Scrubs Review S1E2: “My Mentor”

“You were gonna, what, rescue me from loneliness with a $3 six-pack of light beer? It turns out we can’t save people from themselves, newbie. We just treat ’em. We’re gonna treat that kid with a respiratory problem, and when he comes back with cancer, go ahead and treat that too.”

-Dr. Perry Cox, Scrubs S1E2: “My Mentor”

Brief synopsis: Dr. John Dorian is trying to convince a patient he needs to quit smoking, while also trying to connect with another doctor as a mentor. Meanwhile, his best friend, Christopher Turk, woos a sassy nurse and his other friend, Elliot, burns bridges with her big mouth. 

Title significance: This title is fairly straight-forward. This episode shows JD’s first step in his goal of making Dr. Cox his mentor. Though at first it may seem that JD is fooling himself by believing he and Dr. Cox have a special relationship, we see that in a way, it’s true. Dr. Cox looks at JD, and flat-out tell him not what he wants to here, but what he needs to hear. Like it or not, he has accepted the position.

The title of mentor also applies to JD himself. He takes on that role with Will, whose smoking has caused serious health problems, and is likely to continue to do so. JD, however, finds himself to be a failure as a mentor. He thinks he’s gotten through to his young student, but it turns out that some times, no words can keep someone from their vices.

Surrealism: The majority of fantasies this episode did not focus on JD. They were instead how he viewed the situations around him until the very end of the episode when his head explodes. How do these fantasies inform us of the situations around the hospital? How much can we trust them? Elliot walking down the cafeteria in band geek get-up as the cheerleaders and jocks stare is an interesting fantasy. It creates an illusion that Elliot is just shy and dorky and the other kids are being mean to her. The problem is Elliot is often just straight-up antagonistic and bitchy. They aren’t sitting with her because they don’t want to be seen with her, they’re doing it because she’s just unpleasant to be around. This is where JD’s perspective comes into play. He wants to like Elliot. He thinks she’s pretty. So, he turns her into a victim in his head.

At the same time, we also get the scene where Elliot digs her own grave. In this one, Elliot plays an active role in her position. Maybe JD is being more honest with himself in this one because Elliot is being active at that point in time. As she runs her mouth, he cannot ignore what she is doing. However, his relationship with her once again changes the fantasy as he sees himself tenderly throwing her a red rose.

Success of surrealism: Once again, the surrealism offers a bit of insight into JD’s character and what’s really going through his mind. I find it quite intriguing.

What “My Mentor” does right:

• Subversion – The episode sets it up so we expect Dr. Cox to be lonely and friendless. We hear it from Carla who’s been at the hospital for so long. We hear everyone proclaim what a jerk he is. We see JD ready to completely embrace him as a friend and the titular mentor, showing up at his house with a six-pack (which, much as I don’t like him, was adorable). We see his empty home with no photos or mess. He seemingly reaches out to JD. Then his friends walk in. Turns out the situation isn’t exactly what the viewer was lead to think. I enjoy it, because having him be completely friendless would have been too obvious (we’ll see how this changes in later episodes).

• Main plot – I actually enjoyed the main plot this episode, I thought it was a very natural problem for a new doctor to have. He still has the desire to save everyone. As a viewer, I also experienced disappointment when I saw Will smoking in the stairwell. We love happy endings, and Will is decreasing the chance that he will get one. Scrubs is a comedy, but we’ll also have to deal with death, and probably have to deal with it often. The payoff near the end, with Dr. Cox’s sarcasm-laced life lesson, was especially awesome.

• The foil– We’ll ignore the situation with Will for a moment. JD is the main character. The good guy. However, the writers seem to be aware of just how narcissistic he is. When he tells the Janitor how there’s nothing wrong with his job, the Janitor’s response strikes a chord. Whereas JD’s assertion may come off as noble, the Janitor points out how condescending it is. It assumes that JD, from the respected position of a doctor, can declare such a job to be worthwhile. The Janitor has been set up as a foil for JD. A creepy, intimidating foil, but one that isn’t always in the wrong.

What “My Mentor” could have done better:

• Mean girls – The women in this show so far: A bitchy outlier and a group of catty mean girls. Fantastic. I mentioned in my “My First Day” recap that I liked how they portray Carla. This episode, they undo that good work. Carla is the head of a group of women who make Elliot’s life miserable. Not that Elliot isn’t the most annoying character to have graced my computer thus far in these recaps. I have yet to find anything likeable about her. And guess what? It’s up to the men in their lives to make the peace. JD and Turk have to step in and get the women to apologize and act like adults. I don’t think the writers intentionally did this with the “men are needed to make women rational” mindset. I just think this plot could have been handled better.
  

• Romantic Subplot– I love Turk. But Turk trying to get into Carla’s pants is creepy. His over-confidence is usually charming, but when it is directed at a woman, suddenly it feels wrong.  “You shouldn’t be impatient with what I think is the opportunity of a lifetime.” “Take two Turks as needed and apply to sensitive area.” The romance between Carla and Turk is one of my favorite parts of the show. I feel they have great chemistry, and when Turk does this later in the relationship, it’s endearing. But now? It just makes him seem like a creeper.

• Characters – What makes previously mentioned creepiness all the more upsetting, is the fact that he is the one of the most likeable characters on the show currently. Elliot and Carla are immature and bitchy. JD, even in his quest to help others, is incredibly self-centered (as we can see as he ignores Turk’s anxiety, mocks him when Carla turns him down, and condescendingly tells the Janitor there’s nothing wrong with his job). The Janitor encourages Will’s unhealthy habit. Dr. Kelso is a dick, which, while enjoyable, is not enough when we need a character to actually like. The only character who’s left to like is Dr. Cox, and while he is a great character, on a show with a decent number of main characters, more than one is necessary.

Overall: A decent show. There were some shining moments, but the way they handled the women this episode did kind of irk me. Continues to set up the well-done relationship between JD and Dr. Cox.