The test of a really great television show is if the series can withstand the changes it must go through to survive. Some shows retain quality but lose viewers (like “Lost”). Others start out lame but evolve into something great (like “Seinfeld”). And still others (often too many) start out innovative and fun but fall apart in just a couple of seasons (like “Desperate Housewives”).

“Scrubs” is one of those shows that hit the ground running as a great series. However, as it evolved into subsequent seasons, it had to make some changes to its style and tone to keep the characters fresh and interesting.

As I watched the fourth season several months ago, I was worried the show was trying too hard. Gone were the days of absolute hilarity. Sure, there was still plenty to laugh about in season four, but the plots became more serious, the relationships became more intertwined. When this happens, sometimes the characters can change – and not for the better.

In season four, Dr. Cox (John C. McGinley) was his usually cantankerous self. However, by giving him a little more depth, he lost some of his free-spirited humor. Sure, the show was in full stride by this year, but if it continued down the overly dramatic path, it would trip.

Fortunately, the fifth season returned the show to the wild goofiness of the first season. It still gives us plenty of stories and plots that tug at the heart strings. These people work in a hospital, for crying out loud, so death is all around them.

Perhaps part of the heaviness of the scripts had lifted because J.D. (Zach Braff) and Eliot (Sarah Chalke) had finally gotten over their failed relationship. This left the more danger zone of relationship plots to Turk (Donald Faison) and Carla (Judy Reyes), the couple that is now married but handle the goofy comic relief a lot better. And the disease-of-the-week shows seem to have come to an end now that Turk’s accepted his diabetes and Cox’s brother-in-law (Brendan Fraiser) has long since died from leukemia.

There are plenty of serious notes throughout this new season, but the show still manages to be introspective not just to itself but also to the industry in general. One of the highlights of the entire season is a nod to the fact that “Grey’s Anatomy” has basically ripped off the “Scrubs” format, making it only slightly more serious with more people getting laid.

There are still guest stars filling the cast, although they don’t seem to be as frequent as previous seasons. Most of them show up as would-be lovers for J.D., although I don’t think they’ll ever compare to Amy Smart as Tasty Coma Wife.

There aren’t nearly as many special features on the DVD set as you’ll find in previous seasons, but after four releases, I think they’ve run out of steam. However, you still get a nice assortment of extras, including commentaries on several episodes and an extended cut of the 100th episode (albeit annoyingly placed in the special features rather than in the “Play All” menu).

Other special features includes a retrospective of the 117 episodes of the first five seasons of the show, a ton of deleted scenes and alternate lines from improvised takes.

The bottom line is that season five is as funny, if not funnier than the other seasons. It’s a great addition to a “Scrubs” collection, but it skimps on the special features a bit. Still, it’s well worth renting, if not owning.



Specifications: Dolby Digital Surround Sound. Full frame (1.33:1). English language subtitles for the hearing impaired.