NBC’s new sitcom Scrubs, is one of the freshest comedies to date. The comedy version of televisions loved ER, Scrubs new take on the hospital (Sacred Heart) is a refreshing one. Starring Zach Braff as John Dorian (a hopeful hospital intern) Scrubs is able to distinguish itself from other classic sitcoms by having great and believable interaction between new and relatively unknown cast members.
Donald Faison and Zach Braff make Scrubs. The interaction between them is hysterical. Faison plays John Dorian’s (who will now be referred to as JD, as it should have been from the beginning) best friend since college, Christopher Turk. He’s a surgical intern, and as Scrubs explains in the first episode, the surgical interns are the “jocks” of the hospital while the medical interns are the “nerds” leaving JD to be forever taught by Turk how to be cool. The back and fourth between Faison and Braff is very fluid because they are not only best friends in the show, but also in real life. Their friendship is very relatable, no matter how homoerotic it may seem (Season 1, Episode 9... “I want to be the one inside of you”).
Scrubs take on the hospital and the different layers of social classes within them is intriguing. The way Bill Lawrence (the series creator) is able to show the dynamic relationship between the characters and their roles. JD’s relationship with the nurse staff at Sacred Heart is completely different then Turks. In the first episode JD is unable to perform any of the mundane tasks that he had performed numerous times on cadavers, and is helped by the nurse staff. It’s only a couple of episodes later in which JD’s talents and training as a doctor kick in and his ability outshines that of the nurses, and offends Turks girlfriend and another main character, Carla (played by Judy Reyes).
One of the best performances from Scrubs is John C. McGinly’s character, Dr. Cox. Seen by JD as a father figure and a mentor, it is Cox’s sarcastic and incessant use of girls names and lengthy, well thought out degrading rants, that give a comedic laugh here and there, even if he does go overboard sometimes. Dr. Cox ends up becoming just that for both JD and Elliot Reed (JD’s first of many love interests, who is played by Sarah Chalke). McGinley is a key component in Sacred Hearts social class order, giving the interns someone who is actually concerned about their welfare and letting Dr. Bob Kelso (the chief of medicine played by Ken Jenkins) be, as so eloquently stated by Dr. Cox, The Devil.
There is always the nice, kind-hearted, chief of medicine in shows like ER, so when you meet Dr. Kelso he first impresses you with his overall care for the interns and their well being. It turns out, while he may not be the reincarnation of the devil himself, he is pretty close. Only caring about the bureaucratic system that is the hospital, the way in which Kelso is able to sift the “not so monetarily blessed” out of his hospital is disgustingly lovable. This new take on chief of medicine is very new and played very well by Jenkins. As much as you want to hate him, his back and forth with Cox is relentless and comedic gold.
Overall Scrub’s new take on the inner-working of the hospital is one that this century needed. The actors perfect chemistry and the show has the ability to stay light and comedic even when it is being serious. JD's fantasy's and constant narrative may get tiresome, but the show is still one of the funniest new comedies of the century. The ceiling for this show isn't the sky, but it does have a lot of potential. A-
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