After 16 Years, Scrubs Revives a Fan-Favorite Tradition With a Surprise Cameo

Scrubs is back on Hulu, and the show keeps finding smart little ways to feel like, well, Scrubs again. Call it Season 1, call it Season 10, call it a revival or a reboot — either way, the return to Sacred Heart is landing with fans because the people who made it special the first time are back in the mix.

Rowdy strolls back in (well, not literally)

Episode 6, titled "My V.I.P.," quietly drops a fan favorite back into the world: Rowdy, J.D. and Turk's taxidermied Golden Retriever. Yes, the stuffed dog. He pops up in J.D.'s office, where Joel Kim Booster's Dr. Park notices him during a chat. It's a blink-and-you-miss-it cameo, but it's weirdly perfect — a tiny, specific piece of the original show that says these people are still these people, even after years apart.

"What's with the emotional support corpse?"

"Be nice to him, he hasn't had a walk in 26 years."

Rowdy looks a little rougher around the edges after a 16-year absence from our screens, which somehow makes the gag even better. And yes, it's fan service, but it works because it plugs straight back into what made J.D. and Turk tick: the dumb, devoted stuff that defined their friendship.

Why this run actually feels like classic Scrubs

The new episodes have been threading a needle Season 9 never really did. You get the familiar tone and running jokes, but the revival is also letting time do its thing. Case in point: J.D. and Elliot are divorced, which opens up new angles instead of just rehashing the old will-they-won't-they. The show is honoring the past without being handcuffed to it — Rowdy is a nod, not a crutch.

Who is back, who is popping in, and who might show up next

• Zach Braff, Donald Faison, and Sarah Chalke are back in the lead as J.D., Turk, and Elliot.
• Judy Reyes (Carla) and John C. McGinley (Dr. Cox) have appeared in smaller roles this season due to scheduling conflicts, but they still make an impact when they do show up.
• Rowdy is officially present and accounted for, living in J.D.'s office.
• Ken Jenkins' Dr. Kelso could appear down the line, but nothing is locked yet.
• Christa Miller's Jordan and Neil Flynn's Janitor are confirmed to return at some point — the Season 10 finale feels like a logical landing spot.

Bottom line

So far, this revival is pretty much the best-case scenario: it plays as a new show that actually remembers where it came from. Rowdy's return is a tiny moment, but it's exactly the kind of tiny moment that tells you the creative team still gets it.

New episodes of Scrubs drop Wednesdays on Hulu.