‘Scrubs’ Star Judy Reyes Explains Turk’s Struggle in Revival Season [Exclusive]

Scrubs dominated the early 2000s sitcom landscape by pulling off a perfect balancing act between comedy and drama. Now the gang is back with a brand-new revival series on ABC, which will stream on Hulu starting February 25. Among the returning stars are the core four that made the original so memorable: Zach Braff as JD, Donald Faison as Turk, Sarah Chalke as Elliot, and Judy Reyes as Carla.

Carla and Turk’s relationship was a major throughline in the original series, and we’re thrilled the lovebirds are back in the new season, this time with four kids. That’s not all that’s changed: Turk is now Chief of Surgery at Sacred Heart Hospital.

MovieWeb spoke with Reyes ahead of the Scrubs premiere, and she gave us some insights into how life and work have changed for the couple as Turk navigates his new responsibilities, and the continued importance of JD’s friendship:

I think what Carla feels is that [Turk’s] sadness is the lack of satisfaction and fulfillment, and the tone of Scrubs is that the thing that makes work possible, especially in an environment like this, is the people you surround yourself with. He needs his best friend, you know, and it’s too much for Carla. She can’t do the four kids and the hospital and the interns. He needs his best friend to help him see it through, someone to vent to or with at the end of the day, someone who loves you, who you love. That kind of thing fuels you and keeps you going. Carla understands that, and she’s just grateful that JD has become available to kill that burden.

Modern TV Gets a Much-Needed Refresh With ‘Scrubs’ Revival

While some fans might feel like this is just a product of the remake/revival trend, the cast and longtime Scrubs fans alike are passionate about the return. The cast of the nine-episode revival includes Zach Braff as the goofy doctor J.D., Sarah Chalke as Elliot, Donald Faison as Turk, Ken Jenkins as Dr. Kelso, John C. McGinley as Dr. Cox and Judy Reyes as Carla. The cast and their characters are truly iconic, and their reunion alone would be enough to excite fans of the original series.

When talking to MovieWeb, Reyes, whose condition for returning to the series was that all her original co-stars agreed to return as well, even called the table read for the revival “fire,” proving that magic happens when this team gets together.

Reyes also pinpointed a very real side of healthcare workers’ lives: how the high-pressure environment so artfully demonstrated in shows like the immensely popular HBO series The Pitt necessitates developing strong bonds, like that of J.D. and Turk. Based on Reyes’ comments, this revival might just be what audiences need to restore their faith in humanity.