Trae Patton/NBCIt's aliiive!
That's what you need to know about the NBC, er, make that ABC fan favorite Scrubs. Despite the panic following Ben Silverman's announcement on Wednesday that Scrubs would not be a part of the Peacock Net's 2008-09 lineup and that Scrubs had "finished its run on NBC," sources on the set of Sacred Heart gave me the nitty-gritty on where things stand—some of which you may or may not have heard. Here's the juice:
NBC will air six more new episodes of Scrubs this season, beginning this Thursday, April 10. (Woo!) The cast finished shooting episode "712" (the 12th episode of season seven) on Monday, which is the last episode that will be shown on NBC. However! The production train keeps on chugging.
According to sources on set, Scrubs began shooting an episode on Tuesday that is being numbered as "713/800." (Meaning, it is the 13th episode in production this season but is scheduled to air in season eight.) The cast and crew will shoot through August and are expected to end on episode 816.
Those episodes—yes, 16 of them by my count—are slated to air on ABC.
Word is the budget has been trimmed somewhat substantially in order to have the show continue, so it is possible there might be a few lower-level cast changes, but that remains to be seen. Zach Braff is most definitely on board.
Regardless, the good news is that although ABC declined to comment and says no announcement regarding Scrubs will come anytime soon, it seems that Bill Lawrence may know a thing or two about what his good friend (and former Scrubs colleague) Steve McPherson is thinking, since he's already started to shoot episodes that are headed for ABC.
And so, Scrubs seems to be very much alive and kicking. And if it turns out to be "alive" in that Brendan-Fraser-is-really-dead-and-we're-just-messing-with-you kinda way, let me be the first to say: Steve McPherson, I'm coming for you.