Scrubs“My Manhood”
Original Air Date: April 17, 2008
Rachel – Two Cents Staff Writer
The latest installment of Scrubs is all about aggression (or lack thereof) as it relates to masculinity. Sound like a term paper in a feminist theory class? You betcha! Let’s break it down:
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Scrubs
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Original Air Date: April 17, 2008
Rachel – Two Cents Staff Writer
The latest installment of Scrubs is all about aggression (or lack thereof) as it relates to masculinity. Sound like a term paper in a feminist theory class? You betcha! Let’s break it down:
JD v. Turk
JD noticed that Turk has been overly aggressive as of late. He has instituted the policy of remote wrestling in the lounge and is acting more Alpha Male than ever. When JD and Sam (his baby boy, remember?) want to watch West Side Story, Turk informs him he must wrestle for the privilege. Of course, Turk whoops JD and it makes the front page of The Janitorial (see “The Brain Trust v. Dr. Cox” below).
Later, JD almost gets beat-up by an angry husband of a patient. Luckily, Turk steps in and saves him. JD is irked because of Sam. How is JD supposed to be a good male role model for his son if Turk is always acting manlier? (To which I respond “How is JD supposed to be a good male role model for his son if they watch West Side Story together? But I digress.) JD challenges Turk to another remote wrestling bout and ends up clocking that pretty bald head with his elbow. Yes! Oh, wait… now Turk is gonna kill him. This should be good.
Using Carla as a human shield, JD learns that Turk recently had one of his testicles removed. What? Yeah, his kid got him good in the groin so, one testicular torsion later, he had to have it removed. Ouch. So THAT is why he has been acting all aggressive cave man: to prove he was still manly. They solve their “who looks tougher to those around him” problem with a Rocky III freeze-frame ending: A photo with which both could claim masculine superiority. Nice.
Dr. Kelso v. Elliot
Elliot overhears Dr. Kelso talking to his wife about being forced to retire. It is all Elliot’s fault, really: She threw him a surprise birthday party where the Board found out his real age and now they are strong-arming him out. She offers to help, but Kelso won’t have any of it.
Meanwhile, she and Carla are treating a very manly man (with very homo-phobic brothers) for chest tenderness and puckering. You heard me. The results are surprising: he has breast cancer. Although the cancer is treatable, he freaks out with embarrassment and refuses to tell anyone. This confuses Elliot to which the all-knowing Carla explains “He’s a guy.” Apparently, guys embarrass easily and don’t like to ask for help (or directions, I might add).
Through her crazy cancer patient, Elliot realizes that Dr. Kelso DOES want help; he’s just too much of a man to ask for it. She and Carla devise a plan to help Kelso keep his job, and, surprisingly, Kelso is actually grateful to them for trying.
The Brain Trust v. Dr. Cox
After realizing that no one in the hospital cares what he thinks, Janitor and his Brain Trust (The Todd, Doug, and Ted) decide to start a news rag: The Janitorial, a tri-daily newsletter exposé. This is going to be awesome.
After the first installment, Dr. Cox calls Janitor stupid. Bad move, man, for the pen is mightier than sticks and stones or something like that. Janitor publishes a fabricated interview with Dr. Cox in the next edition about how all Perry wants is a hug and a kind word of support. This ruins Perry’s life: for someone who hates being touched, hugs and pats on the back from everyone in the hospital constitutes a complete nightmare.
When Dr. Cox reaches the point of a total melt-down, he apologizes to Janitor who prints a retraction. I guess the manlier man won. Or maybe the man who is SO manly that he can’t even he hugged lost. I’m not sure. To quote Buffy, “It’s all about the power.”
Best (read: Creepiest) Moment:
JD’s daydream about what happened to Turks removed family jewel. I can’t even explain it. Watch it on YouTube… I’m sure it’s there. I have no words.
Next week: “My Princess”
I enjoyed the irony that Turk and JD are having a manliness contest, when earlier in the episode they admitted to being 'kind of married.'
ReplyDeleteWrestling for the privilege of watching West Side Story together......hilarious
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