Despite some resistance from certain fans of Scrubs, Bill Lawrence is prepared to revisit Sacred Heart Hospital for a long-awaited reboot.

Following Deadline’s report that the reboot is in development at ABC with 20th Television, the creator and executive producer shared his initial hesitations about returning to the beloved medical sitcom, but expressed optimism about the upcoming project.

“If I believed it was a poor idea, I wouldn’t pursue it. I’m not motivated by profit, and honestly, I don’t need to be,” he stated in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. “Creatively, if someone asked me, ‘Would you want to pick Scrubs up right back in the same hospital with the same characters on a regular day, everything’s back to normal?’ I would say no, as that would not be true to the story. However, I am curious and can envision numerous stories about where these characters are years later, no longer as interns, and surrounded by new young faces, especially considering the changes in the medical field — absolutely. That creative aspect was straightforward. The complex part, and the reason for my initial reluctance, is that I no longer work for Disney. I’m with Warner Bros., and from a business perspective, it’s not a project I was permitted to pursue. It’s not unreasonable for Warner Bros. to say, ‘We’re not hiring you to create a Disney show.’”

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Lawrence elaborated, “The shift now is that the cast shares a close bond in real life, and like many of us at this stage in our lives, we cherish that experience. Many friends have expressed, ‘It would be enjoyable to relive that experience since we genuinely cared for each other.’ This sentiment is tied to a time in Hollywood where not only are we producing less content, but people I deeply value, both in front of and behind the camera, are struggling to find work. The silver lining for the show is that there are incredible writers available. This won’t be a half-hearted cash grab. Several original Scrubs writers will be involved, alongside new talent. When someone expressed concern about the reboot, I was taken aback. Why would you care if it happens? If it’s a show I love, I’ll watch it. If it’s great, I’ll be thrilled. If it’s just okay, at least it didn’t offend me. And if it’s terrible, I’ll enjoy discussing how bad it is with my friends — not online, but that’s how I engage with TV. To me, it’s a win-win. What’s the big deal?”

Lawrence added, “Not to delve too deeply, I have my own issues to address. You hinted at it earlier, and I would likely say: I’m pursuing this because it holds personal significance for me. I’ll accept the consequences.”

The two-time Emmy winner anticipates starting the writing process for the reboot in the upcoming year, mentioning that a deal with a showrunner is currently in progress. “As soon as that’s finalized, we’ll begin,” he noted.

Although he refrained from naming the potential showrunner, Lawrence indicated, “We’ve already been informally discussing ideas since we’re old friends, but we’ll soon start brainstorming the premise and character arcs. They’ve mentioned how strange it’s been to revisit every episode. My ultimate goal is to restore the original music to the old episodes.”

With Lawrence on board, 20th TV is working to secure the original Scrubs cast, including Zach Braff (John ‘J.D.’ Dorian), Sarah Chalke (Elliot Reid), Donald Faison (Christopher Turk), and John C. McGinley (Perry Cox). It remains uncertain if Judy Reyes will reprise her role as nurse Carla Espinosa, who departed the series before its final season. Sources indicate that her character is included in the early plans for the reboot.

“Significant portions of the creative team behind the scenes, as well as most of the on-screen talent, are highly invested and enthusiastic,” Lawrence shared with Deadline in October, suggesting that he plans to bring back some of his creative collaborators for the Scrubs continuation, which he described as being “very close to being finalized.”

Person: Bill Lawrence, Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke, Donald Faison, John C. McGinley, Judy Reyes

Company Names: ABC, 20th Television, Warner Bros.

Titles: Scrubs

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