Love Scrubs? NBC’s other hospital comedy returns next week — and it might be even funnier

The US medical sitcom landscape wasn’t exactly crying out for more, but here we are in 2026—Scrubs is back with its own revival, a bit of healthy nostalgia for anyone who’s ever tried (and possibly failed) to grow up since the Zach Braff days. But just as fans were warming up to those old madcap fantasy sequences and the return of Neil Flynn’s Janitor, one bright young upstart has come rattling its own IV stand down the corridor: St. Denis Medical, a mockumentary-style sitcom from the clever bunch behind Superstore.

St. Denis Medical's third season begins its NBC run on 2 November 2026.

A Comedy Rival for Scrubs

Now, let’s be honest. Swapping out Scrubs for something new is probably more of a threat in theory than reality—no one ever really wants to admit their tastes have moved on. But if there’s a genuine contender for your next medical-comedy comfort watch, it’s St. Denis Medical. The set-up? Small, underfunded hospital in Oregon, an eccentric staff, and all the headaches you’d expect when the budget’s only slightly higher than a medical-drama prop department. Instead of Scrubs’ daydreams, it goes in for the documentary-style gags you get in The Office or Abbott Elementary.

It leans in hard on the funding and insurance stories that Scrubs would sometimes touch on, but makes them the central dilemma. Wendi McLendon-Covey from The Goldbergs plays Joyce Henderson, the hospital’s executive director—a character with more ambition (whether deserved or not) than any old HR manager Scrubs ever managed. Other big names in the cast include Allison Tolman from Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Josh Lawson from Superstore, as well as a full new roster of original characters who aren’t just knock-offs from Sacred Heart.

• Wendi McLendon-Covey: Joyce Henderson (executive director)
• Allison Tolman: [Main cast, Brooklyn Nine-Nine alumna]
• Josh Lawson: [Main cast, Superstore regular]

Growing Pains and Fresh Success

The mockumentary format isn’t exactly new territory—nearly every American office or school now comes with its own knowing glances at the camera. But in the medical sitcom department, it’s still relatively fresh ground: Scrubs did its own thing, but St. Denis Medical carves out a space that’s similar but not a carbon copy. Bit subtler with the humour, a bit less surreal dreamland, though just as clever when it’s firing on all cylinders.

The show’s critical numbers aren’t half bad for something in its early seasons: mid-sevens on IMDb and an 83% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes as of October 2026. Not without teething issues though. Some early complaints focused on the characters feeling a bit prickly, and the series occasionally trying to ape its older sitcom predecessors a little too closely. Still, like any half-decent sitcom, once it settled into its own pace, it found a proper groove. Season two managed to build a respectable following of its own—even if it was slightly drowned out by the Scrubs revival hype at the time.

'St. Denis Medical' currently holds an 83% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Season three debuts on NBC on 2 November 2026, running head-to-head with Scrubs’ second revival series. Now both shows have found their rhythm, so for anyone still clinging to Sacred Heart, there’s a proper rivalry in play at last.