Here Lost comes, and there Lost goes. A season of destiny, time travel, and beige jumpsuits has come to a bitter-sweet end. Bitter because it means Lost is over, sweet because that's what Lost season finales tend to be! This beast was two hours, so let's get to it.
Play...
0:03 - Lost's cryptic opening scenes might be my favorite things on television. They progress so slowly and smoothly, like a great magic trick, even when the fans are chomping at the bit for things to get moving. Here we get a man spinning thread and weaving a tapestry, then retrieving a fish from a trap and eating it on the beach. Could be anyone, at any time. Then we see the ship, sailing along the horizon; the Black Rock? Another man joins him and we see a familiar mountain in the background. This is our island, and the man is Jacob. A million theories about him just went up in smoke, but it doesn't matter when the mystery seems so much greater than the theories. What is he weaving? Who is the other man? Why does he want to kill Jacob? Why can't he? The first thing that struck me about this scene (other than the fact that the statue has a crocodile's face) was the mystery man's warning to Jacob that bringing the boat to the island would bring death and destruction, just like Locke said the freighter would when Jack wanted it to come.
0:07 - Long ago Jacob saved Kate as a child from being busted for stealing a lunch-box. Thanks buddy, without you she may never have turned to a life of crime, been caught by a federal marshal, or crashed on the island to become one of the most irritating characters in television history...okay, I'm calming down. He also gave her a playful tap on the nose (it's important).
0:11 - I love how the "trekking across the island" theme music has suddenly returned in the past two episodes as Locke leads the Others to meet Jacob. While I'm talking about that I guess I should mention what else just happened. Sawyer, Juliet, and Kate are all on the sub together, and typical annoying Kate is shocked, SHOCKED that Sawyer doesn't want to overthrow the sub crew to try and return to the island to stop Jack just because she wants to. I've read a lot of opinions over te past week about the Kate-Sawyer interactions in this episode and I think they're completely overlooking something. Sawyer wanted to stay on the island originally because he was somebody on the island, and Kate was part of that feeling for him. When he got zapped back to 1977 everything upgraded for him. He was THE MAN amongst the Dharma Initiative on the island. When Horace, the official leader, almost has his marriage fall apart he has enough respect for Sawyer to confide in him and ask his advice. He has a stable, happy relationship with Juliet, who is not annoying. Earlier in the season, it seemed obvious that Kate and Sawyer's romantic chemistry would ruin Sawyer's idyllic life. Instead it's Kate's sudden, inexplicable devotion to saving Ben that leads to the end of LaFleur, and Sawyer and Juliet on the sub having to start all over. So to me it's not that much of a shock that he doesn't want to go back, things are as over for him back there as they were off-island when we first met him.
0:21 - Jacob visits Sawyer as a kid, handing him a pen to finish his letter to the real Sawyer. Jacobs fingers graze Sawyer's as he exchanges the pen (trust me).
0:23 - I just figured out why Kate freaking out about the nuke annoys me so much. First of all, it's Kate, officially alone as my least favorite character now that Michael is dead. In order for me to support her I have to believe that Daniel Faraday, one of the most interesting and sympathetic characters on the show and a genius, is completely wrong that destroying the energy pocket prior to the "incident" will rewrite history allowing them to safely land at LAX. Alternatively, what if she KNOWS the plan will work, and is merely trying to scare people into helping her prevent a rewrite? Since flight 815 landing successfully means she's going to jail, as originally planned. What if she's selling out everyone else, ESPECIALLY the dead people, just to keep her freedom? Man I hate Kate! Anyway, she got Juliet on her side, which got Sawyer on her side. Why Juliet? Well, if Jack's bomb works it only affects the people who arrived on 815. They land in Los Angeles, but she'll still be stuck on the island, attempting to avoid the romantic advances of Ben. If she stays on that sub she still risks losing everyone, and being condemned to the island, so she has to try to stop it. In "Follow the Leader" Jack mentioned about how enough of their experience was bad to justify an attempt to reboot. Most of the good that happened to Juliet came from that plane crash, so why wouldn't she want to make sure it doesn't get erased from history?
0:30 - Jacob stops Sayid to ask for directions, causing Nadia to be killed in the hit and run that eventually lead to Sayid working for Ben. But at least he touched Sayid on the shoulder while showing him the map (3 for 3).
0:32 - I want to talk about Richard Alpert for a second, since he just chickened out of helping Jack and Sayid deliver the bomb. I've always liked him as a character just because of the simple mystery of a man who doesn't age. This season though we've gotten to know him better, and it's become clear that he's not the man with all the answers that he seemed to be. Normally that would be annoying, but I think it's added so much drama to the events of this season. He has spent a good about of it shocked and exacerbated. As he says to Locke earlier in the episode, he's seen a lot of things on the island that he can't describe, but still events like realizing Sawyer is from the future in 1974, or realizing Locke has come back from the dead are capable of shaking him to his core. This is a guy who has seen it all, but he has never seen anything like this season.
0:43 - Sawyer, Juliet, and Kate run into Rose and Bernard only to find they've been hiding in the jungle in an attempt to get some peace and quiet. People have complained about the scene being a bit heavy handed, but it was worth it just to rose respond to Kate's whining about the bomb with, "it's always something with you people."
0:48 - It's amazing how Lost can have interesting scenes about totally mysterious people and places, while not having to rely on revelations all the time. For instance, Ilana and company arriving at Jacob's Cabin. We still don't know what's in the box, we don't know if Bram is being honest when he refers to them as "the good guys," we don't know the deal with the ash, why the break in it is important, and we don't learn anything about the cabin. Still, I could watch this scene repeatedly, knowing I won't learn anything new, and I'll still be intrigued and entertained.
0:52 - Locke's dad pushes him out of an 8th story window, and there's Jacob. A touch to Locke's shoulder, and he gasps to life (4 for 4).
0:56 - I have to say, Locke made a pretty convincing case for why Ben would want to kill Jacob himself (the cancer, his daughter being killed, his banishment). Here's the only problem. Christian SPECIFICALLY corrected Locke that HE was the one told to turn the donkey wheel, HE was the one meant to move the island, so HE was the one who was supposed to be banished, not Ben. It's been a week, I've watched this episode...4 times I think? That's the first time it's dawned on me.
0:58 - Jacob at Jin and Sun's wedding, speaking excellent Korean, and touching them both on the shoulder while giving his blessing (6 for 6).
0:59 - Why would Hurley stop the Dharma van with Sayid bleeding inside and the "incident" ready to happen in mere minutes? Sawyer with a rife, flanked by Kate and Juliet in the middle of the road. Yep, that'll do it.
Pause.
Okay, I get the feeling my wrap-up is going to be HUGE so let's split it up. End of Part 1.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Tivo Roster's Key Addition: Kelly Erin Hannon
Earlier this season on The Office, when Pam Beesly decided that learning the copier manual was a little too soul crushing, we were introduced to Erin Hannon (played by Ellie Kemper), the new face of Dunder-Mifflin, Scranton. A tepid start in “The Michael Scott Paper Company,” matched with the fact that Pam was sure to return, made it seem like Erin would be going the way of Ronnie. Instead, Pam's new job as a saleswoman means Erin is staying behind the famous reception desk. “Cafe Disco” was her time to step out of the background to start becoming a fully rounded character, and she ran with it. That's why she's the first Tivo Roster Key Addition.
Ironically, Erin's position on The Office was solidified by her being fired. The first episode of The Office ended with Michael fake firing Pam, which caused her to break down rather than appreciate his obvious hilarity. A similar rouse at the end of “Cafe Disco” marked Pam's transition from gopher to an official, lasting role as a saleswoman. Michael decides to immediately keep the good vibes going by trying the same joke on Erin, even having Pam go fetch her. So Pam gets her final humiliation before entering the grown up world of sales, and Erin replaces Pam as Michael's comedy crash-test dummy. The torch was passed, and for the first time I accepted Erin as a new member of the ensemble.
The reason I'm so excited about Erin is her innocent friendliness. It's a quality that has been beaten out of the other characters by now, and it was time for a fresh infusion of it. I loved “Cafe Disco” as an episode, and almost every event is made possible by Erin's unique attitude to Dunder-Mifflin. The very first moment of the episode has her team with Dwight to (unknowingly) play a prank on Jim and Pam. Dwight works best in a team, and it was getting old to constantly have him searching for an alliance only to always come up empty or be made a fool of. Erin is currently a perfect foil for Dwight, as evidenced by her honest apology for always asking how everyone was doing (which he took as a question rather than a casual greeting), and her immediate willingness to produce her birth certificate (from her handbag!). Dwight works well when he has a tiny bit of authority, which he imagines gives him an iron grip on the entire office. With no one to fear him he had no chance for authority, but now he has Erin, who is currently trying her best to figure Dunder-Mifflin out.
While bringing Dwight back to life would be big enough on its own, Erin's interactions with Michael really stood out for me. The moment that really got me started writing about her didn't even catch my eye until the second viewing:
Michael: Anybody want to go to lunch with me later on?By this point, we know how these interactions are going to go; Michael will invite people to things, Dwight will want to go, but Michael would much prefer Jim, Pam, or Ryan. Yes, he ends up singling out Pam (and by proxy Jim) and Ryan, but Erin's reaction introduces her as a wildcard. She doesn't venture to speak for the rest of the scene, instead her eyes dart around the room in an attempt to understand what's going on, but having someone in the room who might act differently added some excitement to an otherwise worn out situation.
Dwight: I do!
Michael: Okay...how about a woman? (Erin leans forward in the background and opens her mouth to speak) Pam?
Simply put, she doesn't know enough to see beyond how characters are presenting themselves. Dwight is an authority figure to be respected, Michael is cool and fun (and she likes wacky bad boys), and Kelly is Rachel McAdams in Mean Girls. I'm sure one day she'll learn the truth, but right now I'm enjoying having someone on The Office who isn't on “team crazy” (Michael, Dwight, Kelly, Andy, etc.) or “team sarcastic detachment” (Jim, Pam, Oscar, Stanley, etc.). Like Oscar said after finding out she invited a friend to the dance party, “you invited someone?!...I've been here eight years and I've never...” That's why she's a wildcard, and that's why she's a Tivo Roster Key Addition. (Now I just hope she doesn't get fired!)
Monday, May 11, 2009
The Office: Cafe Disco
Last week Michael tried to keep his tight-knit Michael Scott Paper Company clique together on their return to Dunder-Mifflin, but faced a mutiny from everyone else. In the end, Pam lost her clients, Ryan was demoted to temp, and Erin was subject to Michael's famous pretend firing. What's going to happen this week?
Play.
0:00 - That's right, not even a minute in and I need to comment. As much as I love Jim and Pam, I equally love how often Dwight is used to take them down a peg. Having the new secretary excitedly yell about winning an art contest already had me laugh. Then you add in Dwight's understated, yet maniacal, laughter and things get even better. Nice to see him pull off a successful, non-life threatening (see: raccoon in Holly's car) prank.
0:03 - Comfort in discomfort? After the awkwardness of Michael, Pam, and Ryan re-integrating into the branch, we have the awkwardness that has always come from Michael being there. This time though, he is armed with experiences rather than just expectations. He had lunch with the Michael Scott Paper Company employees, and he wants to keep that going at Dunder-Mifflin. Yeah it's uncomfortable, but in a comfortable way compared to any Charles-Jim interaction.
0:04 - Jim and Pam tying the knot at the court house in Youngstown, Ohio on a whim? Nope, no way, not buying it. The producers might have been able to slip out of the Beesly-Anderson wedding, but it's not going to work this time. Classic authoritarian Dwight though, "I'll take your silence to mean that you are all hiding something."
0:05 - "When I was in charge, this place was like Dave & Buster's." Good to see Michael has graduated from Chuck E. Cheese ("The Injury"), might have had something to do with choosing "littlekidlover" as a username on dating sites.
0:07 - These are the scenes that make The Office what it is. A rapid fire "around the world" with a number of characters tossing ideas and lines to each other. First with Michael's "I'm your big daddy" comment, then with the description of Cafe Disco. Also, I was writing TONS about Erin, the new secretary, so I decided to name her a Tivo Roster Key Addition, earning her a post of her very own.
0:12 - Uh oh, speaking of secretaries, the one at Vance Refrigeration gives off a lot of Phyllis vibes. "Can I give him a message before he gets off?" Yikes.
0:13 - I love that Michael's only tandem dance move is to twirl his partner. It's perfect.
0:14 - Michael after Phyllis hurts her back in Cafe Disco: "We need to get her out of there, because no one is going to want to go in there with a woman writhing around on the floor...(notices camera)...wait, wait, but most importantly, we need to get her some medical attention ASAP. Stat!" I missed this vindictively friendly version of Michael Scott, I'm having "Michael's Birthday" flashbacks and I like it. Plus I'm referencing Season 2 a lot, no wonder I'm enjoying this so much!
0:16 - The extended cast strikes again. Michael forgot the golden rule of the dance party: guys go when there are girls. Kelly and Erin start dancing, enter the lustful employees of Vance Refrigeration, and I think we're snowballing towards a party.
0:16 - Michael is eating lunch alone in his office and we get an understated reminder of his loneliness. "Might as well be dinner," he says, before shoving his sandwich into his mouth. His post-Holly depression was set aside to make room for the Michael Scott Paper Company, but we shouldn't forget that was his whole reason for making the move. Forget the concierge in Canada, MSPC was his rebound after Holly. And as we know from "A Benihana Christmas":
Last week during "Casual Friday," we saw Michael try to keep that MSPC love going with Pam and Ryan only to lose everyone else in the process. Now he's trying to bring the same tight-knit attitude to the whole office, it's not working, and the loneliness is creeping in.
0:16 - Wow, this must be a crazy minute. Jim cutting a bouquet of flowers from the parking lot? This quickie wedding is doomed, DOOMED! It just felt so wrong and cheap rather than inventive and romantic.
0:17 - Creed was eating a chicken drumstick in the bathroom. It took me a second to realize how weird that is, that's how weird Creed is.
0:25 - What a great Dwight episode. He nails a prank in the cold open, gets to launch a mini-investigation into Jim and Pam's map to Youngstown, and now his Schrute family horse remedy is working on Phyllis. Also, why was it so difficult to see how perfect Andy and Kelly are for each other? I mean, probably not in a good way, but in a way that keeps them away from everyone else. Andy has shown he can handle high-maintenance from his time with Angela, and that was high maintenance matched with insanity! I see that dance-off being the beginnings of great things.
0:26 - Yes! Kevin! Turns out something good came from that valentine's day mixer.
0:27 - Boom! Called it on Jim and Pam. Don't think for a second that Phyllis and Bob is the only big wedding we're going to get. Just don't put Michael in your wedding party, the extra vacation time isn't worth it.
0:30 - Did I already mention the beginning of great things for Kelly and Andy? Cause that scene of her trying to pierce his ear WAS a great thing.
Okay, well I enjoyed my time at Cafe Disco, as everyone seemed to (even Angela, or at least the foot she was waving to the music). I've read some concerns about a "throwaway" episode right before the finale rather than one to ratchet the tension, but I still don't think people would be willing to go back in time to get rid of "Cafe Disco." Plus, there may not be a lot of overt tension, but things are bubbling under the surface. Michael's loneliness returned in a big way, only to be squashed by the miraculous success of Cafe Disco, but there's no way it'll keep up. You know tomorrow the clock will strike midnight and the disco will turn back into a closet.
Then there's Dunder-Mifflin, whose most successful branch just took half the day off to party. Michael used to be saved by his proven loyalty to the company, and the fact that David Wallace saw him as a good guy at heart. Now he has quit, stolen clients, and used the spectre of an upcoming shareholder's meeting to force David Wallace into letting him back into the company. This was a wonderful episode, and a cheerful one in the end, and I could easily see popping in the DVD after bad days in years to come. Still, just because they had a good day in Scranton doesn't mean the finale is set up to be dull. Things can't stay like this, so enjoy the good vibes while they last.
Status: "Ding, ding, ding." Three thumbs up.
Play.
0:00 - That's right, not even a minute in and I need to comment. As much as I love Jim and Pam, I equally love how often Dwight is used to take them down a peg. Having the new secretary excitedly yell about winning an art contest already had me laugh. Then you add in Dwight's understated, yet maniacal, laughter and things get even better. Nice to see him pull off a successful, non-life threatening (see: raccoon in Holly's car) prank.
0:03 - Comfort in discomfort? After the awkwardness of Michael, Pam, and Ryan re-integrating into the branch, we have the awkwardness that has always come from Michael being there. This time though, he is armed with experiences rather than just expectations. He had lunch with the Michael Scott Paper Company employees, and he wants to keep that going at Dunder-Mifflin. Yeah it's uncomfortable, but in a comfortable way compared to any Charles-Jim interaction.
0:04 - Jim and Pam tying the knot at the court house in Youngstown, Ohio on a whim? Nope, no way, not buying it. The producers might have been able to slip out of the Beesly-Anderson wedding, but it's not going to work this time. Classic authoritarian Dwight though, "I'll take your silence to mean that you are all hiding something."
0:05 - "When I was in charge, this place was like Dave & Buster's." Good to see Michael has graduated from Chuck E. Cheese ("The Injury"), might have had something to do with choosing "littlekidlover" as a username on dating sites.
0:07 - These are the scenes that make The Office what it is. A rapid fire "around the world" with a number of characters tossing ideas and lines to each other. First with Michael's "I'm your big daddy" comment, then with the description of Cafe Disco. Also, I was writing TONS about Erin, the new secretary, so I decided to name her a Tivo Roster Key Addition, earning her a post of her very own.
0:12 - Uh oh, speaking of secretaries, the one at Vance Refrigeration gives off a lot of Phyllis vibes. "Can I give him a message before he gets off?" Yikes.
0:13 - I love that Michael's only tandem dance move is to twirl his partner. It's perfect.
0:14 - Michael after Phyllis hurts her back in Cafe Disco: "We need to get her out of there, because no one is going to want to go in there with a woman writhing around on the floor...(notices camera)...wait, wait, but most importantly, we need to get her some medical attention ASAP. Stat!" I missed this vindictively friendly version of Michael Scott, I'm having "Michael's Birthday" flashbacks and I like it. Plus I'm referencing Season 2 a lot, no wonder I'm enjoying this so much!
0:16 - The extended cast strikes again. Michael forgot the golden rule of the dance party: guys go when there are girls. Kelly and Erin start dancing, enter the lustful employees of Vance Refrigeration, and I think we're snowballing towards a party.
0:16 - Michael is eating lunch alone in his office and we get an understated reminder of his loneliness. "Might as well be dinner," he says, before shoving his sandwich into his mouth. His post-Holly depression was set aside to make room for the Michael Scott Paper Company, but we shouldn't forget that was his whole reason for making the move. Forget the concierge in Canada, MSPC was his rebound after Holly. And as we know from "A Benihana Christmas":
Michael: Why do I feel like crap?
Jim: You just had a rebound.
Michael: I had a rebound.
Jim: Yeah. Which, don't get me wrong, can be a really fun distraction, but when it's over? You're left thinking about the girl you really like, the one that broke your heart.
0:16 - Wow, this must be a crazy minute. Jim cutting a bouquet of flowers from the parking lot? This quickie wedding is doomed, DOOMED! It just felt so wrong and cheap rather than inventive and romantic.
0:17 - Creed was eating a chicken drumstick in the bathroom. It took me a second to realize how weird that is, that's how weird Creed is.
0:25 - What a great Dwight episode. He nails a prank in the cold open, gets to launch a mini-investigation into Jim and Pam's map to Youngstown, and now his Schrute family horse remedy is working on Phyllis. Also, why was it so difficult to see how perfect Andy and Kelly are for each other? I mean, probably not in a good way, but in a way that keeps them away from everyone else. Andy has shown he can handle high-maintenance from his time with Angela, and that was high maintenance matched with insanity! I see that dance-off being the beginnings of great things.
0:26 - Yes! Kevin! Turns out something good came from that valentine's day mixer.
0:27 - Boom! Called it on Jim and Pam. Don't think for a second that Phyllis and Bob is the only big wedding we're going to get. Just don't put Michael in your wedding party, the extra vacation time isn't worth it.
0:30 - Did I already mention the beginning of great things for Kelly and Andy? Cause that scene of her trying to pierce his ear WAS a great thing.
Okay, well I enjoyed my time at Cafe Disco, as everyone seemed to (even Angela, or at least the foot she was waving to the music). I've read some concerns about a "throwaway" episode right before the finale rather than one to ratchet the tension, but I still don't think people would be willing to go back in time to get rid of "Cafe Disco." Plus, there may not be a lot of overt tension, but things are bubbling under the surface. Michael's loneliness returned in a big way, only to be squashed by the miraculous success of Cafe Disco, but there's no way it'll keep up. You know tomorrow the clock will strike midnight and the disco will turn back into a closet.
Then there's Dunder-Mifflin, whose most successful branch just took half the day off to party. Michael used to be saved by his proven loyalty to the company, and the fact that David Wallace saw him as a good guy at heart. Now he has quit, stolen clients, and used the spectre of an upcoming shareholder's meeting to force David Wallace into letting him back into the company. This was a wonderful episode, and a cheerful one in the end, and I could easily see popping in the DVD after bad days in years to come. Still, just because they had a good day in Scranton doesn't mean the finale is set up to be dull. Things can't stay like this, so enjoy the good vibes while they last.
Status: "Ding, ding, ding." Three thumbs up.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Scrubs: My Finale
I'll admit it, Scrubs lost me. I was an avid watcher right through last season when it was still on NBC. I remember thinking at the time that "My Princess" was an unworthy end for the show, but after a lacklustre season I wondered if that was the best Bill Lawrence could do. That was unfair of me, since it wasn't really meant as any kind of true finale, but it made the end easier to take.
I retreated to the reruns on Comedy Central, telling Tivo to hang on to three at a time. It was a perfect number, enough to binge if I was feeling nostalgic, but small enough to remind myself I was "done" with Scrubs. When the show was picked up by ABC I meant to add a new Season Pass, but I never did. Each week reviews of episodes would pop up on TV Squad, and I'd tell myself to add the Season Pass...every week.
Last week when it was announced ABC had gotten involved with Hulu I said, "great, I can finally catch up on Scrubs!" Then today, I saw a post on TV Squad about tonight's episode being the finale. Before doing anything else I grabbed my remote and told Tivo to record. It was time to see what Bill Lawrence could do with an actual finale. Sitting here typing I can say, for sure, that I am officially done with Scrubs. In a good way though!
Play...
0:00 - Zach Braff has a beard now? And who's he in bed with? Can you tell I haven't watched this show in a year?
0:02 - Classic Scrubs flashbacks to J.D.'s first day. Is this going to be a clip show? Now I'm worried. I'm glad they didn't save J.D. and Elliot finally getting together for the finale (she was the one in bed with him, if you were wondering too) as I can't think of anything more anti-climactic. I think I'll take this chance to get two complaints about Scrubs off my chest before getting to the lovefest this will be at the end:
1. It's hard to feel bad for J.D. when he seems to be able to get beautiful girls whenever he wants, but is still supposed to be a love-lorn nerd. When Elliot broke up with her boyfriend for him, and he freaked out, realizing he only wanted her because he couldn't have her, I was never able to feel bad for him again. Did the show rely on me feeling bad for him later? You bet it did.
2. The jokes seem to go on for one or two lines too long at times, but it almost wouldn't be Scrubs without it. Perfect example at the start of this episode. J.D. attempts to guilt Elliot into morning sex after feigning offense at her starting to move in without consulting him:
0:02 - Bob Kelso? Why is he back? He already had a great send off! Oh wait, they thought that was the last season at the time. I'll see where it goes. Unpause.
0:03 - See? Kelso zings Ted and they move right along without having to preen over it, not so hard righ...sorry. Unpause.
0:10 - Nice to see Dr. Cox's rants get wrapped up in such a nice package in J.D.'s handsome pleather-bound volume. Also, I really liked how they kind of covered the big three so early in the show. It's 10 minutes in and already Elliot has addressed the fact that she'll cry if she tries to say goodbye, Turk has given him a final "EAGLE!" spin and a big hug, and now Dr. Cox has belittled his show of affection. Turk might have been worried about his goodbye peaking too early, but I like the idea a lot. We knew these three interactions were coming, so now that they're out of the way we're in uncharted waters. Anything can happen now, and that's unusual for 10 minutes in a finale.
0:14 - Also great to see that J.D. has a final patient! Shows get so obsessed with wrapping things up in the finale they completely abandon the usual events that make up episodes. If Seinfeld was guilty of anything, it was guilty of this. So I was expecting an hour of goodbye after goodbye, creating an episode with no resemblance to the ones that kept fans coming back. Not the case, we have a patient, we have a patient's family member, this feels like Scrubs.
0:16 - Ah yes, J.D.'s original sin against the janitor; the penny that jammed the door on his first day. They could have gone with some extravagant prank by the janitor in an attempt to end it with a bang, but I love this idea so much more. Possibly the most persistent thread in this show has been the janitor's hatred for J.D. flowing from that single moment when he allegedly jammed a penny in the door, and that shall be their final battle. Game on!
0:24 - See? This is the comedy I love from Scrubs. J.D. alone with a patient, getting lost in a voice-over while still trying to do his job, and eventually messing up without any stupid manufactured drama or anger. Almost like a little sketch within the show.
0:26 - Welcome to the moment I fully relaxed and fell in love with this episode. The speculation before a show's finale is almost never, "what's going to happen," but usually, "how memorable will it be?" It's like Series Finale is the name of a show, and finales are merely episodes in one giant season, all judged by the same criteria regardless of what the show had been. Whether comedy or drama there MUST be big huge moments and it MUST be emotional. 26 minutes in, Bill Lawrence has said, "I'm not going to play your game!"
Here he calls out the expectations, revealing that the staff care more for Kelso's anti-climactic exit ("But you left a year ago. You got cake. He got cake!") than J.D.'s fresh one. Greatest is the moment when Bob asks J.D. what the thought the end would be like, and he responds: "I don't know, I guess I thought there'd be a lot of heartfelt goodbyes, and when I was finally ready to leave it'd be like one of those great old sitcom finales." Cue the overly melodramatic piano music that used to accompany every big emotional revelation in the show (which the show itself made fun of in recent years) and J.D. hitting a lightswitch, causing the entire hospital to lose power as patients code and the staff panics.
After that we get another powerfully understated goodbye from Kelso and you realize there's half the episode to go and the show has officially thrown off the chains of outside expectations. This is not a sitcom finale, this is the Scrubs finale.
0:32 - Carla and J.D. say goodbye, again they let the history of the characters make the moment, rather than trying to have the moment make history. J.D. is Bambi one last time, and it feels momentous.
0:34 - Another finale mistake is cooking up big reveals for the sake of revelations. One of the biggest reveals I've heard in a long time (keeping in mind I watched Lost before this); it really was J.D. who jammed the door with a penny on his first day! And the janitor knew! You know how when Lost has a big reveal it makes you want to re-watch the whole show to see how it affects things? Well now I want to watch every J.D.-Janitor interaction again. All the times J.D. laments the Janitor's crazy obsession with him, and now that we know it was valid. At least it was more valid than we thought. Huge!
0:43 - Janitor revelations part II: J.D. has never asked the Janitor's name. The likelihood of me re-watching every episode of Scrubs just increased. Also the Janitor pulls the old Joker switcheroo, is his real name Glen or Tommy? Is it something completely different? You decide.
0:45 - A series of heartfelt compliments from Dr. Cox? Sitcom finale expectations. Having him be tricked into giving those same compliments while J.D. hides in the background? Very clever. Now we've reached the final voice-over, the big finale of the big finale.
0:46 - Is it the character talking, or is it the cast and the crew?:
0:48 - J.D.'s walk down the corridor as he leaves was like the Seinfeld finale condensed into two minutes, instead of dragged out over a whole episode. We got to see way more characters than I ever expected we would, and it just felt so natural. Those who had special catchphrases and moments got one last shot at them, while others only needed a smile and a nod. It reminded me of what actually happens when you leave something big like that. While you might be trying to reminisce all day, it's usually only on your final steps out of the door that things from long ago come flooding back. It's not your life flashing before your eyes, it's just that segment of it. Most important though, Bill Lawrence wasn't able to make me cry! Take that! Woo hoo! Hang on. Peter Gabriel? I don't like the look of this. Unpause.
0:52 - Damn you Bill Lawrence! *sniff*
Also, an extremely classy move to have the behind the scenes footage at the end. This was always a cast and crew with a special love for their fans, and I think it was fantastic to let everyone experience their personal goodbyes. The episode let us say goodbye to the characters, but showing the actors finish their final scenes let us say goodbye to them too.
So ends Scrubs...probably, definitely for me. I don't need anything more from this show. I gave up on it, forgot about it, and nostalgia sucked me back in just long enough to be fully satisfied. No point in tempting fate.
Status: Save Until I Delete
I retreated to the reruns on Comedy Central, telling Tivo to hang on to three at a time. It was a perfect number, enough to binge if I was feeling nostalgic, but small enough to remind myself I was "done" with Scrubs. When the show was picked up by ABC I meant to add a new Season Pass, but I never did. Each week reviews of episodes would pop up on TV Squad, and I'd tell myself to add the Season Pass...every week.
Last week when it was announced ABC had gotten involved with Hulu I said, "great, I can finally catch up on Scrubs!" Then today, I saw a post on TV Squad about tonight's episode being the finale. Before doing anything else I grabbed my remote and told Tivo to record. It was time to see what Bill Lawrence could do with an actual finale. Sitting here typing I can say, for sure, that I am officially done with Scrubs. In a good way though!
Play...
0:00 - Zach Braff has a beard now? And who's he in bed with? Can you tell I haven't watched this show in a year?
0:02 - Classic Scrubs flashbacks to J.D.'s first day. Is this going to be a clip show? Now I'm worried. I'm glad they didn't save J.D. and Elliot finally getting together for the finale (she was the one in bed with him, if you were wondering too) as I can't think of anything more anti-climactic. I think I'll take this chance to get two complaints about Scrubs off my chest before getting to the lovefest this will be at the end:
1. It's hard to feel bad for J.D. when he seems to be able to get beautiful girls whenever he wants, but is still supposed to be a love-lorn nerd. When Elliot broke up with her boyfriend for him, and he freaked out, realizing he only wanted her because he couldn't have her, I was never able to feel bad for him again. Did the show rely on me feeling bad for him later? You bet it did.
2. The jokes seem to go on for one or two lines too long at times, but it almost wouldn't be Scrubs without it. Perfect example at the start of this episode. J.D. attempts to guilt Elliot into morning sex after feigning offense at her starting to move in without consulting him:
Elliot: Are you seriously upset?Yes I realize this is a successful and beloved comedy show, but the lovefest comes later. Right now could be my last chance to point out how in the past few seasons the writers seem to add useless lines to pad jokes, only serving to suck the funny out of them by doing victory laps around throwaway lines. Think I'm overreacting? Watch for how often characters say things like "niiice!" after other people's one-liners...sorry, I may have just ruined Scrubs for you. Okay, back to the episode at hand.
J.D.: I'm very upset, I don't think even morning sex could fix it...although it might
Elliot: Fine, do I have to move a lot?
J.D.: You never do anyway.
[There, you're good, joke launched and landed and...]
Elliot: True.
[Nooooo! You were so close!]
0:02 - Bob Kelso? Why is he back? He already had a great send off! Oh wait, they thought that was the last season at the time. I'll see where it goes. Unpause.
0:03 - See? Kelso zings Ted and they move right along without having to preen over it, not so hard righ...sorry. Unpause.
0:10 - Nice to see Dr. Cox's rants get wrapped up in such a nice package in J.D.'s handsome pleather-bound volume. Also, I really liked how they kind of covered the big three so early in the show. It's 10 minutes in and already Elliot has addressed the fact that she'll cry if she tries to say goodbye, Turk has given him a final "EAGLE!" spin and a big hug, and now Dr. Cox has belittled his show of affection. Turk might have been worried about his goodbye peaking too early, but I like the idea a lot. We knew these three interactions were coming, so now that they're out of the way we're in uncharted waters. Anything can happen now, and that's unusual for 10 minutes in a finale.
0:14 - Also great to see that J.D. has a final patient! Shows get so obsessed with wrapping things up in the finale they completely abandon the usual events that make up episodes. If Seinfeld was guilty of anything, it was guilty of this. So I was expecting an hour of goodbye after goodbye, creating an episode with no resemblance to the ones that kept fans coming back. Not the case, we have a patient, we have a patient's family member, this feels like Scrubs.
0:16 - Ah yes, J.D.'s original sin against the janitor; the penny that jammed the door on his first day. They could have gone with some extravagant prank by the janitor in an attempt to end it with a bang, but I love this idea so much more. Possibly the most persistent thread in this show has been the janitor's hatred for J.D. flowing from that single moment when he allegedly jammed a penny in the door, and that shall be their final battle. Game on!
0:24 - See? This is the comedy I love from Scrubs. J.D. alone with a patient, getting lost in a voice-over while still trying to do his job, and eventually messing up without any stupid manufactured drama or anger. Almost like a little sketch within the show.
0:26 - Welcome to the moment I fully relaxed and fell in love with this episode. The speculation before a show's finale is almost never, "what's going to happen," but usually, "how memorable will it be?" It's like Series Finale is the name of a show, and finales are merely episodes in one giant season, all judged by the same criteria regardless of what the show had been. Whether comedy or drama there MUST be big huge moments and it MUST be emotional. 26 minutes in, Bill Lawrence has said, "I'm not going to play your game!"
Here he calls out the expectations, revealing that the staff care more for Kelso's anti-climactic exit ("But you left a year ago. You got cake. He got cake!") than J.D.'s fresh one. Greatest is the moment when Bob asks J.D. what the thought the end would be like, and he responds: "I don't know, I guess I thought there'd be a lot of heartfelt goodbyes, and when I was finally ready to leave it'd be like one of those great old sitcom finales." Cue the overly melodramatic piano music that used to accompany every big emotional revelation in the show (which the show itself made fun of in recent years) and J.D. hitting a lightswitch, causing the entire hospital to lose power as patients code and the staff panics.
After that we get another powerfully understated goodbye from Kelso and you realize there's half the episode to go and the show has officially thrown off the chains of outside expectations. This is not a sitcom finale, this is the Scrubs finale.
0:32 - Carla and J.D. say goodbye, again they let the history of the characters make the moment, rather than trying to have the moment make history. J.D. is Bambi one last time, and it feels momentous.
0:34 - Another finale mistake is cooking up big reveals for the sake of revelations. One of the biggest reveals I've heard in a long time (keeping in mind I watched Lost before this); it really was J.D. who jammed the door with a penny on his first day! And the janitor knew! You know how when Lost has a big reveal it makes you want to re-watch the whole show to see how it affects things? Well now I want to watch every J.D.-Janitor interaction again. All the times J.D. laments the Janitor's crazy obsession with him, and now that we know it was valid. At least it was more valid than we thought. Huge!
0:43 - Janitor revelations part II: J.D. has never asked the Janitor's name. The likelihood of me re-watching every episode of Scrubs just increased. Also the Janitor pulls the old Joker switcheroo, is his real name Glen or Tommy? Is it something completely different? You decide.
0:45 - A series of heartfelt compliments from Dr. Cox? Sitcom finale expectations. Having him be tricked into giving those same compliments while J.D. hides in the background? Very clever. Now we've reached the final voice-over, the big finale of the big finale.
0:46 - Is it the character talking, or is it the cast and the crew?:
"Endings are never easy. I always build them up so much in my head that 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. I guess it's because we all want to believe that what we do is very important. That people hang onto our every word. That they care what we think. The truth is you should consider yourself lucky if you even occasionally get to make someone, anyone, feel a little better."How perfect is this? It shows gratitude to the fans, and gives us a little insight into how everyone involved with the show is feeling. It recognizes our worry over the quality of the finale we're going to be getting, and assures us one last time that they know we repeatedly tuned in for the joy it brought us, not in the hopes that a big, random statement be made in the final episode. We tuned in, they made us feel happy, and sad, and lots of things inbetween. Now let's all just ride the wave out together.
0:48 - J.D.'s walk down the corridor as he leaves was like the Seinfeld finale condensed into two minutes, instead of dragged out over a whole episode. We got to see way more characters than I ever expected we would, and it just felt so natural. Those who had special catchphrases and moments got one last shot at them, while others only needed a smile and a nod. It reminded me of what actually happens when you leave something big like that. While you might be trying to reminisce all day, it's usually only on your final steps out of the door that things from long ago come flooding back. It's not your life flashing before your eyes, it's just that segment of it. Most important though, Bill Lawrence wasn't able to make me cry! Take that! Woo hoo! Hang on. Peter Gabriel? I don't like the look of this. Unpause.
0:52 - Damn you Bill Lawrence! *sniff*
Also, an extremely classy move to have the behind the scenes footage at the end. This was always a cast and crew with a special love for their fans, and I think it was fantastic to let everyone experience their personal goodbyes. The episode let us say goodbye to the characters, but showing the actors finish their final scenes let us say goodbye to them too.
So ends Scrubs...probably, definitely for me. I don't need anything more from this show. I gave up on it, forgot about it, and nostalgia sucked me back in just long enough to be fully satisfied. No point in tempting fate.
Status: Save Until I Delete
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