Reality Television

The television show "Scrubs" is a sitcom about a young resident doctor, JD, who goes about daily life working at the Sacred Heart hospital. JD is not exactly the staple of human masculinity, but he does display several traits that give him a place on the gender spectrum. JD exhibits multiple qualities that make him seem masculine, for example, season 1 episode 1 opens up with him shaving in preparation for his day. This display shows the characters engagement in an act that a typical male starts his day with. Jd also looks in the mirror and says to himself "I'm the man" and says it other times throughout the episode, as the recurring theme is confidence and strength in a new environment. JD attempts to show no fear and be stoic when he first meets the other employees of his new workplace. JD has a discussion with his best male friend, Turk, about rap music, which is a staple of urban masculinity. JD exhibits another aspect of masculinity when he meets a fellow resident doctor, Elliot, and is visually attracted to her. JD makes mental notes of her physical appearance and by the end of episode seems he is attracted to her personality as well, even though she betrays him in the middle of the episode. JD looks at her butt and does not let her beat him at anything since she is a girl. This displays masculine desire to be better than girls at everything, as JD races Elliot up the stairs at his own expense of becoming out of breath and exhausted. However, gender is a spectrum, and JD displays emasculating qualities as well. For example, he often asks the nurses to preform his procedures for him for fear of messing up and killing a patient, displaying a quality of fear that is not typical of the classic masculine body. JD also elaborates on his emotions in his own audio soliloquies that tell his thoughts throughout the episode. A "real man" does not ever talk about his feelings or display emotion. Another dilemma JD faces throughout the episode is his desire for companionship. He is afraid of losing his best friend in a new environment, but lacks the courage to even ask him to live with him when Turk claims he might want to live elsewhere. This need for companionship also displays weakness and emasculate behavior.