The reboot ofScrubsgets a detailed and promising response from series creator Bill Lawrence. After years of speculation and talk of a follow-up movie at one point, Lawrence revealed in August that there were plans to move ahead with aScrubsreboot. The news quickly sparked interest, given the enduring popularity of the medical comedy, which starred Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke, Donald Faison, Neil Flynn, Ken Jenkins, John C. McGinley, and Judy Reyes, and ran from October 2001 to March 2010.
In an interview withDeadline, Lawrence gives a detailed update on the progress of theScrubsreboot. He mentionsone specific obstacle for the project is having to work out a deal with Warner Bros. TV, where Lawrence has an exclusive deal and has produced recent shows likeBad Monkey,Shrinking, andTed Lasso. Meanwhile, the reboot would have to be produced by Disney’s 20th Television.
Lawrence says he’s optimistic that an agreement is close, mentioning thatmost of the same creative team is involved, both behind the camera and in front of it. He then goes on to detail what to expect from the reboot, noting that it would be a combination of pastScrubscharacters while also introducing new ones. In the quote below, Lawrence explains why he thinks a hybrid approach would work best and why it would benefit the potential series:
I think it’s getting really close to being figured out, and I think in a good way. Big chunks of the creative team behind the camera, and most of it from in front of the camera, are all super invested and excited, so very close.
We’ve been talking about a lot, and I think the only real reason to do it is a combo. A: people wanting to see what the world of medicine was like for the people they love, which is part of any successful reboot. But B: I think that show always worked because you get to see young people dropped into the world of medicine, knowing young people that go there are super idealistic and are doing it because it’s a calling. There’s no cliché ‘rich doctors playing golf’ — that’s not what it is anymore. So I think that, no matter what it is, it would be a giant mistake not to do as a combo of those two things.
What Lawrence’s Comments Mean For The Scrubs Reboot
Scrubs Is Trying A Familiar Approach
During its original run, and towards the end, the medical dramedyhad a complicated change. It moved from NBC to ABC, lessening the impact of theplannedScrubsending. When season 9 of the hit show made its ABC debut, it was significantly different in terms of its cast and story focus. Though most of the original actors returned,only Faison and McGinley remained as series regulars. Reyes did not appear in the ninth installment.
The spotlight instead shifted to a group of interns and relatively newer characters, played by the likes of Dave Franco, Eliza Coupe, Michael Mosley, and Kerry Bishé who’d taken over the lead role. Braff, also an executive producer on the series, reflected upon the show’s cancellation and that the new version ofScrubswas a worthwhile attempt that ultimately did not work.
Lawrence’s comments suggest the upcoming reboot, if it moves forward, is another attempt to do a mix of legacy and new characters. The main difference this time may be the benefit of hindsight, plus the fact that the originalScrubscast could be present more frequently and a greater presence from the original creative team. However,it remains to be seen if a deal can be reached with Disneyto move forward with a revival series.
Our Take On A Scrubs Reboot
It Has A Tough Hill To Climb
The idea of mixing original characters with a newer cast was more novel whenScrubstried it out in the early 2010s. These days, it is one of the default storytelling modes in both movies and television. It hasn’t always worked out for the best, with the cancellation ofThat ‘90’s Showon Netflix serving as the latest example. The medical dramedy has been here before, but perhaps after a long time away and the massive success of his other shows likeTed Lasso, Lawrence has a worthwhile perspective on a familiar formula.
Scrubs
Cast
Scrubs is a Sitcom and Medical Comedy/Drama created by Bill Lawrence that follows a group of medical students throughout their daily lives at the Sacred Heart Teaching Hospital. The series stars Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke, and Donald Faison, as they work their way up from Medical Interns while juggling all sorts of hospital shenanigans.
