Zach Braff Leaving Scrubs – For What Exactly?

John-Zach-24.jpgMy ex-girlfriend Naghmeh got me hooked on Zach Braff’s show “Scrubs”. To me it looked sort of idiotic, but once I gave it a chance I got completely into it (for the record, I think John C. McGinley’s character “Dr. Cox” is the flat out funniest character on TV). Word has now come out that Zach Braff is going to leave the show after this new season. No word yet on if the show will continue without him (I think it should, the ensemble cast is very strong).

Now let me say this first… I like Zach Braff. I like him a lot (that’s me with him in the pic… see… see that I like him?). Have we established that? I think he’s a nice guy, a terrific performer and has a lot of natural comedic gifts. Having said that…

What is he leaving for? To pursue his big successful movie career??? Gee Whizzz… let’s look at his track record shall we?

The Ex – Made just $3 million despite opening on over 1000 screens
The Last Kiss – $11 million on over 1300 screens
Garden State – Which I really liked… but only made $26 million

Braff is NOT a box office draw in the least. So look, if he wants to leave because he’s been doing it 8 years and is just plain old ready to move on, then that’s fine. Can’t hold that against a guy. But I really hope he’s not doing it because he thinks he can be a big A list movie star… because the ugly truth is he can’t. Oh he’s got talent, but he doesn’t have a wide enough appeal.

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26 thoughts on “Zach Braff Leaving Scrubs – For What Exactly?

  1. I read that it WASN’T Zach Braff’s decision to leave Scrubs!

    Scrubs will never be the same! And anyone who says it will be, i ask you this:

    What will happen when we see none of J.D.’s daydreams or talkthroughs?
    What will happen with J.D.’s and the Janitor’s feud?
    What will happen with J.D. and Eillot?
    And of course, what will happen to J.D. and Turk’s friendship and their Guy Love??

    And all the other smaller questions like,
    What about J.D.’s interns?
    What about Dr. Cox?

  2. Actually Judy Rehes(Carla Turk) is set to leave after this season. I actually think it’s crappy that so many actors get on hit shows and then leave “to do other projects” which 9 times out of 10 means they think they can become more famous doing something else. Topher Grace(Eric from that 70’s show) did it and the only thing i’ve seen him in is the third spiderman movie, which he sucked in. Katherine Heigl and TR Knight from Grey’s Anatomy are both leaving at the end of this season and i think they may also wake up to find that because they are on a hit show doesn’t mean that they will succeed elsewhere, and i hope Zach Braff realizes this before he ruins a great show. Just so i’m clear, i think Braff is fabulous, but i agree that he just isn’t a movie star, so i hope that isn’t the reason he is leaving.

  3. I think he’s become more of a director now. i think that will probably be more what he does.

    i think the only way scrubs could continue would be with elliott as the new narrator (and j.d. coming back once in a while).

    and if it does END end, i think elliott brother rob should meet and hook up with dr. kelso’s son it should end up that scott foley’s character and mandy moore’s characters met somewhere and hooked up (they are the outside jd and elliott), and hugh jackman ends up in the mix with dr. cox. (o:

  4. Hey Sahil,

    That’s totally irrelevant. Making a movie for $3 million and making $25 million is great for the studio… but as a lead, Braff proved he can’t draw an “A” list audience.

  5. @ John

    Garden State only made $26M and compared to most movies that sucks but you have to remember that it only cost $2.5M to make. It also made another $9M overseas.

  6. Scrubs should have ended ages ago. They still get a few episodes right from time to time, but most are mediocre. I still watch it, but they should let it die. Same with Family guy.

  7. Agree with most comments on here…..no doubt he’s a really good actor, but (basing this on one movie) I think he’s a better writer and director. The last kiss was a great movie, and there’s no reason why he can’t make a career out of those movies….

  8. I’m on the otehr side of the fence (as usual). Funny you didn’t mention his directing in the post.

    I guess if you care about box office numbers and paychecks then this news makes no sense. I for one loved Garden State and also liked The Last Kiss quite a bit too (despite its flaws).

    Hopefully Braff will get back to directing. Garden State was very well directed. The guy isn’t necessarily moving on to be a movie star.

    Never watched Scrubs. Sorry to hear he’s leaving for the fans’ sake, but for me… thank God!

  9. I read about this news on tvguide.com yesterday and at first I was a little bummed, but once I thought about it for a bit, I think the cast could go on without Zach. Though I would miss the love between Turk and JD immensely.

    Scrubs has always had a rough run on NBC. This last season was suppose to be the last, but ABC stepped up and got the series moved to their network, so they could give the show the send off it deserved. The writer’s strike really messed up the Scrubs final season. Now with news that it might not be the last season is kind of heartening, but we’ll see…I’m not sure how most fans would react to a show without JD’s character.

  10. I am like you, when i first saw this show. I was like WTF, this looks retarded. Then i actually started watching it, now my DVR records every eposide that comes on. :)

    Yeah i really dont know why he would leave the show, oh and i agree with the Dr Cox comment. I love dr cox. if he left the show, i wouldnt watch it anymore, probably wouldnt.

  11. zach is very talented and i’m sure he will continue acting and i bet have more success with it, but it’s quite obvious to me that braff’s future is probably going to be in writing and directing.

    garden state is one of my favorite films of all time. i adore that movie and braff proved his talent on and off the screen in that and the last kiss.

    i wish the guy all the best, i’ve honestly very much enjoyed everything he’s been a part of. i love scrubs too but i think (and hope) that it’s over when he goes.

  12. How can the show go on without him?

    He’s the main character!!!
    The fans grew up with him as he went through the hospital as an intern.

    It’s the same as That 70’s Show. Once Eric was out of the show it collapsed.

    If you build a show on the history of characters, namely JD and Elliot, but seasons later you take out the one main character and replace them with a character who has no history with the cast, the show fails.

    If they replace JD with Keith the show will fail definitely.

    1. where hve u been? keith hasnt been on the sho in forever. plus elliot is leaving, and dr.kelso is barely on the sho, all thats gonna be left is carla turk and dr.cox. wht r u gonna do with that???!?!!??!

  13. JASON:

    I do recall the episodes where he wasn’t the narrator, and I’m not sugesting it’s physically impossible to continue without him, just that it would make it even more pointless than it already is. Also yes I’m aware of the cancellation and the pickup, but often in that siuation the ‘life line’ season is the last.

  14. Have to agree. I love Zach’s character, but the show can totally go on without him. The cast is brilliant, and I happen to think that Neil Flynn (The Janitor) is a god

  15. OLIVER:
    Scrubs was canceled and set to end after this past season, but ABC picked it up for an 8th season this fall. and if you actually watch the show youll recall a series of episodes in which JD is NOT the narrator, and isnt even present for most of the episode, where 2 or 3 of the other characters voice their inner monologue.
    As vital as he is to the show, it has such a strong ensemble cast, IT CAN go on without him.

  16. I think what you are saying about his draw in the movie biz at this point in time is true. He wrote and directed Garden State and has a film out this year that he has also penned and sat behind the camera for. I think as a writer/director he is maybe someone to watch.

  17. In my opinion that was an entirely off the mark post. I’d heard Scrubs was ending after this season anyway and I certainly hope it does as the quality of the show is so much worse now it should have ended two seasons ago. Maybe that’s why he wants out. Also, he’s the main character, the ‘auidience’ character, the narrator, you can’t have Scrubs without him, it would make it even more hopeless than it is now. But really, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out why he’d leave. He wants to be a full time film maker.

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