Second Look: Scrubs Season 1, Episode 14 – “My Drug Buddy”

Scrubs Season 1, Episode 14 “My Drug Buddy”
Written by Neil Goldman & Garrett Donovan
Directed by Michael Spiller
Aired January 22, 2002 on NBC

Scrubs‘s legacy as a romantic comedy is a dubious one; though a show infinitely capable of exploring the bonds of family and community, whenever Scrubs would turn its attention to more romantic and/or sexually-charged storylines, it was much more inconsistent, often undercutting itself with unnecessary plot histrionics and easily avoidable emotional dead ends. “My Drug Buddy” is one of the show’s first attempts to put its rom-com foot forward – and as a result, is a prime example of some of the show’s short and long-term storytelling faults, spread across 22 minutes of mildly amusing head-scratching.

On its face, it makes sense for Scrubs to pair up the show’s two love triangles together into a single episode – unfortunately, it only works in revealing how underwhelming both stories feel. After building up Alex for two episodes, J.D.’s short-lived relationship with Sacred Heart’s (now former) social worker is an incredible wasted opportunity in this episode, as this episode becomes less about J.D.’s conflicted feelings for the two women (both colleagues, I might add) in his life, and more about how long the series was going to draw out a passionate entanglement for the two gawky, awkward residents. And it’s not really even great at that; after J.D. rudely dismisses Elliot’s concerns for his new relationship as jealousy, telling her she “had her chance” with him – which is unflattering enough for the self-deprecating doctor, but when he unpleasantly doubles down on it, only to be rewarded at the end of the episode with the sex he’s so desperately been seeking, it really undercuts anything the episode’s trying to say about making difficult choices and experiencing complex emotions (which is strange, considering the episode that would follow this one).

The whole J.D. plotline runs into trouble long before Elliot throws herself at him in the final moments, though; what indistinct characterization Alex was offered in her first two appearances is completely erased here, reducing her to suggestive eyes and a crippling pill addiction, and someone who exists more as a temporary wedge than a meaningful obstacle between the much-alluded to aforementioned coupling of its two whitest protagonists. Without Alex and J.D.’s relationship having established any kind of real stakes – beyond J.D. learning how to balance work and play – much of “My Drug Buddy” is spent laughing at J.D. for not sleeping with Alex yet, then dismissing her as a pill popper who immediately leaves J.D.’s life.

The arc falls flat enough with Alex’s character – but when it is revealed to be nothing but a distracting farce the second she walks offscreen and J.D. and Elliot start hooking up, it becomes aggravatingly empty. And it’s not even the decision to bring them together, necessarily – as sitcom after sitcom have proved over the past thirty-plus years, dragging out an exploration of the obvious pairing at a show’s center works against a series. Elliot’s impulsiveness is felt in the show’s creative decision – and it’s an interesting one, though it completely undermines the last hour of scenes we’ve spent with the main character, which doesn’t exactly bode well for Elliot’s still-forming self-esteem… I mean, a major plot point of this episode is him taking Alex’s side over Elliot’s regarding a rehabbing patient (the one Alex is revealed to be stealing from) because of “The Booty Principle”, and a few scenes later, they’re sleeping together for the first time, while Alex literally fades out of the picture, never to be seen or heard from again (until season eight’s “My Finale”, though I’m not counting that). Without engaging with J.D. on any kind of level besides his libido, it robs “Drug Buddy” of a meaningful emotional arc for both him and Elliot, which makes the awkwardly-delivered surprise ending feel like a bit rushed and unearned emotionally.

Elsewhere, Turk finally deduces Cox is in love with Carla, feelings that finally come to light after Turk chases him around the bathrooms of Sacred Heart in an attempt to make a ‘pee buddy’ with his girlfriend’s work pal, a rather blatant representation of the pissing contest forming between the two biggest egos in Sacred Heart. Like Elliot and J.D., the revelation of Cox’s emotions is a moment that comes a bit out of nowhere; but given how well the dynamics of Cox and Turk are established in previous scenes, the revelation surfaces more organically than the other stories of the episode – and more importantly, doesn’t require any of its characters to dump their own plot arcs, in service of a secondary romantic subplot. Sure, Cox eventually backing down (with the threat of being ready the day Carla becomes available again) is a bit of an inert way to end the story of this episode, but at least the arc makes sense for both characters – and is able to do so without Carla really being involved at all, as she’s off learning a humiliating lesson about being the token “favorite” nurse with the hospital’s chief of medicine (and what a fickle title it can be).

Though well-intentioned in its willingness to push some of its chips to the center in the middle of the season’s second act, “My Drug Buddy” feels like it rushes to get all of its pieces properly in place, disposing of three episode’s worth of storytelling so it can perform the obligatory ritual of pushing its two main characters into a romantic entanglement (it doesn’t help knowing the next episode takes a much more interesting approach to the potential J.D./Elliot pairing – but even for Scrubs newbies, Alex’s quick disposal can’t feel satisfying). It’s not a terrible episode, per se – again, Carla and Kelso’s amusing dynamic is a strong floor-raiser for this episode – but one that feels more than a bit rushed and undercooked than clearly intended.

Grade: C+

Other thoughts/observations:

• Had J.D. done any dating in high school or college, he would realize how dumb The Booty Principle is.
  
• Cox and Turk doing half-splits to use the urinals in the pediatrics bathroom is a great visual gag.
  
• Speaking of, what does Cox’s dick say? “It says: if you can read this, you’re standing too close.”
  
• “You ever fooled around with anyone in here?” J.D.: “Lots of times… just not with anyone.”
  
• Kelso’s satisfaction with his “I think what she means is she doesn’t give a crappacino” is a wonderful little bit of performance.
  
• One joke I love is when Laverne gets angry about the new schedule rules: “I’m supposed to see my nephew in Pippin!” “who’s he playing?” “Pippin!”
  
• Kelso: “I don’t spend much time worrying about people’s feelings around here. I just do whatever makes me happy.”
  
• Great use of Nil Lara’s “Fighting for My Love” at the end of the episode (though the “kiss you” part is more than a bit on the nose) – and not the first use of the song on network TV, previously being featured in an episode of Melrose Place.
  
• Up next: Elliot and J.D. share a pizza in “My Bed Banter and Beyond”.