My Finale
"My Finale" | |
---|---|
Bill Lawrence | |
Production code | 816/817 |
Original air date | May 6, 2009 |
"My Finale" is the 40-minute-long eighth season finale and 168th and 169th overall episodes of the American television sitcom Scrubs.[1] It was originally broadcast as episodes 18 and 19 of season eight on May 6, 2009 on ABC, and was intended to be the series finale during production. However, while the episode was billed as the "Scrubs finale" at the time of airing, it was unknown whether this would be the series finale or the season finale. The show ended up returning for a ninth season. Since the show underwent many changes for the ninth and final season, this is the last episode in which all of the main cast appear as series regulars and the last appearance of Judy Reyes as Carla Espinosa.
Plot
On the morning of his last day,
J.D. hunts for
J.D. storms outside with Elliot for some air, distraught that nobody else wants to give him a heartfelt goodbye. Elliot points out to the happy staffers yelling goodbye from the windows of the upper floors of the hospital. J.D. jumps at the chance to make a heartfelt yet clearly pre-rehearsed speech about his maturation at Sacred Heart, only to find that the goodbyes are meant for Dr. Kelso, who has taken his table and is finally leaving Sacred Heart a full year after his own retirement. Dr. Kelso reminds J.D. that no one ever really makes a big deal when someone leaves the hospital, but offers J.D. a handshake and proper farewell. This reenergizes J.D., determined to get his sentimental goodbye from Dr. Cox, who tells him this day is nothing special. J.D. tells him that if he is gonna put that in the book, he should put that on the 5 and walks away.
Watching his terminal patient, J.D. sits with Carla, who defends him against Dr. Cox one last time as he walks by. J.D. asks her why she has always been so nice and never harassed him the way she does Dr. Cox. Carla reminds him that he is "Bambi" and she wanted to teach him. They have a tender moment as J.D. thanks her for teaching him, and they say how much they are going to miss each other.
Later in the cafeteria,
As he is preparing to leave, he sees Dr. Cox ranting at the intern Sunny. He finally relents, admitting to himself that Cox is gruff and insensitive, yet still a great teacher. He thanks Dr. Cox for everything, before moving on. Turk and Elliot both rush up to J.D. and apologize for saying their goodbyes too early, but he understands. He's glad that Elliot is moving in with him, she crazily blurts out that she has sub-let her house and they now officially live together.
At the end of J.D.'s shift, the Janitor actually offers his goodbye to him. They wish each other luck and the Janitor reveals his name as Glenn Matthews; however, an orderly then calls him "Tommy", making it uncertain whether this is indeed his real name. (In a Twitter post on April 5, 2011, Bill Lawrence confirmed that Janitor was telling the truth when he revealed his name as Glenn Matthews.)[2]
As he walks through the ICU for the final time, J.D. thinks of how he is lucky to have gotten what he has from the day, he says his goodbye to Dr. Cox before leaving. Sunny tells Dr. Cox how glad she is that J.D. is finally leaving. Dr. Cox replies that he considers J.D. a talented doctor, a good person, and a friend. J.D. (who had planned this in advance with Sunny) is secretly behind him and hears the whole thing, finally hugging a mortified Dr. Cox. Dr. Cox then erases the smile on Sunny's face by reminding her she will be at Sacred Heart for a long time.
J.D. then walks through the halls of Sacred Heart for the last time and, as he does, he sees visions of many of the people he has encountered over his eight years there. He sees his family, ex-girlfriends, former patients (both dead and alive) and co-workers before walking out the door for the last time. Upon leaving, he makes his final inner monologue about being able to shape his own unknown future. He visualizes a film of his future playing on the still hanging "Goodbye J.D." cloth, showing him marrying Elliot, having a child with her, sharing
Production
On his blog, writer Bill Lawrence admitted that the dialogue between J.D. and Elliot in bed at the beginning of the episode was lifted from the pilot of a previous show of his, Spin City.[3] Also of note, the doctor who says "adios" to J.D. as he leaves the ICU in the final attempt for Dr. Cox to give JD a goodbye hug is Dr. Jonathan Doris, upon whom the show is loosely based.[4]
Cast
It was reported a week after filming in September 2008 that the finale of season 8 would feature a large cast of characters who had appeared throughout the show's eight-season run. Over fifty actors reprised their roles as patients, medical staff, and supporting players from prior episodes for the finale.
- Dan Dorian
- Dr. Todd Quinlan
- Amy Smart as Jamie Moyer (Tasty Coma Wife)
- Elizabeth Bogush as Alex Hanson
- Josh Cooke as Dan Stonewater
- Nicole Sullivan as Jill Tracy
- Patricia Wilk
- Laverne Roberts
- Aaron Ikeda as Rex
- Bellamy Young as Dr. Grace Miller
- Ted
- The Worthless Peons
- Stephanie Gooch
- Shaughn Buchholz as Jason "Cabbage" Cabbagio
- Stephanie D'Abruzzo as Patti Miller
- Michael McDonaldas Mike Davis
- Colin Hay as himself
- Dr. Phillip Wen
- Lloyd
- Ladinia "Lady" Williams
- Keith Dudemeister
- Frank Encarnacao as Dr. Walter Mickhead
- Robert E. Beckwith as Dr. Johnson
- Jill Tracy as Elaine
- Meredith Roberts as Kathy the intern
- Troy
- Randall Winston
- Lindsay Ravange as Debbie (Slagathor)
- Tyler Poelle as Boon
- Katie O'Rourke as Patty (Coffee Nurse)
- Leonard
- Christina Miles as Gloria
- Bob Clendenin as Dr. Paul Zeltzer
- Jay Kenneth Johnson as Dr. Matthews
- Deonte Gordon as Mark The Orderly
- Kathryn Joosten as Mrs. Tanner
- Geoff Stevenson as Dr. Seymour Beardfacé
- Taran Killam as Jimmy the Overly Touchy Orderly
- Bob Bencomo as Dr. Coleman "Colonel Doctor" Slawski
- Lonnie
- Aseem Batra as Josephine
- Manley Henry as Snoop Dogg Attending(Ronald)
- Matt Winston as Dr. Jeffrey Steadman
- Hooch
- Jordan Sullivan
- Denise Mahoney
- Sonal Shah as Sonja 'Sunny' Dey
- Bill Lawrenceas Custodian
Music
- "Snow (Hey Oh)" by Red Hot Chili Peppers
- "The Book of Love" by The Magnetic Fields as performed by Peter Gabriel
- "Superman" by Lazlo Bane (acoustic instrumental)
- "Superman" by Lazlo Bane as performed by The Blanks
References
- ^ "ABC preps for a "Scrubs" return", Reuters, May 15, 2009
- ^ Lawrence, Bill (2011-08-05). "JANITOR'S NAME WAS GLENN MATTHEWS. He told truth to J.D. for once". Twitter. Retrieved 2011-08-05.
- ^ "The finale" Archived 2009-12-12 at the Wayback Machine by Bill Lawrence, on ABC's Scrubs message forum, May 7, 2009
- ^ "My Finale". Scrubs. Season 8. Episode 18. May 6, 2009. Event occurs at 29:43. ABC.
- ^ "Past guest stars from 'Scrubs' to be on finale" by Chuck Barney, on Ohio.com, May 3, 2009
- ^ "Heather Graham Dumps 'Scrubs' For New Beau", Parade magazine, June 1, 2009
- ^ "Scrubs: NBC Stars Not Allowed to Return for Series Finale", TVseriesFinale.com, September 8, 2008
External links
- "My Finale (Part 1)" at IMDb
- "My Finale (Part 2)" at IMDb