When I first heard there is a season 9 of Scrubs, my reaction was very much like a lot of fans – WTF? it had a good series finale last season already, why mess it up by dragging it out for another season?  I was against the idea.  However, as people know I usually can see both sides of an issue, and this is no exception.  We tend to forgot that TV show is an industry with people whose livelihood depends on.  We always focus on the lead actors who earn millions but never bat an eye on the crews and staffs (for a show it could be hundreds of them).  These people might not have the lowest income out there, but they are probably still depends on their monthly salaries just like we are.  Working in TV shows is like working at an industry that has no permanent position.  When a show ended or get cancel, everyone on the show are out of work.  The lead actors or the creator might be able to get another gig quickly, but for the rest of the crews and staffs, it might be a while, especially during this recession, as well as the fact that there are less and less scripted shows on air nowadays.  Reality shows and talk shows are filling up the schedules.  Those need a much smaller work force.  For a scripted show that was on the air for 8 years, it is like a permanent job for every crews and staffs.  It is only human to try to continue the show and not put these hundreds of people out of work during this economic tough time.

That being said, I am not supporting to merely extend a show and sacrifice everything that was built in the last 8 years.  All the character developments and the legacy of the show.  If they mess with those, i am fairly against it.  But the new season very much leave conclusions of most characters in tact.  The focus is on the new med students in the newly built med school.  The ending for JD and Elliot’s story from last season is very much the same, they didn’t radically change anyone and their storyline.  Instead all the old characters serve as a bridge to the new generations.  It shows the natural progression of some old characters, which is fine and is actually what I like the most.  Like how JD matured into a role that is like a mentor to Lucy.  That is like JD’s life comes a full circle.  Or how Dr. Cox and JD seems to interact more or less as equal.  Those are the things that I do not mind seeing.

However, for the new season to be success, the new characters need to be able to carry the show on their shoulders.  I haven’t really see it yet.  The not so old and yet not new character Denise has potential, so is her relationship with the new character Drew.  Lucy is like you mix JD and Elliot of the first season together.  Again I see glimpse of potential but I still have doubt about it.  Cole, the character that is very much like Todd but way more of a jerk and not as likable as Todd – he annoys the hell out of me.  Todd works in the past because he is a jerk, but a fun and dumb one, and he’s not super pretty and he is not our main character.  Cole being such a handsome statue, but with a prick-like personality, it’s very hard to win our support, especially he is one of our main character.

So far there’s only two episodes, so the jury is still out on the new season of Scrubs.  I am merely saying not to judge until you watch some more to see how this is going.

Related posts:

1. Rant about Doctor Who
2. Everyone loves a British assistant
3. Goodbye Betty
4. Demons
5. Goodbye J.D.

Tagged: Scrubs · Television