Zach Braff Hints Scrubs Season 2 Sends JD and Elliot Back to Single Life

Well, here we go again: Scrubs is charging back onto our screens, and honestly, the return is happening sooner than I expected. The show’s second revival season has officially been given the green light for Fall 2026. (Yes, that’s this year, so you’ll want to clear your Hulu queue.) As usual, details are scarce—they’re still banging out scripts—but if you watched last season, you know they left us with some big dangling threads. And, apparently, Zach Braff has already let slip a few hints about where we’re headed.

That Emotional Bombshell: Dr. Cox’s Diagnosis

Last season ended with a punch straight to the gut: John C. McGinley’s Dr. Cox got hit with a major diagnosis, and it looks like the new batch of episodes won’t be shying away from that. If you liked the old dynamic between JD and his grumpy mentor, get ready, because Season 2 will throw JD (Braff) right into the mix as Dr. Cox’s doctor. Heavy stuff, but this is Scrubs, so expect them to juggle the big, life-changing stories alongside all the usual weird side plots—some familiar, some completely new.

JD and Elliot: Uncoupled... Again?

Here’s where things get interesting (and maybe a little messy). In a chat with ExtraTV, Zach Braff gave a very noncommittal answer about where Season 2 is heading. He mentioned the Dr. Cox story (because, obviously), then casually spilled that there are 'fun new love interests for Elliot and JD.' That might seem innocent, but if you’ve been watching closely, you know this could mean neither of their rebound romances will last long.

• Elliot (Sarah Chalke) ended Season 1 dating Wes, a pilot played by Andy Ridings, who—let’s be honest—is so bland I’m surprised he doesn’t come with an air sickness bag.
• JD met Charlie (Rachel Bilson) in the finale, who may or may not be sticking around themselves.

So sure, Braff’s comment might just be talking about these 'new' flings carrying into next season... or it’s his way of telling us the writers are about to clear the decks and do even more romantic shakeups. This isn’t exactly groundbreaking—both characters dated half of Sacred Heart before tying the knot in the original series—but now that the revival revealed JD and Elliot got divorced, seeing them both single again hits differently. Honestly, it’s all set up for maximum awkward reunion potential.

Will They, Won’t They: The Never-Ending Saga

There’s a very vocal chunk of the fandom that’s basically outraged JD and Elliot’s marriage didn’t go the distance. (Did people really think Scrubs would come back just to leave them in sitcom bliss?) The hope—or worry—is that the endgame for the revival is putting these two back together. Right now, they’re stuck in divorced-co-parents-who-are-sort-of-friends mode. Could it change? Absolutely. Would I bet actual money it happens this season? Not a chance.

'Fun new love interests for Elliot and JD.'
— Zach Braff, doing a great job at not spoiling anything (but possibly spoiling everything anyway)

Honestly, it makes sense for showrunner Aseem Batra and the writing team to drag this unresolved relationship back into the mix. That 'will they or won’t they' vibe was a massive part of what made the early seasons work. Rebooting that tension—now with the added weight of failed marriage and actual adult baggage—could be great... or it could just make us all feel vaguely uncomfortable. Truth be told, I’m not convinced I want JD and Elliot back together unless the show is actually interested in showing some real change. They had plenty of red flags the first time around. If they’re gonna do it, it had better feel earned.