Scrubs: A Case Study on Ageism and Sexism

The type of media I am using is the NBC television show Scrubs. This is one of my favorite shows because through its quirky cutaways and emotional situations, I feel I can relate with certain characters through their actions and narrated thoughts. I also find that this sitcom is more appealing because it focuses on another world outside of the family household. A hospital is somewhere where one will find people of all ages, races, and ethnic backgrounds. Sacred Heart Hospital, which is the setting for Scrubs has many medics that are white males, but also there are ones that are Female, African America, Asian, Latino, and elderly. More importantly, two females and a black man, along with a white man are the four main characters that the show's situations are based around.

Through my research I am looking to find if the show presents some oppression towards any of these groups and if the show does highlight any "-isms". I will be watching an episode from the second season titled, "My Fruit Cups" to search for these "-isms".

Theme 1: Scrubs presents the Latino community in a positive light. According to The National Council of La Raza, Latino characters are barely ever shown on television shows, and when they are, most of the time it is in a negative fashion. One of the main characters on Scrubs, Carla, is a Latino woman. She is one of the nurses that work with the other doctors. Carla is a very positive woman in this show and presents herself as such in a strong and determined way. This is a big step forward for Hispanics in television because the show spotlights a Latino woman, holding a professional job, and supporting herself.

Theme 2: Sexism is also found in the show. The men in Scrubs all seem to present themselves as "Macho Men" and far superior to their female colleagues. Elliot, one of the main characters, is a female doctor and is often oppressed because she is female and the male residents are more often given special jobs and patients to take care of