The seventh and final season of Scrubs begins next Thursday, October 25, and fans can expect to see less of the sitcom’s trademark goofiness and more of the drama that was present during the show’s earlier years.
“We’re reverting back to some of the earlier seasons in that the really broad and goofy stuff will happen only in fantasy,” creator Bill Lawrence said. “I think it’s really important that people give a s–t emotionally about the characters, so they go back to being really grounded. The first couple years had a lot more dramatic elements, and we’re doing that a lot more.”
Lawrence also said that Scrubs‘ main man, JD Dorian (Zach Braff), will finally grow out of his childish ways and attain a new level of maturity.
“Zach… has essentially been playing a man-child the past seven years, a little boy that’s never growing up. He has to grow up and become an adult,” Lawrence said. “By the third or fourth episode, his character will be a lot different — mostly to gear up for the end of the year.”
That said, fans won’t necessarily be shortchanged when it comes to laughter, as the series is still eager to live up to its status as one of today’s big hit comedy series.
Lawrence revealed that this season’s Scrubs will give the Janitor (Neil Flynn), who has been JD’s arch nemesis since he began working at Sacred Heart teaching hospital, not only a love interest, but also an identity.
“The janitor will have a girlfriend,” he promised. “And he’ll have a name.”
Scrubs, a series that depicts the stress-filled world of medicine from a comedic standpoint, debuted on NBC in 2001. Unlike other popular sitcoms, Scrubs is filmed without a live studio audience.
“I wanted a show that could do some very silly comedy and then could be serious,” Lawrence said. “I think it’s impossible to be serious when you have an audience there that was laughing a minute ago.”
The decision paid off for Lawrence, as evidenced by the show’s success. Over the years, Scrubs has gained a loyal following, many of whom are sad to see the show leave the air. Unfortunately, as far as Lawrence knows, this season is definitely the show’s last.
“It’s the never-say-never cliché,” Lawrence said, “but Zach’s only working this year, and I’m trying to get other things going so I’m not planning [to be back]. I told the whole cast that this is it.”
-Lisa Claustro, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: TV Guide, Gannett News Service
(Image Courtesy of NBC)
Staff Columnist, BuddyTV
