My Cold Shower

"My Cold Shower"
Scrubs episode
Episode no.	Season 6 Episode 19
Directed by	John Inwood
Written by	Janae Bakken
Production code	619
Original air date	May 3, 2007
Guest stars
Keri Russell as Melody O'Harra
Episode chronology
← Previous "My Turf War" Next → "My Conventional Wisdom"
List of Scrubs episodes

"My Cold Shower" is the 136th episode of the American sitcom Scrubs. It aired as episode 19 of season 6 on May 3, 2007.

Plot

The episode begins where the previous episode left off – Keith proposing to Elliot. She emotionally accepts, which she quickly retracts upon the realization that the ring is too small. They agree to have the ring resized and let Elliot plan the proposal.

Elliot's proposal prompts several members of the hospital staff to begin showing J.D. sympathy, as they believe he still has feelings for Elliot and assume he is sad about her engagement, but he maintains that he is fine. The proposal also causes each of the main characters to have a fantasy about being married to Elliot, and saddens her sorority sister Melody, because Melody is the last single sister. Turk urges J.D. to take advantage of the situation and score. Despite his many attempts, she continually shrugs him off, forcing him to take many a cold shower.

Meanwhile, Carla, who is not emotionally ready for sex with Turk, treats a pair of elderly patients who exhibit the same symptoms, but seem to have no connection to one another. After Dr. Cox and Dr. Kelso quickly deduce the patients have syphilis, the patients inspire Carla by explaining sex is revitalizing.

At Keith's official proposal to Elliot, Melody asks why J.D. is so persistent in having sex with her, noting he "doesn't seem like the notch-in-a-bedpost type." As J.D. looks around and sees everyone's relationships – from Cox's "forever" relationship with Jordan to Turk's reignited passion with Carla to the newly engaged Elliot and Keith – he realizes it is because he still is in love with Elliot. His fantasy about being married to Elliot contrasts significantly with the comedic dreams of the other characters in that they have a normal, truly happy relationship—because they are truly a match. He finishes the night with another cold shower (this time out of mournful regret rather than sexual frustration) and with his narration (in a parallel to "My Fault"), "it should have been me."

Cultural references

• A reference is made by Carla to Ross and Rachel from Friends and, unlike in "My Fault", it is actually understood.
• The world where J.D. suddenly enters after diving into the bed is the world of Narnia as it appears in the Disney adaptation The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
• Dr. Cox calls Carla and Elliot the "Hardy Girls," a reference to the Hardy Boys.^{[original research?]}

Featured music

• "Stolen" (single version) by Dashboard Confessional

References

External links

• "My Cold Shower" at the Internet Movie Database
• "My Cold Shower" at TV.com