J.D.'s father died, and his brother delivers the news with a family tradition: cake. Dan then takes over the apartment bathtub drinking beer, as J.D. walks around in a funk. Dr. Cox uncharacteristically wants to comfort J.D., but his abrasive nature is winning him no prizes.
Turk has been more tired and needs to pee more. Carla suspects it's the symptoms of serious illness, but Turk is in denial. A talk with Molly Clock and a checkup reveal that he has diabetes. Turk struggles to deal with the implications of the diagnosis, and how to tell Carla.
Meanwhile, the Janitor is giving J.D. a break out of respect for his grief. He focuses on Dr. Kelso who threatened to dock his pay after he rented a crane without authorization. The power of a crane allows him to have fun with gaslighting Dr. Kelso, with his car and Ted.
Tropes for this episode include:
- Almost Kiss: JD's first Imagine Spot ends with Molly and Carla almost kissing, only to be followed by a second where he and Molly almost kiss, which leads directly to the third where he and Turk almost kiss.
- Aw, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other: This episode shows a softer side to Dr Cox and demonstrates just how much he really cares for J.D., not that he'd ever admit it.
- The same could be said for J.D. and Dan with their father. He was not the best parent, but that did not stop his sons from loving or mourning him.
- Deceased Parents Are the Best: Subverted. J.D.'s father wasn't the parent of the year, he was still a dad. J.D. has trouble processing his mixed feelings about it and wants to talk with someone.
- Drowning My Sorrows: After Dan breaks the news to J.D. he spends the rest of the episode getting drunk in J.D.'s bathtub. Cox duct tapes his head to the wall to make sure he doesn't literally drown in the process.
- Dude, Not Funny!: Invoked by Ted. Wanting to fit in, he joins in with Dr Cox's sarcastic clapping. When he learns the reason behind it however, he immediately stops. Dr Cox shares the same opinion as moments after explaining why he was clapping, he curses himself.
- Even Evil Has Standards: The Janitor actually cuts J.D. some slack and does not pick on him for the entirety of this episode.
- Also happens with Dr Cox. He tries to help by giving J.D. some time off and taking over all of his patients for him. J.D. doesn't want this, when it finally hits him, he realises that what he really wanted was someone to talk to. Cox initially thinks J.D. is ungrateful and claps sarcastically. When Ted asks what they are clapping about, Cox realises what he is doing and stops. After that, he meets with Dan and they come up with a plan to help J.D.
- Explain, Explain... Oh, Crap!: Invoked by Molly by describing Turk's symptoms to him.Molly: I was wondering if you could help me. I have this patient: Constantly tired, always peeing, losing weight.Turk: Well, you should have him checked out. He may have diabetes.Molly stares at Turk.Turk: Oh.
- Expressive Hair: After a trip in Dr Kelso's car, Ted's hair stands up on end throughout most of the episode. He eventually uses a whole tube of hair gel to smooth it down. Moments after doing so however, a Jump Scare from the Janitor causes it to stand on end again.
- Hard Truth Aesop: When someone's parent has died, even if they weren't the best parent in the world, you have to actually listen to find out what they want. Dr Cox covers J.D.'s patients for the day and offers a hug, but J.D. doesn't want that. He wants to talk to someone about his father, and Dan is no good while drunk in the bathtub.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: One where the "hoisting" is literal - the Janitor uses a crane to gaslight Kelso into thinking he's going senile, but Kelso turns the tables by using the crane to trap him on a bench hoisted into the air for an entire weekend.
- Improperly Paranoid: JD's not wrong to suspect Cox is still being a dick, but Cox really is trying this time.
- Jerkass Realization: Dr. Cox gets one when someone comments on him doing Sarcastic Clapping for J.D., and he says out loud that Mr. Dorian died.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business:
- To signify how deep Dan's Heroic BSoD is, he calls his brother "J.D." instead of "Johnny".
- J.D. refuses a hug from Dr Cox, expecting it to be a joke. Dr Cox is so offended he punches the guy in the face.
- The Janitor politely steps aside and gives JD a nod to indicate he's not going to mess with him today.
- Pet the Dog: As mentioned above, the Janitor lets J.D. off the hook for this episode. He won't torment a man whose father just died.
- Shower of Awkward: Dan refuses to get out of the bathtub even when J.D. needs to shower. They both agree that it was weird.Dan: You have Dad's butt.
- So Proud of You: Cox and Dan both tell JD how proud they are of him while commiserating over the loss of his and Dan's father.
- To Absent Friends: At the end of the episode, Dr Cox offers a toast to J.D. and Dan's father, which the brothers appreciate. Before the credits roll, a tribute message says "For our friend John Ritter".
- Wham Line: "Dad died."
