Scrubs First Reviews: A Return to What Made the Original Great
Critics say ABC's revival of the beloved sitcom hits all the right notes and feels like a heart-warming homecoming.
Back in 2001, NBC premiered a new sitcom set in a hospital following the lives of its staff, and a generation-defining cultural phenomenon was born. Narrated by its main character, young doctor J.D. Dorian (Zach Braff), the series was a whimsical, feel-good comedy known for its likable characters, offbeat humor, and surreal fantasy sequences, and it lasted for seven seasons before it moved over to ABC for two more. Now, more than 15 years after its last episode aired, Scrubs has been revived by ABC with its primary original cast — J.D., Elliot (Sarah Chalke), Turk (Donald Faison), Carla (Judy Reyes), and Dr. Cox (John C. McGinley) — and the first reviews are rolling in. So far, the response has been largely positive, with critics calling it a heart-warming homecoming that strikes the right balance of nostalgia and fresh ideas.
Here’s what critics are saying about Scrubs:
The 2026 version of Scrubs is a pretty solid piece of escapism, a return that feels almost like what the show would look like now if it never left the air… The new cast is fun, the old cast slides back in where you left them, and the laughs come more regularly than most of the newest network TV sitcoms… One can feel the love among the ensemble members, returning not just to get a paycheck but because they truly adore these characters.
— Brian Tallerico, RogerEbert.com
Really, the best approach is to write like these characters’ lives have just continued on since the cameras stopped rolling, which is exactly what happens here… At its core, Scrubs has always been a comedy about doctors doing doctor things: saving lives, grappling with the cruelty of the American “health” “care” “system,” and trying to stay sane — with some help from each other. This revival very much keeps that spirit alive, in ways past fans and newcomers should be able to appreciate, and it still has the ability to make a person cry.
— Liz Shannon Miller, Consequence
Scrubs retains its sparky mix of screwball dialogue, physical slapstick and surreal fantasies. These are punctuated by soppy bits that stay just the right side of saccharine. Snappy 22-minute episodes never outstay their welcome..
— Michael Hogan, Daily Telegraph
This isn’t a shallow retread; it’s a genuine, earned continuation of a story that still has so much heart left to give. The heart and soul of Scrubs has always been the legendary bromance between J.D. and Turk, and seeing Zach Braff and Donald Faison back on screen together is pure magic… The variety of interns keeps things interesting, and it hits a different way seeing J.D. and Turk be the ones giving them advice this time around.
— Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky
Unlike most sequel series, which coast on nostalgia, these episodes don’t play like a greatest hits compilation… The main reason these new episodes work is that they don’t erase J.D.’s growth the way Season 9 did… This is a revival with real purpose — and, for the most part, the one fans have been hoping for
— Ryan Schwartz, TV Line
This Scrubs reboot isn’t trying to recapture anything. It’s trying to figure out what comes after everything… These characters have lived entire lives in the years since we last saw them, and the show doesn’t hand-wave that away in service of nostalgia… We’re still in the phase where the show is figuring out what it wants to be, and that figuring-out process is sometimes more interesting conceptually than it is in execution… It’s easy to go into these episodes skeptical. But I came out cautiously hopeful. No, scratch that. I came out genuinely excited to see where this goes.
— Jon Negroni, InBetweenDrafts
I found myself charmed and impressed by the way that creator Bill Lawrence has used his mastery of the TV form… to make a revival that actually feels… revived… This Scrubs hits the right combination of nostalgia and update, standing among the few reboots that do justice to their originals without marring their legacy.
— Jennifer Keishin Armstrong, TheWrap
The revival incorporates new medical diagnoses as both new and returning doctors battle the healthcare system and themselves to try to save patients. While the irreverent humor makes a lot of the heavy issues more palatable, Scrubs isn’t afraid to let its guard down and genuinely tug at heartstrings too.
— Fred Topel, United Press International
Scrubs is back as itself, the same warm, goofy, and occasionally gut-punching series it’s always been… Mostly, though, the revival tries to recreate the things that worked the first time, more successfully with some than others… When it comes to comic timing, none of them have lost a step… Revivals that match the original in quality are nearly nonexistent. A revival only has to be almost as good as the original to not be a failure. And Scrubs is not a failure.
— Liam Mathews, TV Guide
Reviving any iconic series is a risk, something we saw not too long ago with the underwhelming Frasier reboot. Unfortunately, Scrubs’ long-awaited return doesn’t fare too much better, even if much of the heart and humour remain… Right from the start, decisions are made that won’t sit well with fans… If you just want a taste of the magic that used to be contained within the walls of Sacred Heart and wish to spend more time with JD, Elliot, and Turk again, this is the show for you.
— Josh Wilding, ComicBookMovie.com
In the warm glow of nostalgia, Scrubs is inoffensive. In the harsh light of the present, its age begins to show… In the series’ 15-year absence, the medical show has progressed where Scrubs has not… Against this dynamic backdrop, the revived Scrubs offers stasis: the same sentimentality, scored to the plaintive tones of Lazlo Bane’s “Superman”; the same adorkable platonic chemistry… That might be good enough for longtime fans, apart from the existence of an extensive back catalog just a few clicks away on Hulu. Why watch a season that tries to stick as closely to the original as possible, apart from the inescapable effects of time, when you can just watch the original itself?
— Alison Herman, Variety
No calming bedside manner can get around the cold, hard truth: There is little life to be found in the 10th season of Scrubs. An occasionally funny yet mostly forced reboot of the excellent 2000s medical sitcom that ran for eight seasons… it halfheartedly attempts to play around with how much time has passed. Only, instead of bringing the same self-effacing humor and sharp joke-a-minute pacing that defined the show decades ago, this reboot is trapped in the shadow of its better days. It’s like an adult going to a college party: silly, though mostly just sad.
— Chase Hutchinson, Seattle Times
Scrubs: Season 1 premieres on ABC on February 25, 2026.
