Comedy
Eternally Yours
While certainly lighter than most other vampire romps, ‘Eternally Yours’ still has some elements discerning viewers may not want to bite into.
Some things never change.
The original Scrubs debutedon NBC in 2001, focusing on the exploits and hijinks of a handful of doctors working at Sacred Heart Hospital: J.D. Dorian (the show’s narrator), Elliot Reed (his sometime love interest); Christopher Turk (J.D.’s best friend) and others. Its blend of slapstick humor, heartfelt stories and surreal flights of fancy earned it plenty of fans and 17 Emmy nominations.
This new reboot of the medical comedy is both a lot of old, and a bit of new. J.D. and Christopher (now Chief of Medicine and Chief of Surgery, respectively) still headline the series, ensuring that the halls of Sacred Heart are still pumping with IVs full of sentimentality as well as low-hanging sexual and grossout jokes.
Chief of Medicine is a relatively new role for J.D., one thrust upon him due to the previous headstrong chief Dr. Cox stepping down while reckoning with his own vulnerability due to an auto-immune disease. Is J.D. mature enough for such a task? Probably not. But at Sacred Heart, friendship and a complete disregard for protocol come in equal measure—along with enough thinly veiled sexual innuendo to send any discerning ears to the emergency room.
Diehard fans of the original run of Scrubs will likely delight in this reboot’s intentional preservation of what made the show so, um, unique in the first place. That being said, this rehash of leftovers is surely not going to convert those uninitiated into the medical field.
While the bestie bromance of J.D. and Chris was worthy itself of a chuckle or two, the series still relies almost solely on sexual, bodily gags that feel as though they undermine the comedic talent of its cast. Jokes are easy, excessive, and mostly stick to the same kind of juvenile humor found in a middle school locker room. While the audience who loved the original run of Scrubs has likely matured a bit in the past decade or so, the show has not. For many, that’s a selling point—but for families, a trip to Sacred Heart will not be approved by company insurance.
(Editor’s Note: Plugged In is rarely able to watch every episode of a given series for review. As such, there’s always a chance that you might see a problem that we didn’t. If you notice content that you feel should be included in our review, send us an email at letters@pluggedin.com, or contact us via Facebook or Instagram, and be sure to let us know the episode number, title and season so that we can check it out.)
Typical shenanigans ensue as J.D., Chris, longtime series regular Dr. Elliot Reid and newcomer Dr. Sam Tosh all must deal with the demands of Dr. Cox’s wife, Jordan. Her incessant commands force the crew to split up and do a day’s worth of blood tests on their ex-boss in a matter of hours—all while J.D. longingly daydreams of his new lover, Charlie. Meanwhile, Sibby from Sacred Heart’s human resources department is insistent on getting to the bottom of a new, less than secret co-worker relationship.
Near-constant sexual jokes remain a mainstay with these medical professionals. Quips about a “harmless pervert” and a doctor whose college days included an exploration of “above the belt lesbianism” are but a few examples of these gags that favor innuendo over wit. Talk of how good sex was between partners, and how many times it was had in one night, permeate the script. Other jokes affirm same-sex relationships.
While no nudity is seen, viewers catch the last seconds of sex between J.D. and Charlie. He is shirtless, and she is wearing a bra—any other sensitive parts from either party are covered by a blanket. Shortly after, J.D. is briefly seen sporting some boxers. Another man is seen shirtless while bloodwork is being done. A bit of that blood is seen, but only those extremely sensitive to needles should mind much.
Jordan’s threats to the medical staff can be graphic, such as “kicking everyone in the crotch” or sticking a “finger up your pooper.” A man is offered a sleeping pill, and adults drink wine socially in a scene.
A character jokes about “praying to whatever god you believe in.” J.D comments on Chris’ physical fitness, calling him a “black Zeus.” Chris responds that “Zues is already black, like Santa and Jesus.”
Language includes two uses of “b–ch,” and three uses each of “d—n” and “a–,” as well as a couple misuses of God’s name.
Jonah Parker’s first interaction with Plugged In came when he was just five years old, after his parents read a review for The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian and deemed the content too intense for him. What started out as a contentious relationship between Jonah and a staff of reviewers who knew not of his existence would later turn into an appreciation for the site’s ability to present media content in a way that was accurate and fair. Jonah enjoys analyzing how our entertainment echoes the creativity of our Creator while finding glimpses of Biblical truths within every genre. He believes that Robert Pattinson’s Batmobile is the perfect mix of cool and practical.
While certainly lighter than most other vampire romps, ‘Eternally Yours’ still has some elements discerning viewers may not want to bite into.
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