Saying goodbye to my favorite TV doctor
Chris Maggio
Issue date: 4/23/09 Section: Lifestyles
For my first Chimes column, I wanted to write a piece that would mirror my transition from entertainment reporter to next year's lifestyles editor.
As my beloved Scrubs passes into a television afterworld of syndication, I decided to reflect on the influence that Dr. John Michael "J.D." Dorian, as played by Zach Braff, has had on my life since Scrubs first aired in 2001.
At 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 6 on ABC, Zach Braff will appear in his last episode of Scrubs in what may very well be the series finale of the sitcom.
If Scrubs was to soldier on with a new cast, as was rumored a few months ago, I would still give it a chance.
For me to continue to watch it, however, the sitcom would have to offer a character as influential as J.D.
I keep referring to J.D.'s influence for the same reason that I watch few sitcoms in the first place.
I don't have time for much television so when I choose a sitcom, I want to feel its effects beyond 22 minutes per week.
I want to recall scenes from an episode the next day and still laugh at them or, in the case of Scrubs, still tear up at them.
As I type the words "tear up," I think what a "sensi" I am, and there it is! J.D.'s influence even as I write this column. I first heard this term, short for "sensitive guy," when J.D. used it to describe himself and another sensitive doctor.
In addition, "sensis" prefer "acoustic alternative," a genre of music that was definitely tied to my heartstrings before J.D. ever said it.
Although all of the characters on Scrubs are memorable, "sensi" is just one example of how I identified with J.D the most.
As I continued to watch Scrubs, I not only recalled J.D.'s quirks, I allowed them to enhance my own, similar quirks to the point where I now owe a fair portion of my sense of humor to J.D.
Take my ignorance of sports. Before Scrubs premiered, I was already confusing extra innings with overtime.
Through J.D., I learned I could become more endearing to people (specifically those of the opposite sex) if I got them to laugh with me when it came to my ignorance.
Or take the term "spoon chest," the words used by J.D. to describe his middle torso.
I assume he was referring to something similar to how the bottom of my sternum dips into my chest, well, like a spoon.
For years, this physiological anomaly baffled anyone who was ever in a locker room with me as I changed.
Now, whenever someone sees me shirtless, I merely slide the palm of my hand over this dip and tell them "it's my spoooon chest."
Sounds kind of gross in print, but it gets a chuckle every time. Well, as long as the person is a Scrubs fan.
So thank you, Zach Braff and the writers of Scrubs, for creating J.D. He has helped me become a funnier person.
Now, if only I can figure out how he was able to hook up with so many beautiful women ...
cmaggio@capital.edu
As my beloved Scrubs passes into a television afterworld of syndication, I decided to reflect on the influence that Dr. John Michael "J.D." Dorian, as played by Zach Braff, has had on my life since Scrubs first aired in 2001.
At 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 6 on ABC, Zach Braff will appear in his last episode of Scrubs in what may very well be the series finale of the sitcom.
If Scrubs was to soldier on with a new cast, as was rumored a few months ago, I would still give it a chance.
For me to continue to watch it, however, the sitcom would have to offer a character as influential as J.D.
I keep referring to J.D.'s influence for the same reason that I watch few sitcoms in the first place.
I don't have time for much television so when I choose a sitcom, I want to feel its effects beyond 22 minutes per week.
I want to recall scenes from an episode the next day and still laugh at them or, in the case of Scrubs, still tear up at them.
As I type the words "tear up," I think what a "sensi" I am, and there it is! J.D.'s influence even as I write this column. I first heard this term, short for "sensitive guy," when J.D. used it to describe himself and another sensitive doctor.
In addition, "sensis" prefer "acoustic alternative," a genre of music that was definitely tied to my heartstrings before J.D. ever said it.
Although all of the characters on Scrubs are memorable, "sensi" is just one example of how I identified with J.D the most.
As I continued to watch Scrubs, I not only recalled J.D.'s quirks, I allowed them to enhance my own, similar quirks to the point where I now owe a fair portion of my sense of humor to J.D.
Take my ignorance of sports. Before Scrubs premiered, I was already confusing extra innings with overtime.
Through J.D., I learned I could become more endearing to people (specifically those of the opposite sex) if I got them to laugh with me when it came to my ignorance.
Or take the term "spoon chest," the words used by J.D. to describe his middle torso.
I assume he was referring to something similar to how the bottom of my sternum dips into my chest, well, like a spoon.
For years, this physiological anomaly baffled anyone who was ever in a locker room with me as I changed.
Now, whenever someone sees me shirtless, I merely slide the palm of my hand over this dip and tell them "it's my spoooon chest."
Sounds kind of gross in print, but it gets a chuckle every time. Well, as long as the person is a Scrubs fan.
So thank you, Zach Braff and the writers of Scrubs, for creating J.D. He has helped me become a funnier person.
Now, if only I can figure out how he was able to hook up with so many beautiful women ...
cmaggio@capital.edu
Be the first to comment on this story