With their residencies over, there are big changes at Sacred Heart. J.D. moves out to live on his own, while Turk and Carla consider a family change, creating another rift in their long friendship. Jordan is hired to handle some paperwork for Kelso, which annoys Cox. Elliot has a job interview at a different hospital thanks to her boyfriend Jake.
When J.D. meets a former writer from his all time favorite TV show "Cheers," he begins to picture his life at the hospital as a bland, multiple camera sitcom, where everything is perfect and wraps up nicely. Back in reality, Cox is relunctant to fire an amiable cafeteria worker, while Turk and Carla struggle to keep their promise of constant romantic affection afloat.
J.D. tries to impress Kylie by paying a hobo in the hospital to fake a heart attack, when everything becomes boring due to a quarantine that he caused. Turk learns, that Carla dated Cox and gets mad at her for not telling him. The Janitor makes a bet with Dr. Kelso, who is starving, that will make him pay $700, unless the Janitor is able to get a "face cake," in order to satisfy him, from Laverne. Also, Danni Sullivan returns to annoy everyone, causing a constant fight between Ted and Doug.
J.D. has a crush on a girl, who he met at a club, and he's torn about telling her, that her boyfriend has gonorrhea. Elliot decides to take a stand against Dr. Kelso with one of her patients. And Dr. Cox is blackmailed by the Janitor for a basketball game's score, after he spoils the end of "The Sixth Sense."
When J.D. has to address a bunch of pre-med students about what it's like to be a doctor, he strays off the beaten path and chooses to discuss his best moments as a doctor instead. When he challenges the rest of the staff to do so, they all remember their best memories in the medical field. Meanwhile, Elliot is forced to face her fear of children, when she must befriend a ten year old boy, whose father is being treated in the I.C.U.
With the case against Turk on his mind, J.D. attempts to end it with Neena, but she won't take "no" for an answer and keeps him wrapped around her finger. Carla tries her own way of persuading Mr. Corman to drop the lawsuit. Elliot sets out to prove she isn't the doctor she was four years ago and doesn't need to rely on anyone anymore.
When Dan resurfaces, J.D. is shocked to learn his father has passed away. The reactions from his co-workers help J.D. a little, but the one person, Dr. Cox, who he wanted to be there for him is too busy with J.D.'s patients. Meanwhile, Dan sits drunk in the bath tub the whole day and Turk finds out he has Type II Diabetes.
Elliot becomes unsure, if she wants Molly as her mentor, when she finds out that Molly doesn't have a perfect home life. J.D. is tested in leadership skills when Dr. Cox yells at him in front of his interns. Carla and Turk try to come to an agreement when Turk continuously wakes Carla up every night.
J.D. is shocked to hear Dr. Cox tell his interns that eventually, they will screw up and kill a patient. J.D. fears his first time killing someone will soon be upon him. Elliot is upset with Molly, after she disagrees about a patient's promise to attend drug rehab. Carla loses Rowdy and she and the Janitor go looking for him.
Dr. Cox is having issues with Jordan, since Ted revealed that they are still technically married due to some filing problems. J.D. has problems of his own as he can't shake off the tag of Co-Chief Resident the Janitor assigned to him, while Elliot keeps the Chief Resident tag. Elsewhere, Turk begins to doubt his abilities after letting a patient die and isn't helped, when he finds out J.D. has no confidence in him either. Dr. Cox and Molly spar about her involvement in his patients.
Dr. Clock tries to reconcile J.D. and Eliot, while waiting to see which one Dr. Cox will give the Chief Resident position to. Molly and Carla are experiencing some subtle conflict and Elliot and J.D. begin to come together after long bouts of conflict of their own. Meanwhile, Dr. Cox, Turk and the Janitor are forced to work together to help a patient.
Turk and Carla start to have issues when Carla tries to change everything about her new husband. Molly Clock (Heather Graham), the hospital's new psychiatrist, becomes friends with Elliot because she believes Turk, J.D. and Carla are shutting her out. Also, when Turk and J.D.'s car blows up, Carla lets him pick out the new ride only to find that instead of a car, he buys three scooters for them, further proving Carla's point that she needs to always be in control. The episode guest stars the Sugarhill Gang.