The Scrubs revival has been a big hit for ABC, and the show is already looking ahead to another season. Creator Bill Lawrence and showrunner Aseem Batra have big plans to bring back more familiar faces from the original series. The first season of the revival ends on April 15, 2026, and fans are excited about what comes next.
The revival brings back Zach Braff (J.D.), Sarah Chalke (Elliot), and Donald Faison (Turk) as series regulars. The show picks up years after the original ended, ignoring the spin-off style ninth season. The story now follows the old gang as they teach a new group of medical interns.
Dr. Kelso and Other Beloved Characters Will Return for Season 2
One of the biggest pieces of news for fans is that Ken Jenkins will return as Dr. Bob Kelso. The 85-year-old actor did not appear in the first season of the revival. But Lawrence confirmed to Deadline that Kelso will be back if the show gets a second season.
“Dr. Kelso will be back next year. It just didn’t work out this year but it will next year,” Lawrence said.
Batra also shared her wish list for Season 2. She wants to bring back Johnny Kastl (Dr. Doug Murphy) and Scott Foley (Sean Kelly). Kastl left acting to become a lawyer, but the show hopes to get him back. Foley played Elliot’s love interest in the early seasons. Batra also wants to see more of Neil Flynn, who played the Janitor and returned in the Season 1 finale.
“We will be rolling out characters that we didn’t get to see last season for sure,” Batra told Deadline. “We have plans for all of that, we’re very excited to see folks that we miss from the old Scrubs.”
Musical Episodes Are Coming Back to the Show
The original Scrubs was famous for using music perfectly to tell emotional stories. Batra says bringing back this style is a personal goal for Season 2.
“I think something that Bill nailed so well was doing musical bits. I don’t necessarily mean like singing to camera, but using music to tell a story,” Batra explained. “That is something that takes a lot of work and planning, but now that we know the Vancouver of it all and how much time it takes to coordinate, getting something like that in Season 2 is a personal goal of mine.”
Fans loved how the original show used songs from artists like The Blanks (Ted’s band) and Colin Hay. Adding this back would bring a classic feeling to the new episodes.
Fans Want More Dr. Cox and Carla in the New Episodes
The biggest complaint from viewers about Season 1 is that there was not enough John C. McGinley (Dr. Cox) and Judy Reyes (Carla). Both actors have other TV shows. McGinley stars in HBO’s Rooster, and Reyes leads ABC’s High Potential. Their busy schedules meant they could only film a few episodes in Vancouver, where the revival shoots.
Batra confirmed she heard the fans loud and clear. She wants to fix this in Season 2.
“Absolutely. Look, it was one of the wish things we had for this season, but we had to work with what we could work with,” Batra said. “And certainly we hear the fans, because that’s our own instinct as well is we want our family back together, and so whatever we can do to make that happen.”
Since both Scrubs and High Potential are on ABC and made by the same studio, the logistics might be easier to manage next time.
The Season 1 Finale Sets Up Big Stories for Season 2
The Season 1 finale ended with a cliffhanger. J.D. gets a text from Jordan (Christa Miller) to check on Dr. Cox, whose treatment for an autoimmune disease is not working. J.D. heads to Cox’s house, leaving fans worried.
Batra promised that Season 2 will show J.D. stepping up as a real doctor to save his mentor.
“What we do want to show, which is going to end up being saved for Season 2, is that this is J.D.’s moment as a physician, and he’s not going to stop trying,” Batra said. “We don’t want to leave people feeling too uncomfortable but there’s more to come, and it’s positive.”
The finale also introduced Rachel Bilson as Charlie, a new love interest for J.D. Batra confirmed she will be back in Season 2 for a full romantic storyline. The episode also revealed that the new character Maintenance Guy is actually the Janitor’s son, setting up more fun conflict for J.D.
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Strong Ratings Make a Second Season Very Likely
The Scrubs revival is performing very well for ABC. It is the network’s number one series in the adults 18-49 age group. It also had the highest-rated comedy episode on ABC and the top series debut on streaming in over a year.
The show has a 90% score from critics and 95% from fans on Rotten Tomatoes. Because of these strong numbers, Lawrence said he is “really hopeful” for a second season.
“I’m so happy and grateful that anybody still cares about that show,” Lawrence said.
The revival airs on ABC and streams on Hulu and Disney+. With the cast ready to return and more classic characters on the way, Season 2 is shaping up to bring even more of what made the original show a classic.
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