SCRUBS - "MY CUZ" - A welcome relief before the end

I’m glad I have a new episode of SCRUBS to cleanse my palette after last week’s debacle. SCRUBS is too good of a show to resort to a gimmicky vacation episode. Thankfully, it got back on track this week with “My Cuz”. It also marks the return of two characters from J.D. (Zach Braff) and Elliot’s (Sarah Chalke) past. Elizabeth Banks and Scott Foley are back as Kim Briggs, mother of J.D.’s child, and Sean Kelly, Elliot’s ex-boyfriend and J.D.’s nemesis. In a screwy plot twist that I don’t think anyone saw coming, Kim and Sean are now together making for some truly awkward moments between the four of them. It’s good to see SCRUBS back on track.

There were two main arcs this episode and both of them have some heavy ramifications for the future. The first, which I mentioned already, was the J.D./Elliot/Kim/Sean thing. What a weird lunch date that must be. I think my face would explode if I ever ended up sitting across from my girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend who is now sleeping with my ex-girlfriend. It’s kind of creepy, but it leads directly to the title of the episode. Apparently, if two guys sleep with they same girl, they are now sex cousins, or cuz for short.

I love it when SCRUBS comes up with these ridiculous names for these absurd situations. It’s that sort of quirky creativity that helped make SCRUBS such a koolarious show (that’s kooky + hilarious, btw). There’s even a secret pinky handshake among “cousins”, which, of course, you see throughout the show between some very odd characters. Seriously, who thought to bring Sean and Kim back in the show as a couple? Whoever you are, I need to shake your hand (but not your pinky).

While the foursome struggle to make things comfortable between them, Turk (Donald Faison) is hounding Dr. Cox (John C. McGinley) to give him the newly opened position of Chief of Surgery. Dr. Cox absolutely refuses to consider Turk, even after numerous personal vouches from practically the entire Sacred Heart staff. It takes some counseling from Bob Kelso (Ken Jenkins) to finally make Dr. Cox realize that he is biased against Turk for personal reasons, and that he really is the best person for the job. After some soul searching, Dr. Cox relents and offers Turk the position.

It’s funny how far these characters have come over the years. The initial premise of SCRUBS was looking at the hospital through the eyes of an intern, but here we are eight years later, and Turk is the friggin Chief of Surgery. A lot has changed on SCRUBS, and it’s just another reminder that their stories have been told. Yes SCRUBS fans, the end is near.

Speaking of the end, I think we just received the first real clue as to how SCRUBS will conclude. There are only three episodes left, after all, so they better wrap it up quickly. J.D. decides that he wants to move closer to Kim and his son so that he can be a real father to him, and not, as J.D. puts it, a part time dad. It’s a big decision. Huge. It means J.D. will leave Sacred Heart. It means the end of SCRUBS.

We all knew this was coming, so it’s not exactly a shock. There is, however, the Elliot factor. Will she be willing to move away with J.D., or will they break up? It’s fodder for the final stretch. In any case, brace yourself SCRUBS fans. After eight glorious years, SCRUBS is done. Finito. Over.