Scrubs: My Moving On

After 8 seasons, Scrubs aired its final episode (in its original form; there is a chance it could come back as a sort-of-spinoff of itself next year featuring the new interns as the leads and characters like Turk, Carla, and Dr. Cox in background roles) last night. There were a few less-than-great episodes (I'm looking at you, "My Night To Remember"), and Season 7 was not up to par with the rest of the series, but overall, the show was a great comedy. It was one of the first half-hour comedies shot in single camera and without a laugh track, and it paved the way for shows like Arrested Development and 30 Rock. The series (sort of) finale won't go down as one of the best TV finales ever (I'd have to think about it for a few minutes, but off the top of my head, that award goes to Arrested Development or Six Feet Under), but it was a good enough send off of J.D., Dr. Kelso, and possibly the rest of the Scrubs cast.

J.D. spent most of the episode trying to get the goodbye he felt he deserved from the staff of Sacred Heart Hospital, but while Turk and Carla each gave him their own special goodbyes, no one else saw the day as important in the way J.D. did. Elliot was sad she wouldn't be working with her boyfriend anymore, but they would still be together. The interns (Sunny and Denise were the only ones present, and I would really have liked to see Howie not care or Katie show J.D. her true self because she would no longer have to suck up to him) were somewhat put off by J.D.'s man-child ways, and most of the rest of the hospital staff went about their day as usual. Dr. Cox was his callous self, though he was appreciative of the gift J.D. gave him. And Dr. Kelso put everything in perspective for J.D. Kelso may be the character who has changed the most on the show; he began the show as a cold villain, and although he never lost some of his darker traits, they were explained, and his human side was shown. Anyway, he explained to J.D. that life goes on and one person rarely ever makes such a big difference to merit what J.D. was looking for. Then again, Dr. Cox eventually told us what he really thinks of J.D., and that, maybe, J.D. did make such a difference.

I really wish that I had actually said this to someone or written it in this blog (I joked to a friend that predictions that aren't made out loud or in writing are invalid), but I was thinking about what the Janitor's name could be, and Glenn was something that I considered. Bill Lawrence also created a cartoon called Clone High, and with the exception of Judy Reyes and Ken Jenkins, nearly every major Scrubs cast member contributed at least one voice. Neil Flynn voiced a janitor named Glenn in one episode who was the complete opposite of his Scrubs character; he was kind, helpful, and he actually cleaned up. Then again, Glenn may not actually be the Janitor's name.

Finally, the last scene, in which J.D. walked down the corridor and saw numerous former patients and co-workers, then saw a possible montage of what his life COULD become was very moving and uplifting (especially the scene with adult Sam and Izzie), though I will admit that my fiction-sadistic side came out when J.D. mused that maybe, just once, his fantasy could come true (I thought he was going to be killed by a car accident). Instead, we saw him drive off into an unknown future. As I said, not a perfect ending, but one that fit the show.

Up next: Send in the clones...