Scrubs - My First Day
J.D. is excited to start his first day at Sacred Heart teaching hospital, prepared to go in there and be the best doctor he possibly could. But as he arrives he discovers it's a very challenging job, and struggles to find his place in the giant puzzle.
This is a very strong start to the classic sitcom. Zach Braff guides us through the new surroundings and characters with ease, letting us hear his own personal thoughts along the way. This could easily become annoying, but actually suits the tone of the show quite well. You really get a sense of the immense pressure to perform and impress that he feels inside. Both when it comes to his work and meeting other people. His best friend Turk works at the same place, but they have different work areas, so he can't be there to help him much.
The funniest lines easily go to Dr. Cox. Both the attitude and tone of his voice makes almost anything he says funny in the best, most absurd way possible. Don't let his superiority complex deceive you though, he's actually a good guy underneath. When J.D. faces his first really critical challenge, Cox gives him the confidence boost needed to get started. Bob Kelso also made me laugh a few times. "Have a ball... on call! A little poem for you." is like something a corny school teacher would say to get you motivated. The twist where he lashes out as J.D. asks him if he can skip an assignment is pretty cleverly done. He's been so nice up until this point you don't even realize it was foreshadowed earlier when Cox compared him to Satan himself.
There's a sad moment near the end when J.D. realizes one of his patients is dead, without even being informed of it beforehand. "The hardest part is how quickly you have to move on". Even if you become the best doctor around, you still have to get used to all the hardships that come with it. Turk comes to check on J.D. to make sure he's doing okay, and admits in the process he was pretending earlier about how easy it was for him. In fact, he's just as anxious as he is. Turk telling J.D. he loves him is adorable, even though he giggles afterwards. I think he meant it in all sincerity, but doesn't feel secure enough to be honest about it.
J.D. gets interested in a fellow medical intern called Elliot, who always tries to one-up him on everything. Elliot as a character is cockier than I remembered, but still pretty funny. I like when she tricks J.D. into thinking she doesn't know the answer on a question and then comes flying out of the gate with it seconds later. Just like Dr. Cox she also does have a heart beyond it all, which shows when she apologizes to J.D. at the end for being such a jerk all day. The moment where she essentially slutshamed Carla was a little odd, but it was saved by her great defensive comeback.
Overall, the pilot has convinced me to give the series another chance.