TV Meme: Day 6 - Favorite Episode of My Favorite Show

Well, this was actually pretty easy (and will be a little shorter than my other posts) because I did a post about this a little while ago right here.

But, just to recap: my favorite episode of my favorite show (Scrubs) is My Screw Up.

Scrubs to me has always had that rare talent in mixing both drama and comedy in such a way that it doesn't take away from the show - it only enhances it.

In this episode, Dr. Cox's (John C. McGinley) best friend and brother-in-law Ben (Brendan Fraser) returns to Sacred Heart after touring the world. In the only two previous episodes that Ben was in he was diagnosed with leukemia.

At the beginning of this episode we are now aware that Ben has been in remission since we last saw him, but he has not seen a doctor since his world tour had begun. Ben's visit also coincides with Dr. Cox's son's birthday, and Dr. Cox spends a good amount of time in this episode trying to get everything ready for the party so it is perfect.

It just so happens that the birthday clown lands himself in jail and it is up to Dr. Cox to bail him out - in doing so he leaves Ben and his other patients in the hands of J.D. (Zach Braff). J.D. tells Dr. Cox that he is swamped with patients, including one particular patient whose heart J.D. is worried about. Nevertheless, he takes on Ben as a patient.

As Dr. Cox returns we learn that one of J.D.'s patients has died - and this is where the episode gets wicked good - we aren't truly told which patient died. We are led to believe that it was J.D.'s heart patients and throughout the rest of the episode it sure does appear that way.

See, Scrubs pulled the old Sixth Sense on its audience. Throughout the rest of the episode Ben is still around, however, he only interacts with Dr. Cox. We don't find out it was Ben who passed away until the final season as Dr. Cox is walking with J.D. (and Ben) in a suit - Dr. Cox believes he is heading to his son's party, until J.D. asks him where he thinks he is and we pull back to a graveyard and Ben's funeral.

Like I said in my previous post about this episode - it is truly amazing how the audience has so much of an attachment to a character we have only seen twice before. It is a great pat on the back to the writing, the acting of Fraser and also that of McGinley.

Just an outstanding episode.

(They definitely pulled a fast one over on me - I had no clue until the end.)

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.