Posted in: ABC, NBC, Opinion, TV, TV | Tagged: ABC, donald faison, john c. mcginley, Judy Reyes, nbc, opinion, Sarah Chalke, Scrubs, zach braff

Scrubs: In This Pandemic Era, A Reboot Is Needed Now More Than Ever

There's something to be said for iconic shows when they wear out their welcome. One of those examples is the NBC/ABC sitcom Scrubs, which most fans disowned in the ninth and final season that mixed original with new cast members in hopes to pass the torch. I've been binging on the Fake Doctors, Real Friends podcast hosted by series stars Zach Braff and Donald Faison, who played doctors John Dorian, and Christopher Turk, becoming best of friends both on the show and in real life. I'll admit, I'm about a year behind on the podcast but the way they conducted themselves and their interaction with fans amid the pandemic proves the need for such a series in 2021.

Here's a Look at Scrubs History

Created by Bill Lawrence in 2001, the series follows the employees of Sacred Heart Hospital, a financially struggling training institution where doctors can learn their craft. Filled with colorful characters aside from best friends JD and Turk, you also had Dr. Elliot Reid, played by Sarah Chalke, who represents the young everywoman trying to make it within her field while more than holding her own in her comedic and serious moments. And let's not forget lead nurse Carla Espinosa (Judy Reyes), who became the emotional glue to the series often playing the straight role that worked so well for the series.

There was also their brash mentor in Dr. Perry Cox, played by the devilish John C. McGinley, who criminally never got nominated for an Emmy for his role with all his rants and his reluctant father figure moments. He was literally the Archie Bunker of doctors and a major reason why the series worked so well. Aside from the major players, every auxiliary character had a chance to shine throughout, from Ted the Lawyer played by the late Sam Lloyd, Neil Flynn's Janitor, the more reserved curmudgeon Dr. Bob Kelso (Ken Jenkins), and more.

As beloved as the show was, the series' fans naturally got attached to the core cast and with season eight providing such a wonderful ending, it was a hard act to follow with the new cast having a tough uphill climb before being canceled in 2010. How could the series thrive in 2021? Here are a few things you can try. First, since Cox is now in Kelso's role as Chief of Medicine of Sacred Heart, you retain him. Then, make the focus on JD & Elliot and Turk & Carla's kids trying to be doctors themselves currently. Let the new cast grow organically without having to rely on the original core.

How a Clean Slate Can Make a Reboot Work

Make it a true spinoff without having to rely on the old cast outside of special episodes. We never really got to miss JD, Turk, Elliot, and Carla. As the series grows with its new core, you can throw in the old series' favorites with care and only when it enhances the overall story. Even after the original series run, we haven't seen another series like it that bridges comedy and empathy in a medical context, which is needed now more than ever given what they have to deal with during the pandemic. The magic of Scrubs wasn't only because it made us laugh or because it was accurate by medical standards, but it wasn't afraid to pull punches when it had to deliver reality with a smile and a tear.

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