Warning: Spoilers ahead for the Scrubs revival, Episode 3, “My Rom-Com.”Scrubs is definitely among the upper echelon of medical shows, but the sitcom’s recent revival comes at a time when it’s difficult to claim the top spot. Although Scrubs is more comically tinged than many of its present-day competitors, that hasn’t stopped the show from borrowing an incredibly recent twist from one of its modern, grittier counterparts. While the duplicated storyline might have gone under the radar if it had been taken from a show with a lesser profile, Scrubs finds itself imitating the biggest project in its genre right now.
Scrubs‘ latest episode, “My Rom-Com,” splits its time between more than one storyline, which is typical for Scrubs and the sitcom genre at large. However, the central plot revolves around what feels like a tribute to a classic 2001 episode, “My Old Lady.” Although the arc ultimately turns out to be about JD (Zach Braff) and Elliot’s (Sarah Chalke) defunct marriage, it takes a pretty roundabout path to get there. Part of the storyline’s journey involves a narrative left-turn that feels incredibly familiar. There’s a reason why you probably recognize it.
‘The Pitt’ Season 2 Did the Hospital System Failure Storyline 13 Days Before ‘Scrubs’ Released “My Rom-Com”
The Pitt Season 2, Episode 7, “1 P.M.,” ends with the threat of the hospital experiencing a cyberattack involving ransomware that had already brought other facilities to their knees. The storyline continues into the next episode too, but the twist was introduced in “1 P.M.,” which debuted on February 19, 2026. To prevent what happened to those unfortunate hospitals also taking place at the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center, there is a conscious decision made to shut down any systems that can be targeted. As a result, The Pitt‘s medical staff are forced to go old school, using paper charts and other “analog” methods to treat their patients.
On March 4, 2026, ABC aired “Rom-Com.” So, just short of two weeks after “1 P.M.,” Sacred Heart found itself in a near-identical situation as its counterpart in The Pitt. JD and company are equally left without with various technological resources that streamline and assist the treatment of patients. Similarly, they’re also forced to dust off the iconic Sacred Heart paper charts and other low-tech pieces of kit. Of course, given how close together these two storylines made their respective debuts, the chances that Scrubs intentionally copied The Pitt are incredibly low. Instead, it’s more than likely just a freaky coincidence. That doesn’t mean it’s any easier to ignore.
How the System Failures Differ in ‘The Pitt’ & ‘Scrubs’ (& How They’re Similar)
In The Pitt, it’s an intentional move to shut down the hospital’s key systems. It’s a preventative measure to avoid something far worse from happening. In Scrubs, the twist is incorporated into Elliots scheme to keep her patient at Sacred Heart for longer, because her discharge forms are digitized and then can’t be accessed due to the unplanned software update. This is pretty much where the two storylines stop being so similar. In The Pitt, the unplanned return to an earlier era of medical treatment is treated as somewhat of a disaster. The health and overall safety of various patients suffer as a result.
It should also be noted that The Pitt focuses on Emergency Room cases, meaning unexpected system shutdowns can have a more severe and immediate effect due to the urgency with which most injuries need investigating and treating.
“My Rom-Com” barely pays any attention at all to these negative side effects, if they even exist. Sacred Heart’s unexpected software update is instead treated as a minor inconvenience. Sure, the medical staff make little references to working with paper charts, but that’s about it. If anything, the entire scenario actually has a positive outcome. Elliot’s plan works. Her patient is kept around and is able to find a reason to accept the treatment being offered to her so she can live a longer life. This makes sense, given Scrubs’ tendency to lean toward more optimistic outcomes, whereas The Pitt is far less afraid to have characters meet their end.
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The Pitt
- Release Date
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January 9, 2025
- Network
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Max
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Scrubs
- Release Date
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February 25, 2026
- Network
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ABC
- Writers
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Aaron Lee, Amy Pocha, Aseem Batra, Mathew Harawitz, Michael Hobert, Seth Cohen, Tim Hobert
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