My Inconvenient Truth
Encyclopedia
"My Inconvenient Truth" is the third episode of season seven and the 142nd episode of the American sitcom Scrubs
. It aired on November 8, 2007, during NBC
's "Go Green Week".
calls Dr. Cox a hypocrite because he berates Boon over a cup of coffee, but tells a patient to stop stressing over little things. She says, "Our patients shouldn't have to take advice that we can't follow ourselves." Elliot then receives Robyn(Corena Chase), a patient who passed out at work due to malnourishment. Elliot points out that Robyn is 5'9 and weighs 119 lbs. Dr. Cox, who has been creeping up on her, lifts her up and notes that Elliot is the same height as her patient. She realizes that Dr. Cox is making his way to the scale and frantically tries to free herself. Dr. Cox asks Boon to tell him what the scale says, while Elliot responds by exclaiming, "No Boon, I will kill your family!" A frightened Boon states that the scales reads "298 lbs." Dr. Cox subtracts his own weight, leaving Elliot's weight at 118 lbs., a full pound less than her malnourished patient. Dr. Cox points out that Elliot herself is a hypocrite. Upon realizing this, Elliot decides to gain some weight along with Robyn. Later, when Elliot is getting ready to eat a large lunch with several pieces of cake, Dr. Cox messes with her by stating how great she has been looking lately, and gets the entire cafeteria to agree, prompting her to stop eating.
Meanwhile, Ted chastises The Janitor
for running his van's engine unnecessarily, and encourages him to watch An Inconvenient Truth
. After watching, the Janitor is convinced that Sacred Heart has to become more environmentally friendly and takes it upon himself to become the Environmental Officer. He makes some changes such as making "Carpool Only" spaces in the parking lot. He also threatens, despite admitting he has no real power, to dole out appropriate punishments to the people who don't obey the new rules, such as trapping them in their car with a wasp nest, crushing soda cans on their forehead, forcing them to drink mop water out of his bucket, and giving them the choice to eat a lightbulb or lick a battery. After only two days though, the Janitor has lost his enthusiasm.
After getting a speech from Carla on human nature, both Elliot and the Janitor are inspired. When the Janitor sees that even Dr. Kelso
is using the "Carpool Only" parking spaces, he realizes he was able to make a difference. Elliot comes to terms with her hypocrisy and when Robyn asks her if she has been eating, she says, "This isn't about me, I'm not the one fainting at the office so just do what I tell you to do."
Meanwhile, J.D.
's brother Dan (Tom Cavanagh
) returns with the news that he has moved out of his mom's attic and found a job as a real estate agent. Dan knows J.D. is having a rough time in his life and surprises him with a new car. Dan explains how, with a car, J.D. will be able to actually bring Sam over. J.D. disdains the notion of Dan giving him a car and breaks the windshield, stating that Dan is supposed to be the family screw-up. Dan tells J.D. that he needs to "grow up," which is confirmed by everyone else J.D. later asks, including Turk. J.D. realizes that Dan is right and takes him to visit his new nephew, Sam. Driving back, Dan tells J.D. that Sam looks like their father.
Scrubs (TV series)
Scrubs is an American medical comedy-drama television series created in 2001 by Bill Lawrence and produced by ABC Studios. The show follows the lives of several employees of the fictional Sacred Heart, a teaching hospital. It features fast-paced screenplay, slapstick, and surreal vignettes...
. It aired on November 8, 2007, during NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's "Go Green Week".
Plot
The hospital receives a new patient scale, which has all the female staff worrying about their weight. ElliotElliot Reid
Dr. Elliot Reid is a fictional character played by Sarah Chalke in the American comedy-drama Scrubs. She has appeared in every episode during the first eight seasons except two Season 8 episodes, "My Last Words" and "My Lawyer's in Love"....
calls Dr. Cox a hypocrite because he berates Boon over a cup of coffee, but tells a patient to stop stressing over little things. She says, "Our patients shouldn't have to take advice that we can't follow ourselves." Elliot then receives Robyn(Corena Chase), a patient who passed out at work due to malnourishment. Elliot points out that Robyn is 5'9 and weighs 119 lbs. Dr. Cox, who has been creeping up on her, lifts her up and notes that Elliot is the same height as her patient. She realizes that Dr. Cox is making his way to the scale and frantically tries to free herself. Dr. Cox asks Boon to tell him what the scale says, while Elliot responds by exclaiming, "No Boon, I will kill your family!" A frightened Boon states that the scales reads "298 lbs." Dr. Cox subtracts his own weight, leaving Elliot's weight at 118 lbs., a full pound less than her malnourished patient. Dr. Cox points out that Elliot herself is a hypocrite. Upon realizing this, Elliot decides to gain some weight along with Robyn. Later, when Elliot is getting ready to eat a large lunch with several pieces of cake, Dr. Cox messes with her by stating how great she has been looking lately, and gets the entire cafeteria to agree, prompting her to stop eating.
Meanwhile, Ted chastises The Janitor
Janitor (Scrubs)
The Janitor is a fictional character, played by actor Neil Flynn in the American comedy-drama Scrubs.Neil Flynn was originally billed as a recurring guest star throughout Season 1, although he appeared in all 24 episodes of that season. He was promoted to a series regular beginning with Season 2...
for running his van's engine unnecessarily, and encourages him to watch An Inconvenient Truth
An Inconvenient Truth
An Inconvenient Truth is a 2006 documentary film directed by Davis Guggenheim about former United States Vice President Al Gore's campaign to educate citizens about global warming via a comprehensive slide show that, by his own estimate, he has given more than a thousand times.Premiering at the...
. After watching, the Janitor is convinced that Sacred Heart has to become more environmentally friendly and takes it upon himself to become the Environmental Officer. He makes some changes such as making "Carpool Only" spaces in the parking lot. He also threatens, despite admitting he has no real power, to dole out appropriate punishments to the people who don't obey the new rules, such as trapping them in their car with a wasp nest, crushing soda cans on their forehead, forcing them to drink mop water out of his bucket, and giving them the choice to eat a lightbulb or lick a battery. After only two days though, the Janitor has lost his enthusiasm.
After getting a speech from Carla on human nature, both Elliot and the Janitor are inspired. When the Janitor sees that even Dr. Kelso
Bob Kelso
Robert "Bob" Kelso, M.D. , is a fictional character played by Ken Jenkins in the American comedy-drama Scrubs....
is using the "Carpool Only" parking spaces, he realizes he was able to make a difference. Elliot comes to terms with her hypocrisy and when Robyn asks her if she has been eating, she says, "This isn't about me, I'm not the one fainting at the office so just do what I tell you to do."
Meanwhile, J.D.
John Dorian
John Michael "J.D." Dorian, M.D. is a fictional character on the American comedy-drama Scrubs, played by Zach Braff. He is the narrator and main character of the series. He provides voice-over to the series which fills the roles of his internal thoughts and an overall narration in the show, often...
's brother Dan (Tom Cavanagh
Tom Cavanagh
Thomas "Tom" Cavanagh is a Canadian actor.-Early life:Cavanagh was born in Ottawa, Ontario. He is of Irish descent and was raised in a large Roman Catholic family. Cavanagh moved with his family to Winneba, a small city in Ghana, when he was seven years old. In his teens, the family moved to...
) returns with the news that he has moved out of his mom's attic and found a job as a real estate agent. Dan knows J.D. is having a rough time in his life and surprises him with a new car. Dan explains how, with a car, J.D. will be able to actually bring Sam over. J.D. disdains the notion of Dan giving him a car and breaks the windshield, stating that Dan is supposed to be the family screw-up. Dan tells J.D. that he needs to "grow up," which is confirmed by everyone else J.D. later asks, including Turk. J.D. realizes that Dan is right and takes him to visit his new nephew, Sam. Driving back, Dan tells J.D. that Sam looks like their father.
Cultural references
- Dan's entrance shares similarities to the revelation of the Jigsaw KillerJigsaw KillerJohn Kramer is a fictional character and the central character of the Saw franchise. Jigsaw made his debut as the primary antagonist in the first film of the series, Saw, and he's later portrayed as an antihero in Saw II, III, IV, V, VI and 3D...
in Saw.
- CarlaCarla EspinosaCarla Espinosa, RN is a fictional character in the American comedy-drama Scrubs, portrayed by Judy Reyes.Carla has appeared in every episode during the first eight seasons except three Season 8 episodes, "My Happy Place", "My Cookie Pants" and "My Full Moon"...
wants Turk to throw out his old face paint, which he used to paint glasses and a lighting-bolt scar on his forehead that "burns", a reference to J. K. RowlingJ. K. RowlingJoanne "Jo" Rowling, OBE , better known as J. K. Rowling, is the British author of the Harry Potter fantasy series...
's character Harry PotterHarry Potter (character)Harry James Potter is the title character and main protagonist of J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. The majority of the books' plot covers seven years in the life of the orphan Potter who, on his eleventh birthday, learns he is a wizard...
.
- Dr. Cox refers to Elliot as "Hypocrite BarbieBarbieBarbie is a fashion doll manufactured by the American toy-company Mattel, Inc. and launched in March 1959. American businesswoman Ruth Handler is credited with the creation of the doll using a German doll called Bild Lilli as her inspiration....
", "new from MattelMattelMattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
", the creator of the "Barbie" line of dolls.
Continuity
- J.D. calls The Janitor "Jolly Green" once again, in the scene where Carla is washing her hands, after a previous mention in the season 1 episode "My Drug Buddy".
- Elliot's patient references that Dr. Cox has crazy eyes, a fact mentioned in Season 1, Episode 6 by Carla.
Featured music
- "1812 Overture (Opus 49)" by Pyotr Ilyich TchaikovskyPyotr Ilyich TchaikovskyPyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Russian: Пётр Ильи́ч Чайко́вский ; often "Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky" in English. His names are also transliterated "Piotr" or "Petr"; "Ilitsch", "Il'ich" or "Illyich"; and "Tschaikowski", "Tschaikowsky", "Chajkovskij"...
- "Friends & Family" by Trik TurnerTrik TurnerTrik Turner is a rap rock band founded in Phoenix, Arizona in 1999. The band is best known for their song "Friends and Family," which reached the Top Ten on the Billboard Modern Rock chart and received airplay on MTV, VH1 and Adult Contemporary television and radio formats...