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The preliminary diagnosis on Scrubs's penultimate season was stable, but critical. On closer examination, however, a second opinion is warranted. Season 6 cuts deep with developments that are both "hilarious and life-changing" (not to mention, heartbreaking) for the Sacred Heart staff. J.D. (Zach Braff),\ has learned that his girlfriend, Kim (Elizabeth Banks), is pregnant, but there are dramatic setbacks and surprises in their budding relationship. Carla (Judy Reyes) experiences devastating post-partum depression after the birth of her daughter. Elliot (Sarah Chalke) becomes engaged to Keith (Travis Schuldt) but develops the kind of second thoughts that season cliffhangers are made of. And one of Scrubs's beloved secondary characters meets a tragic end, putting nurse Laverne's (Aloma Wright) belief that "everything happens for a reason" to the supreme test.

This season produced one of Scrubs's crowning achievements, the Emmy-nominated tour-de-force "My Musical," featuring such show-stopping numbers as "Everything Comes Down to Poo" and "Guy Love," sung by Scrubs's closest couple, J.D. and best friend Turk (Donald Faison). Still, too often, one wishes Scrubs had the equivalent of Graham Chapman's military character on Monty Python who would stop the proceedings if he deemed them too silly. Before the opening credits of the season premiere have rolled, J.D. has been whisked to Las Vegas to be the unwitting bride to a gay senior, escaped, and wound up onstage with Blue Man Group. At the end of the episode, his tormentor, Janitor (Neil Flynn), transforms him into a human flag. In the next episode, Turk assembles a "big-time college drum line" to herald the impending birth of his daughter. At times like these, fans could be forgiven for wanting to ask the show, "Who are you, and what have you done with Scrubs?" But even in the most uneven episodes, there is always a redeeming bit of business (Turk bringing back 'N Sync's "Bye Bye Bye"), meta moment (Ken Jenkins' Dr. Kelso nipping one of John C. McGinley's signature "Coxian" rants in the bud with "Funny long list. We get it. You need a new thing, big guy."), or an always-welcome appearance by Christa Miller-Lawrence as Dr. Cox's not-to-be-trifled-with ex-wife Jordan, to make the medicine go down. The extras, too, including a featurette about the production of "My Musical" and another devoted to the show's Simpson-esque gallery of "third tier" characters, are deserving of a boxed-set high-five. --Donald Liebenson