Where Did JD Go After 'Scrubs'? Zach Braff Sets the Record Straight (Exclusive)
Where Did JD Go After 'Scrubs'? Zach Braff Sets the Record Straight (Exclusive)
Grace LeederThu, February 26, 2026 at 2:51 AM UTC
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(ABC/Disney)
It's been over fifteen years since we last saw JD (Zach Braff) walk the halls of Sacred Heart Hospital. Now, he's back to work.
Having initially decided to end the show after Season 8, Bill Lawrence (Ted Lasso, Shrinking) capped off JD's goodbye to the many people he had met over the years by walking through the hospital halls, seeing their faces, then watching a montage of moments from his future. "Endings are never easy," JD says in the episode. Scrubs learned that the hard way.
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ABC decided to bring the show back later that year with a sort of official/unofficial final season. Over the course of another 13 episodes, JD returned to Sacred Heart, along with Turk (Donald Faison) and Dr. Cox (John C. McGinley), to teach medical school. Now, it seems that it is officially non-canon.
"Well, considering it's a spin-off and I just learned what a ret-con is," said Braff in an interview with Parade, "Yeah, I guess that is ret-conned." In other words, JD’s Season 8 goodbye in "My Finale" remains the definitive ending of his story. Until now.
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Related: 'Scrubs' Cast: Where Are They Now?
Faison has been even more explicit about what that means for JD’s life. “All of the stuff that happened in Season 9, pretty much, is considered ret-conned,” he said. “And so in Season 9, you guys are happily married, the baby comes…” The “you guys,” of course, refers to JD and Elliot (Sarah Chalke).
Braff even spoke about the montage that he watches at the end of the original run of the show. "I think fans need to be reminded that all the things that happened at the end of Season 8 that are projected on the sheet that JD's looking at are all what he day dreams about will happen," the actor said. "But as we all know, especially when you get to be 50 years old, there are plenty of things in your life that didn't necessarily work out the way you wanted," he added.
But if fans are worried about anything changing within the lore of the Scrubs lore, they can rest assured knowing that the bromance between JD and Turk is as strong as ever. "The bromance is alive," Braff said.
With Scrubs returning to television, fans can take comfort in knowing that the series’ true ending remains intact. Season 9 may exist as an interesting detour, but JD’s story still closes where it was meant to: with possibility, growth, and the relationships that defined him. Endings are never easy, but every now and then, they get a second chance to be set right.
Related: Are JD and Elliot Still Together? ‘Scrubs’ Revival Answers Fans’ Biggest Question (Exclusive)
This story was originally published by Parade on Feb 26, 2026, where it first appeared in the TV section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
