As Scrubs heads into the final stretch of its first revival season, fans eager to see more of Dr. Cox won’t be left waiting much longer — and, if things go according to plan, they may be seeing a lot more of John C. McGinley in the future.
“I know the fans have been really eager to see John again, and I really want everyone to know he’s coming back,” series star Zach Braff tells TVLine during a conversation tied to his directing gig on fellow Bill Lawrence comedy “Rooster.” (We can confirm McGinley appears in the last two episodes of the season, airing Wednesday, April 8 and 15.) “I can’t give away spoilers, but what we’re teeing up is a situation where, if we’re lucky enough to get a Season 2, he can be around a whole lot more.”
McGinley, who also stars on “Rooster,” isn’t the only familiar face viewers have been missing. The absence of other legacy characters — including Neil Flynn’s Janitor, who returns alongside Christa Miller’s Jordan in the finale — has not gone unnoticed, something Braff says the creative team is well aware of.
“I’ll say to the fans who miss Neil that we get it — we only had nine episodes and we had so much to do,” Braff says. “I know some people are like, ‘Wait, I want more Johnny, I want more Neil, I want more Judy [Reyes, who plays Carla].’ We get it, and we’re working on it.”
Part of that balancing act, he explains, comes from the need to establish a new generation at Sacred Heart while still honoring the show’s past: “In nine episodes, you do have to set up that it’s a teaching hospital and introduce the students — that’s the premise of the show — and you also have to fill out the world of new characters.”
But if the revival lands a second season — TVLine’s handy Renewal Scorecard has it down as “A Sure Thing” — the plan is to expand the presence of those familiar faces.
“If and when we’re lucky enough to get a full order, our plan is to set up situations where Neil can recur and Johnny can be there a whole lot more,” Braff says. “And Judy, even though she’s on [“High Potential”], can be there a whole lot more. I just want all the fans to know that we’re on the same page with you.”