Why Scrubs has been my favorite show of all time

One of the first sitcoms I fell in love with was Bill Lawrence's show Scrubs. The thing that I can't believe is that it is still my favorite show. It's been at the top of my list for 8 years now and I've finally started to think why. Scrubs has some of the best characters and character development that I've seen on a television series. They make it very easy to relate to so many characters on the show starting with JD or John Dorian played by Zach Braff. JD is this loving, nerdy guy who is the main character of the show. He also is the narrator, giving the show this omniscient view of JD. They also give a look into JD's head by doing these flashes to absurd thoughts JD is having. I really think it is overall JD's personality and development throughout the show that have really blown me away. He's always been a weird, quirky, funny guy but when the show just started he was this terrified anxious guy and as he spent more and more time at Sacred Heart you actually watched him build his confidence. They made him a real growing and developing human being in my eyes and that's what really impresses me.

Another character they developed really well is Dr. Cox, played by John McGinley. They started him out really tough and rough around the edges and they almost lead you on with him because they hinted at this kinder, human side of him but only let it out in huge moments in the show. They usually did this with patients that he grew attached to or made promises with. My favorite moment with Dr. Cox's human side is in season 5 episode, episode 20 My Lunch.  A patient he connected with was in need of an organ donor as well as two other patients who we're in dire need of new organs. Dr. Cox became obsessed on the idea and was looking and doing all that he could to help out these patients. Finally a former patient came in who was to believe of died from overdose. Dr. Cox convinced the former patients mother to donate her organs and at this point we thought the day was saved. Then right before the episode ends all the patients fail due to the former patient actually dying from rabies.  Dr. Cox is hit hard from this mistake and spirals into a depression.

Also I love how they theme their episodes. They had an episode called My Musical in which Bill Lawrence and Debra Bordha did a musical version of the show with music by Jan Stevens. The perfectly crossed musical theater and the world of television. They also have done a Wizard of Oz spoof, a Star Wars spoof, and have made countless other references to real events and famous shows and movies.

Another reason why I love the show is because of deeper meaning the episodes can have. A lot of people can get thrown off by this but I really enjoy that deeper message. They even get somewhat complex in the episodes for a network television series. In the episode  My Screwup they don't let you know that Dr. Cox's best friend has died and have him as a thought or memory of Dr. Cox's for the whole episode. They did this again later in the season when Nurse Roberts dies and her memory haunts Carla. I really think it's an interesting way of getting into a characters head.

Overall I'm still in love with this show because how much they've made me care for the character and what I take away from the show. I am able to feel for the characters, have a good laugh, and learn something from it.

Garden State

Recently, after Hurricane Sandy and it being close to Thanksgiving I’ve been very homesick. So, I decided to watch Garden State directed by Zach Braff because it always reminds me of home. Obviously (hence the title), the film takes place in a suburban town in New Jersey. Zach Braff, the main character, is an overly medicated struggling actor in LA who goes home to jersey because his mother died. Within the first few minutes of this film, we know so much about his character. His room is blank and white, and his medicine cabinet is completely filled with medicine. Without any use of dialogue, we can tell by the cinematography and facial expressions about this character.  I try to use this technique in most of the films I make. Less dialogue, and more cinematography to tell about the character since I have such a short amount of time to convey my story. 

Most of this movie is Andrew (Zach Braff) meeting up with old friends and basically doing nothing around his town, other then drugs and explore abandoned places. This reminds me a lot of my home town, most of the kids are so bored and are always doing nothing. Although people say this movie is about people do nothing, it has a lot of sentimental value to me. All the character’s are very relatable and the situations seem real. Although there isn’t much of a climax other then their love story, or a any action in it, it holds my attention the hold time. 

Another great aspect of this movie is the soundtrack. Zach Braff claims he picked out each song of this soundtrack based on his life at the time of writing this film. I felt this music accurately portrayed the mood of the film at the time and fit to each characters emotions. I didn’t think it was too much and was totally worth obtaining all the copyright information. A lot of my favorite bands today were featured in this film, and it basically started my interest in indie music. This film has a lot of great elements, and whenever I watch it, it reminds me of home. Even if you’re not from Jersey, this is a great film to watch, whatever mood you’re in. It has kind of a sappy love story, but it isn’t cheesy when put in the context of this film.