- “Floor's wet. You know I liked the way blonde-haired doctor looked. She brightened my day, but you don't care do you 'cause you're unconscious.”— Janitor
"My Clean Break" is the eleventh episode of Scrubs' third season. J.D. wants to break up with Danni, but she beats him to the punch. Elliot's new look only brings discrimination around the hospital. Dr. Cox feels that he has gone soft ever since Jack was born, and talks to him throughout the episode as if he were a therapist.
Synopsis[]
Kelso upsets Elliot
Elliot and Dr. Kelso[]
J.D. remarks that, working at the hospital, one doesn't have that much time on hand for their hair and make-up — especially female doctors. The only exception is Elliot. J.D. wants to know how she manages to look so good every morning but she says it doesn't take long. Dr. Cox gives Todd a compliment and Elliot complains that she never gets a compliment, even after her new look. Elliot gets a lecture from Dr. Kelso because she doesn't look and act professional enough as a doctor.
After an exhausting day Elliot decides to stop wearing make-up and Dr. Kelso is satisfied with her look. Her mood doesn't improve so she reverses her decision and found a compromise to just spend a little time on it and still feel good about her outward appearance.
Dr. Cox[]
With the birth of his son, Dr. Cox has become happier, and is thus unable to put fear in the residents. As the episode progresses, Dr. Cox gets no respect or attention from the residents during seminars, and later on, no one turns up except Doug who records the speech.
J.D. and Danni[]
Danni dresses Rowdy.
J.D. and Danni are planning to go to the movies. While she gets ready she tells him "I love you" and Turk is surprised they are using the L-word. J.D. says it's not that serious but instead of going to the movies they end up looking at apartments for rent. J.D. decides he needs to break up with her. Later, Turk asks if J.D. has broken up with Danni yet but he hasn't, because he has noticed how hard it is to find a woman willing to sleep with him. Turk tells Carla how J.D. never breaks up with anybody. J.D. calls Danni and she reveals how her life has been scattered lately but he was the only thing keeping it together. J.D. tries to break-up with her but sees Elliot sad so he goes talk to her. She says he looks busy but replies he always has time for her. Later, Jordan sees J.D. outside and tells him Danni is breaking up with him.
Turk sits on J.D.
J.D. wants to talk to Danni but Turk snaps him out of it, as he now got the clean break he wanted all along. He goes to see Jordan's home but she's not there. J.D. is thinking about how he has been slacking off lately. Danni joins him and she says that when he called her earlier he didn't switch off his cell phone while talking to Elliot. He is still not over Elliot and no one will have a chance to get close to him. He doesn't say anything and she leaves down the parking lot. J.D. decides to wait it out with Elliot and she soon joins him outside to go home. Sean will give her a call in about 20 minutes so they have to rush. J.D. remarks that this waiting time "is gonna suck".
Recurring Themes[]
More: Fantasies • Flashbacks • J.D.'s girl names • Janitor's pranks and lies
J.D. having an out of body experience
Fantasies[]
- When Danni says she wants to move in with J.D., he imagines a ghost of him floating out of his body as an "out of body experience". Turk offers him Bugles, but J.D. then realizes as a ghost he can't eat Bugles.
- Turk has a bugle on each finger, and pretending to be a witch using bugles as witch finger nails, as well as cackling. (This may or may not be a fantasy)
- Everyone who J.D. owes closure for is lined up in front of him, including Danni and starts explaining old situations. One of these people is a young gay man that J.D. played soccer with, although J.D. had no idea that the man had a crush on him.
Flashbacks[]
- Elliot wakes up early in the morning to apply makeup and to style her hair all very quickly and rushed, but to produce a good end result.
- Turk tackles J.D. and sits on him until "J.D. comes to his senses". Todd then hands Turk a coffee to drink while passing the time.
Janitor story[]
Janitor becomes friends with Elliot after complimenting her on her new hairstyle, which he says looks "Tough and spunky!" like his new broom (the exact look she was going for). When Dr. Kelso makes Elliot change her hairstyle back to something different, Janitor is using his old, ragged, mop which is bad at absorbing water. This then causes Dr. Kelso to slip over all the un-absorbed water, which is Janitor's revenge at Dr. Kelso.
Guest Stars[]
- Jason Baumgard as Chet
- Tara Reid as Danni Sullivan
- Jordan Feldman as Scott Gerber
- Joyce Fessides as Mrs. Gorski
- Susan Slome as Woman in the Park
- Janelle Taylor as Sheila
- Irene White as Janice
Music[]
♫ List of music featured in Scrubs
- "The Rescue Blues" by Ryan Adams
Quotes[]
Dr. Cox and Jordan in the park.
- “Hi, cutie! Since you have so many balls, and too many toys can be overstimulating for an infant, Brantley here was wondering if he can borrow one to play with.”— Woman in the Park
- “Oh, that's funny, because Jack here was just wondering why the crazy lady who has just spent the last hour chain smoking and talking to her cell phone while her kid ate sand would come over to two complete strangers and give them parenting advice.”— Dr. Cox
- “He also thanked me for not naming him "Brantley".”— Jordan
- “He also thanked me for not naming him "Brantley".”— Jordan
- “I love our family.”
- “Oh, that's funny, because Jack here was just wondering why the crazy lady who has just spent the last hour chain smoking and talking to her cell phone while her kid ate sand would come over to two complete strangers and give them parenting advice.”— Dr. Cox
Elliot's bangs.
- [Todd appears quickly]
- “Cat fight?”— Todd
- “Cat fight?”— Todd
- “Sorry, Todd!”
- “Let's try and be a little more careful when we use that noise, okay?”
- “Let's try and be a little more careful when we use that noise, okay?”
- “Now, there you go, sweetheart! Now you look more like a doctor and less like a lap-dancer!”— Dr. Kelso
- “Thank you, sir?”— Elliot
- “Thank you, sir?”— Elliot
J.D. having an out of body experience.
- “Ha! I'm sorry, did I interrupt you from trying to eat your baby?”— J.D.
- “Ha! I'm sorry, did I interrupt you from trying to eat your baby?”— J.D.
- “Hello, citizens! Welcome to Sacred Heart! Home of the world's most giant doctor! Be not afraid! I'm just like you! Except I'm giant!”— J.D.
Trivia[]
A dejected J.D.
- When Kelso slips and falls on the wet floor, the Janitor is holding a completely dry mop.
- This episode includes the first appearance of the World's Most Giant Doctor.
- According to the DVD commentary the Elliot subplot of this episode was spawned from the behind-the-scenes detail that it was time consuming to always have Sarah Chalke so heavily made up and groomed in every scene.
- We learn that Laverne has worked at Sacred Heart for 23 years.