‘Scrubs’ Sets Cast Returns & 2 Main Characters’ Departures In Season 2

ABC’s Scrubs has locked in the main cast for Season 2, and the revival is shaking up a few things, with more screen time for OG Neil Flynn and new addition Rachel Bilson and two prominent recurring characters, Dr. Park and Charge Nurse Raymond, not returning.

No changes to the series’ core trio, which remains intact, with Zach Braff (John “J.D.” Dorian), Donald Faison (Christopher “Turk” Turk) and Sarah Chalke (Elliot Reid) returning as series regulars.

Also back is the group of new interns introduced as recurring last season. One of them, Ava Bunn, has been promoted to series regular for Season 2. We got to know her character Sam Tosh a little better than other newcomers last season as she emerged as a J.D.-type wide-eyed intern standout from the first eight seasons and Lucy (Kerry Bishé) from Season 8.

The rest of the actors playing interns, Jacob Dudman (Asher Green), David Gridley (Blake Lewis), Layla Mohammadi (Amara Hadi) and Amanda Morrow (Dashana Trainor), will continue to recur next season.

“This isn’t a show about the kids, but the audience is curious about their family life and home life, and so we do want to show a little bit of that as well,” the revival’s showrunner Aseem Batra told Deadline at the time of the Season 1 finale in April.

Also back as recurring are OG fan favorites John C. McGinley (Perry Cox) and Judy Reyes (Carla Espinosa) who both are already series regulars on other series filming in Los Angeles, HBO’s Rooster and ABC’s High Potential, respectively.

“Both shows have been amazing and working with us to get those performers over to Vancouver [where Scrubs films], Batra said in April. “So we’ll do our very best to keep them in the fold, because they are part of this in a big way, but we’re happy for their success in other areas, and we’d just love them back as much as we can get them.”

With Dr. Cox transitioning from a nemesis to patient of J.D., “he does need more conflict,” Batra admitted to Deadline about Braff’s character in April.

Flynn’s The Janitor played that role alongside Dr. Cox on the original series but he was only in the Season 1 finale of the revival for a couple of scenes.

That will change with Flynn set to recur in Season 2 alongside another actor that guest starred in the Season 1 finale, Bilson.

Batra teased a Season 2 multi-episode arc for Bilson’s hospital visitor Charlie who hit it off with J.D. after they met in the Season 1 finale.

“The Rachel Bilson arc is going to also help us, because it’s like, what feelings does that kick up for Elliot, for J.D., so we’re really excited to have her back,” she said in April.

J.D. and Elliott rekindling their romance is still a possibility, Batra said at the time. That may be helped by the fact that Andy Ridings is not listed as a recurring or guest star for Season 2, meaning that his pilot Wes, whom Elliott started dating in Season 2, may be out of the picture.

According to sources, that has not been fully determined, and a Wes return is possible.

A significant Sacred Heart staff turnover is in the works. Back as recurring are OG Robert Maschio, reprising his role as The Todd, Vanessa Bayer as HR awkward head Sibby, and Michael James Scott as sassy charge nurse Dubois.

However, not coming back is Dubois’ partner in crime, fellow charge nurse, Raymond (X Mayo). The move is somewhat surprising as Dubois and Raymond were two of the revival’s breakout characters.

Also gone is a character that locked horns with J.D. as his main rival in Season 1, scheming attending physician Dr. Kevin Park (Joel Kim Booster).

Meanwhile, the hospital’s Maintenance Guy (Darcy Michael) went from a J.D. friend to foe in the finale when The Janitor revealed him to be his son. Michael also is not listed among the returning Season 2 cast but his departure is not set in stone, sources said.

“We don’t know if that’s his son, he lies about everything. He kind of, like throws a wrench in all of J.D.’s peaceful plans, so yes, we want to see some conflict there, for sure,” Batra said about the character in April.

Shrinking series regular Christa Miller, who reprised her Scrubs role as Jordan Sullivan as a guest star in Season 1, will do the same in the same capacity next season. As Cox’s long-time partner, Jordan is expected to be part of his medical journey storyline following his recent diagnosis.

However, the return of another popular OG cast member, Ken Jenkins, who played Dr. Bob Kelso for all nine seasons from Scrubs‘ original run, remains in limbo.

The 85-year old retired actor did not appear in Season 1.

“Dr. Kelso will be back next year,” Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence told Deadline in February. “It just didn’t work out this year but it will next year.”

Jenkins has not been confirmed as a Season 2 guest star, with his potential comeback still up in the air. But he remains on Batra’s wish list for the revival.

“Well, we’ve got Johnny Kastl, we’ve got Scott Foley, we would love to have him back, and, of course, Ken Jenkins,” she said in April. “We want to see more of Neil Flynn. So we have quite a wish list.”

Batra can cross off at least one item on that list with Flynn’s recurring status next season.

Here is Scrubs’ official Season 2 logline:

J.D., Turk and Elliot have leveled up from interns to icons at Sacred Heart. Now, the respected doctors inspire the next generation while balancing the ups and downs of working in a hospital. Together with characters new and old, they are navigating this next chapter with laughter, heart and some surprises along the way.

Joining the 10-episode Season 2 as executive producer is veteran comedy showrunner Mike Royce. Fellow writer Mathew Harawitz, who was a co-executive producer in Season 1, has been upped to EP; Michael Spiller, who directed an episode last season, also has joined the series’ executive producer ranks alongside returning EP/director Randall Keenan Winston

The original series’ creator Lawrence serves as executive producer on the revival via his Doozer Productions alongside the company’s Jeff Ingold and Liza Katzer as well as showrunner Batra and stars Braff, Faison and Chalke. Scrubs is produced by 20th Television, a part of Disney Television Studios The series will return to ABC on Wednesdays this fall and stream next day on Hulu.