Scrubs Star Zach Braff Assigned ‘The Pitt’ as Homework To Prepare For New Revival Series (Exclusive)

Medical dramas have always been a popular part of television, with shows like Scrubs leading the way. But as streaming services grew and there were more and more medical shows, they started to lose some of their appeal. That changed recently with the release of The Pitt on HBO Max, a fast-paced medical series that quickly gained a large audience. Now, a year after The Pitt premiered and 16 years after it last aired, Scrubs is returning to television with both its original cast members and some new faces.

In a recent interview with TopMob about the upcoming Scrubs revival, actor Jacob Dudman—who plays the new intern Asher—shared that original star Zach Braff assigned him a unique preparation task: watching the HBO Max series The Pitt.

Dudman revealed that Zach Braff shared The Pitt with him as an assignment, explaining that Braff felt the emotional scenes in The Pitt were comparable in intensity to some of the most challenging moments they aim to achieve with the Scrubs revival. He added that The Pitt served as examples of the emotional beats they’re hoping to hit.

Amanda Morrow, a new addition to the cast of Scrubs, also commented on having both Scrubs and The Pitt airing together. She emphasized how “important it is that both of those shows are on TV” and expressed her happiness that viewers can experience the hospital setting through both drama and comedy.

TopMob recently interviewed Ava Bunn (who plays Serena), David Gridley (Blake), and Layla Mohammadi (Amara) from the show Scrubs. You can find more of their comments below. Season nine of Scrubs will begin streaming on Hulu on February 25th.

The Pitt Became Homework for the New Scrubs Cast

“[Zach Braff] Gave It to Me As His Homework to Watch…”

TopMob: “Early last year, a little show called The Pitt debuted and immediately blew up to be this worldwide phenomenon. I know Scrubs is a completely different vibe, but it’s still a hospital show. I was curious for you guys, did the success of The Pitt add any additional pressure onto you as you came on to this project, or, you know, just to the project as a whole?

Jacob Dudman shared that Zach Braff assigned him the show as homework, explaining it felt very authentic and covered difficult emotional ground – the kind of moments they were aiming for in their own work. Dudman believes this influenced their approach, as it was a highly successful medical drama. However, he also noted that joining the cast of ‘Scrubs’ was challenging because he was joining a show with a long history and a cast who had worked together for two decades.

David Gridley, who is new to the show and plays the confident intern Blake, said he didn’t feel any extra pressure because of how well-received The Pitt was. He was, however, relieved that his role didn’t require him to learn complicated medical terminology.

I wasn’t really drawn to it, honestly. I watched one episode and was just relieved I didn’t have to memorize all the medical terms! From where I’m standing, that scene was intense – even though the dialogue was difficult. I’m thankful our show is a comedy, because even with the serious moments in ‘Scrubs,’ episodes like ‘The Pitt’ are fast-paced and feel very real. I think something that heavy would make me feel sick, but that’s just my take on it.

Ava Bunn, who plays the role of medical intern Serena, shared how amusing it is that she and her friends from school are all now acting as doctors on TV.

I have friends involved with projects like ‘The Pitt’ and ‘Saint Denis Medical,’ and it’s really enjoyable to see what they’re up to. It’s funny because we all went to acting and screenwriting school together, and now we’re all working on hospital-related content!

Amanda Morrow, who plays the new surgical intern Dashana, believes it’s very important that both of those shows are available for viewers.

Amanda Morrow believes it’s wonderful that both ‘The Pitt’ and ‘Scrubs’ are available to viewers. She feels it’s important to see hospital life portrayed through both drama and comedy, and that each show offers unique value. She personally enjoys ‘The Pitt’ and thinks audiences can learn a lot from watching both series.

The Joy of Spontaneous Line Changes on Set

“Sometimes the Writers Would Come and Whisper a Different Way to Say a Line into Our Ear…”

TopMob: “What was a surprise challenge that you guys faced at any point in the process that you didn’t necessarily see coming, and you hadn’t really faced before?

Layla Mohammadi was surprised by how much the script changed during filming. Writers would often quietly suggest different lines to actors right before a take, sometimes without even the other actor knowing. This created authentic reactions, and it was especially enjoyable to receive those last-minute changes and try to stay focused and in character. That constant shifting was the biggest surprise for her.

I completely agree. The alternative takes and the constant changes were a big part of the experience. With a play or movie, you have the whole script to work with beforehand. But on a TV show like ‘Scrubs,’ the writers were always refining things, especially the comedic timing and alternate lines. They’d often give you new dialogue right before filming – ‘Here’s what you’re going to say, cameras rolling, action!’ – and you just had to go with your first instinct. It kept us all sharp and was something I hadn’t anticipated.

How the Scrubs Revival Adapts to Gen Z & Modern Times

We Live in a Completely Different Time, So How Does Scrubs Handle That?

TopMob: “The original show aired in a completely different time. Can you tease how this revival is going to incorporate today’s sensibilities and generations, such as Gen Z, to remain relevant and relatable to today’s audience?”

David Gridley believes the show resonates with viewers of all ages because of its relatable scenarios. This season, it particularly focuses on changes in the workplace over the last two decades. For instance, Vanessa Bear is in charge of a wellness program and is tasked with keeping Dr. Cox in check.

It was a lot of fun working on the show, and the dynamic between the younger and older cast members mirrored what you see on screen. It’s a little embarrassing to admit, but I started using slang like ‘clock it’ and ‘slay’ constantly. By the end of filming, even Andy, one of the camera operators, was saying ‘clock it!’

Layla Mohammadi believes the show benefits from a fantastic writing team, blending original writers with a fresh, new generation. They’ve successfully updated the series to reflect current events and address relevant issues like healthcare access and affordability. Like the original, it tackles sensitive topics with humor, maintaining the same heartwarming spirit and fun that viewers loved. This revival simply presents those familiar elements within a modern context.

2026-02-20 19:07