Early on, Scrubs went out of its way to avoid typical comedic conventions when it came to romantic stories. This holds especially true in the show’s first season, which puts to bed the immediate “will they, won’t they” conundrum every network comedy has to deal with definitively, with a surprisingly nuanced episode about the value of friendship during the most stressful time in someone’s life. It marks the first left hand turn Scrubs would take with conventional storylines, be it those of network comedies or medical dramas; in “My Best Friend’s Mistake,” it takes the cliches of the former and re-arranges them to build out its world in satisfying ways.
“My Best Friend’s Mistake” does so essentially by repeating the pilot: the episode deals with Cox as the unorthodox seer, the interns dealing with the boundaries of Kelso’s kindness (with Elliot getting mad at him for calling her “sweetheart”), and a medical case that requires the minds of two doctors, not one, to solve. But it does so with a few necessary twists: Cox and Kelso both are explored from Elliot’s point of view, which helps build out her character in more definitive ways, a clear sign the writers were moving away from rude, competitive Elliot, and much more towards the slightly off-kilter, barely contained pile of neuroses that would come to truly define her.
To the same effect, Elliot’s presence around Kelso and Cox (instead of J.D.) gives a chance to show wrinkles in both of the male authority figures on the show; these aren’t necessarily the most subtle notes – particularly Kelso as the old man set in his ways atop the medical pyramid – but they help bring new dimension to the ever-growing dynamics between characters (which also begin to incorporate anxious Ted into the fold, my favorite character of them all). Cox’s long-winded monologues reinforce the tenants of his character that we already know; at the same time, his unheard “you’re welcome” to Elliot reveals a slightly softer, more paternal side of Cox that would become a focal point of the show during its first six seasons, often providing some of the most satisfying (or heart-wrenching) arcs of the series. Here, Cox’s damaged interior is yet again only hinted to; but the image of him realizing he’s willingly helping out another doctor (even though he initially wants to screw with her for interrupting his naps) hints towards character arcs the show would slowly begin to introduce throughout the first few seasons.
There are a lot of signature touches around “My Best Friend’s Mistake” that would become mainstays on Scrubs: the fantastic camera work (one long, uninterrupted shot follows J.D. running down a hallway, including a great pan and drop when he trips and falls out of frame) and the uncomfortably close friendship between Turk and J.D. that comes to light through a medical case. Sprinkled about the trappings of early-episode comedy are the qualities that would come to light throughout the show’s run, though without the understanding and emotional connection that comes with spending time with these characters, the subtler moments of “My Best Friend’s Mistake” may be lost to new viewers. The blueprint is there, however, and we’re only an episode away from Scrubs grabbing a hold of that identity and running with it.
Other thoughts/observations:
– One understated thing about the first season of Scrubs are its night settings; not only do night shifts add to the dramatic tension, but it allows for opening shots like this one, where a lone light in the foreground bathes Elliot and J.D. in a backdrop of darkness. It’s haunting and suggestive, and I can’t get enough of it in early episodes, even if its just a dimly-lit background during a conversation in a hallway.
– J.D., to himself: “Try not to sound too much like a girl.” J.D., out loud: “I miss you so much it hurts sometimes.”
– Who else is in Elliot’s friend zone? A high school classmate, a co-worker at Penguin yogurt, and Becky, J.D.’s teammate during the basketball game he plays in against Turk. “She’ll come around!”
– Cox, to Elliot: “And you, you one-woman neurotic freak show, take your blah blah to the blahologist!”
– The sound effect when Turk jumps was one frequently used in slow motion shots on Clone High, and also famously appeared in a Chappelle’s Show sketch.
– I’m sure you’ve heard Erasure’s “A Little Respect” outside of this episode, but you probably haven’t seen the video. What the hell are those visual effects??!
– Janitor: “You look unhappy. I like that.”
– High Five Count: a rare 1 1/2. Todd is actually the 1/2 here: him and Turk share a quasi-pound outside of the surgery room. The high five comes from Carla and Nurse Roberts, when Carla is teaching J.D. how to have attitude.
– Kelso makes a The Weakest Link joke, effectively dating this episode.
– This episode was written by Eric Weinberg, long time co-EP of Scrubs. He unfortunately spent 68 episodes in the same position on FX’s Anger Management.
– “What comes before Part B? Part-ayy!”
– SO MANY SFX when Cox is around.
[Photo via NBC]
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