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Zach Braff Leaving Scrubs
Zach Braff by Mitch Haaseth/ABC
Zach Braff will be leaving Scrubs at the end of this season. "Not by his choice," joked executive producer Bill Lawrence. That's the big, though perhaps not-too-surprising news to come out of ABC's panel Wednesday.
As a result, the jocular conversation, led by head jester Lawrence, steered toward envisioning a post-J.D. Sacred Heart world. "Isn't Turk without J.D. a bit like Joanie without Chachi?" one snarky reporter asked. "It's like Chachi without Joanie actually," corrected Donald Faison (Turk himself!). Lawrence admitted that he had always pitched Scrubs as ER as a comedy, with a revolving cast of characters that would allow for new blood from time to time. The show has already introduced us to a new set of younger interns. "We cried when [Lawrence] said he was bringing in younger actors," said Sarah Chalke. To which the always-complimentary Lawrence shot back: "Why don't you take a gander at the opening credits [which date from the show's first season] and see how young you used to look?"
Until the youth brigade takes over the hospital, though, there is still this season with which to contend. As was previously reported, former Friend Courteney Cox has signed on to play Sacred Heart's new chief of medicine for three episodes. Lawrence reports that Cox is no diva. "Aside from being high-larious, she is a gamer, up for anything. You don't get that all the time with high-profile actresses."
Also keep an eye out for a wedding episode they recently filmed in the Bahamas. Whose wedding, you ask? "About once a year, we have to let [The Janitor] be a real person," Lawrence reported, "So he's getting married in the Bahamas." He invites 700 people to the ceremony — for the presents, of course. J.D. rounds up the crew to go and hopefully sabotage the nuptials. (Fun fact: Lawrence himself plays the preacher.) So then do we find out The Janitor's real name in the course of vow-exchanging? "It's Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFake," reported Neil Flynn, the actor who plays the nameless custodian. "When we find out The Janitor's real name," said Lawrence, "then the show really is over."
Of course, everyone wanted to know if Chalke would be filming more How I Met Your Mother. While Chalke claimed ignorance — "I don't know what's happening with that," she said — Lawrence butted in. "They don't want me to say it," he said with mock-seriousness, "but she's the mother." — Mickey O'Connor
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Jul 16, 2008 7:56 PM
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So it sounds like is Scrubs planning to move foward beyond this season, just with new people. Anyways it'll be different without Zach but I believe the show will be just fine, I do hope he's back for the end.
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Jul 16, 2008 8:07 PM
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Neil Flynn is a Dr.Seuss fan!
And the name is Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate from the Seuss poem Too Many Daves. Too bad he didn't pick Oliver Boliver Butt...
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Jul 16, 2008 8:30 PM
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They sure didn't seem to set the show up as that. ER had been an ensemble show from the start but Scrubs has one character giving commentary throughout which is part of the reason I like it.
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Jul 16, 2008 10:05 PM
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I dont know about Scrubs w/ out J.D. He is the narration behind most of the episodes so it would be a weird transition period for the show w/ out him. Plus how long does Lawrence think this show will continue on ABC. No disrespect to the alphabet network, but this kind of show might not do well away from its regular thursday night lead ins.
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Jul 16, 2008 10:22 PM
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I really don't want him to leave. It doesn't feel like Scrubs without him. I haven't been up to speed on the new episodes though....I need to quicken on the box sets. Feh.
Don't leave Zach!!! Dx
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Jul 16, 2008 11:39 PM
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Well, for a show that has nearly died several times, I wouldn't discount anything with Scrubs. I love this show because it always can surprise. As much as I adore Zach Braff....who knows what the next generation will bring?
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Jul 17, 2008 12:06 AM
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Is there any chance that Lawrence is just jerking everyone around here with the "post-J.D. Scrubs" thing? I don't buy it. There's no way ABC is going to renew it past this 18-episode season. My understanding was that the ONLY reason that there was even going to BE another season was so that the show could have the proper ending that NBC denied it post-strike.
Yeah, I'm not buying for an instant that this show will go beyond Season 8. Which means it won't go beyond Zach Braff. It'd be like "Alias" without Jennifer Garner. You just don't do that. I seriously think that this is Lawrence just having a little fun. I wonder if Zach will say anything about it on his blog. He's usually quite candid there.
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Jul 17, 2008 5:07 AM
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Well, if it should come to a post-J.D. Scrubs, just look to those episodes not named "My 'Something'" to know how good they can be. In those episodes, someone else provided narration and the story focused on that character instead, and they've all been very good. I would love to see Scrubs go on for a few more seasons on ABC, especially if it can recapture the goodness of seasons 1-3.
I love Bill Lawrence's drollness.
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Jul 17, 2008 5:23 AM
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As with CSI and Northern Exposure, both also ensemble shows, Scrubs does not and will not work without the anchor of its ensemble -- in this case, J.D./Zach. The show is told from his point of view -- and the fact that there are occasional episodes that *aren't* told from his point of view actually reinforce that these episodes are *supposed* to be the exceptions, not the rules.
This officially needs to be Scrubs's last season. But OTOH, it's jumping networks for this season, so I can see why the network wouldn't want to announce the end of the show just yet. Or maybe they're just still trying to get Alexis Bledel Braff to stay even though they don't want to admit to themselves just yet that the show has to end without him.
-- Rob
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Jul 17, 2008 7:58 AM
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Haven't we sort of lived under the threat of Zach Braff leaving for the last season or so? It always felt like his time was running out, from things he said. Scrubs has been a great ride, and I hope someone manages to fill the void it leaves when it's over - but NOT Scrubs 2.0 with a different cast. I don't think I'd watch.
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Jul 17, 2008 8:15 AM
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That's like having the Brady Bunch without Florence Henderson.
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Jul 17, 2008 8:30 AM
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Dianora, I was thinking the same thing. I don't watch Scrubs regularly, but I could have sworn Braff was supposed to leave a long time ago. Oh well.
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Jul 17, 2008 8:38 AM
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This sounds to me more like Leaving the Door Open than definite plans for the future. They knew ZB would only sign for one more season (though I imagine they'll be pitching numbers at him if the show does well on ABC). If he's definitely gone, but the show is a hit, they'd be dumb to rule out a future.
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Jul 17, 2008 8:58 AM
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Happy Days lasted for YEARS after Ron Howard, ostensibly the star of the show, left. And I enjoyed it immensely, even though I missed Richie. This is one of many reasons why I can see Scrubs lasting several seasons sans Zach Braff.
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Jul 17, 2008 9:11 AM
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