I hadn’t watched Scrubs much the past few seasons (and NBC certainly did not do much to remind me to check it out). But last night’s two new episodes on its new network, ABC, were aces, top-notch, silly ("Steak Night!") and funny (the episode-closing bit with barely-inside-jokes about Tony Shaloub’s universe-baffling multiple Emmy-wins) and a wee bit touching without being maudlin.
In short, the show proved decisively why it should continue. And as creator Bill Lawrence proved in his interview with my esteemed colleague Monsieur Ausiello, the show is likely to maintain this comic momentum for the rest of its season, and NBC made yet another boneheaded programming mistake in showing the show so little support over the years.
Scrubs fans and Scrubs skeptics: agree about last night? Disagree? Will you keep watching?
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As a Scrubs devotee, I have been a fan of the show since the beginning. Like others, I’ve been really disappointed with the quality of the show over the past couple years. They were always able to blend humor and drama so well, and the past few years I just felt like they gave up and threw every slapstick gag they had at the screen. Last night I was SO happy to see Scrubs back in top form. I will definitely be watching every week, and I just hope it continues on this stellar path it showed us last night.
classic scrubs. nbc sucks.
Greatest. Show. Ever.
I totally agree about the episodes. Scrubs is a shining beacon of semi-intelligent humor in an otherwise dark cave of sitcoms. However I must admit that last night left me in a mild state of panic. Did they really fire The Janitor?!?
Loved it – a wonderful Scrubs mix of the ridiculous and the sublime (and Ted singing – yay!). The second episode was particularly touching to me, having recently lost my stepmother to leukemia. It’s a rare show that can have me bawling one minute and then cracking up laughing the next. Take that, NBC! Here’s hoping Scrubs flourishes on ABC!
I hope the HD stays instead of the one season finale episode they did a few years ago, then came back in 4:3 SD.
Always been a huge Scrubs fan and I was so elated to see not one, but TWO episodes last night!!! SCRUBS ROCKS!!!
Keep this show on the air! We need more seasons ordered STAT! Can Braff and Lawrence be paid to stay additional seasons? This show is finally firing on all cylinders again I hate to see it go.
The show was fabulous last night. NBC made a huge mistake in ignoring this show. I’m grateful to ABC for giving it a second chance, it was well deserved.
this is my favorite show ever, and I loved watching new episodes last night!! it was a nice change from all the other episodes I’ve seen 4+ times. ABC did a really good job of advertising “Scrubs” and I think it’s awesome that they kept referring to themselves as a better network, a better home, etc. I don’t know who decided that ABC should pick up “Scrubs,” but they’re my favorite person right now.
I loved last night’s episodes. Hilarious, absurd and touching. The 2nd episode was especially meaningful as I remembered how my grandma slpped away quietly, peacefully after the nurse gave her just one more taste of ice cream.
I thought the first episode was as good as typical Scrubs gets (loved that the first joke they aired on ABC was a joke about being on ABC.)
The second episode, however, “My Last Words”, was the kind of entertainment that Scrubs excels at over every other comedy (besides perhaps The Office) – goofy comedy rooted in sincerely moving gravitas. Watching Turk and J.D. comfort the dying patient George over the length of the episode was surprisingly moving, even for Scrubs which has been known to pull this kind of tender emotion out of nowhere now and then.
Also, I don’t know how these things get started but can we please keep the actor who played George (IMDb tells me it was Glynn Turman) on our short-list for Guest Actor consideration at the Emmys. His work was some of the best I’ve seen, Guest or Lead, all year. Anyone else?
Both eps were stellar, the new intern characters somehow against all odds DON’T suck, and “My Last Words” in particular is one of the strongest eps in the show’s history I think.
Also, I knew going in that every cast member had to take a couple episodes off for the show to make budget this year, but if they’re all this smooth (JD and Turk were the only regulars in the ep, did you notice?), then all will be well.
I agree with Bill Lawrence that they had to replace some of the silliness with more serious plot lines. The entire 2nd episode felt like a season 1 or 2 show, especially JD and Turk admitting that they were scared of death but couldn’t afford to admit it. Great stuff.
Oh yeah, I’m on board. Even when episodes have been uneven in the past, it’s still a better show than most and certainly than its timeslot competitors. I enjoyed last night’s episodes and look forward to more! Is Courteney Cox staying on, or is this a few-episodes guest stint?
Thought they were great. Especially the second episode. Great mix of funny and touching.
It’s true that, much as I love Scrubs, it did get a bit overly wacky in the past few seasons. But it’s always been better than most of the dreck on television. And the two episodes last night just proved it.
The second episode really showed how much heart-tugging warmth a supposedly silly sitcom can bring. I loved George–yes, definitely one of the best guest stars I’ve seen on TV this year–and it was so sweet to see J.D. and Turk comforting him. Just an “awww” moment that came at just the right time.
Loving that it is back. Will def watch all season. Hope they don’t cancel it. I was so upset last year when they said that it was the last season. Glad its not and thank ABC. You finally got something right this year but I still don’t forgive you for cancelling DSM.
That second episode absolutely rocked! Loved it. Glad to have the regulars back for one more season to end it right. I’d love to see the show stick around.
1) Both episodes were amazing! Great season premier.. hopefully the ratings will go up
2) Courteney Cox was hilarious, especially when she’s suffocating the patient in JD’s daydream. I hope she returns after the 3 episodes! (I miss Friends lol)
3) The second episode was very well written and acted, but one thing many people fail to acknowledge is the music used in Scrubs. When I Will Follow You Into The Dark (Death Cab For Cutie) started playing, i almost gasped cause it’s my current favourite song, and fit in so well with the theme of the episode.
1) Both episodes were amazing! Great season premier.. hopefully the ratings will go up
2) Courteney Cox was hilarious, especially when she’s suffocating the patient in JD’s daydream. I hope she returns after the 3 episodes! (I miss Friends lol)
3) The second episode was very well written and acted, but one thing many people fail to acknowledge is the music used in Scrubs. When I Will Follow You Into The Dark (Death Cab For Cutie) started playing, i almost gasped cause it’s my current favourite song, and fit in so well with the theme of the episode.
I just wish ABC was able to put Scrubs at 7:30 Central on Thursday’s, so it can CRUSH NBC’s awful replacement, Kath & Kim.
I love this show and am so glad that ABC rescued it – NBC has been giving it the shaft for too long and now it can finally shine! Keep ‘em coming, Bill!
Courteney Cox was freakin hilarious. She should be a major contender for the Guest Emmy. She put all of the other big-name guest stars on sitcoms this season to shame.
Last night’s episodes were hilarious. The bit before the second episode had me rolling on the ground. I’m not a big fan of the new interns, but Jo’s story to Mr. Valentine to connect with him was a highlight of the episode for me.
Scrubs is back on track!! Great season opener, particularly how it slyly addressed some of the fan criticisms (Elliott’s self-absorption of the last season, Dr. Cox’s fatigue of being “that guy” who always rants against authority.) And the second ep was one of the most touching but emotionally understated in show history. “My Last Words” was so surprisingly spare, with little of the supporting cast in it and allowing J.D. and Turk to reaffirm one of the best buddy pairings on TV. Awesome how they took a concept going all the way back to early Season One–J.D. grapples with the concept of death after getting close to a patient–and somehow mined new life out of it.
I agree with the other posters–the eps of Scrubs last night were some of the best I’ve seen, particularly the second one with George. It is a truly unique show that can make you laugh and cry all in the same episode. And the music is PHENOMENAL–I discovered Joshua Radin through Scrubs, and he is one of my favorite artists now. And ABC picking up scrubs ALMOST (but not quite) makes up for canceling Pushing Daisies.
They were fantastic episodes last night
I’ve only seen the first episode so far, but I really enjoyed it. I’ve been disappointed with the show overall since season 5 when it started becoming wackier, but this episode reminded me of why I loved the show to begin with.
It’s simple:
Last night’s premire was a return to a more balanced silly/sentimental (not sappy) ratio. (Glynn Thurman was Emmy-worthy in that second episode) The last couple of seasons “Scrubs” had turned into a self-referential cartoon. Don’t get me wrong, it was still funny, but nowhere near as good or impactful a show as it was the first three or four seasons.
That being said, I still hope this season is the show’s last and that “Scrubs” ends when Zach Braff and Bill Lawrence leave (which they’ve both said they’ll do). The new interns were funny, and they can even spinoff their own show if they want, but just don’t call it “Scrubs.” “Scrubs” ends when Lawrence and the main gang leave the building.