SCRUBS: THE COMPLETE SIXTH SEASON
(TV-14)
MOVIE: ****1/2 (out of 5)
DVD EXPERIENCE: **** (out of 5)
STARRING
Zach Braff as DR. JOHN “J.D.” DORIAN
Sarah Chalke as DR. ELLIOT REID
Donald Faison as DR. CHRIS TURK
Ken Jenkins as DR. BOB KELSO
John C. McGinley as DR. PERRY COX
Judy Reyes as CARLA ESPINOSA
Created by: Bill Lawrence
Studio: Touchstone Television
BY KEVIN CARR
It is said that there are certain signs that a show has jumped the shark. For example, if a new character is introduced (particularly if it is played by Ted McGinley), that’s a warning sign. Other warning signs include characters getting married or having babies. Fortunately for shows like “Scrubs,” the characters having babies didn’t kill it.
Season six of the hit surreal doctor’s show opens with Turk (Donald Faison) and Carla (Judy Reyes) having a baby. Dr. Cox (John C. McGinley) and his cantankerous wife Jordan (Christa Miller) are also ready to pop with their second child. And to make matters tenuous, J.D. (Zach Braff) has knocked up his doctor girlfriend Kim (Elizabeth Banks).
It’s baby fever through about half of the season, which can be truly appreciated by parents who watch the show. If you don’t have kids, it is still funny, but the jokes about having a baby, raising a baby and awaiting a baby are abound.
Ultimately, in its sixth season, “Scrubs” hasn’t jumped the shark and has remained fresh. It’s still a good enough show that when you hear Bill Lawrence announce in the special Easter egg hidden in the bonus features menu that the seventh season will be the last one, you can’t help but feel sad.
“Scrubs” has weathered a tough run, dancing a little too close to the dramatic side in the mid seasons and bouncing back to its surreal wackiness by the end of its run. The characters and stories haven’t lost their edge in this season, and the show continues to differentiate itself from the soap opera prime time dramas like “Grey’s Anatomy.” There are still tender episodes showing real emotions, like when Kim fakes a miscarriage. And there’s also episodes that highlight the unique creativity that “Scrubs” has always had, like the Broadway-style musical episode.
Part of what keeps “Scrubs” fresh is its generous ability to let the secondary and tertiary characters grow. Where some shows would abandon the bizarre supporting roles, “Scrubs” lets Sam Lloyd shine as the nervous lawyer.
The season six DVD set comes with an impressive number of special features for such a late season, considering most shows burn out of their extras by season three. There’s a making-of featurette for the musical episode, a spotlight on Judy Reyes, deleted scenes, alternate improv lines, audio commentaries and outtakes. The only sore spot is too much emphasis on the musical episode with an additional featurette that shows producer Debra Fordham gushing over Broadway star Stephanie D’Abruzzo.