 2009 by Ando Solo

[QCKing]

That was perfect. Not overly sappy, sentimental when it needed to be, funny still. It worked perfectly to me. Everything ended like I wanted it to, and I'm glad they did what they did with JD's "home movies" thing to wrap up some possible thoughts on his future.

Excellent, excellent. Can't even discuss it any more thoroughly.

[Powerhart]

That was a fantastic season ending.

Spoiler: Click here to view

I loved everything about that episode. It was classic Scrubs from beginning to end. JD trying to get sex from Elliot in the morning was great. Dr. Cox was being such a cock (pun intended) but when he finally gave it up, well I think that was one of the all time great Scrubs moment. I was surprised they didn't give more time to Turk and JD, but I guess common sense says that they are best friends and will most likely see each other the most. I almost cried when that video hit at the end, and I burstesd out laughing when JD's son and Turk's daughter got engaged and JD fainted. Class. I really think they'll give the interns a trial season, I know they didn't really put the spotlight on them on this episode, but seriously, it's JD's last day. But I have a feeling that Jo and some of the interns will get their chance to shine. Maybe Dr. Cox will stay around to keep it all together.

exactly..

Spoiler: Click here to view

Maybe Dr. Cox ends up staying for a couple of one season more. since he kind of hinted it when that girl helped J.D. get those words out of Dr. Cox, classic moment by the way. Yeah, the video was awesome, great stuff and priceless moment when the daughter and son of Turk and J.D. got engaged hahaha.

[Mr Evil Guy]

Spoiler: Click here to view

Maaaaaan. My favorite band on the last song wrote that song to what might be my favorite show of all time at one point(when I first got into it I watched it every day for a year, like every season 3 times over.) Then it fell off, and I'm sooo glad I caught these past couple of episodes. Even if this show doesn't end, which would make me ridiculously happy.. when it does inevitably + officially it'll fucking suck. Best show on TV for me, hands down. It put a little shiver down my spine. Loved the whole name shit, the Cox rant on the girl while JD was behind him, basically fucking everything was golden.

RIP JD. :'(

.... Edited May 7, 2009 by Mr. Evil Guy

[ADG]

Spoiler: Click here to view

That was a brilliant, brilliant ending. Seriously I don't think there is a way they could have improved upon that ending. Right from the off with the flashbacks to the earlier seasons everything was just on the right level to be what it needed to be. I was a little worried after reading the list of cameos that it'd be "Hey there's Jill Tracey! Hey there's Dan! Hey there's Tasty Coma Wife! Hey there's Snoop Dogg Attending!" one after the other but the guard of honour they set up was excellent, especially seeing the old woman from the third ever episode which is one of my favourite episodes ever.

Oh and Colin Hay! Best part of that entire bit was seeing Jimmy the Overly Touchy Orderly stroking Beardface's beard behind JD.

Loved it, loved, loved it.

Edited May 7, 2009 by ADGray