"Scrubs" Cancellation Announced

Just when "Scrubs" fans thought it was over, there was an announcement that the quirky company was moving from NBC and finding a new home on ABC. Of course, channel switching is the ultimate shark jumping technique television producers employ as a way to extend the life of shows that were once popular but have now reached their peaks. For the most part, this technique doesn't work; therefore, it's no surprise that this is "Scrubs" official last season, according to the TV Squad website.

The show started in 2001 and was quickly praised for its quirky comedic quality, no distracting laugh track and single-camera filming style. Zach Braff starred as John Dorian, the show's protagonist, as he makes his transition from being a new intern to becoming a resident at Sacred Heart Hospital. His medical school buddy Christopher Turk, played by Donald Faison, begins his work as a surgeon at the same hospital. The cast is rounded out by Sarah Chalke as Elliot Reid, John C. McGinley as Dr. Cox and Judy Reyes as Nurse Carla Espinosa.

The endearing quality of the series was that the point of view takes place mainly in John "J.D." Dorian's head. Despite the obvious comedy of the series, many of the episodes tackle dramatic situations, including the death of patients, the unexpected death of one of the nurses and personal drama in the lives of the characters. In eight years, fans have seen the characters grow professionally and personally while remaining childlike most of the time.

Like a true comedy, there has to be the antagonist to play against the main character. Neil Flynn stars as the nameless Janitor in the series, whose goal is to make life miserable for J.D. and his fellow interns. As the only nonmedical professional on the show, he delivers many of the unexpected comic moments in "Scrubs."

It's evident that the show's producers were trying to hook it up to life support when they decided to transfer it to a new network. They tried to add comedy veteran Courtney Cox to the mix as a way to ensure high ratings. However, fans of the show were not quick to follow the show to a new network.

Another possible reason for adding another season is the disappointing series finale on NBC. Most fans of "Scrubs" hoped that J.D. and Elliot would finally stop skirting around it and get together. Maybe the final episodes of the show will be the answer for many fans.

While "Scrubs" was not able to recapture its magic on ABC, fans of the show can watch classic episodes on a number of networks including TV Land and Comedy Central, to name a few.

Sources:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0285403/

http://www.tvsquad.com/category/scrubs/