Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
More On:
Scrubs
-
'9-1-1's Ryan Guzman Shares His Dream Crossover Episode — And You'll Never Guess What It Is
-
Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Candy Cruz’ on Max, a Sitcom About a Wannabe Chef Who Finds Herself Competing on a Cooking Show
-
Stream It Or Skip It: 'Daily Dose Of Sunshine' On Netflix, About A Young Nurse Who Brings A Sunny Disposition To A Hospital's Psychiatric Ward
-
Dulé Hill Tells 'The View' He and Donald Faison Made a Pact to Follow Their Acting Dreams Decades Ago: "No Matter How Long It Takes"
Scrubs is painfully under-appreciated. Airing from 2001-2008 on NBC and 2009-2010 on ABC, Bill Lawrence’s fervently adored medical comedy was a fresh blend of quick-wit, blistering absurdity, and genuine heart. Much like the show’s spiritual predecessor, NewsRadio, Scrubs served as a Swiss Army knife toggling between various Tuesday and Thursday night time slots during its run on NBC. While not remembered as a ratings juggernaut, the series averaged almost 16 million weekly viewers during its second season (when sandwiched between Friends and Will & Grace) and earned 17 Emmy nominations during its nine season run.
Scrubs never truly held a permanent spot on NBC’s vaunted Must-See TV lineup. It set up shop on Thursdays from 2002-2004 and returned in a variety of time slots during NBC’s comparatively short-lived Comedy Night Done Right era. Despite critical acclaim and the show’s innovative mix of humor and pathos, Scrubs was simply too absurd to be completely absorbed by mainstream culture. Even though the series produced 182 episodes, Scrubs still has the heart of an underdog. It’s not discussed nearly as much as The Office or Parks and Rec, despite being on par with those two exceptional shows in terms of both quality and longevity.
Lost in the shuffle of “peak TV” is one irrefutable fact: Sarah Chalke is the most under-appreciated comedic actress of the Must-See TV era. And it’s not frickin’ close.
One of the main reasons Scrubs developed such an ardent following is the show’s pitch-perfect ensemble. The main cast shared a playful, seemingly effortless chemistry that elevated the already superb writing, and the series also created an arsenal of eclectic secondary characters — Ted, The Todd, Jordan, Laverne, Doug, among others — that added to the comedic mayhem. But today, in honor of Sarah Chalke’s birthday, we’re celebrating the theatrical versatility of the queen of fricks: Dr. Elliot Reid.
I always enjoyed Elliot Reid, but I never truly appreciated Chalke’s virtuosity until I started my most recent Scrubs rewatch. Elliot Reid was bonkers. I mean, every character on Scrubs was bonkers, but Reid elevated the zaniness to a whole new level, which says a lot considering the show routinely featured bits like “Floating Head Doctor” and “Dr. Acula.” In the hands of a lesser actor, the character of Elliot Reid could have been grating. She’s neurotic, lacks social grace, and, as she freely admits, insane. But Chalke made all the craziness palatable by showcasing an immense vulnerability that grounded her character in reality. Her plight was relatable. Elliot’s quirks and neuroses weren’t destabilizing or off-putting to the viewer, they were endearing nuances that humanized her.
The character’s emotional beats enhanced the comedic beats, and there were certainly no shortage of comedic beats because Sarah Chalke the performer is capable of extracting laugh-out-loud hilarity from the smallest of moments. Whether it’s a simple word like “frick” or explaining how her pager ringtone is “That’s The Way (uh-huh uh-huh) I Like It,” Chalke is the kind of actress who’s down for anything. Her timing is impeccable, her ability to perform physical comedy unrivaled, and she has no problem looking silly to generate a laugh.
The Must-See TV era is loaded with legends — Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Helen Hunt, Debra Messing, any human lucky enough to appear on the sitcom Wings, but don’t forget about the underrated comedic charisma of Sarah Chalke. She’s a frickin’ Must-See TV legend.
