Front Page, Industry News

‘Scrubs’ back to work, but for whom?

The cast of “Scrubs” is back at work Monday, but the big question is, for which network?

For the past month, ABC has been in negotiations with series producer ABC Studios about picking up the veteran NBC comedy with an 18-episode order, though NBC had raised objections to the plan.

Sources said the cast is coming back to finish shooting an episode for NBC that was disrupted by the WGA strike. They also are expected to film a few more episodes despite the fact that NBC opted not to pick up more segments from what was supposed to be “Scrubs’ ” final season.

Sources indicated that ABC Studios had planned to produce a couple of extra episodes of “Scrubs,” even without an order from NBC, to possibly be included on the series’ seventh-season DVD set.

Now, the new episodes are intended for ABC, as a pickup by the network is said to be likely. While the sticking points with NBC for the most part had been resolved, the dealmaking keeps stretching out, focusing primarily on securing the cast, most of whom didn’t have pacts beyond this season. Sources said actor contracts are now complete for nearly every cast member, including star Zach Braff.

Six episodes of “Scrubs” have aired so far this season, and five original episodes remain to air on NBC. After the strike, NBC told producer ABC Studios that the network was declining to pay for the season’s remaining episodes. NBC’s move freed up the studio to shop the comedy elsewhere.

ABC has been interested in getting the comedy for years and started negotiations for the series. The “Scrubs” writing team has been hard at work since the end of the strike, penning scripts for the show’s potential eighth season on ABC.

The networks declined comment.

Source: Hollywood Reporter