As Hollywood studios started stockpiling scripts for the Writers Guild of America strike, Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence said he declined a request to write a backup ending that would have allowed the NBC hospital comedy to shoot a series finale even if the walkout continued into next year.
Lawrence revealed Saturday that he instead decided to write the scripts in his normal fashion, rather than fast-forward to a hackneyed series capper in which "two people kiss."
He said he will write a proper finale and battle with the show's producer, ABC Studios, to get it shown, even if it has to happen next season. "I will use all my leverage to end this show properly, even if it means I have to do all the voices myself and call people up to read it over the phone," he said.
Lawrence, appearing at a New York Comedy Festival event with the show's cast, said roughly seven episodes of the show's 18-episode order haven't been written. That means Scrubs could be forced into reruns as early as January.
All but one of the scripts turned in before the strike began just after midnight last Monday have been shot, Lawrence said. He has opted not to cross the picket line to edit or work on Scrubs in any way; producer Randall Winston and other non-WGA members are now at the edit board for the show, which shoots at the defunct North Hollywood Medical Center in Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley.
The New York Comedy Festival event originally planned on screening an as-yet-unseen episode of the show. But Lawrence said that the episode couldn't be completed because of the strike, so a previously aired episode was screened instead.
The creative team of Scrubs is in a difficult position. With the series in the middle of its final season, staff could soon break without knowing if they'll work together again.
"I didn't think it would be over so quickly," series star Zach Braff said. "We're all getting a dose of 'this could be over next week' instead of 'this could be over in January."'
A seventh season of the NBC series was a question mark earlier in the year, but the network opted to pick up the show as part of its Thursday-night comedy block.
Scrubs has drawn a comparatively small but devoted fan base and the single-camera sitcom has sometimes confused network executives with its genre-defying style.
Lawrence recounted incidents in which the network wanted him to add elements that would more clearly define the show.
"Initially, we had a lot of interference because they didn't know if it was a comedy or a drama. They kept hammering me about it."
For more on the writers strike, check out TV.com's Strike Source, featuring up-to-date statuses on shows, the latest information, and more.
Comments (22)
Scrubs should finish properly - there's nothing worse than a series with a bad ending!
Dear God, I hope the season gets to finish properly.
If he wants to finish it his way, then he needs to get back to work.
This is the sad one... I hope they whole cast still has time and is willing to finish the show after this strike is over... I REALLY hope this doesn't last as long as the 1988 one did. 22wks is a long time... :( Good for him to stick up for his show. The show runners have every right to strike... they are writers after all and I would really like to see the wording of their contracts to see if all this legal action against them isn't somewhat ill founded. And by stopping ALL production on shows it puts more pressure on the studios faster. So HOPEFULLY they will pull their heads out of their [_ _ _ _ _] and pay the writers properly!
argh
Under normal circumstances he should indeed be able to finish the show as it should be - and premature ending of television series is a crime the networks commit all too often. (Veronica Mars.)
However, given that he has actively chosen to strike and not cross picket lines even in a non-writing capacity... well. You can thank him for any issues that brings the show. I know if I was a studio exec and brought it back for a season that most people wouldn't have given it and then the show runer strikes and starts whining about still wanting it his way, I'd feel pretty damn betrayed.
The studios are to blame for many things, and I have countless issues with their business practices and general attitudes - but this is something that they cannot be held accountable for.moreless
Why do they keep taking away all my free entertainment? :(
I agree with iluvgilmore7791 she is right Scrubs should finish the season properly.
I'll wait for a proper ending to ``Scrubs'' as well. I think it would be funny if they aped ``The Sopranos'' ending like ``Family Guy'' did with the second half of its two-parter this past Sunday. That was hilarious.
It'll be funny if they just fade to black in mid-sentence Ala Sopranos, then you hear "What happened, I think the power went off." or something to that effect.
I hope the show producers don't cave in.
I hate the fact that people say the writers make too much money. They are striking, not for "more" money, but to make sure that as the distribution model changes to the internet, they are compensated at all, and not told that the material is strictly promotional. Kudos to BL though. Unlike some show runners, he is not willing to compromise his vision of the show.
From the new episodes that have already aired, it's clear that they were giving up already. They've been almost complete rehashes of what happened last season. They've been utter cop-outs, and the way they're going there's no reason they shouldn't just go the "two people kiss" route, because it's bad enough already. As a hardcore Scrubs supporter, perhaps they should have ended it last season after all.
srubs will be missed
Scrubs is not a comedy nor a drama. It's a dramedy.
One down!!! One show is over cause of the strike, well... whats next? Lost maybe? Heroes? Ummm... stop this strike nooooooooooooooowwwwww!!!!!!!
Yeah finish the way he wants, I mean its a series finale. That has alot of heart in it.
I say him striking he lost his say
I believe that all shows should be able to end the way the want, way to go Bill Lawrence
It sucks enough that it's ending with a shorter season than normal! Come on! At least let him finish it the way he wants
Go Bill Lawrence! I'd rather see the series end on your terms than have the networks "hack out" an ending. I'll wait for the proper ending.
Scrubs should finish the season properly. The writers should get over it. They make enough money, they don't need more.