There have been funnier sitcoms (although, not very many) and there have been sitcoms with bigger cult audiences (again, though, not very many), but gun to the head, if I had to choose my favorite sitcom of the last decade, I’d probably choose Scrubs. Not as clever, perhaps, as Arrested Development, and not as hilariously but stubbornly obtuse as Community, and certainly not as smart as 30 Rock, Scrubs nevertheless managed to combine smart comedy with heart better than any of the contenders for best sitcom of the 00s. Arrested could make me laugh until I pissed tears, It’s Always Sunny could make me feel like a terrible person for laughing until I pissed tears, and Parks and Rec is easily the kindest great sitcom of the 00s, but Scrubs provided the slightly better human connection. You shouldn’t choose a President based upon who you’d most likely want to have a beer with, but if you’re choosing sitcom ensembles based on that, Scrubs would win, hands down. Plus, it’s probably the only sitcom with two episodes that elicited tears (number one, and number two); both were Dr. Cox episodes, and how he was never nominated for an Emmy is still one of the most criminal omissions of the 00s).
On the news that Zach Braff has moved from in front of to behind the camera, I thought we’d check in on the rest of the ensemble, where we find that it’s been a modestly successful transition for most of them.
Zach Braff (J.D.) — Weirdly, given that he was the lead, Braff has had little success post-Scrubs. His movie career took a dive after Garden State, and his only credits the last couple of years have been in television reunions, of sorts, showing up on Bill Lawrence’s Scrubs and Donald Faison’s The Exes. He is, however, turning showrunner now, writing, directing, and producing in Garage Bar, a pilot picked up by ABC that will center on a group of friends who start to experience the ups and downs of fame when one of them becomes a pop star.
Donald Faison (Turk) — I really wish Faison had had the patience of Braff and held out for something better, but he jumped at a quick offer to be a series cast member on TVLand’s The Exes, which is sadly so unwatchable than I can’t actually watch it. He does have a role, however, in the upcoming Kick Ass 2.
John McGinley (Dr. Cox) — This makes me the saddest because McGinley hasn’t landed another regular television gig, although I saw him last week in the unholy abomination that was Tyler Perry’s Alex Cross. He was also in a few episodes of Burn Notice, but he mostly seems to have returned to the character acting in feature films that dominated his career pre-Scrubs.
Ken Jenkins (Dr. Kelso) — Jenkins is old, so I’m just happy to see the guy appear on the occasional episode of Bill Lawrence’s Cougar Town, where he plays the father of Courteney Cox’s character.
Sarah Chalke (Elliot) — Chalke has also done a few episodes of Cougar Town, she had a failed sitcom, Mad Love, with Jason Biggs, and will be returning to ABC at midseason with How to Live with Your Parents (for the rest of your life), with Brad Garrett and Elizabeth Perkins.
Neil Flynn (The Janitor) — Inarguably, the most successful so far of the Scrubs cast members, Flynn appears each week on the sweet and amusing The Middle.
Judy Reyes (Carla) — More than anyone, Reyes completely disappeared. She wasn’t even in Scrubs 2.0, so it’s been a long while since we’ve seen her, although she’s done a pilot (Devious Maids) with Marc Cherry (Desperate Housewives), and that series will be airing on Lifetime next year (here’s a promo).
Christa Miller (Jordan) — Bill Lawerence’s wife is doing just fine as an awesome cast member of Cougar Town, which shifts to TBS in the winter.
Robert Maschio (Dr. Todd) — He was, er, in an episode of Cougar Town.
Sam Lloyd (Ted) — Also in Cougar Town, but he has a singing career, as well, with The Blanks.
Alamo Wright (Laverne) — She also plays a nurse on Days of Our Lives, where she’s been since 2008.
Eliza Coupe (Denise) — A final season cast member, plus a regular on Scrubs 2.0, Coupe is of course now on Happy Endings
Travis Schuldt (Keith) — He was in an episode of Scrubs, but he’s doing OK for himself. He’s in a long-term relationship with Natalie Zea (Justified).
Phill Lewis (Hooch) — I had no idea until a couple of days ago that Lewis is a staple over on the Disney channel in the Suite Life franchise. I also had no idea that he was once convicted of manslaughter. Hooch is crazy.
Never forget.
Better dancer: Donald Faison or Alfonso Ribeiro?
My heart says Faison just because of the poison dance, but Ribeiro does have his own ‘how to be a breakdancer starter kit’
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actually, dr. cox will be a regular on burn notice next season as their version of a big bad. michael’s former mentor turned corrupt cia agent…
Ken Jenkins is the best.
Why is there so much dust in there today?
*here.
For some reason I pictured that as being an actual line from the show. Like something Cox would say. You can guess the context.
I almost start blubbering like a little baby…Damn them and their perfect sad scenes set to the perfect song. However, Cox destroying dude’s guitar, endlessly ripping on JD- I have seen pretty much every episode and I believe he only called JD “JD” 3 times. That’s continuity. It was all girl names and in some instances “Girls name” right up until the end- should have been shown. Or Turk’s Aaron Neville impression. Just to lighten the mood a little…those were just samples..I could have gone on and on…Scrubs was awesome…The fact that Children’s Hospital is filmed at the same spot makes me warm inside.
Keith “the Dude” Dudemeister was in way more than one episode. He almost married Elliot, then got dumped and called her “pig whore” for a while.
He was also Dee’s soldier boyfriend on Always Sunny, who fell in love with those jeans shorts Frank got him.
None of that matters, because he’s DATING Natalie Zea, whose mention reminded me that :
1. I love Natalie Zea
2. I miss Justified.
He was also Subway in Community!
And he was Subway.
Pretty sure when he says Keith was in an episode of Scrubs and JD was in “Bill Lawrence’s Scrubs” he’s referring to the abortion of a follow up season focused on the interns. Shame to taint it after an amazing final season and one of the best series finale episodes ever.
Dudemeister wasn’t in Scrubs 2.0, Grimmbles. He was in there from seasons 5-8. My favorite scene of his was when he was being punished for repeating over and over that a patient was gonna die and had to use his stethoscope on the counter as punishment from Cox. He was also in a couple of episodes of My Boys, but I doubt anyone else watched it. All of which is irrelevant, because now he’ll forever be Subway.
This show was so good it made me sad when Brendan Fraser died. Thankfully his doll hair lived on.
#NeverForget
But what of Snoop Dogg Attending?
Scrubs is his only acting job ever.
My favorite Snoop Dogg Intern/Resident/Attending moment
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Can’t believe you’d rather have a beer with the cast of Scrubs than the cast of Happy Endings.
sarah chalke was a regular on how i met your mother as well…. dr cox also was the spokesman for miller lite for awhile
She was a recurring character on How I Met Your Mother.
And Johnny C is also in that State Farm commercial where he wants a dojo.
gah, this show is fantastic. That episode with Brendan Fraser is when I realised I would love the show forever.
It’s weird that I don’t find the reruns that watchable considering Scrubs was for a solid few years my favorite show on TV. Maybe changing tastes or whatever, but I hope I don’t feel the same way about Happy Endings, Community and Archer down the road.
There are some points in this article where you say “Scrubs” but I think you mean “Cougar Town”.
Also I was flipping through channels and caught 5 minutes of The Middle and Ted was there as the teacher of the weird Dewey-like kid.
It’s okay. You can say you were watching The Middle.
/hugs tightly
Shhh, there’s no shame here. Embrace who you are…
Hootch IS crazy!
His movie career took a dive after Garden State, and his only credits the last couple of years have been in television reunions, of sorts, showing up on Bill Lawrence’s Scrubs and Donald Faison’s The Exes.
Bill Lawrence’s Cougartown, you mean?
I like the idea of Braff going back in time and being an extra on his own show.
The Pain Chart opening is one of the all time greats … I literally blew beer out my nose … which is how I learned not to drink during the opening of Scrubs …
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Of course, Laverne and her church choir explaining in exuberant song is a close second …
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This isn’t that unusual. Few of the regulars from MASH, or Cheers, or a lot of the “best” ensemble shows (Sopranos, LA Law, Hill Street Blues, and many many more) wind up working much after that. Probably says a lot for the genius of the best shows that the actors don’t really matter, and they probably want a lot more money than new unknowns.
Bank farter episode is on Comedy Central right now
The show had some fantastic first few seasons, but some god awful later seasons.
i loved every episode of scrubs. even 2.0 which is embarrassing to admit because objectively i know it sucked.
Yeah, the joke about Hooch running over a guy, the actor actually did run over a guy.
Yet another inside joke Josh missed in his post yesterday.
One of my favorite shows ever, the whole series was awesome – the emotion that was in each episode was what made the show for me. I think the “original” finale was one of the best in recent TV history. I’m man enough to admit that I cried when JD left the hospital for the final time.
Travis Schuldt was jean shorts guy on always sunny.
twice.
Scrubs was my favourite show when it was on. I just wish they didn’t bother with that motherchugging ninth season. Dammit, that was bad.
Also, it used to annoy me when Family Guy would take shots at Scrubs. I mean, come on, get a perspective. That’s like Dane Cook taking shots at Bill Hicks. Not saying Scrubs is the sitcom level of Bill Hicks, just a comparison.
I believe they did that because some of their writing staff went over to Scrubs the first or second time Family Guy got cancelled.
Ted made his first appearance on The Middle last night as Brick’s new teacher. Here’s to a pleasant year-long reunion of Legal Custodians!
*Signals for High Five*
“What’s Going On With The Cast Of ‘Scrubs’ These Days?” FIVE?
Sarah Chalke also had an extended stint as a guest star on How I Met Your Mother, I believe.
Same Lloyd did a great Random Roles [www.avclub.com]
“…with Brad Garrett and Elizabeth Perkins.”
/stabs at eyes with knitting needles
Dude who was the main guy on Scrubs 2.0 (not the pretty douche dude) appeared on “Revolution” then a week later appeared on “Last Resort”
The only thing this proves is that I watch horrible television.
One of my favorite shows of all time. Can’t change the channel when it comes on. And I would give my left nut to play Mexican Apple Thief with Sarah Chalke
Also, Ted’s girlfriend, The Gooch (Kate Micucci) is on Raising Hope and part of the comedy duo Garfunkel and Oates.
Scrubs sucked and everyone besides Dr. Cox sucked – that’s why no one does anything now from the show. I once saw a Comcast show description that summed the show up perfectly: “A medical drama that is occasionally funny.”
I don’t always automatically hate people in the internet but because of what you said I hate you.
This show feels like how i met your mother. I love this show. So many great moments of laughing and realizations. This is what I hate about watching series, I start loving them and when they end I get sad.
I know Donald Faison spent the day with family and friends at Disneyland stoping to let people take selfie’s Happy Birthday Donald hope your day was the best :)