What I’m Watching: Scrubs (Season Finale)

Scrubs: Season 9, Episode 13 “Our Thanks” (C-)

You may have missed it since the airdate of this episode came from pretty much out of nowhere, but if you’re like most, you’ve had enough of saying goodbye to this show. This season is much different, of course, since familiar characters like J.D. and Elliot are gone, and this finale also doesn’t try to neatly wrap everything up in order to pack up and conclude the show. Instead, it’s a salute to the end of the students’ first semester of med school, running through the lessons they supposedly learned and the ways that they’ve questionably grown as people. What it reveals more, however, is how this season was a failure. It’s not that Scrubs: Med School was necessarily a bad idea from the start, but this experiment did not work. The first half of this shortened season was plagued by a constantly disappearing and reappearing, but never maturing, J.D., and once he was finally gone and it was time to start focusing on the med students, they hadn’t gotten any more interesting. There’s simply too much pessimism and negativity running rampant in this show, and no constantly sunny character to liven up the days and hours spent at the hospital. It’s not Lucy, since she’s more often than not fretting about something or other instead of smiling and trying to make everyone else happy. Cole’s new interest in being a surgeon comes from out of nowhere, and nothing that occurred up to this point suggested that he secretly wanted to be a surgeon so badly that he would suddenly shape up and get serious in order to shadow Turk. It literally comes about as a result of a prank pulled by Dr. Cox to annoy Turk, and therefore it just doesn’t stand up against how Cole has acted all season. When they’re not trying to destroy the universe with their sour attitudes, Denise and Drew are constantly switching roles in the relationship since both of them are made out to soulless and emotionless robots whose sole purpose in life is to mock Lucy and Cole. When one randomly wants to try and grow as a person, it doesn’t work. That’s pretty much true of everything on this season of “Scrubs,” and I don’t think there’s anyone out there really clamoring for a renewal. If this show does mysteriously return for a tenth season, it will become the least appreciated series on the air to earn endless renewals since “According to Jim.”

Season grade: C-
Season MVP: Kerry Bishé (regardless of her character’s flaws)

What I’m Watching: Scrubs

Scrubs: Season 9, Episode 11 “Our Dear Leader” (C)

This just isn’t working. I’m confused about why Drew has to be such a mean jerk to everyone around him and then somehow decides at the end of the day that the people he relentlessly mocks and hates on are actually his friends. While I am a fan of Kerry Bishe and her performance on this show, I do think that her attempts to go ballistic need to be stopped immediately. It just doesn’t fit her character, and she can’t pull it off at all. Drew, on other hand, is good at that kind of thing, but that’s why he’s number one. I know that this show has sort of always been like this, but it’s starting to seem even more childish lately, and that’s not a good thing. The arrival of the perfect new doctor and the jealousy it brings out in Turk doesn’t contribute much to the episode, and Turk’s comment about Dr. Kelso just lurking around waiting to weigh in on conversations drives home the point that his continued presence on the show doesn’t make a bit of sense. It is nice that Dr. Cox has someone who he can toy with and in the process actually teach him about how he’s actually a good human being, and that’s the major positive aspect of this episode. Otherwise, this one bombs, especially when it comes to Denise, whose reoccurring raspy voice brought on by the reminder of her hell week experience and fake sappiness about her proclamation of love to her boyfriend doesn’t do justice to one of the stronger characters left on this show.

Does anyone have information on when the final two episodes of the season will air? ABC said one was going to air this past Wednesday and the other next Wednesday, but listings indicate that's not true.

What I’m Watching: Scrubs

Scrubs: Season 9, Episode 10 “Our True Lies” (C)

The central premise of this episode doesn’t make any sense. Gathering together only the core characters as cheating suspects is a somewhat clever device, but once the identity of the culprit was revealed, the legitimacy of this plotline went out the window. Lucy is a star student who can’t keep her mouth shut, so she would first of all never even think of cheating, and more importantly wouldn’t possibly be able to keep the secret in, even if all the people who supposedly don’t like her make a preposterous sacrifice just to give her a second chance. If the show is going to try and introduce J.D. and Elliot-like characteristics for Lucy, most notably the observation of others that she gets a far-off look when she goes into her narration voice, it should stick to the already established personality traits it has created, like Lucy’s honesty and do-gooder attitude. Seeing Cole actually try and take the fall for another human being was a nice touch, but that was the only decent part about the whole scandal. Why isn’t the Australian girl being fleshed out at all? In her first appearance, Dr. Cox was incredibly disturbed by how impossible she was to understand, yet she’s barely spoken a peep since then. Drew’s delivery of his accidental confession annoyed me because all I could hear was that he said “I love ya” instead of “I love you.” I’m not sure why it bothered me so much, but I couldn’t focus on anything else every time I saw him and Denise. There was one fun moment which involved the old guard, and that was Turk’s attempt to recreate something he and J.D. use to do and have Dr. Cox abruptly shut it down by bringing him back to the real world.
What I’m Watching: Scrubs

What I’m Watching: Scrubs

Scrubs: Season 9, Episode 9 “Our Stuff Gets Real” (C-)

I thought J.D was gone for good. I guess not. This is hardly the time for J.D. to be planning a babymoon with Elliot, especially not on the recommendation of two of the med students. It’s not worth harping on that any longer, though. Looking ahead to the new cast, things aren’t much brighter than they have been in the past few weeks. Lucy not being able to cut into the corpse of a man who she connected with makes sense, but the device of having him actually talk to her doesn’t really jive. The dynamic between Cole and Drew also isn’t working. Dr. Cox is good at putting people down because he doesn’t really need to try to be mean, but Drew is making an extra effort to be a jerk. Telling Cole that any comments from him will be met responded to with punching is funny, but constantly telling him that no one cares about his life is too much. The study group in last week’s episode was a lot more effective as a way of getting everyone together, and this episode categorically neglects both Denise and the Australian girl, and that’s a real shame. There is one plotline that didn’t completely suck, and that involves the return of Christa Miller as Jordan, on loan from her new starring role on “Cougar Town.” It’s not so much Jordan but rather what she brings out in Dr. Cox, which is a legitimate desire to connect with someone, a feeling terribly uncommon for him. Who knew that such a cantankerous old character could achieve some new depth after nine years?

What I’m Watching: Scrubs

Scrubs: Season 9, Episodes 7 & 8 “Our White Coats” & “Our Couples” (C+)

This two-punch of episodes was much stronger than last week’s episode, and certainly more entertaining. The problem still lies with the inability to appropriately accommodate the remaining series regulars and to define them in a compelling way. The fact that Turk was on the phone with J.D. testing out jokes is somewhat funny, but it’s a smidge over the top. There doesn’t need to be a constant reminder that J.D. once worked at Sacred Heart. Additionally, Elliot is such a changed character from when she first worked on the show, and having her be the mentor who tries to doll Denise up doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. The new characters, on the other hand, are doing better now than they were before, and that’s the brightest hope for the future of the show. Extrapolating some meaning from the previously purely physical relationship between Lucy and Cole is a nice move, and it’s good to see Cole given some more depth. The study group is a great way of incorporating “lost” newbie Maya, who’s been rather absent recently. The relationship and dynamic between Drew and Denise is shaping up to be rather entertaining, and that’s certainly a good thing. Pairing everyone off, even Maya and the final member of the study group, is a fun idea but it shouldn’t go as far as Turk and Dr. Cox. They’re not a couple, and if Turk is going to be associated romantically in a joking way with anyone, it shouldn’t be Dr. Cox. Their inane competitions are somewhat amusing but not really fitting for them. Drew’s secret is finally out there, and his acceptance of it should put that to bed and allow him to move on and have a far more exciting and fulfilling med school career from here on out.

What I’m Watching: Scrubs

Scrubs: Season 9, Episode 6 “Our New Girl-Bro” (C)

In this special January 1st episode, J.D. is finally gone for good but hardly forgotten. The sudden presence of Elliot feels especially like a revolving door of original cast members who can scrub in only when their schedules allow it. Both Turk and Dr. Cox do seem rather bored as the only remaining series regulars from the old guard, and only two of the newbies are really being spotlighted. We haven’t even seen the Australian girl for a couple of weeks now, and #1 doesn’t have much to do other than play second fiddle to Dr. Cox’s maniacal devices. It was good to see Cole finally buckle down and try to take his job seriously, though the ranking of students gimmick seemed all too obviously false from its very inception. Turk moping around and asking J.D. what he was wearing was fairly stupid, and their boyish relationship has become increasingly tiring, even in just the last few episodes. The fact that he ultimately found Denise as his best bud was a nice ending, but the road there was hardly worth it. Dr. Kelso really has no business still being around, and he’s clearly only still there because Ken Jenkins happened to be free and able to star on the show. Elliot’s return is obnoxious mostly because she used to be just like Lucy, and having her hide all that and try to be mature makes the character much less interesting. The only truly positive moment of her interaction with Lucy was when she told her to make her seem less crazy, and Lucy revealed that she had run out of underwear and was wearing her bathing suit underneath. That’s totally something Elliot would have done.

What I’m Watching: Scrubs

Scrubs: Season 9, Episode 5 “Our Mysteries” (C+)

Good riddance to J.D. As he himself puts it, he’s left so many times that it’s not even worth celebrating as he departs the show for what is sure not to be the last time. He’s become increasingly silly in the only season where it would actually have done him well to be mature, and his need for approval by trying to seek out the person who gave him a bad review. J.D. and Turk’s imagined detective fantasy with the unnecessary magnifying glass was somewhat entertaining, but encountering Dr. Kelso in the middle of their investigation and realizing that it was Dr. Cox who wrote the evaluation didn’t make a whole lot of sense, nor did it really enhance either the comedy or the drama of the situation. J.D. and Turk constantly amassing all the students with lies about Rob Schneider or the cast of “Twilight” seems to take things a bit too far, and blurring the line between the power the two of them think they have in their imaginations with the abilities to influence others in real life has gotten a bit out of hand. Denise’s relationship with Drew is taking on a more definitive nature, and that’s probably a good thing to keep some of the characters grounded. Seeing the high-pitched intern from last season was a bit bizarre since it’s a way of acknowledging that she’s still there and around but wasn’t beloved enough to take on a starring role in this new incarnation of the show. Lucy’s threat of not having sex with Cole unless she was his blood partner was amusing, though J.D.’s attempt to help Lucy out by not showing up when she needed him most seemed like a poor last lesson for him to leave on.

What I’m Watching: Scrubs

Scrubs: Season 9, Episode 4 “Our Histories” (C+)

Why is this new show still about how J.D. and Turk spend every moment of their lives being immature together? When the fact that they love each other more than their wives is implied by other people, that’s fine, but when J.D. outright says, “I’m spending the night with the love of my life,” and out bursts Turk, it’s a bit too dumb and silly. The dramatic point of that arc was, however, more poignant, and that would be Dr. Cox’s desire for them to acknowledge that they are in fact getting older. The fact that the plotlines are becoming truly generational to the point that J.D. and Turk actually reference the time they spent a whole night talking to a dying patient, which occurred in a previous episode of the series, is an interesting way of both repeating past storylines and also recognizing the notion that this group is supposed to have the same kind of experiences. The multi-generational parties aren’t quite working, but seeing the four students utilize their different skills and personality traits to bond with the patients is somewhat intriguing and decently entertaining. Ted’s departure from the hospital feels about a year too late, since he and Gooch never actually interact with any of the med students. Dr. Kelso’s surprise party which only had him standing there after a millisecond was a nice parting touch, as was his handshake, but why Ted was even still around in this new incarnation is a bit of a puzzle.

What I’m Watching: Scrubs

Scrubs: Season 9, Episode 3 “Our Role Models” (C+)

This episode suffers from the same exact problems as last week’s double-hitter premiere, defined mostly by an ability to move on and try and start a new show. J.D.’s obsession with Dr. Cox as his mentor and trying to make his nemeses look bad has been played out over and over and over again. Turk bonding with Dr. Cox isn’t an event that belongs in this incarnation of the show, and J.D.’s jealousy should have been out the door the moment the show was renewed for a ninth season without him officially on board. Denise’s decision to act as a temporary mentor for Lucy was fine, and it’s nice to see them interact, but the other characters aren’t developing nearly as well. It really seems like all of the dialogue that comes out of Cole’s mouth, like his paranoid notion that he and Drew are involved in some sort of recognition, was written for Aziz Ansari, and he just doesn’t do it as well. The writers couldn’t have possibly though that Ansari would have been available for this show since he was already cast on “Parks and Recreation” long before this show ever got renewed again. The jokes aren’t necessarily terribly funny, but at least having new cast members around means that they don’t all feel completely recycled like they did over the past few seasons. Despite what I said last week, Lucy is reminding me more and more of Elliot, though her ability to keep her voice at the same pitch all the time is much appreciated.

What I’m Watching: Scrubs (Season Premiere)

Scrubs: Season 9, Episodes 1 & 2 “Our First Day of School” & “Our Drunk Friend” (C+)

It’s hard to believe that this show is beginning its ninth season, especially since the show was supposed to first have ended a few years ago. The series was definitely wearing thin and in desperate need of a shot of new life. Unfortunately, what the show is now, with the title followed by a bracketed Med School, isn’t really the solution. The notion of a similar series set in medical school is fine, and even having Dr. Cox and Dr. Kelso teaching classes would work. Denise as both a resident assistant and teaching assistant isn’t terribly believable, even if she claims to be doing it for the free room and board. The real problem is the inability to give up on old characters. J.D. and Turk are way too woefully immature to be taken seriously as teachers, and putting them in that role, especially when they have the same playful dynamic they always did, undermines the effectiveness of the show. The playing of the song “Guy Love” within the first few minutes of the series is a clear sign that the show isn’t willing to give up on old jokes and won’t be able to properly move on to its new characters. Tying in familiar characters without contracts on the show will also be tough, and seeing Elliot in the first episode and then some random actress playing J.D.’s winged mother is just one easy example of why this will be an issue. Carla’s absence is particularly notable, while the Janitor’s exit makes considerably more sense (and is more important, considering he has a role on a fairly successful new ABC series, “The Middle”). The phasing out of J.D. will also be strange, I'm sure, and it's started with the pluralization of the episode titles. Moving on to the new cast, Dave Franco is a dead ringer for his brother James, and his character is a bit too reminiscent of an entitled Ed, who might have been on this show had Aziz Ansari not gotten a gig on “Parks and Recreation.” Drew is okay, and it’s good for Dr. Cox to have someone to pick on, and in a fresh way. The most wonderful addition to the show who should definitely serve as its guiding light in however many million seasons it has left is Kerry Bishé as Lucy. While it pains me to remember that she’s here because the magnificent series “Virtuality” didn’t get picked up, she’s a breath of fresh air as a less neurotic version of Elliot who doesn’t possess the same annoying traits but just as much of the do-gooder naivety. She’s a boon for this show, and hopefully she’ll remain just as strong as it goes on. The show as a whole needs a bit more time to define itself, and hopefully next week will be a better effort, coupled with the season premiere of “Better Off Ted.”

Finishing Up The Season: Scrubs

I consider the first two seasons of “Scrubs” to be among the best television I’ve ever seen, and after that, the show went downhill. It never got back to its original constant excellence, but there were ups and downs along the way. It’s hard to believe that the season of the show that’s just ended is the eighth. Not much has actually happened since those first two brilliant years, and the past six years have felt repetitive and often stale. This year, however, represents the first effort to move past the sameness of the show and actually get somewhere. What I feared, however, and what has been confirmed by the show’s renewal last week for yet another season, is that the show will cycle endlessly just as “ER” has done and the cast will be continually replaced, and by show’s end in season fourteen or thirty-five, none of the original cast, spirit, or critical praise of the show will be left.

This season worked desperately hard to both spruce up and phase out its original players and introduce a whole host of new characters. Dr. Kelso stuck around catching muffins and drinking even after his retirement. J.D. and Turk raised their babies while becoming the definitive heads of their respective departments. J.D. and Elliot got back together, remarkably easily in fact, and opted for romance over constant fighting. Dr. Cox stayed exactly the same as he always was, perhaps toning down his aggressive insulting a bit too much for my taste. The Janitor and Ted entered into new relationships with bizarre women who actually liked them, and while it was all just a bit peculiar, it worked well.

Then we have all the new interns. Some didn’t last long, like Aziz Ansari, whose obnoxious Ed left so that the actor could star in “Parks & Recreation,” where he’s created a far more balanced and less annoying character. Some, like Howie and Katie, need to either discover more neuroses or strengths before they become truly compelling. Denise and Sunny are both pretty good, and though he hasn’t featured prominently yet, Derek balances them out well. I also enjoyed his less than romance with Denise, because it was reminiscent of another couple on the show, dare I say – J.D. and Elliot?

The real problem with this year that showed with certain episodes was the uneven balance between the old and the new. One J.D.-less episode found Turk and Elliot babysitting the interns during their first night on call. Unfortunately, it didn’t feel like a smooth passing-the-torch (which J.D. would have loved), but instead the absence of the show’s lead actor was really felt, and the transition felt forced. Along the same lines, placing J.D., Elliot, and Turk somewhere between the new interns and Dr. Cox was a tricky battle that the show couldn’t really win. If the show is going to continue, which it is, then it would be better to think of it as something completely different, sort of like a reboot with all-new characters, at least the interns, who establish themselves as individual, separate people, rather than ones shaped by these semi-stale characters that have been around for eight years now.

Next season will likely not be able to solve this problem, mostly due to contractual issues. It sounds like Zach Braff will in fact be back for a few episodes, which is a real shame because his character was so well wrapped up in the finale. The writers did leave it open for his staying or leaving by making the wonderfully impressive final montage an imagined projection sequence. The news about his staying is made even more problematic by the absence of one of the interns. Last I heard, Eliza Coupe, who plays Denise, had been cast in a pilot for next season and probably wouldn’t be able to come back to the show. I hope that’s not true, because all of the other characters are a bit too ridiculous (Sunny) or boring (Katie). Therefore, I’m not too hopeful and I’m not sure “Scrubs” will be of very much interest. I imagine it will be like this season, decently entertaining but hardly original or must-see.

Season finale: B+
Season grade: B
Season MVP: John C. McGinley

Summing Up: Scrubs

Truth be told, I hardly even remember the show's penultimate installment of the season. I think it was somewhat entertaining, but it wasn't terrific. I'd like to focus my attention here on the finale. First and foremost, I think it's inexcusable that there was not even any acknowledgement (during the episode) that Dr. Kelso (and, less importantly, Laverne) was in the episode in his former post as chief of medicine. I know that Zach Braff explained it, that the episode was aired out of order, but still - this is one sucker of a finale. It ties up pretty much nothing, providing only one small resolution no one wanted (J.D. and Elliot end up just friends). This was a goofy episode that definitely should not have functioned as a finale. It's a good thing this show is coming back for another season on ABC - they really need a chance to get everything right again.

Season grade: C+
Season finale: C
Season MVP: Neil Flynn as the Janitor

What I'm Watching: Scrubs

Scrubs: Season 7, Episode 9 "My Dumb Luck" (B-)

Nothing much new to report on here. It's just the same old stuff. Kelso gets a ten-minute monologue throughout the episode to produce an overly thought-out corny resolve that Kelso did in fact care about the hospital. It's interesting that he just up and quit after getting the decision into his own hands. However surprising that was, it just makes everything else seem all the more pointless. I'm really starting to think that "Scrubs" could be really for its swan song, unless they have some crazy cool idea for turning the show around and bringing in a new chief of medicine or anything like that. For the moment, they need to get a move on and start reworking the show.

What I'm Watching: Scrubs

Scrubs: Season 7, Episode 8 “My Manhood” (B)

It’s clear they’re just cycling through old plotlines on this show but there are enough small new things that liven up this episode to make it pretty worthwhile. Turk’s missing testicle-induced testosterone drive is fun but also drives home the deepness of J.D. and Turk’s friendship. I understand that Kelso wants Elliot’s help but his whole ruse with the cell phone and the unnecessary flashback (a plot device I find thoroughly distracting and inappropriate on shows like this) seem too much like a way of filling up time in the episode. The Janitorial and the Janitor’s making up interviews style is really great and definitely my favorite part of this episode.

What I'm Watching: Scrubs

Scrubs: Season 7, Episode 7 "My Bad Too" (B+)

Maybe it's the time that has passed since the last episode of this show aired, but I loved this episode! I've missed J.D. and Turk, and this was a great re-introduction to the show. Sure, the general plotline was fairly repetitive, what with the worse-than-it-seems guy who they manage to get to graduation but he falls flat on his face, but seeing J.D. and Turk together was great. I laughed for so long during the incredibly and wonderously lengthy Spanish daydream sequence, and I love "Scrubs" for not cutting down the runtime of those glorious (I've been using that word a lot lately) moments. I know this is no longer the last season of "Scrubs" since ABC is likely to be picking it up, but I think that's a good thing. I was ready to let it go, but it now seems to be getting its groove back.

What I'm Watching: Scrubs

Scrubs: Season 7, Episode 6 "My #1 Doctor" (C+)

Special all-Janitor post, because nothing else was interesting or memorable enough.

I read a while back that Neil Flynn had wanted the janitor to get both a name and a girlfriend before the show was over. While I certainly respect the considerable and hilarious talents of Mr. Flynn, I feel that such a request does possibly irreperable damage to the show. To this point, the Janitor has been basically friendless and certainly womanless character, who hung out with other despised hospital employees. He was originally written as a one-shot guest for the pilot, but his "did you put that penny in there?" bit earned him a permanent spot on the serries. His purpose was to torment J.D. and they even managed to insert him into continous and compelling plotlines with Elliot (a.k.a. Blonde Doctor), Carla, and Dr. Cox. But by turning another one-shot joke, his girlfriend's name being Lady, into a drawn-out story in itself which encompasses more than a third of the episode, he is losing his purpose. Dramatic storylines were not what the Janitor was meant for - he was supposed to be doing stuff like going to his son's elementary school class and introducing himself as Dr. Jan I. Tor. I want to see more of that, and if that requires less screentime for the Janitor, I think it is worth it, as long as all this girlfriend nonsense stops pronto. And we better not find out his time. Unless it is, in fact, Jan I. Tor.

What I'm Watching: Scrubs

Scrubs: Season 7, Episode 5 “My Growing Pains” (C)

Every scene now just seems so desperately forced. People go out of their way to make problems for other people, most notably Elliot, who after repeated insistence from Dr. Kelso about not wanting a big hoopla for his birthday, forces a party on him only to reveal his age. This hospital does not have terrific record-keeping if Elliot could so easily access his records yet the search for a successor had not been begun by any of the board members. Seeing J.D. and Turk with babies on their chests is weird, especially because it only makes what they are saying all the more true – they are no longer the enthusiastic, loveable characters season one and two featured, but instead they are trying too hard to remain young. I think “Scrubs” could have sustained a long run, but it continues to feel like it should have ended a while ago.

What I'm Watching: Scrubs

Scrubs: Season 7, Episode 4 "My Identity Crisis" (C-)

This once-great series now feels so forced and desperately blocked-out. Characters pop up whenever it seems convenient they would be there (most notably when all the people lined up behind the janitor). Each episode's general path is predictable, character by character. In this episode, it was clear from the start that Carla would fuss for a while before realizing she is overreacting but determine that she is still smarter than Turk, and Dr. Cox would try to be mean but ultimately figure out that he is nice. J.D. is too jolly and naively annoying - it was cute in the first few seasons, but like any good character, he should have grown up at least a bit by now. I understand that the producers wanted to bring back Laverne in the form of her twin sister or whatever, but could they be a bit more clever about it? As far as the rest of the unnamed characters with pseudonyms, it is much more fun not to know their real names, even if J.D. can be clever about his mnemonic devices. At least we still do not know the Janitor's real name. Although I totally saw that one coming. To me, he will always be Dr. Jan I. Tor, as he was to his son's class.

What I'm Watching: Scrubs

Scrubs: Season 7, Episode 3 "My Inconvenient Truth" (D+)

The Janitor of all people is not someone I would have expected would start trying to teach people about recycling and the like. NBC's "Green Week" strikes again, but unfortunately that is not the worst thing about this episode. This show is reusing plots scene for scene. From the first moment the underused Tom Cavanagh appeared, I knew that he would be more successful than J.D. expected, J.D. would call him out on that, Dan would be hurt for only a second, and then J.D. would realize his immaturity and all would be well again. That was exactly what happened this time (it has to be the third time at the very least), but this time they really dragged it out and beat it to death by having J.D. ask people if he was immature. I prefer the cocksure, obnoxious J.D. to this uncertain character who does not understand himself in the slightest. As far as NBC going green, I doubt destroying the windshield of an expensive Prius is great for the environment.

What I'm Watching: Scrubs

Scrubs: Season 7, Episode 2 "My Hard Labor" (B+)

I have heard grumblings that people are not enjoying this season of the show. I am not overly enthusiastic about it, but I am surely entertained and laughing a good deal. Recently the show has been swapping side-splitting hilarity for more dramatic and serious concepts regarding its characters. JD not wanting to be with Kim and Dr. Cox not wanting his daughter to associate shots and pain with him are just two of the examples from this episode. The appearance of Laverne's twin sister or whoever she is will hopefully be expanded upon in future episodes and re-energize the cast members. I could go for more outwardly hilarious though at this point and maybe a slight de-emphasis on all the drama. Just for a bit.