Scrubs as it relates to race, class, and gender

Millions of households across the globe have tuned into their televisions each week to watch the visual display of the imagination of Matt Lawrence. His creation of the show Scrubs has brought joy to viewers everywhere by grasping a widerange of emotions, from laughter to tears. From the art and elaborate visuals to the simple one-liners, its' brilliance has shined for seven great seasons. What Lawrence really does is take everyday scenarios and exaggerate them to the point of pure hilarity. Of these everyday scenarios, race, class, and gender are very common themes. Of these themes, race gender roles are the most prevalent. The main characters are very much cast into the everyday stigma of their gender and race.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWyveRn_SbA (Dr. Elliot Reed)

^^Youtube video posted by user CyClotroniC

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAcDHy9NqgE (Dr. Turk, Nurse Espanosa, Dr. Dorian)

^^Youtube video posted by user dbfinch

As seen in the first video, Elliot has been cast into the role of the "dumb, klutzy blonde." She lacks coordination and a real sense of social skills, very common stereotypes of young blonde women. The second video shows the lack of depth and blunt emotional nature of the common, everyday male as seen by the behavior of Turk and J.D. What is funny about the way that the show carries out these stereotypes is that for every one of them, there is a counteraction to balance them. For example, Elliot Reid is very much a ditz, but she is still Dr. Elliot Reid. If she were really that dumb she would have never made it through medical school. As for Turk and J.D., their masculinity has been question on countless occasions, mostly due to their interactions with each other, as evidenced in this number in the season 6 episode entitled My Musical.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lL4L4Uv5rf0&feature=related (J.D. & Turk, "Guy Love")

^^Youtube video posted by user jeffchan19

As you can see here, the two of them have quite the feelings for each other. Not only does the song break away from the typical alphamale, but each of their reactions to the news given to them by Elliot and Carla certainly carry underlying feminine tones. Also from that episode is a song by Carla and Turk entitled I'm Dominican. It is a musical argument between the interacially married couple addressing Turk's inablility to remember Carla's ethnicity.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCFEC_pD99c&feature=related (Turk and Carla, "I'm Dominican)

^^Youtube video posted by user MegaLamb

Although this can also be focused on gender stereotypes, the song's title and the salsa music with dancing indicate its stress on the racial aspects. Carla is seen a fiery latina woman who isn't going to take her husband's nonsense. She is a strong, independent, loving woman. These traits mixed with her fiery persona portray her as a "typical" latina.

So what does all of this mean? Like many shows, these issues are portrayed in a humorous way, and in my personal opinion, are trying to use humor to show its' obsurdities. This show is not meant to offend anyone, be they male or female, black or white, but simply to educate them. The messages are not always clear as they are commonly overshadowed by the humor and visuals. As citizens in a nation of free speech and free thought, such interpretation is left to the individual. I choose to see the satire. How do you choose to see it?

-Nathan Maul