I was talking to one of my friends who is attending medical school and we got onto the subject of which of the major television medical shows was the most realistic. This conversation was sparked by the episode of Scrubs which we were watching. There are a lot of choices out there: Grey’s Anatomy, E.R., Scrubs and of course House; I had no idea which of the shows would be the most realistic, but I presumed that it would probably be either Grey’s or E.R. But apparently he contended that the most accurate show, at least when it comes to the treatment, care and medicine in hospitals, was actually Scrubs. Part of his argument is that it shows interns and residents as learning students who have to cover many patients a day. Also their medical lives are not abnormal, they are not geniuses who cure every patient, nor do they always know what to do. Possibly a comedy can me more realistic simply because the plot lines do not hinge on having relentless medical dramas that ultimately become more and more rare/unrealistic as the season finale gets closer. Not having a lot of expertise on this subject, I guess I’ll just have to watch the shows and decide for my self which one seems the most like a real life hospital.
No matter what level the realism is in Scrubs it is a comedy with deeper than ordinary character. The plot lines are well developed and the emotions conveyed to the audience are moving, and in the case of this comedy, that doesn’t always mean that you won’t feel sad during an episode (If you want proof see episode 74. My Cake from Scrubs’ Fourth Season where JD’s father dies). Check it out this show is too good to miss.