Scrubs Grows Up Without Growing Cold

My Returning Favorite Series

In between watching Lake Placid made-for-SyFy sequels and Oscar-nominated films, I’ve been squeezing in some TV shows. And one of my favorite TV creators is Bill Lawrence. I look forward to my weekly dose of new episodes of Shrinking and, starting last week, Scrubs.

Lawrence might be the most reliable writer/producer on television when it comes to mixing comedy with actual, human feeling. From Ted Lasso to the unfortunately titled (but amazing) Cougar Town, his shows all deliver sharp jokes wrapped around sincere relationships.

I first discovered that formula during the original run of Scrubs from ’01 – ’10. It struck a perfect balance of absurd fantasy cutaways and episodes that could rip my heart out. J.D.’s daydream of a West Side Story-esque rivalry between surgeons and doctors had me roaring with laughter, while the episode featuring Brendan Fraser left me in literal tears. This show trusted its characters and its audience enough to let them hurt.

That trust is also rife in the first two episodes of the Scrubs revival that aired last week. Unlike other disastrous cash-grab revivals of old sitcoms like Frasier, Night Court, and That ’90s Show, Scrubs brings back nearly all surviving members of the original run, and the magic is still there. Seeing Zach Braff, Donald Faison, Sarah Chalke, Judy Reyes, and especially John C. McGinley together again was like revisiting old friends. J.D. and Turk still have their rhythm, Dr. Cox still needles J.D., though showing more outward affection as well, and the humor still lands. And their reunion felt earned, not manufactured.

This new Scrubs acknowledges these people aren’t interns anymore. They have a little regret, a little fatigue, and many more years on them. That tension between comedy and melancholy is where this series has always thrived.

So much comedy these days is rooted in deep cynicism, and I enjoy that when done well. But Lawrence’s shows stand out because they don’t treat sincerity like a joke. Be it the bromance of J.D. and Turk, the friendly sparring between Christa Miller and Busy Philipps on Cougar Town, or the wounded mentorship dynamic between Harisson Ford and Jason Segel in Shrinking, Lawrence keeps coming back to connection. These characters feel human. They connect with each other. And I connect with them.

The first two episodes of Scrubs ’26 made me laugh, but, more importantly, they made me feel something. If it keeps this quality, it will be a rare sitcom revival that earns its existence.

If you haven’t seen the old Scrubs episodes, they hold up. And so far it’s a strong recommend for the series’ revival.