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by Luca Fontana
"Scrubs 2.0" in development: Zach Braff returns as J.D.
22.5.2025
Translation: machine translated
Good news for all fans of the hospital sitcom "Scrubs": Zach Braff is returning as Dr John Dorian to the new edition of the series. What about the other stars and showrunner Bill Lawrence?
«Sometimes you just know when something is over.» That's how J.D.'s final journey of thought ended in the (first) series finale of «Scrubs». But what if that was just an interim chapter? With the return of former lead actor Zach Braff, the sequel to the cult series is taking shape. And it looks like the Sacred Heart will be opening its doors once again.
The remake is currently in development at ABC. The project is being produced by 20th Television, a subsidiary of Disney. They own the rights to the original series. The project currently has the working title «Scrubs 2.0».
Original cast could return
With the return of Zach Braff as Dr John «J.D.» Dorian, the likelihood that other original actors such as Donald Faison, Sarah Chalke, John C. McGinley and Judy Reyes will also return is increasing. According to industry reports, talks are already underway. The idea is to combine familiar faces with new characters in order to establish a series universe between nostalgia and the present day.
Source: christabmiller / Instagram
Many of the main actors remain in close contact to this day. Since 2020, Braff and Faison in particular have regularly appeared together in the podcast «Fake Doctors, Real Friends», in which they review individual episodes and provide insights behind the scenes. The strong personal connection within the cast is one of the reasons why a joint comeback seems realistic.
Negotiations with Braff: long and complicated
Hiring Braff turned out to be more difficult than expected. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight back in summer 2024, the actor expressed his interest in returning. Negotiations nevertheless dragged on for several months. Points of contention included financial aspects and, in particular, the filming location.
Braff was in favour of production in Los Angeles, while the studio originally put Vancouver forward as a more favourable option. However, official confirmation of the final filming location is still pending. The first eight seasons of the original series were mainly filmed at the former North Hollywood Medical Centre in the north of Los Angeles. The ninth season, on the other hand, was filmed at Culver Studios in Culver City, California.
What characterised the original series
The original series «Scrubs» ran from 2001 to 2010 for a total of nine seasons and 182 episodes. It was known above all for its unusual mix of slapstick humour, surreal daydreams and dramatic emotional depths. Zach Braff characterised the series as the idealistic, often emotionally overwhelmed young doctor J.D., whose inner monologues and fantasies formed a central stylistic device.
Lawrence is not allowed to lead, but stays close
Series creator Bill Lawrence is also involved, but cannot act as showrunner. The reason is not a time problem, but an exclusive production contract with Warner Bros. Television. As «Scrubs 2.0» is being created at 20th Television, he is denied a leading role for contractual reasons. However, Lawrence will remain on the project as a creative consultant. This was negotiated jointly by those responsible.
Lawrence has emphasised in interviews that a new version of «Scrubs» should not simply be a nostalgic rerun. Rather, the aim is to credibly narrate the dynamic between old characters and a new generation of doctors, embedded in a rapidly changing medical world. His signature content should therefore remain tangible despite contractual limits.
Source: vdoozer / Instagram
He also emphasised that the series will remain true to the developments from the rather unloved ninth season, which took place in a new setting and largely new cast.
Whether «Scrubs 2.0» will actually go on air remains to be seen. But with Zach Braff's return, the idea is taking shape for the first time. And for fans of the original series, that could mean The Sacred Heart chapter is not over after all.
Header image: ABC Studios
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