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Announcements Mar 17, 2026 at 5:32 PM

Watching Scrubs for the 1st time and Dr Cox is one of the best written sitcom characters I've ever seen

Posted by jnighy

I've never seen Scrubs before, as it was hard to find in my country. But now it's on Disney+ here I'm binging it in antecipation of the return, which everyone says it's great. And I'm stunned by the writing and acting of Dr. Cox. I've only been exposed to him in tiktok clips, so I had this idea of the grumpy doctor that says funny things making fun of the other characters, like House in a sitcom. But this is a character with real depth, portraying a doctor that really cares for his patients, for his interns, while having a deep disbelieve in the system and a ton of self loathing. I'm genuinely surprised.
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ChickenInASuit Mar 17, 2026 +2577
I think my favorite Dr. Cox moment is actually in the first episode. JD has spent the entirety of his first day being berated and mocked by Cox, and loathing him for it, while having brief, sweet interactions with Dr. Kelso. There’s a running theme through the episode that there’s always a “good guy” and a “bad guy” among the higher-ups in charge of a place, and it seems to be setting up Kelso as the former and Cox as the latter. After a particularly nasty incident, JD sees Dr. Kelso sitting by himself on a bench, and approaches him. Kelso, pissed that his break has been interrupted, drops his mask and launches into a tirade about how JD is "nothing but a pair of scrubs” to him, among other things. JD, shaken, walks away wondering who the “good guy” really is. Then an emergency happens on the ward, the interns scramble around Cox, and JD has to (IIRC) insert a catheter for the first time. Nervous, he hesitates, and Cox simply says, softly but firmly, "Look at me. You can do this.” It’s such a great establishing moment that so beautifully sets up JD and Cox’s relationship for the rest of the show.
2577
walnut100 Mar 17, 2026 +1159
And right as he walks away he tells JD "your patient, doctor", rears back to give him a pat on the back, but can't bring himself to do it and walks away. Same relationship establishment and insight into his character flaws.
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artinacart Mar 17, 2026 +631
the fact that JD never sees it is what really makes it land, imo
631
walnut100 Mar 17, 2026 +569
It's a brilliant choice. JD struggles with earning Cox's respect for almost the entire run, despite always having it and never really knowing. That dynamic completely changes if he saw that moment.
569
megamanz7777 Mar 17, 2026 +400
> JD struggles with earning Cox's respect for almost the entire run Something I noticed more on a re-watch is how much this is just completely a JD insecurity thing though. If you really pay attention, Cox makes it pretty clear quite often that he respects JD, and even outright tells him so on more than one occasion, which is not something he normally does with people. It's never enough for JD though...
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imadork42587 Mar 17, 2026 +266
Imposter syndrome is huge in healthcare
266
EchoesofIllyria Mar 17, 2026 +123
Weirdly I’d be more concerned if it wasn’t
123
MailboxAds Mar 18, 2026 +17
Healthcare is filled with insecurity. One of my group chats is all drs and the constant conversation is patients and what we did for them and asking for other perspectives since everyone is a different specialty. It’s a such a weird dynamic for a group that of you meet outside this chat you’d think they were the most confident people on earth.
17
kf97mopa Mar 17, 2026 +75
Yup. Cox doesn’t like physical contact and public displays of affection, and JD thrives on them. Because Cox always backs off, JD thinks that Cox doesn’t like him.
75
EchoesofIllyria Mar 17, 2026 +107
Not just that, as early as season 1 Elliott is saying that JD is Cox’s golden boy. So Cox doesn’t just respect JD but favours him. Cox also specifies to the board in season 1 that JD is one to watch.
107
ChickenInASuit Mar 18, 2026 +38
That’s another of my favorite moments! The whole speech is great. It’s another “dropping the mask” moment like the one in the first episode, even though it’s not in front of JD or any of the other interns, and the fact that it’s such a contrast to the way you normally see him makes it feel all the more heartfelt. > I would like to make special mention of one intern here: John Dorian. Smart kid, he's extremely competent, and his enthusiasm and his determination to always be better is something I see in him twenty-four hours a day. He cares. He probably cares too much. But he's definitely somebody you don't want to lose. It’s even better because it comes after Cox chewed JD out for failing to write his own evaluation: > You're okay. You might be better than that someday. But right now, all I see is a guy who's so worried about what everybody else thinks of him that he has no real belief in himself. I mean, did you even wonder why I told you to do your own evaluation? […] > I wanted you to think about yourself... and I mean really think! What are you good at? What do you suck at? And then I wanted you to put it down on paper. And not so I could see it, and not so anybody else could see it, but so that *you* could see it! Because, ultimately, you don't have to answer to me, and you don't have to answer to Kelso, you don't even have to answer to your patients, for God's sake! You only have to answer to one guy, Newbie, and that's you! There, you are evaluated. > Now get the hell out of my sight. You honest to God get me so angry, I'm afraid I just might hurt myself. It puts that whole interaction into perspective. He’s angry because “You might be better than that someday” is an understatement. He’s a man who’s passionate about his job, and sees potential in JD, and that’s why he’s so hard on him. F****** goosebumps, man.
38
ArgumentativeNerfer Mar 18, 2026 +8
My favorite Dr. Cox and JD interaction comes after Cox fucked up>!and killed several patients by giving them rabies-infected organs.!< JD comes in with sandwiches for the two of them and gives Dr. Cox a small pep talk. But the bit that gets through to Cox is when JD says, "I would have made the same call."
8
WeLoveYouCarol Mar 17, 2026 +50
JD is very needy, it's his main character trait
50
namegoeswhere Mar 18, 2026 +43
Cox straight up tells JD that “You give a c***… ...it’s why I respect you as a Doctor. Hell, it’s why I respect you as a person.” JD just can’t see how often Cox makes those attempts at a connection. Like when Cox drags JD out to a bar for scotch at 3 am. All JD does is b**** that he’s at a bar in his jammies, not seeing this as the attempt at human interaction from Perry.
43
L3g3ndary-08 Mar 17, 2026 +29
Over the duration of the show though, JD does realize that Cox cared about him. JD also helped Dr. Cox massively from spiralling into massive alcohol abuse after losing several patients in one night. This was one of the most defining story arcs in the show for me.
29
ChickenInASuit Mar 18, 2026 +28
The “How to Save A Life” sequence is probably second only to “Where do you think we are?” when it comes to the show’s most heartbreaking moment IMO.
28
redsyrinx2112 Mar 18, 2026 +9
"Where do you think we are?" is genuinely one of the most mind-blowing moments in any media I've ever consumed, whether it's TV, film, book, or whatever else. I was literally dumbfounded. I not only didn't know what to say, but I didn't even know what to *think*. I'll never forget that moment.
9
campelm Mar 17, 2026 +7
And everyone else sees it but him.
7
SunshineZz Mar 18, 2026 +26
fine, ill watch scrubs again, jesus, some people
26
ChickenInASuit Mar 17, 2026 +68
Yes! Forgot about that moment. F***, I love this show.
68
walnut100 Mar 17, 2026 +17
It's an incredible show. One of the best. I wish I could get my wife into it but the comedy doesn't land for her.
17
local6962 Mar 17, 2026 +9
I think it ties nicely in to this scene from the series finale scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6f2lfVwLxBM Full circle, in a way
9
ernyc3777 Mar 17, 2026 +334
Cox gave a f***. It wasn’t just a job to him. And he cared about everyone who came through there. He just put on the tough guy mask to protect himself. But he’s the most broken and emotionally damaged character in the show because he gave a damn.
334
salad_spinner_3000 Mar 17, 2026 +183
Cox is Kelso and Kelso is Cox, both at different points in their careers. You see that when Kelso retires. Kelso cares but he has to put up the facade to keep people from trying to manipulate him when he has to make awful decisions.
183
DuglandJones Mar 17, 2026 +176
I cant remember the episode, probably one of the 'his story' ones As soon as kelso steps off the hospital, he's an nonchalant and whistles happy as Larry >!He has to make a choice to save a poor man's life, or a rich man who's money pays for a new wing (rich man wouldn't die I think if he didn't get the medication)!< >!He picked the rich guy!< >!Steps his foot off the hospital and you see the sadness in his eyes!< >!He sees JD and his crew and puts the facade back on, whistling as he walks past!< Kelso is a Fantastic character
176
got-to-be-kind Mar 17, 2026 +57
I have no idea why I remember this, but the episode is My Jiggly Ball. Ends with a really good Citizen Cope song.
57
DarehMeyod Mar 17, 2026 +16
Sideways is the song
16
IRequirePants Mar 17, 2026 +95
It's how he gets money for the maternity clinic IIRC, something that was on the verge of closing throughout the episode.
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DuglandJones Mar 17, 2026 +55
Yes that was it Maternity clinic for people who couldn't afford medical care
55
midnightheir Mar 17, 2026 +46
Kelso 'His Story' is the Iraq vet in hospitdk talking about his Sgt and how they all worked as a unit. Turns out they all worked so well and so hard because the Sgt was a hard ass and being one (at his expense) kept the soldiers together and focused. It was a great moment when you saw that Kelso does care more than he let's on, but he has a role to play. So he chooses to continue playing it.
46
Qatrik Mar 17, 2026 +20
One of my favourite scenes of the series. They managed to give at least some depth to all main characters at some point during the run, despite being such a cartoonishly over the top comedy show most of the time. When they hit you with an emotional moment they never missed.
20
Lastshadow94 Mar 18, 2026 +19
That's the whole story of the later seasons, Cox slowly becomes Kelso while JD slowly becomes Cox and only Kelso has any fun with the process. You also get the parallel dynamic with Kelso showing Cox how to be an administrator as Cox is pushing JD to step up and take charge. What a great show
19
hadronwulf Mar 17, 2026 +15
Somebody get Cox and Dr. Robbie in a support group together.
15
kalirion Mar 17, 2026 +8
> Cox gave a f***. Despite having two thumbs!
8
Gintami Mar 17, 2026 +125
That is sport on. The development is fantastic. I will also like to add that Kelso is also not a bad guy even though after that first episode you are led to believe he is, especially by Cox. Kelso does care, but he also has an impossible task at a teaching hospital and funding, and he knows he has to be like that to keep the hospital going and above board. He does the job no one does, because the other choice is they don’t have the funds to keep the staff or the hospital. And that episode where Cox has to decide how to balance the budget so no one has to be fired because he will show how it’s done and it ends with him failing to do so. Or when he gets the promotion and realizes someone has to be the bad guy or everyone is out of a job. Or when we learn Kelso is aware about treating patients without insurance because he’s not an idiot, but he looks the other way as long as they try to properly hide it.
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droans Mar 18, 2026 +45
Cox: "You know, before medicine was a business, all that mattered was that you helped your patient." Kelso: "Like it or not, medicine is a business. If the hospital closed then who would we be helping?" He also told Cox he knew all their tricks to get patients treatments they can't afford - he just looked the other way.
45
Mattyzooks Mar 17, 2026 +52
>"nothing but a pair of scrubs” Plus, it's the only time the word 'scrubs' is name-dropped in the pilot, which felt notable to me.
52
Tibbaryllis2 Mar 17, 2026 +54
Now take this observation and compare it to Kelso’s last day *working* at sacred heart when he sits on the same bench talking to the new newbie. It book ends that both Kelso and Cox were the good and the bad guys as needed because they were playing the part they had to play for the success of it all. Which sets up Cox’s transition to Kelso’s bad guy role and JD stepping up into Cox’s former role.
54
mjb85858 Mar 17, 2026 +3221
“Its regular strength tylenol. Here’s what you do: Get her to open her mouth, take a handfull and throw it at her. Whatever sticks – that’s the correct dosage”
3221
Diamondback424 Mar 17, 2026 +988
And under no circumstances are you to compromise our no talking agreement.
988
Stillwater215 Mar 17, 2026 +628
“The note says to take out the patients six stitches, but we found seven. Should we leave one in?”
628
f0gax Mar 17, 2026 +198
“Wrong wrong wrong wrong 🎶 wrong wrong wrong 🎶”
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GingerScourge Mar 18, 2026 +39
I heard this.
39
gingersnappie Mar 17, 2026 +100
Scrubs is amazing
100
texrev87 Mar 17, 2026 +501
“Either he’s got a lightbulb up his butt or his colon has a great idea”. This is still my favorite sitcom joke to this day.
501
_BindersFullOfWomen_ Mar 17, 2026 +132
“What has two thumbs and doesn’t give a shit?”
132
Wreckingshops Mar 17, 2026 +114
That's Bob Kelso, arch nemesis of Dr. Cox.
114
Andyrhyw Mar 17, 2026 +54
Bob Kelso. 10 inches.
54
Willsgb Mar 18, 2026 +33
Ahhh, turkleton!
33
fenixivar Mar 18, 2026 +17
Aaan Mrs. Tutkleton!
17
Srirachafarian Mar 18, 2026 +19
You think my name is Turk Turkleton?
19
Le_Chop Mar 18, 2026 +17
It's like a baguette
17
silentstone7 Mar 17, 2026 +21
It was great timing, presentation, visuals, all of it to make a great joke.
21
Chataboutgames Mar 17, 2026 +258
I want to say this to my wife every time she's staying up late because she wants to take Dayquil before she tries to sleep, but the bottle says she can only dose every 6 hours and it's been 5 and a half hours.
258
Boomshockalocka007 Mar 17, 2026 +111
Bruh. You are supposed to take Nyquil before sleeping not Dayquil!
111
Demerzel69 Mar 17, 2026 +96
Nyquil is just dayquil with a sedative. Dayquil is fine at night.
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ew73 Mar 17, 2026 +74
Dayquil and Nyquil are different -- Dayquil comes with phenylephrine, a nasal decongestant. Nyquil swaps it out for doxylamine, an antihistamine. The antihistamine is what makes (most) people drowsy. The other ingredients (acetaminophen \[tylenol\] and dextromethorphan \[cough suppresant\]) are the same though. You can use this information to construct your own \*quils from generics far, far cheaper and in larger quantities than the disgusting orange or purple liquids.
74
elcd Mar 17, 2026 +43
And phenylephrine is absolute bunk. Completely useless to the point of a placebo being better.
43
bedbuffaloes Mar 18, 2026 +18
I likes me some classic Sudofed.
18
elcd Mar 18, 2026 +13
That sweet sweet psuedoephedrine.
13
avelineaurora Mar 18, 2026 +5
God you're not wrong. It does absolutely *nothing* for me when I'm congested. I have to go to the p******* and get the real pseudoephedrine, that shit works in 20 minutes.
5
madmoomix Mar 18, 2026 +8
The FDA actually started the process to remove it from OTC meds [back in 2024](https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-proposes-ending-use-oral-phenylephrine-otc-monograph-nasal-decongestant-active-ingredient-after) because it's completely ineffective orally. They've been slow about it because there's a lot of industry pushback, because there aren't any other decongestants to replace it with, so a bunch of products will just vanish from the market forever. (Which would be good, considering they don't work. But think of the industry profits they would lose!)
8
NBAccount Mar 18, 2026 +6
> phenylephrine, a nasal decongestant Citation needed. I kid (mostly), but phenylephrine is bullshit. It doesn't actually work, and the drug companies know this, but they didn't want to lose revenue when pseudoephedrine got banned/restricted.
6
Kazanova37 Mar 17, 2026 +97
This guy quils.
97
d11dd11d Mar 17, 2026 +35
No, dayquil also contains cocaine
35
Masonjaruniversity Mar 17, 2026 +74
Or at least it does when I add a bunch of cocaine
74
fcocyclone Mar 17, 2026 +24
Eh, the only difference is that Dayquil has a bit of phenylephrine and nyquil has a sedative. If the phenylephrine doesn't keep them awake I can understand not wanting the sedative as it can lead to being groggy the next day for some.
24
macarenamobster Mar 17, 2026 +24
Phenylephrine is useless as hell, unless you’re dilating your eyes with drops lol.
24
fcocyclone Mar 17, 2026 +15
For sure. Hell, i think there was talk by the FDA of removing it for being ineffective, though I haven't kept up on how that's going. At that point then yeah, it'd just be the sedative difference. No reason not to take dayquil if that's what you've got on hand.
15
mih4u Mar 17, 2026 +25
That's why we make jokes. We don't do it because it's fun. We do it so we can get by. And... sometimes because it's fun. But mostly it's the getting by thing.
25
Tibbaryllis2 Mar 17, 2026 +56
I quote this all the time. lol.
56
Unumbotte Mar 17, 2026 +20
What's it like being a professional anesthesiologist?
20
Ivesx Mar 17, 2026 +44
Much better than being a hobbyist anesthesiologist! Those are really frowned upon.
44
Standsaboxer Mar 17, 2026 +611
One of my favorite Cox bits is when he does a run down of every character of the show, including minor and background characters.
611
unitedfan6191 Mar 17, 2026 +316
Apparently Johnny C was getting somewhat tired of playing Cox and doing his shtick after about 4, 5, 6 seasons or so and tried to do things that made it feel more fresh and less monotonous, but I think admitted he was going through the motions for a while.
316
relentless_beasting Mar 17, 2026 +320
I'm surprised he didn't have a bigger career off the back of Scrubs. He is an amazing performer.
320
Standsaboxer Mar 17, 2026 +206
He’s a great performer but doesn’t seem to have that much range. Cox was an amazing role for him, but everything else I’ve seen him in seems to be a slight variation on that same persona.
206
Cowboy_BoomBap Mar 17, 2026 +148
He was great in Platoon as a wise-cracking, cowardly suck up to Tom Berenger’s character.
148
Nimonic Mar 17, 2026 +107
"What do you say there, Bob?" is my favourite line that is both in Scrubs and Platoon. I'm not sure there's much else overlap, to be fair.
107
Amirite_orNo Mar 17, 2026 +60
I'm hearing this in his office space character's voice also named Bob. If he doesn't say this exact line, he gets awfully close.
60
joebobjoebobjoebob12 Mar 17, 2026 +36
He has a small but fun part in *Point Break* as the douchey FBI agent with zero patience for Keanu Reeves
36
Tibbaryllis2 Mar 17, 2026 +60
> but everything else I’ve seen him in seems to be a slight variation on that same persona. If it’s not broke…. Dr. Cox retiring from chief of medicine to fight ancient evil in Georgia is one of my favorite head canon. Also, Dr. Cox going full-psychopath in the Belko Experiment shows just how lucky JD was to survive.
60
turmacar Mar 17, 2026 +16
Stan Against Evil is a fantastic show.
16
inconspicuous_male Mar 17, 2026 +42
According to the Scrubs podcast from the pandemic, he was hired to play the exact type of personality he had in Office Space. Only thing I've seen with him since is his role in Brooklyn 99's last season which was still the same
42
admiralvic Mar 17, 2026 +20
If you like campy nonsense, Stan Against Evil was a lot of fun.
20
IrishThree Mar 17, 2026 +39
Excuse me, his portrayal in platoon was pretty good. Office space ring a bell.
39
Alphageek11644 Mar 17, 2026 +17
Check out Wild Hogs. He's....different in that one lol
17
pornomancer90 Mar 17, 2026 +12
He also played the head of the police union in Brooklyn 99 and that was quite different From Dr. Cox, but honestly I didn't quite buy the sniveling rat from him. There still is something very genuine when he played Dr. Cox, but I didn't feel that from his role B99. It wasn't bad by any means and I was super happy to see him, but it was lacking.
12
BillyYumYumTwo-byTwo Mar 17, 2026 +57
I think he stepped back a bit from acting during/after Scrubs. He and his wife have a special needs child, so he spent more time at home with his family.
57
thejawa Mar 17, 2026 +20
He's now in Rooster playing, well, a college president version of Dr Cox
20
TastierSub Mar 17, 2026 +8
Not sure I agree with this. Rooster is two episodes in and his character hasn't insulted anyone yet, seems to be interested in the lives of his colleagues, and is overly friendly via inviting everyone over to use his sauna.
8
Analogmon Mar 17, 2026 +25
Hey now he played random SWAT member in Se7en once.
25
_denimchicken_ Mar 17, 2026 +21
I remember really liking his villain character in the later seasons of Burn Notice. There was a lane of giggly evil that comes super naturally to him. Niche, but a very unique niche
21
_PM_ME_PANGOLINS_ Mar 17, 2026 +10
All his film roles were before Scrubs. He was the biggest star in the cast.
10
BakingBatman Mar 17, 2026 +17
> Apparently Johnny C was getting somewhat tired of playing Cox and doing his shtick after about 4, 5, 6 seasons I'm watching Season 3 right now and the show itself is getting tired of it at this point. The characters are often make fun of it, zone out during it, just leave, etc.
17
Rockerika Mar 17, 2026 +125
The amount of character development him and Kelso get is pretty awesome. Especially as the seasons progress.
125
agoodfriend117 Mar 17, 2026 +88
The appretiation for Bob really creeps up on you. My wife didn't even realize she liked Kelso until his 65th birthday episode
88
nonresponsive Mar 17, 2026 +40
People will look to the later seasons, but in one of the earlier seasons, where he has to fire the friendly old doctor made me feel for him. Kelso talks about how he has to keep up with all the modern treatments, and ultimately, that reminds us that it's a serious business where people's lives hang in the balance. He's painted as a bureaucrat most of the time, but it's his job to keep everything running. It's easy to see him as the bad guy because of how he's painted in the first season, but he's just doing his job.
40
-fonics- Mar 17, 2026 +30
I actually watched that one last night. The doctor was an old friend of Kelso's whose methods were very out of date. What I really liked about it is that Kelso took JDs accusation very seriously, investigated the rest of his work and fired him over it, even though he was his friend.
30
AvailableDress5505 Mar 17, 2026 +48
They really just let Ken Jenkins be funny in the later seasons. He’s a much better character when he retires.
48
Kamakaziturtle Mar 17, 2026 +31
I liked him a lot even before that, they do a good job of showing you who he really is and why he acts the way he does, especially with s5e4. Though that also makes his retirement all that more satisfying as he literally has a weight off his shoulders and now no longer needs to be the bad guy, so his characters instead starts to shift into being more of a grumpy and funny font of wisdom for the other characters.
31
flappinginthewind Mar 17, 2026 +1117
Where do you think you are?
1117
darlin133 Mar 17, 2026 +317
Zach Braff’s performance on that one line breaks me everytime, it’s just beautifully acted.
317
slapshots1515 Mar 17, 2026 +210
That and Cox’s complete meltdown at the end of “My Lunch” will never fail to get me to tear up. Cox himself, Carla’s shocked wordless expression, and JD going “you know what you told me: the second you start blaming yourself, there’s no coming back” and Cox saying “yeah, you’re right”…man. My Screw-Up is a slow burn towards the feels, but My Lunch is a gut punch.
210
CunningWizard Mar 17, 2026 +103
Cox’s meltdown at the end of My Lunch always gets me. Most powerful scene in the entire show in my mind. The unbreakable man finally breaks in a way that feels very real and not scripted at all. Anyone who has ever prided themselves on their skill and failed at some point knows *exactly* how he feels in that moment, even if the stakes weren’t nearly as high as it was for him.
103
Taylorenokson Mar 17, 2026 +29
The episode is so tough because right before the meltdown there's that perfect moment between him and JD with JD giving him good advice and Cox open and ready to take it in a classic mentor learning from the mentee and then it all comes crashing down.
29
slapshots1515 Mar 17, 2026 +9
Complete with JD even saying in monologue that the hospital never gives you a chance. You feel like there’s a chance they end with a rough one that has a little silver lining, and then “oh, no, no, no!”
9
slapshots1515 Mar 17, 2026 +22
Yep, agreed. I certainly have, even if my mistake(s) didn’t result in any deaths. It’s so visceral, and everyone acts it perfectly, despite the fact that it *had* to be a difficult scene (and episode) to act.
22
TheArtfulLlama Mar 17, 2026 +40
I can’t listen to “How to Save a Life” by The Frey without thinking of that episode. Best episode in the series imo
40
slapshots1515 Mar 17, 2026 +10
Yep. A hard watch, similar to Buffy and “The Body”. But one of those fantastic episodes where you just tip your hat to everyone involved.
10
thehelldoesthatmean Mar 17, 2026 +28
I always remember thinking Carla's reaction is the most intense part of that scene for me. It's that sort of frozen awkward surprise combined with fear because someone you know is screaming or yelling and you're not sure how to handle it.
28
slapshots1515 Mar 17, 2026 +20
Judy Reyes is actually who sells the scene for me and usually starts the wet eyes. Her physical acting in that scene is *so* superb, because it gives a mirror for us to how we’d react to Cox. Her expression nails fear, helplessness, desperation, and surprise all at the same time in a way that I just don’t know how you get without it being natural.
20
midnightheir Mar 17, 2026 +12
You can't have My Lunch meltdown without the carthsis that comes with My Fallen Idol - https://youtu.be/wuzBLu_IZCw?si=kiEIqr-BrBXe09OH This one moment is where I think JD realised how much he meant to Cox. Cause he was the only one who could do it.
12
EchoesofIllyria Mar 17, 2026 +22
I really, really wish that Braff hadn’t begun overacting JD as a cartoony manchild around this time. Because the man has acting CHOPS, but in the second half of the show he all-too-often allowed himself to devolve into cartoony “ain’t i wacky???” acting.
22
Tsquared10 Mar 17, 2026 +216
"The second you start blaming yourself for people's deaths, there's no coming back" "Yeah, you're right." Hits me in the gut every time.
216
JWells16 Mar 17, 2026 +48
I was young(ish) when I watched this for the first time, but this is the first time I’d ever seen someone really act with their eyes before. McGinley crushed this scene. And my spirits.
48
EchoesofIllyria Mar 17, 2026 +8
McGinley’s a great eye actor lol
8
Ryan14304 Mar 17, 2026 +509
Can you not ruin my afternoon
509
thederevolutions Mar 17, 2026 +103
Before looking up I assumed I was in The Pitt sub and this was a circle jerk thread . Though I’m now convinced to rewatch scrubs for the first time in 25 years.
103
ImpossibleMove2 Mar 17, 2026 +53
JFC, imagine the sparks if they had added Dr. Perry Cox to The Pitt crew! edit spelling
53
OssumFried Mar 17, 2026 +12
Just started the newest season and, least in my opinion, it hasn't skipped a beat. Hearing that theme song brought me right back to 2011 working patient transport in the hospital while going through college with all of my work friends and constantly quoting that show.
12
AlphaTangoFoxtrt Mar 17, 2026 +45
[Anyway I got us lunch, and I think we should eat it.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTVXWIA3Q4s)
45
fcocyclone Mar 17, 2026 +33
Everyone always references the 'where do you think we are' but i've always felt like this episode hits harder. "The second you start blaming yourself for people's deaths, there's no coming back" "Yeah. You're right"
33
GodzillaUK Mar 17, 2026 +21
After that, Jurassic Bark could do with a rewatch.
21
eightdollarbeer Mar 17, 2026 +73
What happened to your son, Denise?
73
sloBrodanChillosevic Mar 17, 2026 +69
That one really f****** hurts on rewatches. You see Molly Shannon and you think you're in for some c**** laughs and you get hit over the head with a tire iron.
69
DanHero91 Mar 17, 2026 +176
People always go to that one but his breakdown when he loses three patients is the one that hurts most for me.
176
fearthainne Mar 17, 2026 +65
This. Yes, "where do you think you are" is heartbreaking, but the three patients are devastating.
65
AlphaTangoFoxtrt Mar 17, 2026 +50
[Anyway I got us lunch, and I think we should eat it.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTVXWIA3Q4s)
50
ImpossibleMove2 Mar 17, 2026 +19
Thanks for linking, needed a lil cry today.
19
AlphaTangoFoxtrt Mar 17, 2026 +48
Scrubs was so good because it could go from laugh out loud funny, to emotional gut punch sobbing, and it never felt jarring or disjointed. >Did you leave anything in the ambulance? >>Only my will to live, why? Lol, look at Dr. Cox being a jerk again! >[Well then I guess this is your partner's.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wL8f4rsrLPQ) Oh no...
48
ImpossibleMove2 Mar 17, 2026 +15
Good grief, I had forgotten about this one.
15
thehelldoesthatmean Mar 17, 2026 +7
This is one of the things that sold me on the new season immediately in episode 1. Where Turk and JD are being unserious and then all of sudden Turk starts crying because he's so burnt out. It didn't feel like a forced change so my first thought was "They still got it."
7
Inamanlyfashion Mar 17, 2026 +35
He...wasn't about to die, was he Newbie?
35
yitur93 Mar 17, 2026 +25
How to save a life song always gives me chills.
25
WhyDoYouCrySmeagol Mar 17, 2026 +14
Man that one almost felt like an episode of House. I can’t imagine how traumatic it must be to think you’ve saved a patient only to then find out you’ve actually killed them. And three at the same time…
14
Skymitten Mar 17, 2026 +15
And in one of the earlier seasons Dr Cox states that he is the exception to the rule and has never killed a patient. These three were the first he's killed. Ever.
15
slapshots1515 Mar 17, 2026 +31
I always took that, especially with how he says it within that episode, to mean that he’s never blamed himself for patient deaths. That he has the view that he’s done the best by what he knows how to do, but he knows as a doctor you cannot blame yourself if you made every decision you thought was right at the time. But at the end of My Lunch, he knows he made the wrong decision out of haste, and falls into the same trap of blame.
31
tarrsk Mar 17, 2026 +21
He wasn’t about to die, was he, Newbie? Could’ve waited another month for a kidney…
21
mexodus Mar 17, 2026 +17
Why is this the first comment .. It immediately hits and Joshua Radin - Winter starts playing in my head.
17
Peralton Mar 17, 2026 +20
No. Just no.
20
porkchop2022 Mar 17, 2026 +9
Too soon. Edit to add because this brought back some stuff: I remember watching this episode when it aired. My DAD cried. Haven’t thought about my dad in months. Weird.
9
greencrusader13 Mar 17, 2026 +314
Dr. Cox is at the heart of some of the most heartbreaking and poignant moments of the entire series. “My Lunch” in particular is an amazing episode because of John C. McGinley’s acting. 
314
SSLByron Mar 17, 2026 +173
They did an excellent job of making it clear to the audience that sure, Cox was grumpy, but he was grumpy because he gave a f***. And giving a f*** in a setting like that will inevitably damage you.
173
greencrusader13 Mar 17, 2026 +55
It’s hard to be someone who gives a f*** in a system that doesn’t. 
55
Lucifer-Prime Mar 17, 2026 +13
Totally. Any time something in this show brought tears to my eyes, it was probably him.
13
RedUser03 Mar 17, 2026 +149
What is amazing is how fully formed Dr. Cox was from the first episode. You can see the other characters taking time throughout the first couple seasons to find their voice but John C McGinley crafted his character immediately
149
Catch_42 Mar 17, 2026 +31
Yes! I rewatched the premiere recently and his performance and character feels fully formed, it's kind of amazing.
31
Cyrano_Knows Mar 17, 2026 +16
Also interesting to get Liz from Shrinking backstory from before she met Derek ;)
16
iamkiloman Mar 17, 2026 +9
idk she doesn't collect or tumble rocks once in the whole series.
9
hammond_egger Mar 17, 2026 +324
If I ever do need to find out how to make a top notch rum and coke, well by gum mister, you had better be by the phone, cause I just might give you a jingle. Bah-ha-rinnnng! Hi Dan? Coxarooney. Regarding the rum and coke issue, couldn't be more confused!
324
hammond_egger Mar 17, 2026 +170
My other favorite is when Kelso thinks he is hiding against the mural and Cox says "Bob, I'm physically touching your arm now"
170
Chataboutgames Mar 17, 2026 +53
Goddamn I can hear the "couldn't be more confused!" in his delivery so perfectly.
53
Earth_Bound_Misfit_I Mar 17, 2026 +139
His rants are legendary
139
Tibbaryllis2 Mar 17, 2026 +54
If the book that JD gave him existed, I’d buy it an display it prominently amongst the textbooks in my office.
54
Andybabez20 Mar 17, 2026 +59
I still to this day want to know what fueled his hatred of Hugh Jackman
59
asafetybuzz Mar 17, 2026 +49
Hugh Jackman left his longtime spouse for a Broadway coaster from the Music Man, which caused a bunch of fans to turn on him. All I could think seeing the drama unfold was how happy it would have made Dr. Cox to see so many people shitting on Hugh Jackman.
49
This_is_Not_My_Handl Mar 18, 2026 +7
Not even urban dictionary could help me define "broadway coaster". Is it like a jersey chaser but for theater?
7
rfy93 Mar 18, 2026 +7
Probably “co-star” autocorrect
7
Nidavelir77 Mar 17, 2026 +158
"What has two thumbs and doesn't give a c***?" — "Bob Kelso“!
158
racer_24_4evr Mar 17, 2026 +69
Who has two thumbs, a funny voice and still doesn’t give a c***?! Bob Kelso! I added the voice to keep it fresh.
69
Federico216 Mar 17, 2026 +37
My favorite two thumbs is "Bob Kelso, I thought we'd met." I find it funny that Ken Jenkins insisted he didn't even get most of the jokes, because he nailed every single delivery he had on that show.
37
Cochise22 Mar 17, 2026 +16
What I love about this show, is that I would’ve agreed with OP when I first watched this show. Now, after multiple rewatches, I’ve changed my mind and think it’s Kelso. Honestly could see myself flip flopping again on another rewatch. The characters are all so great, flaws and all.
16
Demons0fRazgriz Mar 17, 2026 +9
I think you forget one key detail though. People are just b****** covered bastards with b****** filling
9
TehHugMonster Mar 17, 2026 +136
“For the next twenty minutes you will sit there quietly while I tell you why the Detroit Red Wings are the greatest franchise in the history of professional sports”
136
JS-87 Mar 17, 2026 +18
I literally stopped channel flipping when I saw the Red Wings jersey and quickly became a big fan of the show
18
unitedfan6191 Mar 17, 2026 +38
It feels like Cox went through phases on the show. The first few years Cox felt like a very realistic and well-written character and we got inside his mind and got to know his history and saw a lot of growth. But then for a short time in the middle seasons i believe Johnny C even admitted he was essentially going through the motions as Cox and didn’t feel particularly inspired. It wasn’t as much about him or his growth for a while, but around the time of My Lunch (and its follow-up), we got arguably one of the best versions of Perry Cox. Then in the later seasons we saw him assume the position of Chief of Medicine from Kelso and the two of them even becoming friends and Cox learning how hard it is to make the tough decisions and being the bad guy.
38
chelicerate-claws Mar 17, 2026 +69
I'm rewatching it for the first time in a decade, and I feel exactly the same. One of the greatest sitcom characters of all time, in league with Lucille Bluth, George Costanza, Charlie Kelly, and Ron Swanson.
69
CursedFanatic Mar 17, 2026 +28
Dream blunt rotation right there
28
cidvard Mar 17, 2026 +143
John McGinley is a national treasure. The actual medical professionals I know say Scrubs is one of the most realistic medical shows to ever air and he's a big reason why.
143
Standsaboxer Mar 17, 2026 +75
It’s often touted that the medical terminology and diagnosis information is realistic, but basic hospital and healthcare operations are no where close to what you see in scrubs.
75
inconspicuous_male Mar 17, 2026 +48
It's because Scrubs isn't about medical mysteries or hard to treat patients like medical dramas tend to be. The actual patients are rarely the focus
48
lithiun Mar 17, 2026 +29
Ehhhhhhh I think the relationships and situationships are accurate. The randos popping up in the ICU chatting with the Doctor Pals, the blatant slapstick violence, and a few other malpracticing or illegal no no’s are not that accurate. It would take a while but the Todd would eventually get fired for sexual harassment.
29
A_Bungus_Amungus Mar 17, 2026 +27
They definitely made it a point to show how The Todd is basically HRs biggest issue in the new season.
27
Ediwir Mar 17, 2026 +30
The Todd knows a thing or two about being the biggest. Eh? *waits for a high five*
30
Hark_An_Adventure Mar 17, 2026 +9
_shrugs_ Self five!
9
[deleted] Mar 17, 2026 +69
[deleted]
69
Standsaboxer Mar 17, 2026 +11
Oh I would agree about the personalities.
11
tarrsk Mar 17, 2026 +44
More often what I hear is that Scrubs, more than any other show, captures what it feels like to be a doctor. It’s not about medical accuracy or technical fidelity, it’s about the feeling of being summoned to pronounce a guy when you’re groggy after a 20 hour shift, or dealing with the tedium of paperwork, or struggling to balance having a personal life filled with mundane issues when your day job concerns sick people dying under your care.
44
capnwacky Mar 17, 2026 +127
All for the JCMc/Dr. Cox love. He's amazing. But, just wanted to take the chance to say: If you're binging the show for the first time in anticipation of the new reboot, do yourself a favor and stop at the Season 8 finale.
127
jnighy Mar 17, 2026 +38
Yeah, I'm doing that. I've been very warned about season 9
38
Brilliant-Advisor958 Mar 17, 2026 +78
Season 9 is ok , its just not scrubs. It's "scrubs:med school" a spin off. The network just labeled it season 9 to try and cash in on the original. It has some great actors, Eliza coupe, Kerry Bishe,Dave Franco, and Michael Mosley .
78
Chataboutgames Mar 17, 2026 +28
People are melodramatic about it and at this point it's a meme. Think of it as a spin off and it's fine. The humor and characters remain good, it's just jarring after an emotional finale to kinda go back to introductions and fun.
28
Andybabez20 Mar 17, 2026 +14
They've made S9 not canon in the revival. The only thing they kept is Elliot's pregnancy.
14
twec21 Mar 17, 2026 +22
He was in a season of Burn Notice as Michael Weston's old/current boss, and he's absolutely just Dr Cox, CIA Officer Straight up pay-attention whistles at a spy at one point 😂
22
osmlol Mar 17, 2026 +17
One of my biggest gripe with the reboot is no janitor yet. Even a cameo would be nice. I haven't read up if he confirmed a cameo but so far no show.
17
Fire_Mission Mar 17, 2026 +15
🎶Wrong wrong wrong, wrong wrong wrong wrong. You're wrong!
15
Wreckingshops Mar 17, 2026 +16
"People aren't chocolates, you know what they are mostly? Bastards. B****** coated bastards with b****** filling."
16
bigice75 Mar 17, 2026 +14
One of my favorites is early on season one when JD is over thinking his evaluation and pissed that Dr Cox wanted him to evaluate himself “Clam up! I wanted you to think about yourself, and I mean really think. What are you good at? What do you suck at? And then I want you to put it down on paper. And not so I could see it, and not so somebody else could see it, but so you could see it. Because ultimately, you don’t have to answer to me, and you don’t have to answer to Kelso…you don’t even have to answer to your patients, for God’s sake! You only have to answer to one guy, newbie, and that’s you! There. You are…evaluated.”
14
Earthpig_Johnson Mar 17, 2026 +30
And his ex-wife is a baaaaaabe.
30
racer_24_4evr Mar 17, 2026 +29
Well, she was. Unfortunately, plastic surgery has taken it’s toll.
29
QuietThunder2014 Mar 17, 2026 +12
She’s married to Bill Lawrence and appears in most of his shows. She also picked out a great majority of the music for the show. The role was originally written as a one episode arc and she was so good she became a regular.
12
BaggyHairyNips Mar 17, 2026 +30
Either this kid has a lightbulb up his butt or his colon has a great idea.
30
Primarycolors1 Mar 17, 2026 +18
My wife just started for the first time. “He’s an a******, but he’s right.” I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to see her enjoying this classic.
18
Parasaurlophus Mar 17, 2026 +8
I really like the fact that Dr Cox does actually grow through the series. At the start of the show he is a talented doctor, whose career has gone nowhere because he refuses to play the game of for-profit medicine. After a really tough speech from his former mentor, he does get on board a little bit and progresses from that point onwards.
8
provocative_bear Mar 17, 2026 +15
Dr Cox, despite being a secondary character, is probably the most developed and interesting figure on Scrubs. You have fine taste in tv doctors.
15
FoxyBastard Mar 17, 2026 +7
Scrubs is one of my favourite TV shows of all time. I'd suggest that you find the original DVDs or pirate the first few seasons, because they changed the music, due to legal reasons, and it really takes away from the show. A lot of it is written around the original songs and it frankly hurts me to watch those first few seasons with the new music.
7
TJ_Fox Mar 17, 2026 +6
Insider hint - when Dr. Cox touches his nose, he's telling the truth.
6
porkchop2022 Mar 17, 2026 +6
When I saw he was coming back for the (reboot/continuation:’ssequal?) I was super pumped. Then…….
6
3minutekarma Mar 17, 2026 +6
And for those looking for a fix: r/explainlikedrcox
6
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