Scrubs Reboot: Everything We Know So Far

Despite the fact that creator Bill Lawrence once said that the idea of rebooting "Scrubs" was a bit of a bummer, it was recently confirmed that ABC ordered a revival of the beloved sitcom. "Scrubs" first premiered on NBC in 2001 and ran on the network for seven seasons before it was purchased by ABC. ABC ran a shorter, eighth season of the show, which was initially meant as a send-off for J.D. (Zach Braff) and the rest of the beloved staff of Sacred Heart Hospital. ABC revived the series for a ninth season not long after that, but audiences didn't enjoy this iteration of the show as much. Featuring several new characters studying at the hospital as med students, some fans felt the season came off like an unwanted backdoor pilot for something that wasn't their treasured "Scrubs." 

News of the revival is relatively recent and ABC has yet to start production, although star Judy Reyes let slip that filming will likely begin by the end of October. It's unclear when the show will be ready for viewers, but it is probable that it will air on ABC's network channel during the 2025-2026 television season. "Scrubs" is well known for everything it gets right about working in a hospital, as well as its delightful humor and well-timed moments of poignance. Some of its episodes have even done a great job showing the importance of various medical practices, including social distancing to prevent the spread of infection. With America's healthcare system in crisis, it might just be the perfect time to bring back a show that doesn't shy away from the nitty-gritty details of medical care.

Since the end of "Scrubs," Bill Lawrence has had a lot of success with his creative career pursuits. Lawrence is one of a few minds behind the brilliance of the audience-beloved Apple TV+ series "Ted Lasso," and if that isn't enough, he's also the current showrunner for the Emmy-nominated Apple TV+ show "Shrinking." It's easy to find the thread of his humor across all three programs, and it'll be exciting to have him return for the "Scrubs" revival.

Streaming services have changed a lot about how TV shows are produced and aired — whether that has to do with the length of a season or a show's premiere — and it's not all good news. It does mean that Lawrence will be able to balance his work on "Shrinking" with the return of "Scrubs." Unfortunately for fans, he won't be returning as a showrunner, but rather as an executive producer. Tom Hobert and Aseem Batra, both of whom worked as writers on the original run of "Scrubs," will share showrunning duties for the revival season.

While most of the series regulars from the original "Scrubs" run have had varied career opportunities over the years, fans can look forward to the return of many familiar faces. ""Scrubs" means so very much to me. So excited for the chance to get the band back together," Lawrence wrote in a statement reported by Deadline. Zach Braff, who plays the show's lead character and narrator Doctor John "J.D." Dorian, was the first to announce his return, quickly followed by announcements that Donald Faison and Sarah Chalke — who played J.D.'s best friend Christopher Turk and eventual wife Elliot Reid, respectively — will also be returning for the revival. 

It's unclear whether certain tertiary characters (some of whom "Scrubs" fans famously can't stand) will return, but Variety has reported that John C. McGinley will return as J.D.'s abrasive mentor Doctor Cox, who was serving as Sacred Heart's Chief of Medicine when audiences last saw him. Most recently, Reyes, who played nurse Carla Espinoza (and Turk's longtime wife) on the original "Scrubs" series, was also announced as a returning regular. While Lawrence hopes to bring back as many folks from the original run that he can, he is regretful that Sam Lloyd — who always gave a pitch-perfect performance as Sacred Heart's browbeaten lawyer, Ted — will not be able to come back. Lloyd died in 2020.

With most of the original cast returning, this new iteration of "Scrubs" will function as a comfortable return to the show's original characters, even though they'll be in new phases of their lives. The logline for the reboot reads: "J.D. and Turk scrub in together for the first time in a long time. Medicine has changed, interns have changed, but their bromance has stood the test of time. Characters new and old navigate the waters of Sacred Heart with laughter, heart and some surprises along the way," as reported by The Hollywood Reporter. That said, Lawrence has clarified that the revival will not erase the events of the ninth season of "Scrubs.." Fans will probably find that a polarizing decision. 

The new era of "Scrubs" will explore the lives of the shows original characters and be told from J.D.'s point-of-view, but it will still include younger characters who are just beginning their own careers in medicine. Zach Braff made it clear to Bill Lawrence that J.D. needs to have evolved in the years since fans last saw him. "I cannot be a 50-year-old doing the same things. I have to be older, I have to be more mature," Lawrence quoted from Braff in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. While fans wait for the new season of "Scrubs," there are plenty of funny moments from the show to enjoy to make the wait a little shorter.