- “So, when I saw you in the hall this morning, and I said, "How's your penis?" and you didn't want to talk about it...”— Todd
"My Balancing Act" is the thirteenth episode of Scrubs' first season. J.D. tries to develop his relationship with Alex but Dr. Cox keeps paging him back to the hospital. Turk and Carla are having sexual problems. Dr. Cox tells the interns not to be afraid of Dr. Kelso.
Synopsis
J.D. ruins Janitor's dinner
J.D. asks out a girl in the MRI machine, and she turns out to be hot. On their date, J.D. stares at the girl, but the date ends with Dr. Cox paging J.D. back to the hospital. Then at the cafeteria, J.D. stares at Alex, the girl he asked out. They say that they can always have a date here, but Alex wants a date that ends with either a kiss or breakfast the morning after. Turk and Carla are having a sexual problem. Elliot knows something is bothering Carla, but Carla is reluctant to confide in Elliot. Turk wants to tell J.D. about the problem but J.D. is busy trying to diagnose one of his patients. Dr. Kelso makes Dr. Cox do rounds, and during rounds Dr. Cox tells the interns not to let Dr. Kelso scare them.
J.D. finally diagnoses his patient, and he and Dr. Cox work late treating him. J.D. shows up 80 minutes late for his date with Alex to find that she has already left. J.D. tries to say sorry for last night but Alex dumps him. Carla finally tells Elliot that she didn't have an orgasm while having sex with Turk. Elliot tells Carla that she (Elliot) has never had an orgasm herself. Elliot also says she has sabotaged a lot of relationships by never talking things out with the guy that she's seeing. Dr. Kelso does rounds and finds that the interns are no longer afraid of him, no matter how hard he tries to scare them. Even Ted is no longer afraid of him.
J.D. later finds Alex on a date with another guy, and he begs for a second chance, but she declines. Carla tells Turk that she worries about the future. Turk tells Carla that he doesn't, and he says that is why they are perfect: he keeps them present in the moment, and she keeps an eye out for things ahead. Dr. Cox provokes Dr. Kelso. They get into an argument and the old order is restored.
Later that day Carla tells Elliot that she can give herself an orgasm, by sitting on top of a washing machine. Elsewhere, J.D. gets paged to "turn around" and Alex is there with a picnic basket. They kiss and have a romantic picnic dinner on the floor in the hospital.
Recurring Themes
More: Fantasies • Flashbacks • J.D.'s girl names • Janitor's pranks and lies
Dr. Kelso is Carrot Top
Fantasies
Flashbacks
- Dr. Cox being "coerced by the forces of evil" (Dr. Kelso) to do rounds. Kelso doesn't want to do rounds because he is sleeping.
Janitor story
Janitor thinks that J.D. is staring at him (Janitor) rather than Alex, takes offense, and is so uncomfortable he can't eat his lunch anymore. A similar scene occurs later on at a restaurant.
J.D.'s Girl Names
- Lillian
- Clarabelle
Guest Stars
- Elizabeth Bogush as Alex Hanson
- Carrot Top as Himself
- Sean Carrigan as Paul
- Jim Coari as Mr. Yeager
- P.D. Mani as Dr. Simotas
Music
♫ List of music featured in Scrubs
- "New Slang" by The Shins
Quotes
- “My therapist thinks my trouble in bed stems from a basic fear of intimacy. But I just think it's just because any type of repetitive motion makes me nauseous. Oh, and since I was a little kid, I've always had nightmares about being crushed.”— Elliot
- “That poor shrink.”— Carla
- “That poor shrink.”— Carla
- “Hey, uh, Alex, I am so sorry; but I went to the restaurant, I guess I just missed you. And then I-I called your house, but there was no answer. And then I actually stopped by your house, and I guess you didn't see me - which was sort of odd, 'cause I was standing next to the pizza guy while you were paying him...”— J.D.
Trivia
- For the first time (and probably the only) Dr. Cox calls Doug Murphy by his name.
- It is revealed that Elliot never had an orgasm before this episode. Although, in a later episode she mentions in college people joking about her "orgasm face" which cannot be true if she never had one.
- Carla and Elliot start talking about Carla not having an orgasm before J.D. tells Dr. Cox Mr. Yeager's disease. Nonetheless, their conversation is still at the same point when the scene shifts to J.D. being 80 minutes late to his date with Alex.
- Just before J.D. tells Dr. Cox he thinks Mr. Yaeger has Kuru, Jim Coari (who plays Mr. Yaeger) is opening and closing his mouth (probably due to the discomfort caused by the tube in his mouth).
- Kuru is a progressive neurological disorder that occurs primarily in the Fore natives who live in the New Guinea highlands.
- Dr. Cox quotes The Zebra Rule ("If you hear hoof beats, assume horses, not zebras") from the book The House of God written by Samuel Shem.
- In the end scene in which J.D. and Alex make their peace, the elevator's light indicates it's on the third floor, but the plate on the wall beside Alex reads "2ND FLOOR SOUTH".
- The song New Slang by The Shins (that was played at the end of this episode) is also played in Garden State, a 2004 movie that Zach Braff starred in, wrote, directed and chose the music for.
- Dr. Cox says "I assumed that you were afraid of missing Judging Amy", alluding to the CBS legal drama.
- Turk saying "I love you" like Astro is a reference to the dog from The Jetsons, which first aired in 1962.
Title explanation
J.D. tries to balance work and his new girlfriend, Alex.