ABC’s “Scrubs” Returns to Network TV as if It Never Clocked Out

Yes, we are in an era of over-nostalgia, one in which every other canceled IP gets brought back in some form. The number of network TV sitcoms that have been resurrected from the dead, including “Murphy Brown,” “Will & Grace,” “Frasier,” and many more, has been a remarkable phenomenon to behold. The majority of them feel creatively bankrupt, a way to make money off a known property, something that people have always been attracted to in their entertainment. The same reason that most of the top 20 films of the year are based on hit books or sequels to hit films is why TV producers keep going back to the same wells: People love the familiar. The truth is that for the best of these revivals, it’s not just familiarity, it’s comfort. In a chaotic world, it’s nice to see characters that feel like old friends.

Luckily, ABC’s revivals of “Scrubs” largely falls on that side of the ledger. As someone who detests the poorly-written commercials that use two of the stars of this show, the thought of a full version of that sent shivers down my spine, but the 2026 version of “Scrubs” is a pretty solid piece of escapism, a return that feels almost like what the show would look like now if it never left the air.

A bit of history: “Scrubs” premiered almost 25 years ago (I know, I know), just a few weeks after 9/11. It was a solid hit with a loyal fan base on NBC for much of the 2000s, canceled by the Peacock Network after seven strong seasons, but immediately picked up by ABC for what was intended to be its final season. The eighth season even ended with an episode called “My Finale,” which proved to be a bit of a lie when ABC reversed course and thought that maybe they could do with “Scrubs” what they had done with “Grey’s Anatomy,” keep it going despite losing the original cast. They created a sort of hybrid ninth season, titled “Med School,” that was meant as a handoff from the original cast to a new one. It went out.

One of the interesting things about the 2026 version of “Scrubs” is that some of the core ideas of “Med School” remain. Importantly this time, creator Bill Lawrence (having an insane year with “Shrinking,” this, HBO’s upcoming “Rooster,” and the fourth season of “Ted Lasso” in production) anchors the show to much of the original cast, using the new faces as supporting players, at least for now, instead of pushing them to the center like the 2009 version (which barely had any Zach Braff). At least to start this tenth season, the lead is undeniably J.D. (Braff) again, now in more of the Dr. Cox (John McGinley, who appears only in the premiere) role at Sacred Heart.

In the premiere, it’s revealed that J.D. has been working as a high-priced concierge doctor who returns to Sacred Heart to check on one of his patients who has been admitted there. We also discover that the nature of the relationship between J.D. and Elliott (Sarah Chalke) has changed since the last time we saw them and that Turk (Donald Faison) and Carla (Judy Reyes) are happily married with four kids. The premiere centers on Turk’s increasing burnout; he needs his BFF back to make the pressure of the healthcare industry more bearable. Finally, there’s an array of new faces, including a great turn from Joel Kim Booster as J.D.’s new nemesis, and a role for “SNL” vet Vanessa Bayer as the administrator over everyone’s shoulder, making sure there are no HR violations. Oh, and Dr. Todd is back (Robert Maschio) is back. Nostalgia five!

Yes, a lot of the 2026 “Scrubs” hinges on lingering affection for the original, but the show doesn’t really lean on references as much as act as if it never left the air. And with the popularity of Lawrence’s culture-referential and self-deprecating sense of humor in the 2020s, the timing seems more natural than a standard cash grab. The new cast is fun, the old cast slides back in where you left them, and the laughs come more regularly than most of the newest network TV sitcoms.

It’s funny how much “Scrubs” feels like it fits in an era of network TV comedy hits like “Abbott Elementary,” another workplace comedy with social messaging under even the goofiest hijinks. And, like that show, one can feel the love among the ensemble members, returning not just to get a paycheck but because they truly adore these characters. Don’t be surprised if you remember that you do, too.

Four episodes screened for review. Premieres on February 25, 2026 on ABC with two episodes, available the next day on Hulu.