all nine seasons of Scrubs, the medical sitcom started to phase him out of the softly-rebooted Med School run. The intention was quite clearly for Scrubs to continue after Braff's exit, but it simply wasn't to be.

JD wasn't the only character to narrate Scrubs episodes, but he did fill the storyteller role for the majority of the show's nine-season run. Although Scrubs was confident the framework would continue to function without Braff as a member of the regular cast, it all fell apart without him.

Scrubs Was Very Much Not "Fine Without" Zach Braff

Med School happened due to Braff's decision to leave and pursue other endeavors

Originally broadcast in 2006, Zach Braff was interviewed on a UK chat show called Friday Night with Jonathon Ross. The show's titular host asks Braff about the success of 2004's Garden State and his burgeoning movie career away from Scrubs. When asked if he would consider leaving the sitcom to explore more movie opportunities, Braff tells Ross that the Scrubs' producers "Always tell me they'd be fine without me."

Scrubs season 10 wasn't ordered by ABC after Med School ended.

At the time of the Jonathon Ross interview, Braff had just started making Scrubs season 6. He would go on to make a shortened season 7 because of the 2007 writers' strike, and then an eighth and final season in the show's known format. It wouldn't be until Scrubs season 9, episode 6, "Our New Girl-Bro," that the updated show would next produce an installment without Braff, and he returned three episodes later for his final appearance. Episode 13, "Our Thanks," unknowingly became Scrubs' last episode. Scrubs season 10 wasn't ordered by ABC after Med School ended.

Braff's Absence Wasn't The Only Thing Wrong With Scrubs: Med School

Scrubs season 9 failed to recapture the original magic between the main cast

Most of Scrubs' original cast actually stayed on for Med School, with the most notable absences being Zach Braff, Judy Reyes (Carla), and Neil Flynn (the Janitor). Showrunner Bill Lawrence and company brought in new interns to be the focal point of the revamped show, with the holdovers from Scrubs' original format slotting into reduced roles. However, the same level of chemistry between the reworked cast was never recaptured. Zach Braff stepping away from Scrubs didn't help matters, but his presence in season 9 wasn't exactly a massive boost either.

Scrubs' worst-rated episode is season 6's clip show, but every season 9 effort comes next before more episodes from the show's original run enter the ranking on IMDb.

Scrubs took a massive nosedive when it became Scrubs: Med School, and this stark decline went far beyond Braff's decision to move on from his time with the sitcom. He played JD just as well as he did in Scrubs seasons 1-8, but his arc had already come to a satisfying conclusion in the "My Finale" two-parter. I think it would have been cool to see how Scrubs: Med School handled its ER-style revolving door of cast , but the ratings didn't warrant its continuation.

The Scrubs Revival Will Finally Bring Back Zach Braff As JD

Disney has given Scrubs season 10 the green light

Zach Braff hasn't officially played JD since 2010, although the Scrubs revival has been given the green light and is expected to recall most available of the original cast.

Creator Bill Lawrence won't return as showrunner but has confirmed he will still be involved with Scrubs season 10. He has already announced that the show's return will softly mimic Med School by bringing new characters into the fold alongside the beloved returning faces. However, I would be very surprised if JD didn't return to his usual role as the show's primary narrator. Either way, it will be great to have him back on screens after such a disappointing and unfulfilling exit in Scrubs season 9.

Sources: Friday Night with Jonathon Ross, IMDb