Zach Braff has teased new information regarding hisScrubscharacter, J.D., as the reboot begins development.Braff, who was recently confirmed to be returning for theScrubsreboot,played Dr. John “J.D.” Dorian for the first 8 seasons of the show in its original run. After season 9 was greenlit, Braff briefly returned for 6 episodes before departing the show permanently prior to theScrubs' official cancellation in 2010.
During an appearance at the ATX TV Festival in Austin, TX (viaTV Line), over the weekend, Braff stated that, while the tenets of his character and the soul of the show would remain, fans can expect to seea wiser, but potentially more beaten, version of J.D.As a veteran doctor, he has aged and changed after many years in the hospital floor. He also states that while other aspects of J.D. will remain intact, his approach will be different this time around, reflecting his new position in life. Check out Braff’s comments below:
“When Bill [Lawrence] and I shoot the s—t about it, [we ask ourselves] how do you still have the spirit of the [original] show — the humor and the heart of the show, and the fantasies and all the fun stuff that we all loved? The show was about a young doctor coming into this new world, so what is it like [to be] a doctor who is 50 and has been beaten down by the system? It’s very, very hard to be a doctor today.”
“And what is [JD’s] life like now? Obviously, you can still have the bromance, and the love, and the friendship. But coming at it from the opposite angle, what is it like for a guy who has been through this system and dealing with all that stuff for so long?”
What Zach Braff’s Comments Mean For The Scrubs Reboot
Braff Will Bring A Different Dynamic To The New Scrubs
While no official production start date has been given, and no additional cast member announcements have been made,Braff has set fan expectations for the Scrubs revivalwith regard to what the story is going to look like in the life of J.D. 15 years after leaving Sacred Heart Hospital. The show, narrated by Braff as his character, gave a glimpse into his life and the daily grind of being a new doctor while navigating love, friendship, and loss through its first 8 seasons.
Braff indicates that the newScrubswill have a much different tone, asJ.D.’s story will see him juggling his separate worlds of fatherhood, friendship, and career.His new proposed character arc will see him take on a more mature, esteemed role in the hospital, taking a role potentially similar to Dr. Cox as the grizzled and jaded veteran who just wants to help his patients.
Our Take On Zach Braff’s Proposed Character Arc For J.D.
15 years is a long time in between any story, and the success of any returning show is largely based on how good the new stories being told are. One of the things that madeScrubsso special was the characters and the stories they told, andBraff seems intent on giving fans a new side of J.D. who may have taken the reins from Dr. Cox, no longer the young Bambi doctor he once was.
The excitement among the fan base for this reboot is high, butit would be a disservice to them to present an older J.D. in the same place he was inScrubsseason 9.The growth he experiences in between these years can help weave a great narrative for this new offering, while driving a deeper, more complex story for the characters involved.
