Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence comments, “I really like Eliza. I think she’s a really interesting actress and we didn’t give her a full character [last season]. I think she’s hyper-talented.”

Eliza Coupe joins John C. McGinley’s return to the role of Dr. Cox, and Donald Faison’s return to the role of Dr. Turk, as well as a potential fourth main cast member. Rumor has it they’re looking for a headliner to join the cast. Someone that is potentially an A-list actor.

Related Posts

• June 23, 2009 -- Scrubs: Season 9 – Scrub School?
• May 16, 2009 -- Scrubs – Season 9! Now Officially Announced
• May 11, 2005 -- Another Scrubs Moment
• June 19, 2009 -- Scrubs – Season 9 Details: Hospital and Med School Settings
• May 7, 2009 -- Scrubs: Season 8 – The Final Season?

Producers are looking for a new title for the show, as the direction is moved from a teaching hospital to med school. Word is they’re looking to keep Scrubs as part of the title in some way, but we’ll keep our eyes open for that. One title that ran through my head that could achieve both familiarity as well as help to explain the new format of the show is “Scrub School.” But that’s my own idea and by no means official.

From Zap2it:

[...] It’ll no longer take place in the hospital, but in a medical school with professors Cox (John C. McGinley) and Turk (Donald Faison) instead.

Sacred Heart won’t disappear completely though. Dr. Cox and Dr. Turk’s students will end up seeing several familiar faces while doing rotations there every now and then… Braff, Sarah Chalke (Elliot), Judy Reyes (Carla) and Ken Jenkins (Dr. Kelso) have signed on to appear as guest stars throughout the season.

The med students will be comprised of actors new to the “Scrubs” family, though casting has not yet begun. Lawrence did, however, mention that ABC is encouraging them to hire one big name, someone recognizable.

Sources close to the series tell me “Gilmore Girls”‘ Lauren Graham is currently at the top of their wish list.

As for last season’s newbies, Eliza Coupe, Betsy Beutler, Sonal Shah and Todd Bosley, the interns who were once rumored to be “Scrubs” future, I’m told Coupe will likely be the only one considered to return in some regular capacity.

Neil Flynn (The Janitor) and Christa Miller (Jordan) have both landed series regular roles on new sitcoms. [...]

Eliza Coupe played “Denise” (AKA “Jo”) last season on Scrubs.

Related Posts

• May 16, 2009 -- Scrubs – Season 9! Now Officially Announced
• July 16, 2009 -- Scrubs – Season 9 – Intern becomes New Regular Cast Member
• June 19, 2009 -- Scrubs – Season 9 Details: Hospital and Med School Settings
• May 7, 2009 -- Scrubs: Season 8 – The Final Season?
• May 11, 2005 -- Another Scrubs Moment

This just seems like the right move for the show, and almost like a naturally planned transition for the cast of the show as well as the story. They’ve told the story of an intern rising through the ranks over eight years, and now it’s time for a new story.

When the show returns next winter, the action will shift from the hospital to the classroom and make med-school professors of John C. McGinley’s Dr. Cox and Donald Faison’s Turk.

“It’ll be a lot like Paper Chase as a comedy,” Lawrence tells me. “It’s going to be a different show. It’ll still be life-and-death stakes, but if the show is just Scrubs again in the hospital with a different person’s voiceover, it would be a disaster and people would be mad.”

Of course, Sacred Heart won’t go away altogether. Although J.D.’s old stomping ground no longer will serve as the show’s base of operations, the students will occasionally rotate through its halls — and bump into many of its familiar faces. In addition to McGinley and Faison, both of whom are expected to be full-time regulars alongside a quartet of newbies (most of them playing students), Scrubs vets Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke, Judy Reyes and Ken Jenkins have agreed to make guest appearances. (Neil Flynn has a costarring role as Patricia Heaton’s husband in the new ABC sitcom The Middle, so his name-challenged Janitor will be MIA.)

“Med students in their first three years have to spend anywhere from 10 to 50 percent of their time at a hospital,” Lawrence explains. “And that’s when you’ll see some of the [original cast members]. Continuity-wise, Sacred Heart will still exist with those people still working there.”

But Lawrence insists “half the cast, if not 60 percent of it,” will be comprised of freshmen, one of which will be more recognizable than the rest. “[ABC] is really after us to hire a big name,” he reveals. “So one of them will be fairly famous.”

-via Entertainment Weekly

Related Posts

• July 16, 2009 -- Scrubs – Season 9 – Intern becomes New Regular Cast Member
• June 23, 2009 -- Scrubs: Season 9 – Scrub School?
• May 16, 2009 -- Scrubs – Season 9! Now Officially Announced
• May 7, 2009 -- Scrubs: Season 8 – The Final Season?
• May 11, 2005 -- Another Scrubs Moment

The Hollywood Reporter has the details:

It seems Scrubs will indeed be back. The Hollywood Reporter says deals have now been signed with most of the key cast to return, at least in some capacity, for Season 9 of the series.

Zach Braff and Sarah Chalke have both agreed to return for six episodes next season. Donald Faison, Neil Flynn and John C. McGinley all are awaiting word on pilots they shot, but the Hollywood Reporter says that all three will return as regulars if their pilots are passed on. The Reporter says Judy Reyes has not been approached for a new deal, but may also appear in a guest capacity.

The intention is also to elevate the roles of some of the new intern characters – ABC has passed on No Heroics, the pilot starring Eliza Coupe (“Denise”, AKA “Jo”), making it more likely she will be a part of Scrubs: Season 9.

ABC will announce their full schedule for 2009-2010 this coming Tuesday, and presumably, Scrubs will be a part of it.

Related Posts

• June 23, 2009 -- Scrubs: Season 9 – Scrub School?
• July 16, 2009 -- Scrubs – Season 9 – Intern becomes New Regular Cast Member
• June 19, 2009 -- Scrubs – Season 9 Details: Hospital and Med School Settings
• April 11, 2005 -- Classic Scrubs
• May 7, 2009 -- Scrubs: Season 8 – The Final Season?