The ‘Scrubs’ Revival Episode 7 Makes It Seem Less Likely Than Ever That Elliot & JD Will Get Back Together

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Be warned, this article contains spoilers for the recent Scrubs revival episode, “My Best Friend’s Barbecue.” The new season of Scrubs has brought back familiar faces and introduced new stories, and while the beginning was unexpected and controversial, many viewers hoped things would eventually be resolved. After watching Episode 7, it’s unclear if a satisfying conclusion will ever come. However, that ambiguity might be the point! This kind of clever uncertainty is a major reason why Scrubs remains one of the greatest shows of all time, and why I’m so happy to have it back, even if it means some emotional moments.

The new interns in the Scrubs revival have settled in well, and thankfully, they feel like a natural fit with the original cast, becoming valuable additions to the show. While these new characters have been surprisingly well-developed in just seven episodes, the revival hasn’t forgotten about the returning favorites and their ongoing storylines. One of these returning storylines feels both strangely new and comfortingly familiar, but it also seems to be heading down a predictable path.

For the First Time, I’m Genuinely Unsure If Elliot & JD Will Get Back Together

Fans noticed that Zach Braff’s J.D. and Sarah Chalke’s Elliot weren’t wearing wedding rings in previews for the Scrubs revival, leading to speculation that the couple, who finally got together in the original series, had either never married or gotten divorced. The first episode quickly confirmed the latter – they did marry, but later divorced. This was a sad surprise, especially since the last time viewers saw them (ignoring the later Season 9), they seemed ready to get married. Now, they’re linked through work, friendship, and co-parenting their son, Ollie, but they’re no longer a couple.

While Scrubs hasn’t explicitly hinted at Elliot and JD getting back together, typical sitcom rules suggest they’ll end up happily reunited, don’t they? A possible sign is a flashback in Episode 5, “My Angel,” which used footage from the show’s very first season showing a happier time in their relationship. However, the show has largely focused on both characters moving on after their divorce, making a romantic reconciliation seem unlikely. For a long time, I believed the show was deliberately misleading viewers, but Episode 7, “My Best Friend’s Barbecue,” changed my mind.

While the episode initially appears to be about JD’s funny efforts to get invited to the Turks’ annual cookout, it’s actually a way of showing him struggling to hold onto memories of his relationship with Elliot. Judy Reyes, as Carla, wisely encourages JD to accept that things have changed and move forward, and he seems to listen. Meanwhile, Elliot’s new relationship with Wes is going great, thanks to Turk’s encouragement in the previous episode. This all suggests that Scrubs might be signaling that JD and Elliot are truly over. It seems likely, especially as a new potential couple, Asher and Amara, are starting to take center stage.

The ‘Scrubs’ Revival’s Potential Future Sounds Equally Bleak for My Hopes of an Elliot & JD Reunion

A second season of Scrubs isn’t officially happening yet, but the recent revival has been very well-received. The first nine episodes are all that have been made so far, but Zach Braff and the team have been discussing potential storylines if ABC orders another season. They’ve talked about giving John C. McGinley’s Dr. Cox a larger role, bringing back Ken Jenkins as Dr. Kelso, and featuring more of Neil Flynn’s Janitor, beyond his planned appearance in the current season.

Zach Braff recently told TVLine that Elliot and JD are becoming friends as the first season ends, though things are still difficult between them. He added that their friendship will continue to grow because they admire each other both as doctors and as parents. Braff’s comments don’t indicate any chance of them getting back together romantically, suggesting their relationship is over for good. While disappointing for fans, this makes sense, considering Elliot and JD have tried and failed to reconcile several times. If marriage and a child couldn’t make it work, ending things permanently seems like the logical step.

I still feel like the show, Scrubs, is deliberately leading me to believe a certain way. Those on-again, off-again relationships work best when there’s a lot of uncertainty, and right now, things are incredibly uncertain. However, the revival series has largely convinced me that Elliot and JD were never a good match. We haven’t learned the specific reason for their divorce, but it doesn’t seem like anything dramatic happened—they simply grew apart. That would be very typical of Scrubs, and it would fit the show’s style to offer such a realistic and honest explanation for why Elliot and JD are no longer together.

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2026-04-02 03:33