Entertainment

Zach Braff & 'Scrubs' Creator Might Make New Show

by Alanna Bennett

People don't talk about Scrubs nearly enough. Friends gets near-constant nostalgia-based reminiscence, for obvious reasons — and yet few give Scrubs its due. Maybe this small update on Scrubs' alumni will trigger some rectifying of that: Zach Braff and Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence might reunite for a show in the coming seasons.

Braff, who's spent his years since Scrubs largely trying to live down Garden State, has been doing press for his most recent film Wish I Were Here. As part of that press run he revealed that he's been talking with Lawrence about the possibility of a new show:

I’ve been talking about a new idea with Bill Lawrence who created Scrubs. I don’t know if it will be this year or next...I like the idea of cable because I don’t want to do 22 episodes, but I like the idea of this new wave that you can do 12 episodes or eight episodes maybe for cable or Netflix or wherever. There are so many more options now. It's an exciting time.

And on the prospect of returning to television:

Of course I would go back to TV. And if you'd asked me that a year ago I would have said probably not.“But in a year all that's changed. When you click on your Apple TV…I laugh at myself, I constantly catch myself clicking on TV [over film] now. I'd much rather get addicted to a series.

Legit.

The prospect of Braff an Lawrence reuniting is an interesting one; Scrubs was certainly a successful show, especially by modern standards. As such it wouldn't be surprising for studios to take an interest, especially if we're talking Netflix or a cable network like TBS (home of two current Lawrence shows). It's already the kind I show I'm guaranteed to watch the first few episodes of, if only to see what's up.

But there's one thing that will haunt this project regardless: The chances of it being as delightful and resonant as Scrubs are slim to none. I have no doubt they'll be able to create something funny and possibly even great — but neither they not their fans should expect to strike the same kinda gold twice; you just can't recreate the glory days of that show. Nor should you try. Braff and Lawrence reuniting could bring about a whole new, great show. Let's just remember what came first: