Scrubs: My Screw Up

As I have mentioned numerous times on this blog, Scrubs is probably one of my favorite television shows of all-time and is definitely my favorite comedic television show.

I recently got season seven on DVD and finished it in two days.

Anyway, this blog is about a an episode that occurred way back in season three entitled 'My Screw Up'.

I have a lot of favorite episodes on Scrubs, in fact it is pretty hard to narrow down my favorites. But, I think this one just may be my favorite.

Scrubs has that quality that can both have you on the floor laughing, and also tug at your heart strings - and that is not a clearer point then when watching this episode.

-There will be spoilers from here on out-

This episode marks the return of Jordan and Dani Sullivan's brother, Ben - played wonderfully by Brendan Fraser.

The last time Ben visited Sacred Heart, he was diagnosed with leukemia. However, for the past two years he had been out living his life in remission - but is best friend, Dr. Cox (John C. McGinley), scolded him for not seeing a single doctor during that two years, and recommended he get a check up.

Around this same time, Dr. Cox's son, Jack, was having a birthday party - so Dr. Cox had to bail the party clown out of jail and left all of his patients - including Ben - in the hands of J.D. (Zach Braff).

J.D., however, tells Dr. Cox that he is swamped with patients, and is worried about a patient's heart. Dr. Cox tells him not to worry about it - he won't be dead in the time it takes him to return.

This is where the show gets really interesting, as sort of an homage to The Sixth Sense we are led to believe that while Dr. Cox was away, J.D.'s patient dies - but we don't find out until the conclusion that it was in fact Ben who passed away.

For the rest of the episode, Dr. Cox blames J.D. for the death - which the audience still believes is the heart patient - and takes over all of his patients. Ben is still around, and talking to Dr. Cox - in the same vein as Bruce Willis - however, if you pay attention he never interacts with any other character on the show after the 'death'.

In the end, J.D. is finally forgiven - and Ben even convinces Dr. Cox to forgive himself. The final scene is Dr. Cox believing he is heading to his son's birthday party, but as Ben fades away we now are aware that it was Ben who died - and this was his funeral that everyone was attending.

Like many Scrubs episodes, this one still had its many comedic parts, but there was something about the way they led up to Ben's death. I mean, Ben was only in two other episodes prior to this one - and for some reason you still feel horrible about his death.

Perhaps it's because you are so attached to Dr. Cox, and realize just how hard he is taking the loss of his best friend.

Anyway, kudos to Bill Lawrence (the creator), Chris Koch (the director) and Neil Goldman and Garrett Donovan (the writers) - this is truly a rose of an episode that sticks out on a show that, in my opinion, only has roses for episodes.