I’m Happy We’re Getting Scrubs Season 10, But I’d Have Loved To See Where Med School Was Headed

I’m so excited that Scrubs is on the brink of a comeback, but I’m sure that in another universe, a revival wouldn’t even be necessary. The thought of a Scrubs revival warms my soul, as it’s easily my favorite sitcom of all time. Although the last run of episodes wasn’t quite up to scratch, I still routinely watch and enjoy all nine seasons of Scrubs. The changes to the formula ahead of Scrubs season 9 resulted in a very different version of the show I’d grown to love. Still, I genuinely think it was a fascinating experiment.

Showrunner Bill Lawrence’s promise that he’s “definitely going to” make more episodes of Scrubs doesn’t mean the project has been greenlit. It hasn’t. However, the confidence with which Lawrence talks about the sitcom’s comeback makes me confident that it’ll happen sooner rather than later. Scrubs season 10 gives the show the chance to redeem itself in the eyes of myself and so many other fans who don’t rank season 9 too highly when compared to the previous 8. Regardless, I find myself wondering what could have been if Scrubs: Med School had been permitted to flourish beyond its 13 episodes.

Scrubs Season 9 Could Have Been The Beginning Of Something Cool

The brief Med School era held promise

I found the softly rebooted Scrubs: Med School to be a little jarring right off the bat. Many elements were the same as the show’s main run, but the biggest changes were the sitcom’s new aesthetic and the gradual move away from focusing on the original cast, bringing a new batch of stars to the forefront. Scrubs season 9 was originally intended as a spinoff, but ABC refused to market it as anything other than a direction continuation. If the studio had bought into the premise, I think the episodes could have kickstarted a creative idea.

Although Zach Braff’s John “JD” Dorian was present in many of the Med School episodes, he eventually departed in Scrubs season 9, episode 9, “Our Stuff Gets Real.” While other members of the original cast stuck around, there was no guarantee they’d have remained as part of the kind-of spinoff if it had continued beyond its lone season. What I think was more likely was that Scrubs: Med School would have become a sitcom equivalent of shows like ER. Actors could have come and gone through the years, but the show itself would have remained constant.

I can’t think of another sitcom that follows this formula. Admittedly, the format traditionally relies heavily on familiarity with its stars and their characters, but Med School started well by having old faces as well as new ones to try and cross that original bridge. The concept of a hospital sitcom/procedural hybrid with Scrubs‘ signature blend of zany comedy and heartbreaking drama is something I really wish had been allowed to develop. Sure, it didn’t work in Scrubs season 9, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it couldn’t have found its footing as it went on.

Zach Braff’s character should have stepped away much sooner

There’s no denying that Scrubs lives and breathes by its ensemble cast. The show wouldn’t have run for as long as it did without the amazing chemistry between its various actors – no matter how prominent they each were in the sitcom. That being said, it would also be naive to claim that Zach Braff wasn’t the sitcom’s leading man. As such, his departure was always going to be a huge blow.

While I didn’t want to see him leave – and I was aware he was going to before Med School had begun – I understood that the show’s new format needed to prove it could succeed without him. Unfortunately, it never really got that opportunity. Of the 13 episodes in Scrubs season 9, Braff appeared in 6 of them. If the eventual intention was to make a show that didn’t rely on members of the original cast, having the biggest one remain as such a prominent character for so long seems counterintuitive to me.

Braff’s Comeback Years Down The Line Could Have Been A Great Scrubs: Med School Storyline

JD’s comeback could have been something special

I understand why Braff was part of the transitionary period between Scrubs seasons 8 and 9, but I also believe that, at most, a single episode would have sufficed. Bringing JD back to Scrubs so soon after “My Finale” ruined his perfect ending, while also quietly hurting the potential future of the Med School reboot. If the updated version of Scrubs had continued to be renewed through the years and become a TV standard like ER and other medical shows, I would have found Zach Braff’s eventual return so long after his departure to be incredibly rewarding.

The same would also be true of the other members of the original Scrubs cast, or even stars who only debuted in season 9, like Kerry Bishé and Drew Suffin. As long as there was an ongoing-yet-ever-changing core of characters, the comings and goings of various personnel could have easily become part of the formula rather than a weakness to be constantly accounted for. Of course, Braff’s comeback would likely be the biggest event in Med School, but other characters like Turk, Dr. Cox, and Elliot leaving and coming back would have made a huge splash as well.

Scrubs: Med School’s Continuation Would Have Made A Revival Unnecessary

Bill Lawrence’s recent Scrubs season 10 plans wouldn’t have been required

Scrubs: Med School could conceivably have stood the test of time if the concept had been received a little better. If so, it could still be on the air today. Alternatively, it could have only just ended. To use ER as an example again, it was on the air for 15 years. With Scrubs season 9 ending 15 years ago, a finale to the experimental sitcom could have recently been broadcast if the first Med School episodes had hit the ground running. If so, the idea of a Scrubs season 10 would have long been realized.

In addition, I have no doubt said theoretical finale would have been so full of cameos from the show’s stars that a reunion would be surplus to requirements. In reality, Scrubs season 10 and beyond never happened, which is why it should be the next installment to come from the show. I’d be shocked if the coming revival was anything like the Med School episodes – other than the return to the new Sacred Heart – so I’m expecting a resurgence of a far more recognizable version of Scrubs from the sitcom’s golden era.