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The on-again, off-again romance between J.D. and Elliot in Scrubs has always been a captivating element of the show. So, why are these fan-favorite characters portrayed as divorced in the ABC reboot? The executive producer reveals that it’s a well-thought-out creative decision.
**Spoilers ahead for the initial two episodes of Scrubs, now available on Hulu**
In a conversation with DECIDER about the much-anticipated revival of the beloved medical sitcom, showrunner Aseem Batra, who contributed as a writer and producer to the original series, shared insights into the choice to depict Zach Braff and Sarah Chalke’s characters as estranged.
“We decided to separate J.D. and Elliot not out of a lack of affection for the duo, but because it mirrors reality,” Batra explained to DECIDER during the Scrubs premiere event in Los Angeles on Monday.
The last canonical glimpse of these characters in Season 8 painted a picture of blissful romance, with J.D.’s daydream to “The Book of Love” showcasing a future filled with joy. In the now-discontinued Season 9, viewers learned J.D. and Elliot had tied the knot and were expecting a daughter, a detail that still aligns with J.D.’s mention of his concierge job, which allows more time with his children, suggesting they have more than one child.
While many fans have believed that the fantasy projected outside of Sacred Heart at the end of Season 8 was J.D. seeing what his future would actually look like, it sounds now like it was only his own imagination of how things would turn out. I.E., it was not much different than any of J.D.’s other fantasies from the rest of the eight-season run.
“Bill put it best, he said JD would probably say ‘some of my fantasies came true and some of them didn’t,’” Batra shared. “They always had a really contentious relationship. When you go back and look at the early seasons, we thought there was something real about them not quite being able to make it as a couple, but still having a lot of love for one another.”
Now, with the Scrubs revival bringing J.D. back to Sacred Heart and reuniting him with his ex-wife, the two are going to have to navigate a new, awkward, and undoubtedly hilarious stage in their relationship. Clearly, Elliot doesn’t want him around, but as the newly appointed chief of medicine, these two are going to have to learn how to work together.
It’s exactly the type of situation Batra is looking forward to exploring between the characters, as conflict and tension, especially the kind that exists between J.D. and Elliot, can only yield more interesting scenes and scenarios for them to navigate.
As for those wondering if it’s possible that they ultimately bring them back together, it sounds like the jury is still out. But if Batra has anything to say about it (she does), they are certainly going to explore all possible avenues with this fan-favorite couple.
“We’re saying it’s still open. They were always a will-they-won’t-they? Right now, in Season 1, they’re more focused on getting back together as a family, as people who love one another,” she said.
Batra added, “We’re not putting an end on that at all. We’re just saying we don’t know what’s going to happen. And that’s exciting as a writer to figure it out in the moment.“
The first two episodes of Scrubs are now streaming on Hulu. New episodes premiere on ABC at 8 p.m. on Wednesdays and stream the next day on Hulu.
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