Scrubs Just Fixed Its Opening Credits After 25 Years

After twenty-five years, Scrubs has finally corrected an error that’s been part of the show since the very first season. Scrubs officially ended in 2008 after nine seasons, including an attempted revamp with a new main cast. Now, the series has finally returned, bringing J.D., Turk, Elliot and Carla back together in a world where medical care has drastically changed.

Scrubs’ Opening X-Ray Is Finally Right in New Season

In a recent set tour from Architectural Digest, Zach Braff points out that in the show’s new episodes, the opening sequence’s chest X-ray is finally the right way around.

In the original opening sequence of Scrubs, J.D. is passed a chest X-ray to display on a light box. Since the first season, the X-ray has actually been backwards – a genuine error made on-set. This fact is even referenced in season 5, where – during the opening – Elizabeth Banks’ Dr Kim Briggs flips the X-ray, stating “that’s been bugging me for years.”

In the show’s new opening, the older J.D. instead uses a tablet to swipe a chest X-ray onto a screen, with the image finally appearing the right way around.

Speaking to Architectural Digest, Braff reveals that the show’s creators discussed whether or not to leave the X-ray as it had been in the original season, but decided against it for a smart reason. Braff states:

[In the original series] we tried to rationalize it by saying, “Well, they’re interns, they don’t know any better.” There was a lot of questioning, should we still have the X-ray be backwards in the new incarnation? But we figured, you know what? It’s digital, and they’re very experienced doctors at this point. It should probably be the right way.

Scrubs’ Revival Is Shooting for Incredible Medical Accuracy

Fixing the opening scene’s X-ray is in line with the show’s attitude to medical accuracy. Braff notes that the original series was celebrated by the American Medical Association for conveying the realism of life as a doctor or nurse – a crown since taken by Max medical drama The Pitt.

However, the Scrubs revival is aiming to at least equal The Pitt for accuracy. The show employs a group of medical professionals to tour the set and ensure medical details and equipment are true to life, with Braff stating that the creative team want that element of the show to be “perfect.” In fact, that aspect of production was ultimately taken too far for Braff…

Zach Braff Objected to the Scrubs Set Smelling Like a Hospital

As part of the set tour, production designer Roger Fires reveals he sourced a spray that would replicate the antiseptic smell of a real hospital, and planned to use it to increase the realism of the Sacred Heart set. However, Fires states that Braff rejected the idea – understandable given long days on set.

Scrubs has long been celebrated for its medical accuracy, and that’s not changing anytime soon, with the new chest X-ray acting as a symbol for the revived show’s desire to keep aiming for a sense of realism alongside its goofy humor.

All-new episodes of Scrubs air on Wednesdays at 8:00 PM on ABC, and are available via Disney+ worldwide.