The beloved medical comedy Scrubs is back on network television, reassembling much of the original ensemble while adding fresh faces to its hospital corridors. The revival, billed as a tenth season, brings Zach Braff and Donald Faison back to the foreground of Sacred Heart Medical Center, pairs them again with Sarah Chalke and Judy Reyes, and introduces a cadre of new interns and staff. Led by showrunner Aseem Batra, who worked on the show’s initial run, the series aims
Debuting on ABC and available to stream on Hulu, the revival preserves many of the franchise’s recognizable beats: daydream sequences, rapid-fire banter, and the emotional undercurrent underscored by the original theme. At the same time, the series faces an obvious question: does revisiting familiar territory in a new era add fresh perspective, or does it mostly serve nostalgia? The new episodes make deliberate choices—restoring classic bits like J.D. and Turk’s handshake while acknowledging middle age—but critics and viewers may find the show more anchored in memory than in contemporary innovation.
What the revival brings back
The reunion includes Zach Braff as Dr. John Dorian (J.D.), Donald Faison as Turk, Sarah Chalke as Elliot and Judy Reyes as Carla, with appearances from John C. McGinley and familiar supporting players like Robert Maschio and Phill Lewis. Creator Bill Lawrence returns as an executive producer alongside veterans including Tim Hobert. Production company 20th Television handles the revival, and the showrunner role is shared with series alum Batra, who aims to balance original tone with modest updates. The trailer and early episodes emphasize the continuity of characters and relationships: former mentees are now mentors, and previous dynamics—especially the J.D./Turk bromance—remain central.
New characters and attempts at updating the template
To populate Sacred Heart’s teaching wards, the revival adds new cast members such as Vanessa Bayer, Joel Kim Booster, Jacob Dudman, David Gridley, Layla Mohammadi and Amanda Morrow. Vanessa Bayer plays a wellness director/human resources figure intended to act as a foil and institutional check on the staff’s chaos. Other newcomers portray a range of trainee archetypes, from the earnest to the selfie-savvy, introducing threads tied to social media and modern hospital practices. These additions attempt to inject current realities into the sitcom framework, though the series often defaults to letting the original quartet remain the central emotional axis.
How the revival addresses change
Some of the revival’s decisions explicitly acknowledge aging and career shifts: J.D. works as a concierge doctor for wealthier patients at times, Turk has physical limitations that curtail signature stunts, and the show references modern hospital concerns. The production also relocated sets to Vancouver, resulting in a crisper, higher-resolution look that surprisingly highlights the stagecraft—making Sacred Heart feel both familiar and slightly artificial. The creative team leans into this by comedic and sometimes wistful means, using callbacks to bridge the original run and the present-day episodes.
Where the revival falls short
Critics note that while the revival is warm and often affectionate, it is cautious in its ambitions. Instead of radically reworking the format or foregrounding new protagonists, Season 10 largely restores the old order: sentimentality, classic cutaway fantasies, and the same musical cues that anchored the original series. That approach can be comforting for long-time fans, but it also raises the question of necessity—especially when the original seasons remain readily available on streaming platforms. Viewers seeking a bolder reinvention may find the revival’s familiarity a weakness rather than a strength.
Context within the broader TV landscape
Since the show first aired, medical comedies and workplace sitcoms have evolved, with newer entries exploring social issues and serialized arcs more aggressively. Compared with some contemporaries that incorporate sharper topicality or darker satire, the Scrubs revival plays it safe, prioritizing character nostalgia over systemic critique. This puts the series in a specific category: comforting callbacks rather than boundary-pushing television.
Ultimately, the ABC revival of Scrubs will likely satisfy devoted fans who want to see J.D., Turk and their friends back at Sacred Heart, while leaving others wanting more reinvention. The season premieres on Feb. 25 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, with episodes streaming the following day on Hulu. Whether the revival will become a meaningful extension of the original legacy or a brief nostalgic detour remains for audiences to decide.