'Scrubs' Creator Says Reboot's ‘Hardest Part’ Is Zach Braff & Donald Faison Have Aged
While it’s been more than 15 years since the last episode of the hit medical series Scrubs aired, the response following the news of its return proves that fans’ appreciation of the show remains as strong as ever.
The return of Sacred Heart Hospital's beloved medical staff was first reported by Deadline, and it'll be led by Zach Braff, reprising his role as the main character, JD, aka John Dorian and Donald Faison, who's back in his leading role as Turk alongside his best buddy.
While others have signed on for the Scrubs reboot, original creator Bill Lawrence is also back in the fold. Lawrence made a few noteworthy comments when he recently opened up about the upcoming show in an interview with TV Line.
While Lawrence's first interesting comment may seem obvious to some fans, he revealed that the show "starts with JD and Turk."
“I hate the narrative, like, ‘Oh, the ninth year sucked.’ No, it didn’t,” Lawrence maintains. “It’s sour grapes, whatever, I’m so lucky to have done it. I didn’t get to work on [that season] as much, but that writing staff did a great job, and I think Kerry Bishé, Michael Mosley, Eliza Coupe and Dave Franco have all gone on to have great careers because they were really good."
"If it had been a spinoff called Scrubs: Med or Scrubs: Med School, it would not have been judged as harshly, but I understand the business of that [decision]. This one is [also] called Scrubs, and it starts with JD and Turk.”
The dynamic duo's on-screen bromance helped make Scrubs as popular as it was. However, Lawrence followed that up with a moment of blunt honesty while revealing that the "hardest part" of the reboot is also JD and Turk.
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"The hardest part is that Zach and Donald have aged," Lawrence says with a laugh. "People still have that affinity, and love, for that goofy youthfulness — it’s why the T-Mobile commercials work so well. But if I saw two guys in their late 40s/early 50s doing 'World’s Most Giant Doctor,’ and carrying each other around all the time, I would go, 'What the f--k is going on,’ you know?"
It's a fair point, and Lawrence explained how that will factor into the upcoming show's primary focus.
"To see what that [friendship] looks like at their age, and [take] a comedic look at what medicine has become since those kids started out as interns, and see how our people would look at it, deal with it, and try to remain optimistic," he explained.
It's also not surprising that Lawrence and company sound as though they're already prepared with a plan for the approach to the show's popular duo. The big question now becomes how the Scrubs reboot will come together and, more importantly, how it'll be received by longtime fans of the series.
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