‘Scrubs’ Stars Zach Braff, Donald Faison and Sarah Chalke Clarify Why the Revival Wanted “Resetting”

(Editor’s notice: The next accommodates spoilers for the premiere of Scrubs.)The 30-minute ABC revival sequence Scrubs sees Dr. John “J.D.” Dorian (Zach Braff) and Dr. Christopher Turk (Donald Faison) again at work collectively, their bromance as sturdy as ever. Whereas sure facets of life at Sacred Coronary heart Hospital are the identical, together with acquainted faces that can pop up all through the season, modifications in relationship dynamics make their bonds much more essential. Looking for a brand new regular with Dr. Elliot Reid (Sarah Chalke) is uncharted waters for J.D., who’s making an attempt to determine the easiest way to mentor a brand new era of interns whereas nonetheless caring in regards to the sufferers, usually caught having to cope with the not-so-funny realities of healthcare.

Throughout this interview with Collider, co-stars Braff, Faison and Chalke, who’re clearly good mates in actual life, mentioned whether or not we’ll see that taxidermied golden retriever Rowdy make a return this season, what was most vital in getting them to come back again after wrapping the sequence greater than 15 years in the past, when the Scrubs comeback lastly felt actual, whether or not Braff has run into anybody in actual life who has him tattooed on their physique (like J.D. comes throughout within the season premiere), that Faison is just not experiencing the identical bodily limitations that Turk is, the evolving dynamic between J.D. and Elliot, why Turk and Carla (Judy Reyes) are the cutest couple onTV, and the way a lot enjoyable they’re having working with the brand new solid members.

Will Rowdy, the Stuffed Canine, Make a Comeback on ‘Scrubs’?

“There’s loads of thriller round Rowdy.”

Collider: I respect you speaking to me about this. It’s so enjoyable to look at you all again as these characters. Once you guys discovered the present was returning, Zach and Donald, how quickly did you wonder if you’d see Rowdy once more, in addition to what occurred to Rowdy? Was that the primary query that you just had?

DONALD FAISON: I miss Rowdy, and I miss Steven.

ZACH BRAFF: There’s loads of thriller round Rowdy. It is a recreation of Rowdy. I’m supplying you with the unique as a result of Rowdy is a bit injured. Your taxidermied golden retriever will solely final so a few years nowadays, even in the event you maintain him within the Disney vault. Consider Raiders of the Misplaced Ark on the finish. That’s the place Rowdy is stored, in a crate on the again. However we now have a brand new Rowdy, and he’s able to go for as a few years as wanted.

Had been there some other actually vital urgent questions that you just guys had earlier than agreeing to do that once more?

BRAFF: It was simply resetting the tone with (creator) Invoice (Lawrence), having Invoice be such part of this. This was Invoice’s thought. That is Invoice’s imaginative and prescient. This was from a singular creator’s thoughts. So, I feel it was simply actually ensuring Invoice, despite the fact that he couldn’t run the present everyday due to his different commitments, was a giant a part of developing with what the tone was going to be. There was a giant dialog about resetting it again to the fact that we actually performed within the early seasons, and what would the foundations be of this revival.

FAISON: When everyone stated they had been coming again, that’s when it felt actual. I feel that was essentially the most obligatory factor to have, in some type, the OG solid again. And we’ve carried out that, for essentially the most half.

Did you all know instantly that you just had been all on board, or was there one which no one may get ahold of, for no matter motive, so that you didn’t know what was going to occur?

FAISON: I dare that particular person to even admit if that did occur.

SARAH CHALKE: All of us nonetheless hang around.

BRAFF: We’re all mates.

FAISON: That may be the craziest factor ever. “Hear, we’re gonna do it, however Johnny’s holding out, bro. Someone’s obtained name Johnny.”

I simply meant if somebody was on trip, out of reception. Not that considered one of you was holding out on the others.

BRAFF: It was a really lengthy course of to get this going, so it wasn’t an in a single day factor.

CHALKE: Yeah, we talked about it for a few years main as much as it.

Zach, there’s a second within the season premiere when a nurse asks J.D. to signal her tattoo of him. Have you ever ever come throughout somebody that’s had you tattooed on their physique?

BRAFF: Oh, yeah. Loads.

(Considering he was kidding) What do you suppose your response can be, in the event you had been ever confronted with that personally?

BRAFF: No, it’s occurred a bunch. Actually, I as soon as ran right into a gal in New Mexico who had a tattoo of me. After which, she stated, “Will you signal it?,” and I signed it with Sharpie. And when she got here again to the identical espresso store the place I used to be, she had had my signature tattooed on her. And that particular person’s title was Sarah Chalke.

CHALKE: (Laughs) Would you prefer to see it?

BRAFF: There are loopy tattoos on the market.

FAISON: There are tattoos that don’t even appear like us, however they’re speculated to be us.

CHALKE: Tattoos of the 2 of you guys collectively?

FAISON and BRAFF: (Concurrently) Yeah.

FAISON: There are loads of Eagling tattoos.

BRAFF: You possibly can Google them. Google Scrubs tattoo pictures. There are some loopy ones. We like it.

I can be doing that as quickly as this interview is over. I like that J.D. and Turk’s onscreen reunion is a reminder of their friendship, but additionally of what number of years have handed since we noticed them. Are you guys realizing that there are a minimum of some bodily limitations to their friendship now?

FAISON: I feel Turk and J.D. are realizing that. I wish to put it on the market that I’m nonetheless a really match younger man. I could be 51, however your boy can nonetheless squat 250 and bench 120. I don’t know, regardless of the heavyweight is, I’ve nonetheless obtained that.

BRAFF: Benching 120 is, I don’t suppose, a giant brag.

FAISON: Are you able to do 185?

BRAFF: I don’t know. I haven’t appeared. Donald desires the world to know that despite the fact that Turk can’t carry a 165-pound man, Donald Faison can.

FAISON: I’m nonetheless match.

Zach Braff and Sarah Chalke Are Having Enjoyable Navigating the New ‘Scrubs’ Dynamic Between J.D. and Elliot

“I feel it was a very good leaping off level.”

I’ll make notice of that. Zach and Sarah, to get into spoilers, we study from J.D. and Elliot that their marriage didn’t final and that they’re making an attempt to navigate post-divorce life. How does their relationship have an effect on and form issues for them this season? What was it prefer to discover this new relationship for them?

CHALKE: It was so enjoyable, of their unique one, to play that they’re collectively, they’re not, now they’re breaking apart, now they’re getting married. We had a lot enjoyable doing it the primary time round. So, I used to be actually excited to listen to that we had been beginning off divorced and never simply fortunately married, as a result of there’s not loads of comedy and drama that comes out of them simply being okay and tremendous and comfortable. I feel it was a very good leaping off level. Even on this first 9 episodes, we obtained to discover what that’s like for them to co-parent and work collectively. Do they attempt to begin relationship different individuals? It was an excellent enjoyable dynamic to mess around with, and I hope we get to do extra of that.

Zach, how does J.D. really feel in regards to the standing of their relationship?

BRAFF: Spoiler, however we study that she was the one who ended it.

FAISON: Yep.

BRAFF: So, I feel that we are able to infer that on-again, off-again bickering that was part of their existence endured by means of the wedding. Whereas J.D. nonetheless wished to work on it and go to {couples} counseling and do stuff, finally Elliot simply pulled the ripcord and referred to as it. I feel J.D. understands however is coping with it. They’re studying to co-parent. Now, they must study to work collectively. He has to study what it’s prefer to see her flirting with a good-looking physician on the finish of the hallway. It’s going to be difficult for them.

FAISON: I really feel prefer it damage him loads, truly, when she referred to as it, as a result of he’s undoubtedly performing some issues across the hospital to make her life just a bit bit tougher.

BRAFF: There was a beat that was truly minimize out of the pilot the place you noticed a flash of Elliot dropping off their son for the joint custody, for his flip, and she or he sees him by means of the window and she or he sees how unhappy he’s, sitting there alone, and she or he actually clocks it. After which, when he solutions the door, he switches to a smile to behave like he’s tremendous. It was very telling. We needed to minimize for time, nevertheless it was a really telling second.

Donald Faison Believes ‘Scrubs’ Turk and Carla Are the Cutest Couple in TV Historical past

“It is vital that Turk and Carla are collectively.”

Donald, I additionally love that we get to see Carla and Turk at house with their daughters. Are you hoping we’ll get to see extra of that?

FAISON: That’s an incredible storyline. When Judy (Reyes) stated she was coming again, as a result of she’s on the primary tv present in America, on broadcast tv … I don’t know in the event you knew that, however she is.

CHALKE: Excessive Potential.

FAISON: The worry, at first, was like, “Effectively, is Judy coming again?,” as a result of there’s a lot nice story to inform about Turk and Carla. And when she stated sure, she was, it simply made it nice. After which, once we went and had conferences with the writers, they usually stated we now have 4 daughters, it made it even higher as a result of that’s simply a lot to play with. I feel it’s vital that Turk and Carla are collectively. They’re the cutest couple ever within the historical past of tv. And so, due to that, they’re the perfect couple within the historical past of tv.

BRAFF: What about Lucy and Desi?

FAISON: Yeah, you already know, it’s cute, nevertheless it ain’t Turk and Carla.

BRAFF: Sam and Diane?

FAISON: Not even shut. They didn’t final. You possibly can even go Brady. We’ve obtained them beat. The one cuter couple on tv is Turk and J.D. I feel it’s vital to point out that love can final, and it must be seen on tv. I feel everyone ought to be capable of see love at its most interesting, and that’s what you get with Turk and Carla.

I already love Joel Kim Booster on the present and the way a lot he’s already making an attempt to fire up bother for J.D., particularly. What’s going to we proceed to see from him? What do you guys love about what he’s bringing to the present? It should be scary to leap into one thing like this and work out what to do.

BRAFF: Yeah. It’s a must to work out new antagonists for J.D., and Joel Kim Booster is doing an incredible job at that. He’s very humorous. There are two traces which are within the pilot that he improvised. He brings loads of improvisation and comedy. He’s simply one of many individuals which are going to be pushing J.D.’s buttons. He’s after his job, and he desires to topple him.

FAISON: You carry up an incredible level: all the brand new individuals are fearless and so great to work with. From the brand new interns to our visitor stars, from Vanessa (Bayer) to Joel to Phill Lewis to Rob Maschio, it’s nice to go to work and work with individuals which are dedicated to doing one thing that they’ve seen prior to now and wish to be part of.

As a result of they don’t wish to screw it up. They wish to do it justice too.

BRAFF: However it’s loads of strain. You’re proper. They’ve obtained to come back in and carry out and hit the bottom operating. Vanessa Bayer is an ideal instance. She got here right into a present with all these individuals who know one another, and proper off the bat is having us stomach chuckle with each single factor she says. You’ve obtained to point out up and hit the bottom operating.

CHALKE: The way in which she delivers a line of dialogue, you’ll learn it within the script, after which she says it, and I couldn’t get by means of one of many takes in a single scene we did. She’s so humorous. She does it completely different, each time. It’s so enjoyable to work together with her.

BRAFF: After we noticed the gag reel with you not having the ability to get by means of it, it made me want I’d put that model within the present as a result of that’s not what’s within the present – her singing “Ave Maria.”

CHALKE: I used to be like, “Sarah, the crew all desires to go house. They’ve households. Consider horrible issues.” After which, she would open her mouth and sing.

BRAFF: Sarah has these tips to not chuckle when she doesn’t wreck a take, and none of these tips had been working.

CHALKE: None of these tips had been working. Typically I’ve to ask our boss to come back in and simply glare at me and provides me a stern look. After which, I’m like, “Okay, okay.” That didn’t even work.

Scrubs airs on ABC and is obtainable to stream on Hulu.