My Way Home

For other uses, see My Way Home (disambiguation).

"My Way Home"
Scrubs episode
Episode no.	Season 5 Episode 7
Directed by	Zach Braff
Written by	Neil Goldman Garrett Donovan
Featured music	"Africa" by Toto "Maniac" by Michael Sembello (performed by The Worthless Peons) "We're Off to See the Wizard" by Harold Arlen (performed by The Worthless Peons) "Over the Rainbow" by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg, arrangement by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole (performed by The Worthless Peons)
Production code	507
Original air date	January 24, 2006
Guest stars
Christa Miller as Jordan Sullivan Sam Lloyd as Ted Buckland Robert Maschio as Todd Quinlan Johnny Kastl as Doug Murphy Travis Schuldt as Keith Dudemeister Aloma Wright as Laverne Roberts David Downs as Mr. Bolger Philip McNiven as Roy Paul F. Perry as Randall
Episode chronology
← Previous "My Missed Perception" Next → "My Big Bird"
List of Scrubs episodes

"My Way Home" is the 100th episode of the American comedy-drama Scrubs. It originally aired as Episode 7 of Season 5 on January 24, 2006.

The episode's references to The Wizard of Oz were called a "sly, circuitous homage" when Scrubs received a Peabody Award in 2006 for "fearlessly smashing traditional comic formulas, all the while respecting the deepest emotional and moral issues of its life-and-death setting."^[1]

Plot

On his day off, J.D. gets called into work by Keith. It turns out that Dr. Cox told Keith to call J.D. to let him see what it's like to be pestered over little things, as J.D had done to Cox as an intern. Laverne's gospel choir is also present, singing a song called "Payback is a Bitch". Elliot is basking in the warmth of being seen as an endocrinology expert to her interns. In reality, however, she is hiding notes, books, and pages around the hospital with the answers on them. Turk attempts to convince a family to take their brain-dead son off life support so the hospital can perform its first on-site heart transplant, in which Turk will be allowed to assist if he is successful in persuading the family. Meanwhile, Carla jumps at the opportunity to look after Dr. Cox's young son Jack.

However, the crew finds challenges awaiting them. J.D. just wants to head home and is constantly waylaid by requests for assistance; Elliot is forced to conduct a seminar with several Endocrinology specialists; Turk's dishonesty with the coma patient's family damages his credibility; and Carla can't stand having Jack around. Eventually, Elliot gains her "brains" to go to the meeting; Turk convinces the coma patient's parents to pull the plug after being completely honest with them ; Carla (Lion) discovers courage to be a good parent; and J.D. gets to go home.

Homage

The episode is a homage to the 1939 MGM musical film The Wizard of Oz. Some references are obvious, such as: The Worthless Peons singing both "We're Off to See the Wizard" and "Over the Rainbow"; the "yellow brick road" painted on the hospital floor; J.D.'s red shoes; Jack being painted green; Several memorable lines from the film are echoed, such as: Dr. Cox saying to Elliot that her endocrinology answers are "falling from the sky"; Dr. Cox telling Carla to "pay no attention to the man behind the curtain" while cleaning his son; Dr. Cox calling Jordan the "Wicked Witch of the East Wing"; the Janitor mumbling "oil can"; Todd talking about the zoo's "lions and tigers and bears — oh my!" Also, J.D. simply wants to go home (the yellow line leading to the exit), and when he does get to leave, there is a rainbow in the sky. From the point where the yellow line on the hospital floor is visualized as a yellow brick road, the rest of the episode is shot in bright, highly saturated colors, similar to the Technicolor in which The Wizard of Oz was filmed (with the Kansas scenes shot in black and white). In addition, Elliot seeks brains in the form of studying for a Q&A session with other doctors where she'll be the purported expert on endocrinology, but she fears she's not well-versed on the subject matter; Turk is seeking a heart, in this case a heart donor for a patient in need of a transplant; and Carla seeks the courage to be a parent, as she's afraid of that day when she and Turk have a child of their own.

The episode also makes some less obvious references, including various character names:

• Mr. Fleming is the first patient mentioned; Victor Fleming directed the original movie.
• One patient is Mr. Baum; the book "The Wizard of Oz" was written by L. Frank Baum.
• Another patient is Mr. Langley. Noel Langley wrote the screenplay for the movie.
• The potential heart donor's name is Ray Bolger, which is based on the late actor with the same name, who played the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz.
• The psychologist who killed himself was Dr. Burke. Billie Burke played Glinda.

Other references include:

• J.D. listening to 'Toto' on his iPod, and Dr. Cox's referring to Elliot's straw-colored hair, and *Dr. Cox's nom du jour for J.D. is "Dorothy." The Janitor, while painting the hallway lines around the hospital, spray paints J.D.'s sneakers red (symbolizing the ruby slippers).
• Laverne's choir appears wearing yellow and singing a song, much like the munchkins did for Dorothy.
• Dr. Kelso mentions that he played baseball in Altoona, PA. They have a community theatre that dates back to the early 1900's and has had productions of Wizard of Oz.^{[citation needed]}
• Dr. Cox tells the interns to "flee - now!" The wicked witch of the west told the monkeys to "fly - now!"
• Dr. Cox tells Elliot she has a "straw colored scarecrow head" and says her answers are "falling from the sky."
• Turk and the nurses "pop up" like the munchkins do.
• Jordan is stuck in a hot room and seems to be "melting" like the witch does when she gets doused with water.
• Carla mentions, "I'm supposed to be the brave one," just like the "king of the forest" is supposed to be.
• It's specifically mentioned that Elliot is looking for brains, Turk a heart and Carla courage. J.D. mentions that he just wants to get home.
• The four of them are walking while the Peons are singing "We're Off to See the Wizard."
• The Todd mentions "lions and tigers and bears" at the zoo, then sees a female and says, "oh my!"
• J.D. tells Turk he's on his own and just wants to take Toto and go home. Turk is disappointed so J.D. agrees to help.
• Jack is painted emerald.
• Dr. Cox says with an echo, "pay no attention to the man behind the curtain."
• Dr. Kelso mentions that the depressed staff psychologist had hanged himself. This is a reference to an urban legend about a depressed munchkin actor hanging himself on the set of the Wizard of Oz.^{[citation needed]}
• The Peons are singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."
• Dr. Cox calls J.D. Dorothy one last time as he's going home.
• Camera pans to a rainbow at the end.

DVD version

• An extended version of the episode is featured on the DVD box set for Season 5. It contains new scenes as well as different takes of existing scenes, and a commentary by director Zach Braff.

Featured music

• Africa by Toto
• Maniac by Michael Sembello (performed by The Worthless Peons)
• We're Off to See the Wizard by Harold Arlen (performed by The Worthless Peons)
• Over the Rainbow by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg, arrangement by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole (performed by The Worthless Peons)

References

1. ^ "Scrubs". Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. 2006. http://www.peabody.uga.edu/winners/details.php?id=1468. Retrieved 2011-05-01. 

External links

• "My Way Home" at the Internet Movie Database
• "My Way Home" at TV.com
• The Wizard of Oz at the Internet Movie Database