FOLLOWING the twists and turns of coming-of-age trainee doctors, Scrubs was a TV titan packed to the brim with comedy and a lot of heart.
And now, a reboot of the legendary US medical comedy, which boasted nearly 16million viewers at is peak, is returning to screens.
The Scrubs cast kept viewers entertained for almost a decade[/caption]
The cast reunited for a special Q&A session back in 2018[/caption]
Broadcaster ABC, which aired its final two seasons, have listed the show in its 2025-2026, and Scrubs stalwarts are confirmed to have signed up for it.
Zach Braff and Donald Faison, who had a legendary bromance as J.D. and Turk, and love interest Sarah Chalke are returning under show creator Bill Lawrence, also famous for co-creating Ted Lasso.
“Scrubs means so very much to me,” Bill recently told Variety. “So excited for the chance to get the band back together.”
It follows the ongoing success of podcast series Fake Doctors, Real Friends, in which Zach and Donald shared the insider secrets from the show, which has been running for five years.
This year marked 15 years since the final episode of Scrubs aired and a lot has happened to the Sacred Heart Hospital medics in that time.
From a shock age gap romance with a Hollywood A-lister to unrecognisable transformations, a premature death and an almighty legal battle, we reveal all.
Zach Braff – J.D.
After years of bit-parts, Zach Braff was finally able quit his waiter job for good after bagging the part of Dr John Dorian, aka J.D.
Since the finale he’s moved into directing – with films Wish I Was Here, with Kate Hudson, and 2017’s Going in Style, with Morgan Freeman, listed on his impressive CV.
The 50-year-old has remained close to his former co-star and friend Donald Faison, who played Turk, with the pair regularly share snaps together online and hosting podcast series Fake Doctors, Real Friends since 2020.
Zach used to date Florence Pugh, 29, who starred opposite Harry Styles and Olivia Wilde in Don’t Worry Darling.
The British actress, 21 years younger than Zach, announced their split in August 2022 and admitted they wanted to keep it secret to avoid abuse on social media.
“We’ve been trying to do this separation without the world knowing because it’s been a relationship that everybody has an opinion on,” Florence told Harper’s Bazaar.
Last year, the actor was briefly linked to singer Frances Whitney, 26.
In 2020, Zach suffered heartbreak when his close friend Nick Cordero – whose family were living in the actor’s guest house – tragically passed away following a battle with Covid-19.
That same year he came under fire when three episodes of Scrubs were removed from Hulu for featuring blackface – including scenes where J.D. tried to ‘become’ his best friend Turk.
Creator Bill Lawrence apologised after an outpouring of criticism online and said he felt “a combo of shame/stupidity/embarrassed” about it.
Donald Faison – Chris Turk
Donald Faison played Turk in Scrubs but was famous before the hit US sitcom[/caption]
The actor has six kids and regularly shares photos of his family[/caption]
Donald Faison – aka Chris Turk – was a hit with fans before his Scrubs debut after appearing in Clueless and Remember The Titans.
The actor, 51, has continued to succeed on screen and had a cameo role in Pitch Perfect, as well as voicing pilot Hype Fazon in Star Wars Resistance.
Donald has been married twice – first to Lisa Askey, with whom he had three children, Dade, Kobe and Kaya, but they divorced in 2005 after four years. Tragically Lisa died suddenly in 2017.
The actor tied the knot with CaCee Cobb in a star-studded ceremony in December 2012.
It took place at co-star Zach’s home – he was a groomsman and Jessica Simpson was a bridesmaid – after CaCee worked as a personal assistant for her.
Cacee and Donald had two children – Rocco and Wilder. Donald also has a son, Shawn, with ex-girlfriend Audrey Ince.
It was absolutely the hardest thing I’ve ever been through
Sarah Chalke
The actor has had a couple of legal issues over the years. Back in 2013, his agents who bartered a near $1million-contract for his final series of Scrubs sued him.
They claimed Donald, who was paid $75,356 (£55,850) per episode, had stopped paying their 10 per cent commission and demanded $73,000 (£54,000) in damages. They have since settled.
More recently, it emerged viral video game Fortnite had copied a dance performed by his character in Scrubs and he considered legal action.
“I don’t get no money,” Donald fumed, “That’s what y’all are thinking, right? Somebody got paid? No, no, I did not. Somebody stole that s***, and it’s not mine any more.”
The comments emerged at the 2018 Scrubs Reunion and when asked to perform the famous dance, he sniped: “If you wanna see it, you can play Fortnite, because they jacked that s***.”
Later show creator Bill revealed that the company behind the online game had enquired about the “legality of it” and unfortunately “it’s fine because it’s just a character dancing”.
Sarah Chalke – Elliot Reid
Sarah Chalke looked unrecognisable in the TV show Firefly Lane[/caption]
Sarah, pictured in 2018, has barely aged a day since appearing on Scrubs[/caption]
Sarah Chalke has earned critical acclaim in the lead role of Netflix hit Firefly Lane, but before was best known as Elliot Reid in Scrubs.
Well-versed in medical dramas, after the show she played dermatologist and Ted Mosby’s love interest Stella Zinman on How I Met Your Mother.
Sarah has also voiced Beth Smith in the science-fiction series Rick and Morty for 12 years, and had a recurring role on the third season of Cougar Town.
The actress, 48, was engaged to long-term partner Jamie Afifi for 16 years before they parted ways in September 2020.
They shared daughter France and son Charlie who, at the age of two, was diagnosed with rare illness Kawasaki disease – an inflammation of the blood vessels that can lead to heart conditions.
She said in 2013: “It was absolutely the hardest thing I’ve ever been through, and there’s nothing in the world like not knowing if your kid is going to be okay.”
In 2020 she revealed there is only a 10 day window to get treatment, and they managed on day 10 and a half.
She told TVLine: “It was on the late side, but thank God Charlie is okay.”
Judy Reyes – Carla Espinosa
Judy Reyes as Nurse Carla Espinosa in Scrubs[/caption]
She won millions of fans with her sharp and quick-witted humour as Carla Espinosa, and Judy Reyes went on to land a lead role in Lifetime’s Devious Maids when Scrubs wrapped.
Other TV hits since have included Jane The Virgin, Fresh Off The Boat, horror flick Smile and TV series Claws.
Judy, 57, was married to Edwin M. Figueroa for 11 years before they divorced in 2008.
She’s now happily settled with director partner George Valencia and the pair share a daughter, Leila Rey Valencia.
Neil Flynn – The Janitor
The Janitor ended up being a major character throughout Scrubs[/caption]
A recognisable face on Scrubs was actor Neil Flynn, 64, who played the prank-loving ‘Janitor’.
Having already starred in shows like Rookie of the Year, Flynn went on to appear in Mean Girls and Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull, around his Scrubs filming schedule.
After the finale, Neil landed a role in The Middle, which ran for nine years until 2018, and most notably appeared in the NBC sitcom Abby’s.
John C McGinley – Dr. Perry Cox
John C McGinley played Dr. Perry Cox on the long-running sitcom[/caption]
John C McGinley played sarcastic Dr. Perry Cox. He’d enjoyed an impressive career before filming began, with roles in Point Break, Office Space and Wall Street, among others.
Since hanging up his scrubs he’s starred in Burn Notice and the TV shows Chicago PD and Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
I was just like, ‘Listen guys, when in doubt, The Todd’s prescription for everything is less moaning, more boning.’ And they were just howling
Robert Maschio
John, now 65, has one son, Max, with his first wife Lauren Lambert. They divorced in 2001.
Max has Down’s syndrome and his dad has worked tirelessly to raise awareness of the condition, serving on the board of the Global Down Syndrome Foundation and as a celebrity ambassador for the National Down Syndrome Society.
The star married yoga instructor Nichole Kessler in 2007, and welcomed two daughters, Billie and Kate.
Christa Miller – Jordan Sullivan
Christa portrayed Dr. Cox’s ex wife Jordan Sullivan[/caption]
She’s married to Scrub’s producer Bill Lawrence, but actress Christa Miller stood out in her own right as Dr. Cox’s firebrand ex-wife Jordan.
The actress already had roles in Seinfeld and The Drew Carey Show before she appeared on her husband’s sitcom.
Christa, now 61, also appeared in another two of Bill’s creations, Cougar Town, and more recently comedy series Shrinking.
The mum-of-three often shares photos with her husband and kids on Instagram and has also remained close to co-star Zach Braff.
Ken Jenkins – Dr. Bob Kelso
Actor Ken Jenkins played Dr. Bob Kelso on Scrubs[/caption]
As the no-nonsense Chief of Medicine Dr Bob Kelso, actor Ken Jenkins won fans over throughout the series with his supporting role.
He was a much-loved star on screen before joining the cast, having had roles in Psycho, The Sum Of Fears and Last Man Standing.
He went on to play Courteney Cox’s father on Cougar Town, among other roles.
Now 84, Ken has been happily married to his second wife Katharine Houghton, 77, who is the niece of Katharine Hepburn, since 1970.
On IMDB, he is described as an “avid woodworker and a skilled dog trainer” and last appeared in the movie Girls Weekend in 2019 and a TV adaption of the book Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, the previous year.
Robert Maschio – Dr. Todd
Maschio starred as ‘The Todd’ during his stint in the limelight on Scrubs[/caption]
Best known on Scrubs as ‘The Todd’, Dr Todd Quinlan may have had a smaller role – but it was one of the funniest.
Robert Maschio, 58, has done the odd acting gig since – including a spot on Cougar Town like his fellow Scrubs co-stars and appeared in TV series Bones.
But since 2017, the former star has been working as a real estate agent in California.
I was so broken, I couldn’t get fixed enough for the relationship because I had damaged it with my own s***
Eliza Coupe
Despite Robert’s departure from the limelight, he often shares throwback photos of his Scrubs days on social media and appears to have remained close to the cast.
Amusingly he revealed his first paid-for public appearance was at Dublin’s Royal College of Surgeons, where he told 200 aspiring medical practitioners what life would be like “coming from a fake doctor from TV”.
Recalling the speech, in which he played his innuendo-loving Scrubs character, he said: “I was just like, ‘Listen guys, when in doubt, The Todd’s prescription for everything is less moaning, more boning.’ And they were just howling.”
Sam Lloyd – Ted Buckland
Late actor Sam Lloyd played Ted Buckland on Scrubs, he tragically passed away[/caption]
The Scrubs crew sadly suffered a heartbreaking loss in 2020 when actor Sam Lloyd, who played Ted Buckland on the sitcom, passed away at then age of 65.
He was diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer, which was later revealed to be metastatic lung cancer that had spread throughout his body.
The star’s wife, Vanessa, had recently given birth to their son when he received his diagnosis in 2019.
His co-stars paid moving tributes to him following his death.
Zach Braff wrote: “Sam Lloyd made me crack up and break character every single time we did a scene together. He could not have been a kinder man. I will forever cherish the time I had with you, Sammy.”
Lloyd enjoyed an incredible career; after Scrubs he went on to appear in The Middle – reuniting with Neil Flynn – as well as Desperate Housewives and Cougar Town.
Eliza Coupe – Denise ‘Jo’ Mahoney
Eliza Coupe starred as Denise ‘Jo’ Mahoney for the final two series of Scrubs and since then has appeared in hit series Happy Endings, Future Man, Casual and Benched.
The actress, now 44, bared her soul earlier this year, revealing she battled an eating disorder with “a sprinkle of bulimia” and would constantly “over-exercise”.
She had to enrol in a 12-step food programme – which tackles difficulties with food using the same principles as Alcoholic Anonymous.
I thought maybe he would attack me, or rape me, or worst-case scenario: death
Unnamed victim
“I was so broken, I couldn’t get fixed enough for the relationship because I had damaged it with my own s***,” Eliza told The Funny Thing Is podcast.
She admits “my drug of choice was always food” and blamed the “high-stress” of being in the public eye for her difficulties.
In March, Eliza clapped back at online trolls – who remarked on how different she looked compared to her time on Scrubs.
In an Instagram carousel, she used hashtags for the words ‘This is what I really look like’, ‘Haters can hate’, ‘I choose love’, ‘Remember who you are’, and ‘transmute’.
Eric Weinberg – writer-producer
Eric Weinberg, 62, was accused of sexual assaults by five women[/caption]
Back in 2022, the legacy of Scrubs came under fire after veteran writer and executive producer Eric Weinberg was charged with 28 counts of rape and sexual assault.
The 64-year-old carried out the attacks after using “his Hollywood credentials to lure young women for photoshoots” between 2014 and 2019.
“I was afraid he was going to kill me,” one of the women claimed. Others have alleged they feared for their lives too.
One woman, who alleged he put both hands around her throat, said: “I thought maybe he would attack me, or rape me, or worst-case scenario: death.”
Weinberg’s lawyer previously called the accusations a “blatant smear campaign” and he was released from police custody after posting a $5m (£4.4m) bond in 2022.
Last year, a judge ordered for Weinberg to stand trial – the date of which is not publicly known.
