Every Song In Scrubs’ Musical Episode, Ranked

Scrubs aired its musical episode in 2007, and plenty of its songs still hold up today, as some of the numbers are better than others. However, the soundtrack for season 6, episode 6, “My Musical,” is relatively consistent in its quality. Scrubs isn’t the first sitcom to dip its toes into the genre, but its participation in the tradition resulted in one of the most highly-revered examples, ranking among the best musical episodes of non-musical TV shows.

Certain members of the Scrubs cast had musical backgrounds ahead of the episode being made, whereas others had much less prominent roles due to their inexperience. Regardless, the quality of the authenticity is bolstered by the casting of Broadway star Stephanie D’Abruzzo as Miss Miller, and it’s one of the best episodes across all nine seasons of Scrubs as a result. D’Abruzzo made a name for herself as part of the original cast of Avenue Q and brings her vocal talents to Scrubs as a patient who hears music that no other character does. Miss Miller’s condition is used as a framing device for the songs in the episode.

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10 “Options” – Performed By Elliot & Carla

The brief duet is the Scrubs musical episode’s shortest song.

“Options” serves as a short duet that allows Elliot and Carla to exchange unrealistic solutions to their respective issues. The song doesn’t even hit the 30-second mark and functions more as a kind of tag for “The Rant Song,” which immediately precedes it. The brief run time and unoriginal melody mean the song is already over before it starts to come into its own.

9 “All Right” – Performed By JD, Elliot, & Miss Miller

This opener is more of a prologue for the Scrubs musical episode.

As another brief composition, “All Right” allows the audience its first glimpse into how Miss Miller is interpreting events. Although the vocal arrangements start to become interesting toward the end, the song is fairly disappointing, seeing as it’s the first featured in the episode. However, it could be argued that “All Right” is nothing more than a prologue, and therefore, “Welcome to Sacred Heart” is the true opener of the “My Musical” episode.

8 “When The Truth Comes Out” Performed By The Ensemble

The number is a parody of a piece from Les Misérables.

Inspired by “Do You Hear the People Sing?” from Les Misérables, this track is performed as Miss Miller awaits her test results. As well as standing up well on its own, “When the Truth Comes Out” also acts as a platform for many of the songs that preceded it to make a reappearance. Carla and JD are among the characters who bring back lyrics and melodies from songs such as “Everything Comes Down to Poo” and “Gonna Miss You Carla.” The intertwining of various parts serves the song well, along with the spoken word section that progresses the overall narrative of the episode.

7 “Gonna Miss You Carla” – Performed By The Ensemble

Ted’s band ties the song together.

The barbershop harmonies from Ted’s band lay a solid foundation for “Gonna Miss You Carla,” with space for various musical gags from characters such as Todd and Dr. Kelso. The joyous delivery of Turk’s lines plays well against Carla’s melancholic sections, as the couple decide the future of Carla’s career as a nurse at Sacred Heart Hospital. For a relatively short song, “Gonna Miss You Carla” effectively fits in a lot of ideas.

6 “The Rant Song” – Performed By Dr. Cox, Miss Miller, JD, & The Janitor

Dr. Cox gets a patter song.

John C. McGinley’s Scrubs character is known for his aggressive and witty rants on a variety of subjects. “The Rant Song” allows Dr. Cox to replicate his signature mode of communication in a musical setting, with the rapid-fire arrangement drawing inspiration from the style of Gilbert and Sullivan. Neil Flynn also sings his only solo lines in “The Rant Song,” as the Janitor explains his hatred of JD in a pleasing baritone.

5 “Finale (Friends Forever/What’s Going To Happen)” – Performed By The Ensemble

Scrubs uses its signature move in musical form.

One of the hallmarks of a Scrubs episode is the emotional whiplash put in place by the writers. The “My Musical” episode’s closing number starts in a style that’s inspired by Grease, with an upbeat melody chronicling the friendship between JD and Elliot. The playful rhythms and overlapping lyrics give an overall optimistic feeling. However, the song takes a drastic turn and becomes an emotional ballad from Miss Miller as she begins to ponder her mortality. The third and final section of the song returns listeners to a state of contentedness as the staff of Sacred Heart reassure their patient of her ensured survival.

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4 “For The Last Time I’m Dominican” Performed By Turk & Carla

The couple argue through song.

This song allows Turk and Carla to continue an argument that has been ever-present in Scrubs. Turk’s ignorance regarding Carla’s heritage is finally put under the spotlight in a way that’s impossible to ignore, with the Latin instrumentation serving as the perfect accompaniment for the heated exchange. Although the topic is something that angers Carla, the song handles the topic well without it becoming too intense, with the lyrics being littered with gags and references to other Scrubs episodes. Donald Faison and Judy Reyes have two of the best voices among the Scrubs cast, so the duet is one of the most professionally performed in the episode.

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3 “Welcome To Sacred Heart” – Performed By Dr. Kelso

Miss Miller arrives at the hospital in this true opening number.

A lot is riding on the opening number of a musical, and “Welcome to Sacred Heart” doesn’t fold under the pressure. The obviously-named song introduces the main characters well — although this is not required during a show’s sixth season, the lyrical content of the song is aimed at D’Abruzzo’s character rather than viewers of the show. Hearing about Sacred Heart from the perspective of Miss Miller is especially amusing, as the lyrical content of the song starts quite wholesome and develops into a more truthful telling of events.

2 “Everything Comes Down To Poo” – Performed By Turk, JD, & Miss Miller

Scrubs turns a vulgar subject into a catchy show tune.

There aren’t many shows that can turn the request for a stool sample into a Broadway-style showstopper, but Scrubs managed to do just that in “My Musical.” For a song that largely declares the benefits of analyzing fecal matter, “Everything Comes Down to Poo” is one of the songs on the soundtrack that warrants a great deal of repeat listens. The song is full to the brim with witty jokes and clever wordplay, with the spoken word sections being just as entertaining as the melodic lines.

1 “Guy Love” – Performed by Turk & JD

The bromance ballad.

The Scrubs musical episode sticks out from the crowd in large part due to its platonic love song between Turk and JD. Love songs in musicals are often a declaration of romantic love, with friendships not often being described in such an intimate fashion. The relationship between Turk and JD is reflective of Zach Braff and Donald Faison’s real-life friendship, so “Guy Love” is a perfect demonstration of their chemistry both on- and off-screen.

The song took on a life of its own outside “My Musical,” with Braff and Faison performing “Guy Love” in settings such as Jimmy Kimmel’s chat show. “Guy Love,” in addition to being the best song in “My Musical,” is an important testament to the love that exists within male friendships, the admittance of which is a stigma that Scrubs has often tried to dispel in an attempt to normalize the presence of the emotion.