My Princess

"My Princess"

My Princess is the 150th episode of the American sitcom Scrubs. It was broadcast on May 8, 2008. While plot details and its production order show that it had been intended to be broadcast as episode 9 of Season 7, preceding the final two episodes shown in the 2007-08 television season, it was the final original episode of the season broadcast by NBC and officially touted by the network as the season finale.

Plot

Dr. Kelso, to try and prevent the staff from making mistakes due to tiredness that will make the hospital liable and open for lawsuits, says that anyone caught working past their shifts will be suspended. Dr. Cox recounts this tough day at the hospital to his son through an imaginative fairy tale. When Princess Elliot's handmaiden, i.e. one of Elliot Reid's patients, falls ill at the hands of an unknown monster, the Village Idiot, J.D., is summoned to help rescue her. But with the Dark Lord Oslek (Dr. Kelso) standing in their way, the duo can't do it alone. The Giant (Janitor) keeps an eye out for the heroes while the two-headed Turla, a combination of Turk and Carla lends some magic, but it's the brave knight in shining armour (the storyteller, Dr. Cox) that lends them the knowledge that may save the day. However, with Dr. Kelso's new rules, the staff of Sacred Heart may not have time to figure out how to slay the monster.

Continuity

After saying in an earlier episode that he has stress-induced dyslexia, Ted refers to Dr. Kelso as Dr. Oslek, the name Dr. Cox gives the Dark Lord.

Production details

"My Princess" concluded the seventh season of Scrubs on NBC. Directed by series star Zach Braff, the episode is a homage to The Princess Bride, and features costumes and location work, including horses and a castle. Series creator Bill Lawrence describes the episode as a personal effort for the cast and crew, comparable to earlier themed episodes such as "My Musical" and "My Life in Four Cameras". According to Lawrence, "Even now, after seven years, we try to do one show that we spend way too much money and time on... We're ultimately just making ourselves happy." Braff describes the episode as both the most epic, and the most expensive episode so far, saying it includes "monsters, potions, evil wizards, giants, hunchbacks, gnomes – like "World of Warcraft", but Scrubs."

A teaser for the episode posted on NBC's website featured Ted Buckland dressed as a hunchback eating a squirrel, as a promotion for the episode. This episode was broadcast out of the production order, meaning Dr. Kelso had not yet retired.

Early release

This episode was broadcast in Ireland on May 1 2008, one week ahead of the scheduled premiere in the United States. The error occurred due to the Irish network broadcasting Scrubs based on the production order, under which "My Princess" was episode nine of season seven, rather than the final air order under which "My Dumb Luck" was ninth and "My Princess" was bumped to the 11th slot. This also affects the continuity of the show, because Dr. Kelso is still Chief of Medicine in this episode.

916-CALLTUR

If you phone Turk's cell phone ( 916-2255887) (0019162255887 anywhere except America) Neil Flynn (The Janitor)) answers the phone on a answering machine advertising the episode.

Cultural references

• Dr. Cox's comment of "My name is Percival Cox. You're killing my friend. Prepare to die," is a reference to the famous line from The Princess Bride: "Hello! My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die!"