Despite being widely despised by fans, Scrubs season 9 was actually a near-perfect spin-off. After running for eight seasons, Scrubs came to a natural end, but the show continued for a ninth, which effectively served as a spin-off. Subtitled Scrubs: Med School in order to differentiate it from previous seasons, Scrubs season 9 was hated by fans, ultimately resulting in the show’s cancellation.
While Scrubs’ season 9 reboot was a failure, it wasn’t entirely without merit. Season 9 reframed the established premise of the show and focused on a new cast of medical students, with some of Scrubs’ cast returning for guest appearances or recurring roles. However, the focus was very much on Scrubs season 9’s new characters, and this was something that fans of the show simply didn’t appreciate.
However, despite Scrubs season 9 being hated by long-time fans, it actually had a handful of redeeming qualities that have remained underappreciated in the years since its cancelation. To many, it seemed a pointless continuation of Scrubs‘ story – in fact, some believe that Scrubs’ final season ruined JD’s perfect ending – but it actually ticked almost every box for a perfect spin-off. It may have been doomed from the start, but in terms of meeting the criteria for a successful spin-off, Scrubs season 9 deserves far more recognition.
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Scrubs Season 9 Kept The Show’s Humor
One of the most consistent aspects of the show that Scrubs maintained in season 9 was the humor. By replacing JD as the show’s protagonist, season 9 could have easily lost its wacky sense of humor, but thankfully, new protagonist Lucy was able to keep it alive. While she was far more insecure than JD, Lucy also daydreamed bizarre comedic scenarios that kept a sense of continuity between seasons 8 and 9.
While many of Scrubs‘ main cast returned for minor roles – notable exceptions include the Janitor and Carla (Judy Reyes) – its new cast had to carry through the tone of the first eight seasons within its slightly different format. For the most part, the whimsical sense of humor remained intact, and there were still important emotional moments and more complex themes at play. This actually allowed for Scrubs season 9 to utilize some of the best elements of the first eight seasons while still offering something new, which is crucial for any spin-off.
An Updated Premise Kept Scrubs Season 9 Interesting
While Scrubs season 9 was canceled before it was ever given a chance to develop, its premise was sound. By rebuilding Sacred Heart as a teaching hospital, it allowed for season 9 to explore something that no previous season had: medical school. By introducing inexperienced med students, season 9 was able to recapture some of the magic of Scrubs season 1’s pilot episode, while still offering a fresh perspective and a (mostly) fresh cast of characters.
In introducing a new cast of doctor hopefuls, Scrubs season 9 made something new out of previous seasons’ premise. While fans weren’t convinced by it, this is actually an interesting approach to keeping the show relevant. As most of Scrubs‘ cast had reached the satisfying endings of their respective arcs, introducing a new premise to go with the new characters wasn’t a bad move.
Scrubs Season 9’s New Cast Had Genuinely Good Chemistry
Many fans simply couldn’t get on board with Scrubs‘ new cast, but they actually shared good on-screen chemistry. Led by Kery Bishé, the new cast also featured Michael Mosley and Dave Franco, with Eliza Coupe, Donald Faison, and John C. McGinley all also returning. The Scrubs cast may have changed, but they shared chemistry not dissimilar to that enjoyed by its stars before them.
With plenty of comedic tension between the show’s new cast, as well as the return of Eliza Coupe’s sour-faced Dr. Denise Mahoney, there was an interesting dynamic among Scrubs season 9’s stars. Lucy’s relationships with her fellow med students actually undergo a radical change throughout season 9’s brief run, achieving surprisingly touching moments along the way. With angry loner Drew and the arrogant but well-meaning Cole rounding out the show’s new cast, there’s actually a lot to enjoy about season 9’s dynamic (even if it was cut short).
Scrubs’ Returning Characters Continued To Develop
Despite fan-favorite characters, such as the Janitor, not returning for Scrubs season 9, a number of the show’s stars were back. The most notable of these are Dr. Denise Mahoney, Dr. Chris Turk, and Dr. Perry Cox, all of whom stayed on as main cast members for season 9. While the general premise had changed significantly, the characters themselves continued to undergo development and growth.
This is another way in which Scrubs season 9 works so well as a spin-off. It gives Scrubs characters from previous seasons further storylines and chances to grow, particularly Turk and Cox, who both become professors for season 9. By using familiar characters in familiar ways but still giving them room to grow, Scrubs season 9 actually elaborates upon past seasons without actively emulating them.
Scrubs Season 9 Had Potential For An Interesting Future
Though Scrubs was canceled after season 9, it actually had the potential for an interesting future. Its introduction of new characters may not have gone down well with fans, but its cast was talented enough that they could have continued to work on the show until winning its audience over. Season 9’s 13-episode run actually established some interesting character arcs which could have made for some interesting developments.
In fact, Scrubs could have continued to follow its characters right through medical school, perhaps ending with them getting jobs as interns. This would have created a nice circular narrative, as season 1 began with JD’s first day as an intern, and the show then could have ended with Lucy doing the same. Had it made use of a few more of Scrubs‘ great guest stars, season 9 could have been everything that previous seasons had, and its story could have continued on.
Why Fans Hated Scrubs Season 9
Ultimately, Scrubs season 9 saw the show canceled as fans simply didn’t like it. Criticisms for season 9 can all essentially be boiled down to one key point: it wasn’t the same as previous seasons. With some cast members not returning and much of its main cast reduced to guest and supporting roles, fans felt let down by season 9, which had been marketed as a continuation of the show’s story.
While this understandably left many fans feeling underwhelmed, had Bill Lawrence been allowed to rename the show Scrubs Med as he’d planned, it might not have been such a disaster. Still, with a number of Scrubs‘ side characters missing too, much of what had made Scrubs so enjoyable had changed too much for some fans. Had Scrubs: Med School actually been marketed as the spin-off it clearly was, fans likely wouldn’t have been so outraged. As it stands, the ill-fated final season is unfairly remembered as one of the most disastrous TV decisions made in recent years – even if it checks all the boxes as a near-perfect Scrubs spin-off.