With aScrubsrevival almost certainly on the horizon, the medical sitcom’s comeback will finally allow one character to have a better arc, with their original one changing course ahead of season 8. The character in question appeared inall nine seasons ofScrubs, but their role was drastically altered as the show drew to its conclusion. As showrunnerBill Lawrence has declared he’s “Definitely going to” make moreScrubs, he can fix the character’s arc that changed so much toward the end. If not, the actor’s in-universe persona will continue to suffer.
Every doctor inScrubshas a unique arc that blends comedy with emotional moments. The main cast was the focus of seasons 1-8, but many stepped aside or accepted reduced roles for the divisiveMed Schoolepisodes. Thankfully,the originalScrubsactors who remained slotted in nicely to their new roles inScrubsseason 9, despite the softly rebooted sitcom not quite hitting the mark. Unfortunately, one of the best main characters from the show’s original run failed to make much of an impact in season 9, largely because of what happened to them in seasons 7 and 8.
Dr. Kelso’s Post-Retirement Storyline In Scrubs Quickly Got Old
Ken Jenkins' Scrubs character quickly become repetitive after he stepped away as Chief of Medicine
Ken Jenkins' Dr. Robert “Bob” Kelso managed to avoid forced retirement inScrubsseason 7, episode 9, “My Dumb Luck,” only to resign moments later on his town terms. It was a brilliant moment for his character, and it hit all the right notes for a variety of reasons. Unfortunately,Scrubsseemed unsure about what to do with Kelso after this landmark moment. The show was impacted by the 2007–2008 writers' strike, soScrubsseason 7 only ran for two more episodes after his retirement - and Kelso appeared in them both in his new role.
Unfortunately, he ended up getting stuck in the same handful of jokes and moments asScrubsseason 8 began.
At first, the concept of Dr. Kelso continuing to haunt the halls of Sacred Heart Hospital while helping Dr. Cox transition into his new position (as well as making use of his free muffins for life) was an interesting take on Kelso’s part in theScrubsformula. Unfortunately, he ended up getting stuck in the same handful of jokes and moments asScrubsseason 8 began.It arguably would have been more effective for Jenkins to be cut loose after his retirement, as the story they gave him afterward didn’t stay engaging for very long.
Scrubs Potentially Returning Makes Dr. Kelso Worryingly Surplus To Requirements
Dr. Cox won’t need Kelso’s advice after 15 years of being the boss of Sacred Heart
Dr. Kelso became even more of a spare part inScrubsseason 9, especially given the show’s shift in focus toward the new crop of interns. It reinforced the idea that apost-retirement Kelso had very little to offer. Worryingly, aScrubsrevival would only make this problem worse. By the time of the show’s potential comeback, Dr. Cox would be fully installed as the hospital’s Chief of Medicine, and so he’d be incredibly unlikely to seek the advice of his predecessor. In fact,Dr. Cox would be older in theScrubsrevival than Kelso was in the sitcom’s pilot.
Hopefully, Jenkins comes back for, at the very least, a cameo as Dr. Kelso.
That being said, it wouldn’t feel right having aScrubsreunion without Kelso.The passing of Ted actor Sam Lloydalready means the revival would already be missing a key figure from the sitcom’s original run, so Kelso needs to come back. On the other hand,Jenkins hasn’t accepted an acting job since 2019and has just turned 84 years old. Neither of these factors exclude him from reprising hisScrubscharacter, but it could be that the actor is enjoying a soft retirement. Hopefully, Jenkins comes back for, at the very least, a cameo as Dr. Kelso.
The Scrubs Revival Can Improve Post-Retirement Kelso In 1 Key Way
Dr. Kelso needs stories to tell when he comes back
Rather than bringing back Ken Jenkins just to play a directionless version of Dr. Kelso again,Scrubscan make the character’s post-retirement arc way more interesting.The easiest way to do this is for theScrubsrevival to reveal that Dr. Kelso has been away since the ending of season 9. That way, he won’t have just been hanging around the hospital eating muffins for the last 15 years. Instead, Kelso will actually have some stories to share.
Michael J. Fox’s Scrubs Season 3 Episodes Created A Hilarious Problem For The Show
Michael J. Fox was a huge casting for the medical sitcom, but the show’s writers had to accommodate for a funny issue created by the actor’s presence.
Kelso is notorious for his wild tales about what he does with his personal time, so they’re sure to be even better now that he isn’t splitting his life with professional responsibility. If the writers don’t take this step, or at least one that’s very similar, then they risk ruining Jenkins' character even further. During his time as Chief, Kelso was one of the wittiest, snarkiest characters in sitcom history, and it seems like a huge waste for theScrubsrevival to bring him back in another form.
Scrubs
Cast
Scrubs is a Sitcom and Medical Comedy/Drama created by Bill Lawrence that follows a group of medical students throughout their daily lives at the Sacred Heart Teaching Hospital. The series stars Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke, and Donald Faison, as they work their way up from Medical Interns while juggling all sorts of hospital shenanigans.
