“Scrubs: The Complete Sixth Season” 3-Disc DVD Review
One of the longest running sitcoms on television today, Scrubs has always been one of the most under-rated shows on television, always deserving of a bigger audience. It’s a show you hear about. But, oddly enough, not a lot of people seem to watch. The show, from day one, is razor sharp, smart, and funny. And, as it starts it’s seventh and final season, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment has released it’s sixth season to DVD. Like I said, while the show has been sharp from day one, it has floundered a few times, and this season is likely it’s weakest, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad by any means. As far as I’m concerned, this season, like those before it, shows why this is one of the most endearing and acclaimed shows on television.
A healthy dose of offbeat humor and scalpel sharp wit combined with a cast of unforgettably quirky characters makes Scrubs: The Complete Sixth Season a can’t miss comedy treat. The series boasts one of the finest and funniest ensemble casts including Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke, Donald Faison, Judy Reyes, John C. McGinley, Ken Jenkins, Neil Flynn and Robert Maschio. With J.D. and Kim, Turk and Carla, and Dr. Cox and Jordan all expecting a visit from the stork, tension runs even higher than usual at Sacred Heart.
The first thing that people notice about this series, I find, is the cast, and how in-sync everyone is together. There’s nary a weak-link to be found, and the chemistry between them is, by far, one of reasons why this is the best ensemble on television. Led by Zach Braff, every actor is picture-perfect for their role and, as such, makes their character simply fly. How perfect is McGinley as Cox? Quite possibly my favorite character on the series, he can make even the most meandering plot line, and he has suffered through a couple sadly, crackle with energy. But this doesn’t apply to him, but every character here. It’s hard to imagine anyone else playing these roles and, thankfully, that in itself really makes this series an original, and usually brilliant, sitcom.
The highlights for this season are, without a doubt, “My Musical” and the two-part “My No Good Reason/My Long Goodbye.” The first episode deals with a patient who’s checked in, claiming that she hears everything in song. The two-part episode involves the death of a supporting character and how difficult the whole event is for Carla. It’s a rather dramatic and sometime heart-wrenching episode. The musical episode is brilliant and, also, quite heart-wrenching when the cause of her infliction is revealed. The two-part “My No Good Reason/My Long Goodbye” reminds us how emotional and powerful this series can be at times. The season opener is pretty strong, as well, and the season finale is quite handled (and the cliffhanger was just resolved this past Thursday with the start of the new season and, personally, I was very pleased with how things seems to be going). Like, with any season, there are a few bizarre episodes, such as the JD-fueled “My Rabbit,” where our lead actor takes advice from an imaginary bunny.
Again, a good season, but a bit more over-the-top and wackier than others before it. And, since it’s a bit wackier, sometimes to the point where it seems out of control, it suffers just a bit. JD’s fantasies sometimes can get in the way of the plot, which tends to derail the episode. Despite that, the show remains remarkably solid after six seasons. The quality remains consistent, the storylines engaging, and the characters likeable and enjoyable. As usual, Scrubs remains a solid and highly enjoyable series.
So, is the DVD as solid as the series itself? Like with previous season collections of Scrubs, the DVD comes with a nice offering of extras. First off, this collection features commentaries from various members of the crew on every episode, a step-up in commentary extras for the series. The third and final disc offers additional bonus features, including a look at the show’s supporting cast, alternate lines, both a featurette and a “making of” on the musical episode, actress Judy Reyes talks about her character, and about 15 minutes of alternate scenes. Overall, another solid set of extras for the series.
If you’re a fan of this series, it will undoubtedly be added to your collection come Tuesday. However, if you’re not, then I’d say give this season, or any of the previous ones, a try. Regardless, it goes without saying that Scrubs: The Complete Sixth Season comes Recommended. The cast dynamic is unbeatable, the humor off the wall, and the storylines are hilarious, surreal, relatable, and sometimes powerful. No other cast than this one could pull off what this series accomplishes and, thankfully, the DVD producers gives everyone here their due, as it’s well deserved. The extras truly add to the Scrubs experience, an experience that everyone should be apart of.
Scrubs: The Complete Sixth Season arrives on DVD October 30th, 2007. Scrubs airs Thursdays at 9.30pm (ET) on NBC.