Scrubs(ABC & Disney +)
By: Dave Hughes
Bill Lawrence has been a designer of classic television programs for years. Ted Lasso is beloved and has won frequent Emmy awards for years. His most recent effort, Shrinking features a powerhouse cast and has also received multiple Emmy nominations. One of Lawrence’s most well recognized series is Scrubs. Originally running from 2001-2010, the show gathered a devout fan base through its loveable cast and unique musical cues. The show has now returned and over its first four episodes, has not missed a beat, returning it to its familiar self while changing enough of the original concept to make the reboot feel fresh.
Scrubs kicks off after a decade of time has passed since the series finale. The leads are the same trio that audiences have grown accustomed to following throughout the first series. The series lead continues to be Zach Braff (Garden State, Wish I Was Here) who as JD is once again supported by his longtime best friend Turk, reprised by Donald Faison’s (Remember the Titans, Clueless). Once again providing a touch of feminine intrigue to the bromance is Elliot, Sarah Chalke’s (Roseanne, Rick and Morty) quirky and lovable character once again acts as JD’s romantic interest. When the show first began, these three leads were learning how to be doctors, but this time around they are the ones doing the teaching to a new group of recruits. This dynamic allows the legacy characters to feel revitalized while showing maturity and leadership without losing the comedy that made them memorable in the first place.. Lawrence balances the art of growth but staying true to the original characters which is essential in any form of reboot. The chemistry between the three leads remains largely the same, giving the audience an immediate rekindled familiarity with the characters.
New recruits also join the doctors at Sacred Heart Hospital in this latest version of the beloved medical comedy.The stand out of this bunch is Ava Bunn’s (A Man on the Inside) Dr. Sam Tosh who is a young doctor who doubles as a social media influencer. Bunn plays the influencer card well but shows underneath that she has a deep connection with her patients and wants to be a well versed doctor. Jacob Dudman (The Stranger) also joins the fray as Dr. Asher Green who comes across as the latest iteration of Braff’s JD. Dudman is a loveable, if sometimes naive, doctor whose confidence waivers at points but has a genuine drive to be respected.
Scrubs is a show that catches viewers off guard at points, much like the original. The comedic moments are memorable and are similar to the earlier version of the show. . However, there are moments where the show demonstrates flashes of empathetic brilliance and tremendous emotional stakes in the most surprising of ways. Not every episode has those moments, but when they hit, they hit hard. These moments of genuine emotional breakthrough can come in the form of a life changing diagnosis for a patient but also in the form of references to what happened in the previous seasons of Scrubs. Both have tremendous impact on the viewer, especially those who have been with the show from the start.
Target Score 7/10: Through familiar characters, exciting additions to the cast and comedy, Scrubs establishes itself once again as a comfy blanket to tune in weekly. Moments of silliness exist but there are also strong emotional moments at the most surprising of times.