After a well-received debut season, Scrubs became a breakout hit. Season two saw the show reach its highest average viewers total (15.94 million) and the strong quality of the series continued. The season dealt with the ramifications of Jordan (Christa Miller) revealing everyone's secrets to each other.
For the most part, this season was filled with some great episodes. It saw some of the best work fans ever saw in Scrubs history. However, a few episodes missed the mark and weren't up to par with the rest of the high points. Using IMDb ratings, these are the highs and lows of the season.
Worst: My Big Brother (Episode 6) - 8.0
Long before the world knew him as the man versions of Harrison Wells on the CW's The Flash, Tom Cavanagh showed up on Scrubs. He played J.D.'s (Zach Braff) older brother Dan. As soon as he showed up, it changed most of the dynamics around J.D.'s life.
The biggest issue came from the fact that Dan seemed to hit it off with Elliot (Sarah Chalke). As evidenced by the revelation at the end of season one, she and J.D. had some unresolved feelings for each other. While it clearly wasn't a bad episode, there would be better ones involving Dan in the future.
Best: My T.C.W. (Episode 18) - 8.5
Any Scrubs fan can tell you what "T.C.W" stands for. It's "Tasty Coma Wife," which was the nickname given to Jamie Moyer, played fantastically by guest star Amy Smart. She was around the hospital often because her husband was in a coma and most of the doctors find her hot.
Jamie and J.D. like each other and J.D. spends the episode being conflicted over whether or not to go out with her. When his friends chastised him about it, J.D. unleashed some truth bombs on all of them, standing up for himself in a way that was pretty rare.
Worst: My Case Study (Episode 3) - 8.0
This episode ranks slightly higher than the previous 8.0 score due to having more total reviews. "My Case Study" came during that odd period that some shows have after a season premiere and before things really get going for the main storylines. This saw everyone trying to win a trip to Reno by presenting Dr. Kelso (Ken Jenkins) with an interesting case.
Of course, Dr. Cox (John C. McGinley) disagrees with this idea, leaving J.D. to choose between the trip and having his respect. Elsewhere, Elliot and Carla (Judy Reyes) struggled to bond, which was a route the show had already used often.
Best: My Dream Job (Episode 22) - 8.6
As always, you want your season finale to be one of the strongest installments of the season. That was the case for Scrubs in season two. It was bolstered by an awesome guest appearance from Ryan Reynolds, long before his days as Deadpool, as J.D. and Turk's (Donald Faison) old college buddy, Spence.
The episode was expertly directed by creator Bill Lawrence, who got the best out of his cast. The biggest moment came when Spence revealed to Dr. Cox that he was the father of Jordan's baby. Dr. Cox, wanting to show he could be a good dad, stood up for Elliot and punched a bullying Dr. Kelso in the face.
Worst: My New Coat (Episode 5) - 7.9
One thing that fans of Scrubs seemed to really enjoy was the friendship between Turk and Elliot. They wanted it to get more screen time but what they got was fun. So, an episode that features some bad moments between them wasn't going to go over well.
Elliot sleeps with Dr. Di Stefano, Turk's boss. Once that happens, rumors start spreading about her all throughout the hospital. Turk betrays her friendship to get in better with his boss and hurts Elliot. Things get mended by the end, at least. The other storylines aren't that interesting, either.
Best: My Philosophy (Episode 13) - 8.6
Again, this is a tie that was broken by the total number of reviews posted. "My Philosophy" saw J.D. struggle as one of his favorite patients required a heart transplant. As the episode concluded, she died and the cast delivered their emotions through a musical number.
The other major plotline involved Turk's plan to propose to Carla. The ring goes through a few harrowing situations before he finally pops the question just as Carla leaves to take care of her sick mother. It left viewers wondering if she'd say yes.
Worst: My Big Mouth (Episode 4) - 7.9
J.D. often let his big mouth get him into all sorts of trouble. That happened in the appropriately titled "My Big Mouth," when J.D. let a secret Carla told him slip to Turk. It caused a major rift in their friendship and Carla said she could never trust him again.
Turk was a major part of the episode as well, dealing with a rivalry with fellow surgeon Bonnie. He was happy to be picked ahead of her for a "Doctors Without Borders" program, only to find out that it only happened because Dr. Kelso is sexist, not because he's a better surgeon.
Best: His Story (Episode 15) - 8.7
Two episodes come in tied with an 8.7 rating. "His Story" made a bit of history, marking the first time that the show shifted to another person's perspective. Instead of J.D., it was about Dr. Cox and even involved his own inner monologue.
The installment focused on Dr. Cox meeting with his psychiatrist to discuss the various things going on in his life. That included his relationships with both Jordan and J.D. Fans appreciated the insight into a character who didn't often showcase his emotions.
Worst: My Nightingale (Episode 2) - 7.9
On paper, the concept behind this episode is pretty stellar. J.D., Elliot, and Turk have their first night shift together with nobody above them working. Everything rested on their shoulders. They struggled throughout it until Carla set them straight.
It was then revealed at the end that Carla switched shifts with another nurse to be there for her friends on such a tough night. Carla also helped Dr. Cox realize that he still had feelings for Jordan. It wasn't a bad episode, it just didn't score all that well compared to others.
Best: My Overkill (Episode 1) - 8.7
Tension was everywhere in this season premiere. Each core character was upset with most of the others due to Jordan revealing their secrets in the season one finale. It took a sick patient needing them to rally everyone back together by the end of the story.
This episode featured some great moments. The music montage as "Overkill" is played by Colin Hay made for a memorable scene, while there's also a classic Rowdy joke in the early stages. Throw in some of the better character interactions on the show and some drama and you've got a winner.