Everything You Need to Know About the ‘Scrubs’ Revival: Cast Updates, Episode Count, and Family Details
The beloved medical comedy Scrubs makes its much-anticipated return on February 25 on ABC, featuring original stars Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke, and Donald Faison as they reprise their iconic roles of J.D., Elliot, and Turk. Judy Reyes (Carla) and John C. McGinley (Dr. Cox) will appear as recurring characters, balancing their commitments to other series, with Reyes starring in ABC’s High Potential and McGinley in HBO’s Rooster, from Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence.
How many of the Scrubs revival’s nine episodes are Reyes and McGinley in?
Who else of the original cast is returning?
As previously reported, Scrubs alums Neil Flynn and Christa Miller will guest star, reprising their roles as the Janitor and Jordan, respectively.
Lawrence confirmed, “Dr. Kelso will be back next year. It just didn’t work out this year but it will next year.”
‘Scrubs’ S9 (L-R): Eliza Couple, Michael Mosley, Dave Franco
Lawrence expressed enthusiasm for welcoming back former cast members, stating, “I would do it in a heartbeat because they’re such great performers. I’m a TV fan; I enjoy watching Scrubs uber fans’ brains melt a little bit, so I would be open to anyone coming back. Just this first year, nine episodes is such a tiny cup of coffee, we jammed in everybody we possibly could.”
Expanding the Scrubs brood
The revival picks up 16 years after the original series ended in 2010. At that time, J.D. and Elliot were expecting their first child, while Carla and Turk had two daughters. In the revival, J.D. and Elliot now share two children, while Carla and Turk have expanded their family to four children. Additionally, J.D. has a child with Kim, played by Elizabeth Banks, as revealed in the original series.
Working mom
Reyes remarked on her character’s return to the hospital, recalling that Carla’s absence in the ninth season was attributed to her desire to care for her children. Discussing the balancing act of her character’s life, Reyes stated, “I think that it’s done all day long. My make-up artist has three kids, and she works on the set for 12-14 hours. Carla does it because she has to do it; she doesn’t really think about it. Caring for someone at a hospital makes caring for your kids at home more doable, but it’s real life.”
Reyes continued, “It’s an interesting question to have as an actor, how do you do it when people do it every day? Carla’s passionate about her work and it’s bound to get to her from both sides.”
Staying on
While Reyes and McGinley are not obligated to return, both expressed enthusiasm about the prospect of continuing with Scrubs if the revival is extended. Reyes exclaimed, “F*ck yeah,” while McGinley echoed her sentiment, stating, “I echo that one. F*ck yeah, that’s as good as it gets.”
Reyes elaborated on the camaraderie among the cast, noting, “The show is a true ensemble, so we’re always together. Our days are long, and the work is really hard, but when you’re doing it, the words are easy to remember, the scenes are fun to play, and the actors are great to be with.”
Scrubs premieres February 25 on ABC.
