The first season of Scrubs revival series was highly regarded by fans, but there was one complaint that a lot of people had about it. The good news is that the second season looks like it will officially fix that problem. Scrubs returned in February 2026 with its revival, the 10th season in the series as a whole and Season 1 in the new run of the revival. It brought back the characters fans loved so much from the original series, including Zach Braff as J.D., Donald Faison as Turk, Sarah Chalke as Elliot, Ken Jenkins as Kelso, and John C. McGinley as Dr. Cox. However, one of those five beloved characters barely appeared in the first season, which was its only real downfall.
The good news is that the first season’s finale sets up the idea that John C. McGinley will be back in a much bigger role in the second season, and that means only good things for the Scrubs reboot.
Dr. Cox Will Finally Be Back on Scrubs in the Bigger Role He Deserves
Image Courtesy of ABC
In past interviews, John C. McGinley admitted that the reason that he wasn’t in the Scrub reboots first season very much was scheduling conflicts. However, he also said that the schedules are working out much better now, and this means he should have a lot more time to shoot his scenes for the second season and become a large part of the story, as he was always meant to be. This is even more important with the events of the latest season finale, and how it affects his relationship with J.D.
The new season opened with J.D. returning to Sacred Heart after working as a concierge doctor for years. When he gets his job back, Dr. Cox makes him the new chief of medicine and he has to oversee the new interns. Turk, the new chief of surgery, joins him. Elliot is back, and that is awkward since she and J.D. ended up divorced. However, the season finale brought Dr. Cox back to the forefront in a big way. In the penultimate episode, Dr. Cox passed out after paying a visit.
What Will Happen to Dr. Cox in Scrubs Reboot Series?
Image Courtesy of ABC
J.D. goes to help in the finale, and that is when they learn that Dr. Cox has  microscopic polyangiitis, an autoimmune disease, a disease that could lead to death. J.D. gives him treatment, hoping for remission, but it wasn’t working. He is getting worse, and he finally admits to Jordan (Christa Miller) the truth and realizes it is time to fight. This should lead to a big storyline in the second season, as Dr. Cox fights his battle against the illness, while J.D. tries to reconcile his feelings about the situation.
This also opens up the door for a lot of special storylines that will go beyond the show’s comic nature. While it has always been known for its broad comedy and laugh-out-loud moments, the idea of Dr. Cox possibly being at death’s door will make him more vulnerable, and humanize the man that has been seen as a force of nature for the show’s entire run. It will define his relationship with Jordan, who made her return in the first season’s finale, and it will also help form J.D. into the doctor that Dr. Cox always wished he could be. This is an emotional core that could help the second season rise above what it did so well in the first season’s return.
However, there also might be more good news for Season 2. On top of John C. McGinley possibly getting a bigger role, the one popular missing character everyone has been asking for returned in the finale as well. Neil Flynn, who starred as Janitor in the original series run, made a brief appearance. The Janitor is now the chief custodian of the joint commission, and he was at Sacred Heart for a safety inspection. It also sets up a new dynamic, as Janitor’s son is Maintenance Guy (Darcy Michael), and this should give J.D. a new nemesis in Scrubs Season 2.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!