My Way Home

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For other uses, see My Way Home (disambiguation).
“My Way Home”
Scrubs episode
Episode no. Season 5
Episode 7
Written by Neil Goldman
Garrett Donovan
Directed by Zach Braff
Guest stars Travis Schuldt (Keith)
Production no. 507
Original airdate January 24, 2006
Episode chronology
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"My Missed Perception" "My Big Bird"
List of Scrubs episodes

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

It is notable for integrating many references to The Wizard of Oz.

Contents

[edit] 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. 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, which Turk will be allowed to assist in if he is successful. 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 and gets his "heart", Carla discovers her "courage" to be a good parent, and J.D. gets to go home.

[edit] Cultural references

The entire episode is an homage to the MGM musical film The Wizard of Oz. The following are some of the featured references to The Wizard of Oz:

Scrubs The Wizard of Oz
Dr. Cox calls J.D. "Dorothy". The main character is named Dorothy Gale.
J.D. falls through a hole in the ground right before arriving at Sacred Heart Dorothy fall through the ground and arives in Oz
While underwater, J.D. claims to see a manatee, also known as sea cow. Dorothy sees a flying cow when she is flying up in the tornado.
J.D. is listening to the band Toto on his iPod while in the bath, takes his iPod to the hospital, and later declares "Toto and I are going home". Dorothy's dog is named Toto.
The Janitor paints J.D.'s shoes red. Dorothy is given a pair of ruby slippers.
Ted's band sings "We're Off to See the Wizard" and "Over the Rainbow." These are the two most famous songs from the movie.
In the second half of the episode, the colors are noticeably brighter and oversaturated. The movie shifts from a sepia toned color scheme in Kansas to the much brighter Technicolor in Oz.
Dr. Cox refers to Elliot as having straw-colored, scarecrow hair, and Elliot is worried she doesn't have the brains to lead a Q&A session on endocrinology. The Scarecrow has hair literally made out of straw, and he doesn't have a brain.
Dr. Cox claims that Elliot's answers are "falling from the sky" Dorothy enters Oz when her house falls from the sky.
Turk needs a heart from a brain-dead patient. He must also learn to better empathize with the family, and thus needs a "heart" in a metaphorical sense. The Tin Woodsman needs a heart.
Dr. Cox refers to Jordan as the wicked witch of the east wing. This is a reference to the Wicked Witch of the East.
In a cut to Jordan's sweltering office, she exclaims that she's melting. The Wicked Witch of the West melts with the same exclamation.
Dr. Cox's son Jack is painted bright green. The Wicked Witch of the West has green skin.
The brain dead potential heart donor is named Ray Bolger. The actor Ray Bolger played The Scarecrow.
While holding a screwdriver in his mouth, the Janitor makes the muffled request, "Oil can! Oil can!" The Tin Woodsman makes the same request, which is muffled because his mouth has rusted shut.
Carla needs the courage to face the upcoming prospect of parenthood. The Cowardly Lion needs courage.
Dr. Kelso refers to the psychiatrist supposed to give the lecture having hanged himself. There are persistent rumours/urban legends about one of the actors playing munchkins having hanged himself on the set of the Wizard of Oz.
The Janitor paints yellow lines down the hospital corridors to show the exits, and blue, green and red lines point to other important areas of the hospital. There is also briefly shown a purple line, about 2/3 of the way through the episode. The Yellow brick road, which the characters walk down, leads Dorothy out of Oz. The red, blue, green, and purple lines are a reference to the Wizard of Oz books by L. Frank Baum. The four colors represent the four quadrants of Oz, as illustrated in the map located in The Tik Tok of Oz (1914). Blue represents Munchkin country; purple, Gillikin; yellow, Winkie; and red, Quadling. Green is representative of the Emerald City, located at the center of OZ.
The Todd says that, at the zoo, he saw "lions, and tigers and bears," and then says, "Oh my," as he notices an attractive cheerleader. Tin Woodsman, Scarecrow and Dorothy chant "Lions, and tigers, and bears; oh my," as they march through the forest.
J.D. just wants to go home. Dorothy wants to return home to Kansas.
Near the end Dr. Cox says, "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain" in a booming voice in the hopes that Carla doesn't talk to him. The Wizard says the same thing in a futile attempt to protect his true identity.
In the end, Carla, Elliot and Turk found out they had what they wanted all along. J.D. says, "Every so often a wizard comes along, and tells you exactly what you need to hear." The Wizard helps the Cowardly Lion, the Tin Woodsman and the Scarecrow realize that what they thought that they wanted they had all along and the Good Witch of the North tells Dorothy she had always had the power to go back to Kansas.
Dr. Cox, Elliot and J.D. work on patients named Langley, Baum and Fleming, and the doctor for whom Elliot fills in is named Burke. Noel Langley worked on the screenplay for The Wizard of Oz; L. Frank Baum wrote the book "The Wizard of Oz"; Victor Fleming directed the film; and Billie Burke played Glinda.
The Todd wears a scrub cap with pictures of flying monkeys on it. The Wicked Witch's minions are flying monkeys.
At the end while a cover of "Over the Rainbow" plays, Dr. Cox asks J.D. (still sporting red shoes), "Dorothy, you going home?" to which he replies, "Yep." Then he walked along a path of golden trees and a rainbow is seen. An obvious reference to the red shoes, desire to be home, the yellow brick road which leads Dorothy home, and the song "Over the Rainbow".
  • In addition to the above references, in the commentary, writer Garrett Donovan mentions that they considered changing the Janitor's description of Jack Cox as a 'little nipper' to 'little munchkin' in post-production, but felt that it was too awkward a sync with the movement of Neil Flynn's mouth.

[edit] DVD version

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

[edit] Awards

[edit] Featured music

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Scrubs
Main characters
Other characters
Setting
Music
Crew
Notable episodes
Episode list · "My First Day" · "My Old Lady" · "My Screw Up" · "My Way Home" · "My Lunch" · "My Musical"