Goodbye Scrubs :'( 

 

 

I finally did watch the last episode of Scrubs! I kept putting off watching it for as long as possible… Classic Denial. Did not want to acknowledge that it was ending. And that’s where the episode mirrored my own feelings.

The episode was called ‘My Finale‘. It started out with JD reviewing in his mind  a few classic moments of the past 8 years of his life at Sacred Heart. This at once forced you to acknowledge that this is the end, this is the last, this is it. I already knew most of these scenes by (sacred) heart. Within a minute JD is already at Sacred Heart & Turk has given him a hell of a goodbye!!! And you get all what the what !!??? Its only 5 minutes into the last episode & major characters have already said Goodbye???? Whats going on here?

But from that moment on the whole episode changes, it then becomes all about getting answers to the questions we have all wanted answers to. Will Dr. Cox ever hug JD? What is the Janitor’s real name?? What is going to happen to JD & Turk’s friendship now? But the focus then turns to all the mundane & banal business of the hospital. New patients , new diseases, interesting relatives, helping colleagues, Dr. Kelso , the usual and not so usual stuff. Everyone almost purposefully seems to be ignoring JD’s big final day. JD turns into mirror of our concern that this is his big send off and no one else seems to be interested. More than anything else we need the validation that these characters are going to be fine. That we spend so many hours of lives watching their fake lives that it is important for us for them to make progress with theirs.

JD gets completely engrossed on the quest to make Dr. Cox feel something about his leaving. Or to have that one last moment of closure that would make all of his years at Sacred Heart with Dr Cox seem worthwhile. From giving him books about all his insane rants to tricking him into hugging him. He tries hard and we get suckered into this Quest & ride. This ends up giving us some genuine moments of closure which when they do come, are a wonderful surprise.  And still he keeps trying to force the big moments to come ‘The last file’. I guess telling himself that this is a big deal. Whereas everyone else seems to regard it as no big deal that he is leaving. A Randon Dr he passes by just says ‘Adios’ and that’s it. The truth begins to hit JD that his leaving is not going to change anything in a hospital. Patients will still be there. People will still be there. Most of these people will not change. The great ‘switch off the light’ moment does not exist (he actually imagines it :P). People won’t stop existing because he is not around….

Just as soon as he is certain of this, things change. We do finally get to see his effect on people within the hospital, over the years. We also get a glimpse into the future of what might be through JD’s wonderfully dream-adled eyes. And it does play your heart strings…

 

Bill Lawrence does not end it there he also gives you a glimpse into the making of this monumental last episode. That truly is satisfying.

 

There are not too many diehard fans of this fabulous series in India. But for me it was about people of a similar age with similar thoughts, dreams, virtues, problems & insecurities too. I was skeptical when someone had recommended I watch this series. I watched it on –off for a while. Till one week I had to stay home and work & ABC kept showing it all day. I watched the complete 2 seasons and was hooked. The best season remains season 5 with such classic episodes as ‘My Way Home’ which Zach Braff himself directed (I think was nominated for Emmy)and ‘My Five Stages’ dealing with the death of a loved one. Of course they did a Musical episode in Season 6 aptly titled ‘My Musical’ which was crazy and grand.

So goodbye Sacred Heart, JD , Carla, Turk, Elliot, Dr Cox, Jordan, Ted, Janitor, Todd , Bill Lawrence & the wonderful gang. Thanks for making our lives richer J

The Musical- Yes it’s the poop song :D

Classic Moment- Dr Cox on Things he does not care about J

Peace Out