For the last few months, many have been contemplating the fate of Scrubs and questioning not only whether it will have an eighth season, but whether it should have an eighth season. After tonight’s episode, I would have to say that it is back in full strength and is just as funny and entertaining as it has ever been. Perhaps it was the possibility that it may be cut short that made the first half of the season seem somewhat rushed and forced, but this week’s Scrubs seems to have regained all of its wittiness and rhythm, giving some of its classic humor paired with its signature character development.
We begin with Carla in a panic that she is being a bad mother and Turk comforting with some genuine and heartfelt words. Carla thanks him and tells him that this good deed would not be forgotten and would come back to him in a good way. Later, on the roof, Turk recounts the conversation with J.D. and the two bump chests over the possibility that Turk was going to get some. With that out of the way, they get back to their task at hand. Apparently they had their interns all line up in a formation in the parking lot so they could reenact a live-action game of Space Invaders with the interns as aliens as the two attending doctors hurl water balloons at them. Unfortunately, Turk pegs one of the interns a bit too hard and they have to quit the game.
Back in the hospital, J.D.’s patient is a young burn victim who is dead set on making it to his high school graduation in a couple weeks. J.D. feels bad for the kid and promises him that he will be better in time for his graduation ceremony, despite Elliot telling him that it’s a bad idea.
Turk and Carla, in the meantime, are making plans for their six-months-since-their-first-date anniversary. Talking to Cox and Kelso (who is still taking advantage of the free-muffins-for-life award he won earlier in the season) Turk reveals that, as an anniversary present to Carla, he has been learning Spanish in secret and plans on surprising her. Later that night, the couple hand their baby to Elliot for the night so they can celebrate. When talking about dinner plans, Turk begs Carla to cook him breakfast for dinner or “brinner” as he calls it. She begins to argue but is interrupted by a call from a relative. Using his newly learned Spanish, Turk manages to eavesdrop on the conversation and discovers that Carla would be willing to cook him “brinner” if he would clean the apartment from time to time. Turk quickly tidies up the place and gets his wish. When exchanging gifts, Turk decides to keep his Spanish a secret, so he can keep eavesdropping on her and learn what she’s saying about him.
Back at the hospital, J.D. is given the unfortunate news that his burn victim’s leg has become infected and that he would likely not be able to make it back for his graduation. Feeling guilty about getting the kid’s hopes up, he again confides in Elliot. She offers to help him figure out a way to get the kid to his ceremony so she rounds up Turk, Carla and an ambulance driver to help get the teen to his ceremony and allow him to walk across the stage before returning him to the hospital for the remainder of his recovery.
Meanwhile, Turk talks to Kelso and Cox about the morality of keeping his Spanish a secret from Carla. Naturally the two jaded doctors insist that there is nothing wrong with keeping secrets and spying on your wife. Turk agrees but when he upsets Cox in an argument at lunch in front of Carla, Cox spills the beans on the whole thing. Carla, naturally, is upset that Turk has been using his secret to spy on her.
Soon after, the gang manages to get the high school student to his ceremony. J.D. gives him a solid dosage of morphine to let him walk across the stage to receive his degree. Unfortunately, miscalculates and the teen collapses.
In the ambulance, Turk explains to Carla the reasoning behind him learning Spanish and keeping it a secret. She forgives him, claiming that this was where his good deed from the beginning of the episode would come back and reward him.
Afterwards, J.D. asks Elliot why she helped him even though he ignored her earlier advice. She explains that they are friends, so they should help each other. After talking for a while, they agree that they both tend to disappear when they are in a relationship with someone and agree to not let this come between them again. Turk and Carla observe the two talking and have their own conversation about the two in Spanish.
So it looks like J.D. and Elliot are on the road to getting back together which, in itself, is not really a surprise to anyone. But, unlike the beginning of the season where it seemed sort of forced, it appears that with the extended schedule for Scrubs, the writers are allowed to slow things down a bit and give the two some time to actually develop a relationship again, naturally. With all they’ve been through, they have a lot to work through, and I’ve been worried all season that the writers would just force them back together again, but this seemed realistic enough and I’m actually looking forward to seeing this play out. Even despite the fact that it’s the third (or is it fourth) time they’ve tried this.
Lastly, though, Turk and Carla had a brief conversation at the end of the episode that wasn’t given any subtitles. I would love to state what they said here, but my Spanish skills have gotten a bit rusty since high school. So, if anyone can translate what they said, please feel free to leave a comment below and let us all in. I’m sure I’m not the only one who is dying to know.
-George Freitag, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
(Image courtesy of NBC)
Staff Columnist, BuddyTV
