Zach Braff hints a fan favorite is back in the next Scrubs season

If sitcom revivals are a bit of a gamble, Scrubs is one of the rare cases where it actually paid off. After being binned sixteen years ago, the show came back for what it calls Season 10 and – rather stunningly – critics and audiences both seemed keen to keep it around. It’s a little as if Sacred Heart Hospital took an extended bank holiday and returned with barely a hiccup, immediately getting back into the old rhythm with J.D. (Zach Braff), Elliot (Sarah Chalke), Turk (Donald Faison), and the rest of that irreverent crowd.

Old Favourites – and a Few Surprises – on the Way

Zach Braff’s already hinted they’re going even bigger for the next run (which, if you’re keeping score, doubles as Season 11 in the timeline). Apparently, the idea is to properly tap into what’s always made Scrubs stand out: those one-off patients and peculiar staffers who’d pop up for just an episode, then disappear. The way Braff puts it:

'More guest stars will be back for the fans. I’ll tease that. Or we’re booking a lot of their fan favourites as we speak.'

The last season already dusted off quite a few familiar faces – Christa Miller as Jordan Sullivan returned, as did Hooch (Phill Lewis) and the gloriously idiotic Dr Todd (Robert Maschio). This time, they’re planning cameos or even full appearances from more cult favourites: Paige Cox (Cheryl Hines), Denise Lemmon (Molly Shannon), and Billy Callahan (Colin Farrell – yes, really). There’s also hope that Judy Reyes (Carla) and Neil Flynn (the Janitor) will be less blink-and-you-miss-it next time. As far as turning up the nostalgia dial, they aren’t being subtle about it.

Where Are They Now? (With a Few Twists)

The revival had some heft to it – far less throwaway gags, and more of a sense that time’s actually moved on. For one, J.D.’s now Chief of Medicine, inheriting Dr Cox’s old job. The big curveball is that his working partnership with Elliot is awkward as hell, since they’re now divorced. Talk about not pretending everyone’s life is frozen in amber.

As for Dr Perry Cox (John C. McGinley), the last season hit him with a genuinely tough storyline: he’s got an autoimmune disease, which means Sacred Heart’s toughest old cynic is now a patient. McGinley was clearly chuffed about being able to show Cox’s softer side, telling TV Insider:

'That’s a whole different vibe, and so to bring him back in the hospital as a guy who was the teacher and is now being taken care of by the caregivers? That’s so delicious, and writers can write that, that’s a nuanced conflict, and I think that’s what we’re in the position to do.'

Even if you only dip in, you’ll notice there’s still plenty of cartoonish slapstick, but with a bit more proper drama behind it. Cox as a patient, rather than the one barking out orders, is honestly a clever bit of role-reversal.

They’ve Learned the Ropes (After a Wobble)

Braff reckons this upcoming series will be 'even better', and says they’ve picked up a thing or two after the comeback season. He puts it down to working out not just what fans liked, but getting the tone right after such a long absence. It’s worth remembering that Scrubs ended pretty much perfectly in Season 8, tying up everyone’s arcs in that sentimental finale. Then they had a rough run in Season 9, which most people agree went a bit off the rails and nearly tanked the whole thing.

• Season 8: Emotional finale, show considered 'wrapped'
• Season 9: Return, widely panned, considered a misstep
• Season 10: Sixteen years later, successful revival
• Season 11: In the works, aiming for more fan-favourite cameos and heavier drama

The track record here is a bit unusual. Sitcoms like Will & Grace, Fuller House, and even Malcolm in the Middle have managed decent post-cancellation runs, but for every success story there’s a Frasier or And Just Like That – comebacks that land with a bit of a thud.