John C. McGinley returns again as Dr. Perry Cox in Scrubs Season 10, Episode 8, “My Odds.” The character appeared in the first episode of the revival, but hasn’t been seen since then. That’s due to scheduling conflicts, an issue that has kept both Cox and Carla Espinosa (Judy Reyes) out of Scrubs Season 10 (or Season 1, if you prefer) for the most part. That makes him showing up in the eighth episode very welcome at first, before things take an unexpectedly emotional turn. Warning: SPOILERS from this point on.
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Cox’s return to Sacred Heart isn’t just to torment J.D. (Zach Braff): he has his own health scare. This leads to him collapsing, and eventually being diagnosed with microscopic polyangiitis, a rare autoimmune disease that can cause major complications. This is unpacked in a highly poignant scene between Cox and J.D. that dramatically shifts their relationship, and as McGinley explained in an interview with TV Line, that was really the point of it:
“Zachy called me up with this pitch. I wanted to know how Cox was going to be integrated back into the landscape of the revival, and he said, ‘Here’s the pitch: Cox has a organ malady and he has to come back. And the mentor now has to be served by the mentee.’ And I was like, that is so rich because writers can write that landscape. And [showrunner] Aseem [Batra], who is the new executive producer on Scrubs, just wrote the heck out of 108. It’s as good as the Brendan Fraser episode [Season 3’s “My Screw-Up”]. It’s as ambitious a half hour of television as we’ve done.”
The Dr. Cox Twist Is Sad, But Perfect For The Scrubs Revival
The Scrubs revival hasn’t always taken the easy approach with things, which is to its credit. Much like having J.D. and Elliot be divorced, Dr. Cox’s illness is a storyline that feels like a smart, challenging progression of the original characters and their relationships, rather than just relying on playing the hits. It allows us to experience the passage of time between the old series and the new one so much more, and as McGinley explained, we get to see Cox more vulnerable than ever:
“I think we saw it ever so briefly at [Ben’s] funeral, but it was silent film time. There were no words other than Zachy saying, ‘Where do you think we are?’ And then it was silent film time for Cox. This is an articulate exploration of mortality. Fear, inadequacy, and reconciliation. Call action, and get out of my eye line.
With J.D. having taken over as Sacred Heart’s new Chief of Medicine, the twist also makes a lot of sense for his role. He has always needed the approval of Dr. Cox, but also had him there as a safety net. Now, the ultimate challenge is not only that being removed, but the dynamic being completely flipped, which means J.D. really has to stand on his own. McGinley explained that the specific condition Cox has was designed as a means of involving him more in Season 2/Season 11, and creating what he calls more “jeopardy” for J.D:
“They wanted a treatable malady that will bring Cox back a lot next season — so that he can function, but be in jeopardy up front until Zachy saves the day. Or aspires to save the day. But we can integrate Cox into Season 2 more than Season 1 because the Rooster and Scrubs schedules won’t be at such loggerheads next year [if renewed], and that thrills me to no end…
“I think J.D. needs more consequence and more jeopardy in Season 2.. I think, selfishly for Zachy right now, the jeopardy right now is that the protagonist’s underlings can fail — and I get it, but that’s not a direct jeopardy to [J.D.]. That’s a jeopardy to them. Cox, Kelso, and the Janitor represent kind of a murderer’s row of threat and jeopardy to J.D.’s character, and I think Cox will somehow be cycled back into a position of jeopardy or threat or consequence. I’m making this all up, but as a viewer, that’s what I want for J.D.”
It remains to be seen whether Scrubs is renewed, but if so, it’s great to hear Cox will be back in a more prominent role, even if it took a disease to get there. At the very least, the character will be in the Season 10 finale, where he’ll also be joined by several other familiar faces, including Christa Miller as Jordan Sullivan and Neill Flynn as The Janitor. Cox’s diagnosis, and what it means for him, J.D., and the others, is sure to be a key part of the ending, and hopefully of the show’s future as well.
The Scrubs Season 10 finale will release on Wednesday, April 15th on Hulu.
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