What is "scrubs"

n. 1 A protective plastic gown worn by a surgeon when performing surgery. 2 (context by extension English) Any medical uniform consisting of a short-sleeved shirt and pants (trousers). 3 (plural of scrub English)Category:English plurals

n. protective garment worn by surgeons during operations [syn: gown, surgical gown]

Scrubs (stylized as [scrubs]) is an American medical comedy-drama television series created by Bill Lawrence that aired from October 2, 2001, to March 17, 2010, on NBC and later ABC. The series follows the lives of employees at the fictional Sacred Heart teaching hospital. The title is a play on surgical scrubs and a term for a low-ranking person because at the beginning of the series, most of the main characters were medical interns.

The series is fast-paced, with slapstick and surreal vignettes presented mostly as the daydreams of the central character, Dr. John "J.D." Dorian, who is played by Zach Braff. Actors starring alongside Braff in all but its last season included Sarah Chalke, Donald Faison, Neil Flynn, Ken Jenkins, John C. McGinley, and Judy Reyes. The series featured multiple guest appearances by film actors, such as Brendan Fraser, Heather Graham, and Colin Farrell.

In its ninth and final season, the show's setting moved to a medical school, and new cast members were introduced. Of the original cast, only Braff, Faison, and McGinley remained regular cast members, while the others, with the exception of Reyes, made guest appearances. Braff appeared in six episodes of the ninth season before departing. Kerry Bishé, Eliza Coupe, Dave Franco, and Michael Mosley became series regulars, with Bishé becoming the show's new narrator.

Scrubs, produced by the television production division of Disney–ABC Television Group, premiered on October 2, 2001, on NBC. The series received a Peabody Award in 2006. During the seventh season, NBC announced that it would not renew the show. ABC announced it had picked up the eighth season of the series, which began January 6, 2009. The ninth season premiered on December 1, 2009.

On May 14, 2010, ABC announced that the show had been officially cancelled.

Scrubs are the sanitary clothing worn by surgeons, nurses, physicians and other workers involved in patient care in hospitals. Originally designed for use by surgeons and other operating room personnel, who would put them on when sterilizing themselves, or "scrubbing in", before surgery, they are now worn by many hospital personnel. Their use has been extended outside hospitals as well, to work environments where clothing may come into contact with infectious agents ( veterinarians, midwives, etc.). Scrubs are designed to be simple (with minimal places for contaminants to hide), easy to launder, and cheap to replace if damaged or stained irreparably. In the United Kingdom, scrubs are sometimes known as Theatre Blues.

The spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has increased the use of scrubs but can give wearers a false sense of security that they are 'clean' when in fact are as easily contaminated as any other clothing.

The eighth season of the American comedy television series Scrubs premiered on ABC on January 6, 2009 and concluded on May 6, 2009 and consists of 19 episodes. The eighth season was the first to be shown on ABC after NBC dropped the series, ending its seven-year run on the network. ABC's pick-up of the show was followed by it commissioning nineteen episodes, which included an hour-long finale. For all of the season's run, it was expected that the eighth season would be the last, especially after the show's creator Bill Lawrence announced it. After rumors surfaced of a ninth season, it was understood that the eighth would be the last to star Zach Braff and much of the main cast. However, the show was later re-commissioned for another season, in which Braff and other cast members appeared for multiple episodes. The eighth season was the first to air in high definition.

Needing to cut costs for the eighth season, Bill Lawrence stated that he divided the writing staff up into two groups, half for the first seven episodes and half for the second eleven episodes. Additionally, each main cast member was absent for three episodes during the season (except Zach Braff and Sarah Chalke who are absent for two). An accompanying web series that aired on ABC's website called Scrubs: Interns was also created to coincide with the season, starring the new interns with guest appearances by the main cast.

The first season of the American comedy television series Scrubs premiered on NBC on October 2, 2001 and concluded on May 21, 2002 and consists of 24 episodes. Scrubs was created by Bill Lawrence who wrote the pilot as well as 3 other episodes in the season. Adam Bernstein directed the pilot as well as 4 other episodes. Neil Flynn was only a guest star in the first season, although he appeared in every episode of the season. Bill Lawrence said if the show had been cancelled at the end of the first season, he would have made the Janitor a figment of J.D.'s imagination.

The third season of the American comedy television series Scrubs premiered on NBC on October 2, 2003, and concluded on May 4, 2004, and consists of 22 episodes. This season features many fantasies, as well as features many well-known actors in guest roles such as Scott Foley, Michael J. Fox, Bellamy Young, Brendan Fraser, and Tara Reid.

The ninth and final season of the American comedy television series Scrubs (also known as Scrubs: Med School) premiered on ABC on December 1, 2009 and concluded on March 17, 2010 and consists of 13 episodes. This season marked a major change in the series; it takes place at a different location and only three of the seven main characters from the first eight seasons remained as regular main characters. The rest of the cast is made up of new recruits, including Lucy, played by Kerry Bishé, who is also the show's new narrator. Former star Zach Braff returned for six episodes of the season.

The new season focuses on students at a med school at the fictional Winston University, rather than interns at a hospital. Doctors Perry Cox and Christopher Turk, played by John C. McGinley and Donald Faison respectively, returned as teachers. The show's filming location moved from the North Hollywood Medical Center to sets at Culver Studios. The series takes place at the new Sacred Heart Hospital, located on the Winston University campus.

The season takes place over a year after the events of the last episode of the eighth season, " My Finale", which was expected to be the last episode and ended many of the series' long-running storylines. However, Bill Lawrence was approached concerning more episodes, and as a result, the show entered its ninth season.

Review aggregator Metacritic found critical reception to the new format to be "generally positive" and assigned an average score of 64/100, though reviews were varied, with the Chicago Sun Times calling the season "promising", but USA Today dismissing it as a "deal-driven mistake". The season nonetheless saw Scrubs receive its lowest-ever ratings, with an average of 3.79 million tuning in, down from 5.61 million the previous season (though the show's overall ranking had improved).

Zach Braff announced on March 22, 2010 via Facebook that it appeared that Scrubs would not be renewed for a tenth season. On May 14, 2010, ABC announced the show was canceled.

The second season of the American comedy television series Scrubs premiered on NBC on September 26, 2002 and concluded on April 17, 2003 and consists of 22 episodes. For the second season Neil Flynn was made a series regular. Colin Hay guest starred for the first time. It is also the first time an episode gives the narration to another regular, in "His Story."

The show used a longer opening credits sequence for episodes 1 and 2, moving through the ward rather than just two beds, including a shot of Flynn as The Janitor, showing the names of the series regulars and ending with the chest X-ray showing the heart on the left side of the chest. NBC wanted longer content in the episodes so the credits permanently returned to the shorter version in episode 3, without Flynn nor actors names and with the mirror image chest X-ray.

The fourth season of the American comedy television series Scrubs premiered on NBC on August 31, 2004 and concluded on May 10, 2005 and consists of 25 episodes. Heather Graham guest starred for an extended run for the first 8 episodes, and then another appearance later in the season. Colin Farrell, Matthew Perry, Molly Shannon, Clay Aiken, and Tara Reid guest starred. This season was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series.

The fifth season of the American comedy television series Scrubs premiered on NBC on January 3, 2006 and concluded on May 16, 2006 and consists of 24 episodes. For the first twelve episodes, two new episodes were broadcast back-to-back every Tuesday at 9:00 p.m. ET. Then NBC returned to broadcasting one new episode every week (at 9:00 p.m. ET), followed by a rerun. For the first three weeks of this, the rerun episode was a cast favorite episode, with available audio commentary tracks on NBC's website to accompany the episodes. Guest stars in the fifth included Jason Bateman and Mandy Moore, as well the introduction of new recurring characters played by Elizabeth Banks and Travis Schuldt. This season was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series.

The sixth season of the American comedy television series Scrubs premiered on NBC on November 30, 2006 and concluded on May 17, 2007 and consists of 22 episodes. The series moved to Thursdays at 9:00 pm as a part of NBC's Comedy Night Done Right. Guest stars in the sixth season included Keri Russell and Michael Weston. This season featured the series' musical episode, " My Musical".

The seventh season of the American comedy television series Scrubs premiered on NBC on October 25, 2007 and concluded on May 8, 2008 and consists of 11 episodes. This was the final season to air on NBC after it was picked up by ABC.

Season 7 was confirmed to have a reduced number of 18 episodes and was likely to be the final season. Due to the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike, only 11 episodes were finished and 6 aired before the strike. During the strike, it was unknown if production on the final episodes would resume or that a possible series finale would air due to the actors' contracts expiring if the strike were to last a long time. After the strike was over, the final five episodes aired starting April 10, 2008. Episode 12, titled "My Commitment" was partially completed before the strike, but was never completed or aired. Some material shot for "My Commitment" was later used in the season 8 episode, " My Nah Nah Nah".