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RSS'Scrubs': Gettin' HIV-vy with it
If "Scrubs" is at its best when it combines ridiculous jokes with serious character-based drama, then tonight's episode was right up there. Even without Zach Braff and his half-beard.
It's a full moon, and Turk and Elliot are left with nothing but interns to face the crazy masses during the night shift, thanks to JD taking Sam to Disneyland despite his promises to save it for his and Turk's 40th birthdays. Why wait until you're 40? The interns have been at Sacred Heart "just long enough so that they think they know what they're doing," which is a terrifying prospect for the patients. And can I just say that given the Disneyland references, I was really hoping for a "Haunted Mansion"-themed prank when Turk and Elliot decided to scare the interns, but it turned out to be disappointingly ghost hologram-free. Sigh.
Derek continues his streak of unearned cockiness, and of annoying me. Seriously, this dude had better do something funny fast, or I'll...um...write something mean about him. Actually, I don't need to since Denise says it perfectly: "Aww, that's adorable, you have a crush on yourself! I'd be careful - the guy you're in love with is a douche." With God as my witness, I will use that line on someone in the next week. Amazing. And Derek winds up collapsing a lady's lung, so there. I wonder...does Denise totally hitting that as soon as he's all sad and vulnerable reinforce the lesson that he shouldn't be cocky, or that he doesn't need to improve as a doctor?
Elliot's patient is wasting away, and Elliot's zombie joke falls completely flat. I'm with Elliot - a lack of laughter at a good zombie joke = a lack of a sense of humor. I don't care of the patient's hair IS falling out. Sadly, instead of being a zombie or anorexic, she's HIV-positive. And Turk's HIV-vy (pronounced Hivvy) dance doesn't make it any better. Though it DOES make me wonder how the writers came up with it.
I really enjoyed the Elliot/Turk moments, especially their conversation at the end about being a doctor. That's a relationship that hasn't been explored much, but has a lot of potential. It was especially nice, and a little surprising, to see Elliot's respect for Turk. And it was really interesting that she, a huge overachiever when the show started, isn't set on being a doctor forever. That's why I love "Scrubs" - the characters really grow and change, just as real people would.
Random bits:
- I'm just gonna ignore the plot about getting the WASP-y lady to fart, aside from quoting Sunny's hilarious response to Turk's question about what it smelled like: "30 years of oppression. And hot dogs!" Delivered only as Sunny could.
- The Todd, showing some rare vulnerability, isn't cool with Howie - or anyone - high fiving. That's The Todd's thing!
- Did anyone else think it was maybe okay for Katie to put that plastic cone around the crazy guy's head? I mean, he was trying to chew his stitches off! Plus it was transparent. And it's preferable to being tied down, right? Aaaand that's why I'm not a doctor.
- It kind of feels like we're being weaned off of the regular cast, doesn't it? But I need to see a lot more emotional depth from the interns, rather than two-dimensional humor, before I'm convinced they can carry the show on their own. And Derek really needs to step up the funny.
Did you miss Zach Braff? Is Derek growing on you?
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Zap2it Twitter Talk 
I really enjoyed tonight's episode. Once I realized there would be no JD, I wasn't sure I would, even though the Janitor and Dr. Cox are funnier characters ... but I still enjoyed the episode. I will say though, it was weird. I mean, there have been episodes narrated by other characters, but I'm pretty sure this was the first episode of the entire series to have NO narrator.
(Also, Zap2It: You should also be recapping South Park, this season has been spot-on. I'll do it for you! I'm a professional editor and a semi-amateur TV-watcher ... I'd even do it for free!)
I hope they don't get too much into the transition that they give less attention to any wrap up for the main charachters. For instance where is Ted's storyline with the Gooch. No mention in the last 2 episodes.
Agin, while the interns worked suprisingly well for me, I still think that without the rock of the original characters, it just doesn't work. In a lot of ways, the interns are working well because they are a reflection of the main characters as they originally where but what I'm enjoying the most is the reflecting of the mains.
Either way this last season of Scubs has been a gift, something ABC finally seems to have done right.
Now they'll probably go and cancel Better Off Ted which is hysterical.
PS I can't type.
are the interns the main feature because they are seeing what it would be like with 'new scrubs' and none of the regulars?
zap2it really needs to recap better off ted. i love that show.
Not having JD on threw me off for a second, but once I realized what was going on, I rolled with it.
I agree that it was nice to see Elliot & Turk's relationship because it's never been fleshed out, and in a small way their characters were developed even more last night.
We've had glimpses of a post-JD Scrubs with My Day Off and Their Story II, but last night's episode is a good indicator of what a possible 9th season would be like. It kinda worked. Elliot & Turk could be fine as the main attendings, and if they really make the new interns interesting, then I'd be on board with another season.
Plus, Braff would have to be in some episodes in order to get a new season, so we can keep JD and Elliot together without having him in the hospital full-time. It could work...maybe.
I loved this episode of Scrubs, but I'm with you, it feels like we're being weaned. Are they going to do a spin off? Cause I'm pretty sure it will fail. Still, the show has so much funny left in it. I'm glad to see it going out with a bang. Anyone else out there really want to see Elliott and JD get hitched? That would be so great.
They're placing a lot more attention on the interns than previous seasons. I think Scrubs may continue after Zach Braff leaves, with the current interns as the main cast..