Scrubs

Although Scrubs is about to end its seventh season this week, NBC has not made a big deal out of it.  Doing away with massive promos and commercials that encourage viewers to stay tuned to the veteran comedy, the network has just simply urged fans to check out the show's interactive features on NBC.com.  Additionally, the usual array of creator and cast interviews that usually accompany the final episodes of a concluding series are likewise largely absent.

The super low-key exit for Scrubs is tied to what's become the worst-kept secret in Hollywood: that the series is moving to ABC.  Although production has been under way for weeks and cast and crew have been encouraged to keep quiet, the long-pending deal for ABC to pick up 18 episodes of Scrubs for season 8 is pretty much essentially done.

"This has been a rumor for a month, but everyone will know the outcome May 13 during our upfronts," Charissa Gilmore, ABC Studio's vice president of media relations, said.

Gilmore added that if this were to happen, it wouldn't be a major leap because ABC Studios produces the show, although it currently airs on NBC.

Holding series pickup news until the upfronts is a typical network strategy.  In the case of Scrubs, ABC  is also waiting for the show to end its NBC run this week.  NBC has not been pleased  when news of the series' move to ABC first leaked, accusing the show's producer ABC Studios of violating NBC's right of first negotiation.  The parties have since patched things up, but a premature celebration by ABC could aggravate the situation.

Fans can catch the season ender of Scrubs, which stars John C. McGinley, Judy Reyes, Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke, Neil Flynn, Ken Jenkins and Donald Faison, on Thursday, May 8 at 8:30/7:30c on NBC.


-Kris De Leon, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: Hollywood Reporter
(Image courtesy of NBC)