Scrubsis my favorite sitcom of all time, and I was lucky enough not only to make it onto the official rewatch podcast but also for the hosts to bring my idea to life. TheScrubsrevival looks inevitableat this point, as although the show hasn’t been officially renewed, showrunnerBill Lawrence has promised he’s “Definitely going to” make more episodeswith the original cast. For those who can’t wait to have more stories from the world ofScrubs, you can hear the stars acting out some bizarre scenarios, and it all began with my idea.
Fake Doctors, Real Friendsis co-hosted by Zach Braff and Donald Faison. The duo played Dr. John “JD” Dorian and Dr. Christopher Turk throughoutall nine seasons ofScrubs. The podcast’s purpose is for the show’s stars to analyze eachScrubsepisode and provide behind-the-scenes stories about how the sitcom was made. Whenthe podcast was running out ofScrubsepisodes to talk about, Braff and Faison put out a call to their listeners for ideas about what they could do once they had broken down all episodes of the medical sitcom. Excitingly, my idea made it through to them.
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The Doctors in Scrubs aren’t all equal, but their varying skill sets can place the characters in ranking order of how effective they are at their job.
I Pitched The Idea Of Scrubs Audio Plays On Fake Doctors, Real Friends
Braff & Faison listened to my idea about how the podcast could adapt
At the1:26:36 mark ofFake Doctors, Real Friends, “709 My Dumb Luck,“producer Joelle Monique can be heard introducing my pitch to Braff and Faison. Granted, they misread my surname and pronounced it “Biddy” - but rest assured, it is me. My idea for after the pair had exhaustedScrubsepisodes was for the podcast to focus on producing originalScrubsaudio plays.Fake Doctors, Real Friendsoften has guest stars from the original cast, so I figured the infrastructure was already in place.
“I think I speak for everyone when I say we’re going to want moreScrubs. So, my idea is that you guys write your ownScrubsaudio plays and perform them, in character, as Turk and JD.”
Showrunner Bill Lawrence had already appeared onFake Doctors, Real Friendsmany times before I made it onto the podcast. During these appearances, Lawrence had mentioned that one of thechallenges faced byScrubsseason 10was how busy he was with other projects at the time. So,my logic was that the co-hosts themselves could write or improvise short sketches set within the world ofScrubsthat didn’t necessarily require Lawrence’s collaboration. They wouldn’t need to be set within the sitcom’s main canon, but it could be fun if they were.
Zach Braff Explained Why My Scrubs Revival Idea Wasn’t 100% Possible
Scrubs is owned by Disney, which makes an unofficial revival tricky
I was absolutely thrilled to hear Zach Braff describe my pitch as a, “Very good idea,” but I was also briefly disappointed when he explained the podcast wouldn’t be, “Allowed to do that.” Braff went on to explain that the unfortunate reality of the situation is thatScrubsis the property of Disney. So,Fake Doctors, Real Friendswouldn’t be able to use established characters like Turk and JD. It would be reasonable to assume that there would be a sizable fee to pay to useScrubscharacters - if Disney would even permit their use in the first place.
Scrubswas originally owned by NBC, but the Disney-owned ABC picked up the show for seasons 8 and 9.
After a brief tangent about copyright, Mickey Mouse, andGhostbusters, the topic turned back to the subject of my suggestion for the podcast’s future after all episodes ofScrubshad been covered byFake Doctors, Real Friends. This came as a surprise to me when I was first listening to the podcast episode, as I assumed the legal issues would be too much to overcome, and that would be the end of the line. However,Braff seemed determined to bring my pitch to lifein some way, and he came up with a creative solution.
Zach Braff & Donald Faison Eventually Performed AI-Generated Scrubs Scripts On The Podcast
ChatGPT was responsible for penning the new scenes
The episode ofFake Doctors, Real Friendsin which I appeared was released in January 2023, when ChatGPT was very much in the public eye. The site is still quite prominent, but it seems to have settled down a little now. While trying to find a way that he and Faison could voice Turk and JD on the podcast,Braff suggested turning to the AI software to generate aScrubsscenethey could then perform. ChatGPT was at capacity when they attempted this during recording, so they made a plan to acquire an AI-generatedScrubsscript for the following episode.
The Scrubs Revival Must Deal With One Season 6 Story That Shouldn’t Have Happened
Scrubs season 6 included a story that creates a big problem for the sitcom’s revival, but there’s a compelling way it can be fixed for the reunion.
InFake Doctors, Real Friends, “710: My Waste of Time,“Braff and Faison made good on their promise and acted out a ChatGPT script called, “Guy Love.“Beginning at 1:06:35, the scene is hilariously clunky, but I was impressed by how well the actors brought it to life. However, the podcast continued with the AI segment for another few episodes - one of which allowed Sarah Chalke to reprise her role as Dr. Elliot Reid. I don’t doubt the officialScrubsrevival will be infinitely better, but I’m still strangely proud of the one I briefly set in motion.
710: My Waste of Time
1:06:35
Braff and Faison read a scene titled, “Guy Love,” which is a reference to Turk and JD’s duet in theScrubsmusical episode.
711: My Princess with Sarah Chalke
1:35:09
The scene focuses on Sarah Chalke’s Elliot Reid professing her love for Turk.
1:14:02
Scrubs
Cast
Scrubs is a Sitcom and Medical Comedy/Drama created by Bill Lawrence that follows a group of medical students throughout their daily lives at the Sacred Heart Teaching Hospital. The series stars Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke, and Donald Faison, as they work their way up from Medical Interns while juggling all sorts of hospital shenanigans.
