Scrubs’ Creator Uses Old Zach Braff Comment To Explain Why The Upcoming Revival Won’t Just Be A Repeat Of The OG Show

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Amidst his ongoing involvement with shows like Ted Lasso, Shrinking, and Bad Monkey (all available on Apple TV+), multi-talented producer, director, and writer Bill Lawrence is simultaneously delving back into one of his early television triumphs. In December, Lawrence agreed to create a comeback for the popular sitcom Scrubs, and just last month, ABC officially greenlit it as a series. However, viewers should not expect the new Scrubs to simply mirror the original, as Bill Lawrence recently emphasized this distinction using an old quote by Zach Braff.

For 15 years now, since “Scrubs” concluded its nine-season stint on ABC, there’s been a significant shift in television, marked by the rise of streaming platforms and innovative narrative styles in small-screen storytelling. In an interview with THR, Lawrence stressed that one key aspect he aims to incorporate into his newer shows is creating a sense that the characters are embarking on fresh journeys. When asked about how “The Bear” seems to have stagnated Carmen’s storyline, even though the critique wasn’t meant as a criticism of the FX on Hulu show, Lawrence responded:

I’m making it clear that I’m not criticizing it in any way! Let me explain my perspective: The show Scrubs is being revived, but due to my involvement with Warner Brothers and it being a Disney production, I don’t get to contribute as much as I’d like. However, many of the original writers and cast members were able to assist on the pilot. One of the first things Zach Braff expressed was that he couldn’t portray a 50-year-old doing the same things; he needed to appear older and more mature.

Initially, Zach Braff was the initial cast member to join the Scrubs comeback, given that his character JD was the main protagonist for the show’s first eight seasons and held a supporting role during part of Season 9. As time passes, though, circumstances alter, and in early June, Braff expressed concerns about the revival, emphasizing the need to avoid portraying an older JD as a doctor who has merely repeated the struggles we saw when he initially worked at Sacred Heart. It appears that creator Bill Lawrence shares this perspective.

As a die-hard fan of television, I must confess that the current state of “Scrubs” is light years away from its glory days during season 1.0. Recently, I found myself reminiscing about an instance when Zach Braff was in the thick of promotional activities for what was presumed to be the final season – a time that seems like a distant memory now.

In the eighth season of the initial series, a reporter asked Zach about his character’s transformation from the first season. Instead of elaborating, Zach humorously pointed out he now sports a beard. Today’s television wouldn’t allow such subtle humor as a response to a serious question.

Originally, shows like Scrubs could be watched out of order because each episode was fairly self-contained. However, the upcoming revival, Scrubs 2.0, aims to focus on character development more extensively. It’s good to know that Zach Braff won’t be the sole cast member returning; Donald Faison and Sarah Chalke will reprise their roles as Turk and Elliot respectively. Furthermore, it appears that John C. McGinley and Judy Reyes are in discussions about returning as Dr. Cox and Carla. However, there is no information yet regarding the participation of Ken Jenkins and Neil Flynn as Dr. Kelso and The Janitor.

In a more conversational tone:

Back in the day, shows like Scrubs could be watched randomly without missing much since each episode stood on its own. But the new version, called Scrubs 2.0, is planning to delve deeper into character growth. It’s nice that Zach Braff won’t be the only familiar face returning; Donald Faison and Sarah Chalke will be back as Turk and Elliot respectively. It seems like John C. McGinley and Judy Reyes are in talks about reprising their roles as Dr. Cox and Carla, but we don’t have any updates yet on Ken Jenkins and Neil Flynn’s return as Dr. Kelso and The Janitor.

It seems unlikely that the Scrubs revival will air in the 2025 TV lineup, but there’s still ample time to develop it as a midseason show for 2026. In the meantime, feel free to catch up on the original series with your Hulu subscription.

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2025-08-16 23:45