You May Want to Scrub That Big 'Scrubs' Renewal Scoop

It's possible that TV Guide Online gossipmonger Michael Ausiello wasn't just helping "Scrubs" creator-exec producer Bill Lawrence float a self-fulfilling prophecy with his big exclusive on Friday that the NBC hospital comedy had been renewed for a sixth season. But if he got it right, Ausiello knows something that "Scrubs" star Zach Braff himself does not.

I spoke with Braff earlier today, and unless he was fibbing -- which I doubt -- he didn't know squat about the show's future at that moment. In fact, he told me during our telephone chat that he believed the chances were about equal that "Scrubs" would get dropped by NBC and wind up on ABC instead, given that it's produced by the Disney-owned ABC's sister company Touchstone TV and ABC Entertainment President Stephen McPherson has already been on record expressing interest.

"If NBC doesn't pick us up, ABC probably would," Braff said. "All along, it would have made far more sense for us to be on ABC. That's why it continues to surprise us when NBC sticks with us season after season. I mean, look at how much money they've spent promoting 'My Name is Earl' this season. They've never committed a cent of promo money to us. It really is amazing we're still on the air at all. " Things would be far different, Braff believes, were "Scrubs" on ABC, since NBC doesn't have nearly the profit incentive that ABC would by virtue of that in-house Touchstone synergy.

But anyway, back to TV Guide Online and Ausiello's unsubstantiated claim of a "Scrubs" sixth season renewal by NBC, which is news to the NBC Publicity Department as well. A spokeswoman there assured me late this afternoon it hasn't yet happened. The chances are probably pretty good that NBC will ultimately give it the green light -- but not for sure. If NBC doesn't, ABC no doubt will. In any case, we'll all find out one way or another next month when the networks unveil their new fall schedules (or possibly sooner).

You would think, however, that if this "Scrubs" return thing really were already a done deal, the star of the show might have some clue. Sorry, Mike. I'm afraid you jumped the gun a little on this one.

Comments

[jane]

I don't watch the show, but I just LOVE that you give the inside scoop. You know what pilot show both Tarzan & I were immediate cult followers of? Sons & Daughters! Have you watched that? I've read they're undecided about bringing it back, but I sure hope they do. If you haven't watched it, you should. (Well, IMHO)

[Joe rhodes]

Ray -- Ausiello's not flying completely blind here. I had a NY Times piece about Scrubs a couple of weeks ago that quoted both Reilly and MacPherson and although Reilly wasn't ready to officially confirm that NBC was going to re-up Scrubs, he said everything but. He acknowledged that the price of keeping the show on NBC is going to get higher, particularly since the cast salaries are going up, but it was clear he thought the extra expense was worth it, because the demographics are good and it's not like NBC had much of anything else resembling a hit (unless they want to run Deal or No Deal 3 hours every night.) Also MacPherson was on the record saying that he'd be likely to pick up the show if NBC didn't, but that he expected NBC would hold on to it.

So, based on that, I'd be surprised if NBC didn't pick it up. I'd also be surprised if any decision official enough to include notifying cast members had yet been finalized. Ausiello may be jumping the gun a little, but he's not wrong.