The beloved medical sitcom Scrubs is making a triumphant return to ABC, with the network officially ordering a tenth season for the 2025-26 TV season. Fans of the quirky, heartfelt comedy can rejoice as original stars Zach Braff, Donald Faison, and Sarah Chalke are confirmed to reprise their iconic roles as Dr. John “J.D.” Dorian, Dr. Christopher Turk, and Dr. Elliot Reid, respectively. This revival, helmed by series creator Bill Lawrence as an executive producer, promises to blend nostalgia with fresh storytelling, capturing the essence of the original while exploring how the world of medicine—and its beloved characters—has evolved.
Scrubs, which originally aired from 2001 to 2010, first on NBC and later on ABC, followed the lives of medical interns, doctors, and staff at the fictional Sacred Heart Hospital. Known for its unique blend of slapstick humor, surreal daydream sequences, and poignant moments, the show earned a dedicated fanbase and critical acclaim, including a Peabody Award in 2006 and 17 Emmy nominations.
The reboot has been in development since late 2024, with momentum building steadily. In May 2025, Braff was the first to officially sign on, followed by Faison and Chalke, who will also serve as executive producers. The series has secured a straight-to-series order, bypassing the traditional pilot phase, signaling ABC’s confidence in the project. According to sources, negotiations are ongoing to bring back additional original cast members, including Judy Reyes (Carla Espinosa), whose involvement is being coordinated around her commitments to ABC’s High Potential.
The official logline for the reboot teases a story that picks up years after the original series: “JD and Turk scrub in together for the first time in a long time — medicine has changed, interns have changed, but their bromance has stood the test of time. Characters new and old navigate the waters of Sacred Heart with laughter, heart, and some surprises along the way.” This suggests a hybrid approach, blending the return of fan-favorite characters with the introduction of new surgical interns, much like the show’s original premise.
Bill Lawrence, while not returning as showrunner due to his commitments to other projects like Ted Lasso and Shrinking, will remain a guiding force as an executive producer. The showrunning duties have been entrusted to Scrubs veterans Tim Hobert and Aseem Batra, both of whom bring deep familiarity with the series’ tone and history. Hobert previously served as a writer and executive producer, while Batra was a writer and story editor. Additional executive producers include Jeff Ingold and Liza Katzer from Lawrence’s Doozer production company.
Zach Braff has hinted that the revival will maintain the humor and heart that defined Scrubs but will reflect the realities of modern medicine and the aging of its core characters. “The hardest part is that Zach and Donald have aged,” Lawrence noted with a laugh, emphasizing that the show will avoid leaning too heavily on the youthful antics of the original run, like the “World’s Most Giant Doctor” gags. Instead, it will explore how J.D., Turk, and Elliot navigate their careers and personal lives in their late 40s and early 50s, with J.D. potentially depicted as a seasoned doctor “beaten down by the system” yet striving to remain optimistic.
The Scrubs reboot joins ABC’s growing comedy slate, alongside hits like Abbott Elementary and Shifting Gears. With no premiere date yet announced, anticipation is building for how the show will address changes in healthcare, the characters’ personal growth, and the introduction of new faces. Will J.D. take on a mentor role akin to Dr. Cox? Will Turk and J.D.’s bromance still steal the show? And will the series acknowledge the events of the controversial ninth season? These questions linger as fans eagerly await the return to Sacred Heart.
For now, the confirmation of Braff, Faison, and Chalke, combined with Lawrence’s creative oversight, suggests that Scrubs 2.0 aims to honor its legacy while offering a fresh take on the medical comedy that captured hearts in the 2000s. As Lawrence himself put it, “Scrubs means so very much to me. So excited for the chance to get the band back together.”
