Scrubs
Thursday, May 7 2009
I know some people who are doctors – that is, not my doctors, but people I know who happen to be doctors. I have heard these people say more than once that the most realistic medical show on TV is “Scrubs”, and it always struck me as a little odd. I mean, “Scrubs” is hilarious – but realistic? Should I be worried?
Apparently not: this Slate article explains my doctor friends’ affinity for the show better than I (or they) could. It’s worth a read, especially for the news that there’s a 50-50 chance the show might return.
Well, that’s rather vindicating news. I’ve been saying this privately for years among my friends (none of whom happen to be doctors) and I’ve yet to get anything but a wary ‘arched eyebrow’ in response.
I’ve always said that what goes on in JD’s head is closer to what actually goes on in my head, in a similar situation, than anything a character might be heard to utter aloud on any of the other doctor shows.
After reading the lead, I got to thinking, If Scrubs portrays what the hospital is really like in between crises (and I think that’s not an unreasonable description) the other shows portray only the uncommon juicy gobbets – taking the one or two really interesting things that might happen at a hospital in a month, or over a year, or even over the course of a whole career, and compact them into every single episode. The distortion makes it appear as if life is sexy 95% of the time, and banal only 5% of the time, when actually just the reverse is really true. But this is just the standard form for all television drama: “TV is like life, except with all of the boring parts cut out.”
When JD navigates an awkward situation I often feel like I’m right there with him, at least in spirit.
In contrast it’s somewhat more unusual for me to commit felony breaking and entering into a hospitalized patient’s home so that I can rummage through his medicine chest.
And honestly, even during residency, only rarely did I have hot steamy sex with a beautiful nurse or intern just behind a curtain in the emergency department.