“Endings are never easy. I always build them up so much in my head they can’t possibly live up to my expectations and I just end up disappointed. I’m not even sure why it matters to me so much how things end here.” said JD with regards to ‘endings’ on what amounted to what might be his final walk through the hallowed halls of Sacred Heart.
Unfortunately for JD and creator Bill Lawrence, (who in writing last night’s two-hour finale made his feelings on ‘endings’ abundantly clear, with Elliot also chiming in, “Don’t be disappointed if it doesn’t live up to the expectations you have in your head.”) endings are in fact a big deal and last night’s SCRUBS swan song was no exception. Particularly to this TV Addict and the four to six million loyal fans who dedicated eight years to never missing an episode.
Which is why we’re happy to report that “My Finale” delivered the goods by meeting theTVaddict.com’s patented criteria (patent pending) for a successful series finale. Criteria which include:
(a) The Bookend: Not only did SCRUBS start off the episode with a memorable look back at a very young JD’s first day at Sacred Heart. Lawrence, with the help of that pesky penny did a fantastic callback to what became one of the show’s most memorable dynamics: JD versus the Janitor (also known as Dr. Jan Itor, Glenn Matthew and/or Tony)
(b) The Spotlight: While SCRUBS may have begun as a story about John Dorian, it ended as THE SIMPSONS live-action equivalent, with Sacred Heart’s dizzying array of supporting players often out-shining the star himself. Which is why we were so pleased to see Lawrence give virtually every character a moment in the spotlight. From the beautiful and very TITANITC-esque final hallway shot which included memorable returns of some of our favorite girlfriends (Amy Smart!), boyfriends (Keith!) and patients past (Kathryn Joosten!) to quieter moments like Carla calling JD “Bambi” for quite possibly the last time, we’re not ashamed to admit that Lawrence had us reaching for the kleenex on more than one occasion. Particularly when Dr. Cox finally paid off eight years of memorable dressing downs (which JD so beautifully bound in a giant book, which by the way, we’d love to buy on amazon!) in an emotional pay off worthy of a series finale (“He was the best that ever came out of this dump”)
(c) The Happily Ever After: And while we’re the first to admit that JD’s imagination may have got the best of him, surely we’re not the only one who truly believe that the future will play out exactly as it did in the movie screen in his mind. Right?
That said, the question on every fan’s mind the morning after most likely involves five simple words: Is this really the end? And while some, like TV Guide Magazine’s critic extraordinaire Matt Roush is more than ready to see the show go, stating in this morning’s dispatch, “I’m begging ABC and the show’s creator, Bill Lawrence (last seen, before the final blooper reel, in a cameo as another Sacred Heart janitor, tearing down the “Goodbye J.D.” sign and stuffing it in the trash), to let this one go while we still have something to remember fondly.” This TV Addict isn’t so sure.
After-all, at its best, SCRUBS delivered the ideal balance of comedy and drama, and if we’re being honest here, Is quite possibly responsible for a good 50% of our iTunes purchases, pioneering the music montage that shows like THE OC and GREY’S ANATOMY are now renowned for. While at it’s worst, well, SCRUBS is still a heck of a lot better than the majority of comedies that make it to air (see: SURVIVING SUBURBIA) and would certainly have a welcome home on our PVR/DVR should Bill Lawrence decide to continue next season. Agreed? 