Scrubs: The Complete Seventh Season (DVD)

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The world is too sensitive. A day after Barack Obama won the adjective "President-elect," he was called out for jokingly referring to Nancy Reagan's propensity for inviting spiritualists to the White House. Because the media made a big deal out of it, he had to apologize to the former First Lady. Ironically, that same day, Italy's prime minister joked that Obama was "evenly tanned" and was also forced to apologize. It's tough to say what you're thinking these days, even in jest. So it's no wonder that a TV show like "Scrubs" is so popular (and funny), because almost everybody speaks their mind. Sure, a lot of viewers may have wished to have become doctors instead of working stiffs, but a good many more just want the freedom we used to have to tell the truth and joke about things the way these characters do. That's partly what makes this show so riotous. Everybody says what they're thinking, and in addition, they also confirm what a lot of us suspect about our "suspect" health care system.

It's hard to believe this medical comedy/drama (mostly comedy, this season) is in its seventh year already. Nothing seems sacred at Sacred Heart Hospital, where Dr. John "J.D." Dorian (Zach Braff) has Ally McBeal-style interior monologues that are often externalized, as this doc and his surgical aide and former college chum Dr. Chris Turk (Donald Faison) cut it up in the hospital and at home. The other central character is Elliot Reid (Sarah Chalke), whom Zach has always liked and secretly applauds when this season she decides that she and Keith (Travis Schuldt) aren't right for each other.

But this season is all about babies. J.D. is living with Kim Briggs, a specialist who ended up getting pregnant by him, though their relationship was so casual that he's not really in love with her now. He's just doing the right thing, which, of course, is duplicitous. Then there's Chris, who's married to head nurse Carla Espinosa (Judy Reyes). They've already got a new baby. And Perry Cox (John C. McGinley), the doctor you love to hate, has a wife and a new baby as well. Other characters include former Chief of Medicine Dr. Bob Kelso (Ken Jenkins), hospital attorney Ted Buckland (Sam Lloyd), and an unnamed Janitor (Neil Flynn), who wages his own subtle class war against the doctors. He's fed up with doctors thinking they're better than him, and puts J.D. in his place when he brings flowers to a lady in the corridor that J.D. doubts he even knows. "Hey Lady," the Janitor yells, and it turns out to be her name.

There's plenty of irreverence here, and an offbeat sense of humor at work that's just plain fun (and liberating) to watch. Here's a rundown on the 11 episodes, which are contained on two single-sided discs:

1) "My Own Worst Enemy." The whole hospital watches from afar as Elliot dumps Keith and J.D. tries to stick it out with Jill. And a male patient has all the doctors mesmerized with his smile.

2) "My Hard Labor." Turk and Carla feud over video games, while J.D. and Kim fight over her labor, and Dr. Cox wanders aimlessly in search of someone who'll give his baby girl a shot.

3) "My Inconvenient Truth." When J.D.'s brother, Dan, pays a visit and reminds him of a few painful truths, Sacred Heart winces at the Janitor's behavior once he's watched the Al Gore film.

4) "My Identity Crisis." The Janitor bets J.D. he can't name everyone's names, with a mop-slop hall wipedown riding on the outcome. Meanwhile, Dr. Cox feels loneliness pangs and Turk and Carla argue over their daughter's upbringing.

5) "My Growing Pains." Dr. Cox has a 10-year-old leukemia patient, but everything else is fun and games as Dr. Kelso has a birthday celebration and J.D. and Turk reminisce about their first practical joke.

6) "My #1 Doctor." J.D. is ranked tops among doctors, and while he tries to downplay his reaction, you know he's pleased. Meanwhile, the doctors compete to improve their own rankings.

7) "My Bad Too." J.D. treats a burn patient, Dr. Cox tries to help Dr. Kelso lose weight, and Turk secretly learns Spanish.