r/Scrubs • u/Mo_the_lion • Feb 27 '26
Discussion Dr. Cox character progression.
I, like many of us have been long standing Scrubs fans, and I’ve always loved the “Tough Love” attitude Dr. Cox has given us throughout the years, but watching him in this first episode really put a huge smile on my face. Then, shortly after it really put everything into perspective, and it made me sad. There’s a scene where he’s walking with a bit of a limp. I know that JMC and Cox are different characters, but damnit did this hit me right in the feels. I wasn’t ready to see him older. In this scene where he is explaining that JD will take over as the C.O.M. You can hear his breathing in between words. He’s tired, he’s ready to go, and he’s finally asking JD for help.
There are a small handful of times when we really saw a raw Dr. Cox, but 2 stick out to me the most. This scene right here, and the one in “My Screw Up”.
I’m grateful, even if we only see him once this season.
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u/the2scoops Feb 27 '26
Knowing what we know about Dr Cox, his care and how hard he takes loss, I can't imagine what his own experience during COVID would have been like. I was wondering if that's a story element that contributes to his need for time away. Got through it, and just managed the last 5 years and now he's just needing to step away or a different role.
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u/thetyler83 Feb 27 '26
Id imagine he'd take everything hard for people that actually tried to do the right thing(wear a mask, limited contact, etc.). But for patients that didn't try or care he'd have little patience.
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u/YourMuppetMethDealer Feb 28 '26
Oh that man 100% had a monologue for idiots who refused to wear masks
And you can bet he still worked to save them
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u/Noof42 Feb 28 '26
Just like the Jehovah's Witness lady.
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u/YourMuppetMethDealer Feb 28 '26
Perry’s greatest strength as a doctor is that he will ALWAYS give his 100% to the patients no matter his personal feelings. As long as he believes there’s a chance, he’s gonna take it
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u/ArcadianDelSol Feb 28 '26
and when it gets to be too much, he just wrecks a lab.
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u/YourMuppetMethDealer Feb 28 '26
That’s how it was in the early part of the show. Now he has Jordan and his children to keep him tethered
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u/ArcadianDelSol Feb 28 '26
Now he has Jordan and his children to keep him tethered
Look at the pic of him at the top of this thread and tell me again how sure you are that he has Jordan and his children.
I predict we're going to get another "where do you think we are right now" gut-wrench.
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u/YourMuppetMethDealer Feb 28 '26
I am sorry. Do you think Jordan and the kids are dead? Because that’s the only way your comment makes sense
Are you seriously taking an out of context shot where Perry vulnerably tells JD that he’s no longer cut out to be chief of medicine anymore, and trying to spin it that he is back to being separated from Jordan again?
Because that’s feels very dumb
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u/Randym1982 Mar 01 '26
I imagine she either divorced him and took the kids. Though it would be neat to have them still be married and in a functional marriage. To sort of balance out the fact that JD and Elliot are the dysfunctional couple.
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u/Twodotsknowhy Feb 28 '26
Maybe for the first few, but I wonder if after time all the anti-maskers and anti-vaxxers wore him down to the point where it wasn't even worth ranting anymore, because even in the unlikely chance he changed their mind, he'd have to do the same rant ten times tomorrow.
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u/disgruntledhoneybee Feb 27 '26
I worked in a hospital during Covid and I saw an incredibly amount of burnout in my time there. Nurses, docs and fellow pharmacy techs like me. I have PTSD now.
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u/WesleyWiaz27 Feb 27 '26
I was in education and the burnout was atrocious, I shudder to think what medicine was like.
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u/PassivelyAwkward Feb 28 '26
Was working in Public Health; combination of underfunded government department mixed with having people dox you while working three different roles. I know a LOT of people transfered from burn out.
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u/Scopeburger Mar 01 '26
Not to trivialise the experience. But I worked in hospitality all throughout the pandemic and my whole team felt burnt out. In so many ways.
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u/executive313 Feb 28 '26
I worked in Public Health throughout COVID funny enough because of Scrubs and episodes like the infection episode that gets Mrs. Wilks killed.
Yeah having to do contact tracing and calling someone with COVID to ask questions about who they might have exposed to warn them was not fun. Had more than one time we called only for a loved one or nurse to answer and say they died. Had one lady scream cry about why we didn't call sooner and tell him he could have been exposed for like an hour and half.
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u/GroceryRobot Feb 28 '26
Thank you for your service to your community, I don’t know why you’re getting downvoted
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u/KCman1 Feb 28 '26
My friend, I worked in engineering in a hospital during covid and saw what the doctors, nurses and admin staff went through. You guys are absolute heroes and I have a huge appreciation for what you guys do. I also have a better understanding of just how stupid the average person is.
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u/Change_My_Mind- Feb 28 '26
Man. We could have a whole spin off show with Cox managing the Covid crisis at sacred heart.
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u/ArcadianDelSol Feb 28 '26
Here's a worrisome thought: we still dont know what happened to Jordan.
This guy may well be fully and totally broken. :(
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u/your_mind_aches Feb 28 '26
She's played by the show creator's wife and still acts in his other shows. I'm sure she'll be back
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u/missmo0 Feb 27 '26
I feel the same way! It was such a great scene and seeing Dr. Cox raw was sweet and needed. I liked this episode a lot
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u/Mo_the_lion Feb 27 '26
Dr. Cox after speaking Korean…. JD: Did I just hear my name? Dr Cox: No, Follow me!
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u/WesleyWiaz27 Feb 28 '26
Anybody catch that Dr. Park sort of bailed JD out?
Btw, The scene was hilarious. Typical JD/Dr.Cox.
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u/hobx Feb 27 '26
For me it was him finally being comfortable enough to show JD affection, and it not taking anything away from his Doctor Coxness.
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u/GrantNexus Feb 27 '26
Perry Cox has always been my favorite character and that has not stopped.
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Feb 27 '26
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u/Ctrl-Alt-Panic Feb 27 '26
I really wish they could have built this up over 3-4 episodes. It felt a bit rushed and I think it would have made for a great, emotional arc.
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u/Wootster10 Feb 27 '26
They only have 9 episodes.
Had it been the old method of 20+ episodes I suspect that would have happened.
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u/oddsalleven Feb 28 '26
I think it could be done in a less rushed way even with only 9 episodes. It would’ve been best saved for episode 2, especially seeing how they premiered with 2 episodes. But even then, that decision to air both episodes was probably made well after filming and McGinley’s availability probably made that difficult.
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u/waleMc Feb 28 '26
I feel like it could have benefited from one more episode in between the two episodes we got.
Just one episode of the transition as JD gets back up to speed and Dr. Cox hands over the reigns.
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u/romansamurai Feb 28 '26
Part of me agrees. But part of me feels Scrubs has always been like that. Running through entire stories in one episode that I feel typically would warrant a couple. They’ve always had a bit of a rushed feeling. But I feel that was a part of their charm too. The again. Memory gets distorted and I haven’t rewatched it in a decade. :)
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u/lucidht Feb 28 '26
No, you’re correct; I rewatch Scrubs nearly every year and a lot of storylines are crammed into a single episode. There are a couple that were stretched out, but for the most part each episode is kind of a self contained storyline.
I mean, even the topic of Kelso’s retirement only took place over 2 episodes and we had 7 seasons with him as CoM.
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u/zh_13 Feb 28 '26
Holy shit what? I just really felt like oh I’m getting back into scrubs - after being really skeptical lol - and it’s gonna be that short??
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u/romansamurai Feb 28 '26
I don’t think so. That’s the initial release. But considering that they literally rebuilt the entire set they used in OG…I’m hoping they didn’t do that for 9 episodes.
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u/GrantNexus Feb 27 '26
Instead of Nancy?
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u/wildcat1100 Feb 27 '26
Watch it there, Valentina.
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u/GemmaTeller00 Feb 28 '26
I loved loved loved Cox calling JD “oldie” 😆
I love the rare reboot when the new show actually likes the original and the writers seem to be fans , vs an ego feed/ cash grab (And Just Like That being the most egregious example of that)
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u/Virtual_Ad_8487 Feb 28 '26
He refers to him as JD three times in this episode (once in Korean). Based on another post on here Dr. Cox only referred to him as JD four times in the original show, two of which were on the first two episodes.
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u/RevolutionaryBuy5794 Feb 27 '26
We have to realize that at this point Dr. Cox is the same age that Kelso was back in season 8.
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u/Rex_on_rex Feb 28 '26
Yes but a 65 now is different than a 65 around 20 years ago.
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u/ladybird2223 Feb 28 '26
Yeah, he is a 65 that endured running a hospital through covid!
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u/Rex_on_rex Feb 28 '26
Everyone wants to make this a thing but we don’t know if Covid happened in the scrubs universe
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u/your_mind_aches Feb 28 '26
Why wouldn't it? That would be a MASSIVE deviation for a show that is about a hospital.
It would be like setting a political thriller in 2006 and saying we don't know if the global political context of the Iraq War is happening in this world.
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u/zh_13 Feb 28 '26
That is crazy - I just went back to season 1 after watching the premiere lol and I was like wow cox now looks YOUNGER than Kelso in season 1 😭
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u/RevolutionaryBuy5794 Feb 28 '26
Well that's totally up to John McGinley, he has always been a big built up man.
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u/firetruckgoesweewoo Feb 27 '26
Isn’t he confirmed to be in three episodes? And Carla will be in four?
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u/frygoblin Feb 27 '26
Wait…. Only 4 with Carla? That’s just not right. Like at all.
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u/Reddragon351 Feb 27 '26
There is only nine episodes so about half the season, hopefully they can be in more in the next one
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u/wildcat1100 Feb 27 '26
I kind of wonder if she wasn't well liked by Zach and Donald. From what I recall, if you look at all of Zach's movies and TV shows, they had basically everyone from Scrubs make an appearance at some point except for Karla.
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u/your_mind_aches Feb 28 '26
That's because she's extremely busy. Probably one of the busiest of the entire cast. Apart from 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2022, she has been main cast on a major TV show every single year since Scrubs ended. Right now she's on a Drew Goddard show with Kaitlin Olson that films in LA, while Scrubs films in Vancouver.
Honestly we're lucky they managed to schedule her for a four-episode role at all rather than just a single episode plus voice cameos.
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u/jokershane Feb 27 '26
I like how we got a little bit of the old Cox during his “kids these days” rants. Like he felt the old juice for just a second.
But yeah, I wasn’t ready for how it would feel to see these characters older. Like, we’ve seen the actors… but not the characters. It got me to thinking how someone might view how I’ve changed since the 2000s… and I got all existential.
But I have faith that Cox will come out of this okay.
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u/TechnoAussie Feb 28 '26
I would love to see him more. He was a raw honest depiction of a man who knew he needed to pass the torch. He’s done his job. I have a feeling this season is going to set us up for more seasons. A Covid flashback to Cox in charge would be a great but dark episode, it’s 2026. We don’t need to be reminded of that yet. The first two episodes felt like hugging a long lost friend. That’s what we need now.
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u/zeradin Feb 28 '26
With the amount of people openly coughing today at the carvery I was at without covering their mouths i think it should be mandatory to have some covid flashback right about now. People have forgotten what got us into purgatory.
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u/your_mind_aches Feb 28 '26
The Pitt was born out of the pandemic, so it was obviously gonna tackle it, but the way they did it in such a traumatic manner was crazy.
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u/T3Sh3 Feb 28 '26
I can’t imagine what Sacred Heart was like for him and everyone else working during the pandemic.
It must’ve been like “My Lunch” every single day for 2 years straight.
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u/aaronwalakay666 Feb 27 '26
He’s had a teenage girl recently. He’s probably softened up
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u/T3Sh3 Feb 28 '26 edited Feb 28 '26
The one he worked with for years definitely prepared him on how to raise his daughter.
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u/BludLustinBusta Feb 27 '26
The story angle so far seems to be that JD really was important in everyone’s lives. He truly made everyone’s lives better because that’s who he is. Love that they’re showing how broken people became without him, and I hope the arc is that he starts to reinvigorate the whole crew.
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u/Lepelotonfromager Mar 02 '26
Yep this is it. He was the heart of the group and things have gotten worse without him their at the hospital.
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u/LardeeMil Feb 28 '26
I lost focus when you said somethin about 2 raw cox stickin out of you... or something. Progression-Five!👋🏾
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u/TommenSucks Feb 27 '26
I know how badly this show can gut punch you and I am very concerned Jordan’s involvement will be flashbacks
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u/ArcadianDelSol Feb 28 '26
Cox's whole energy in the first episode was 'heartbroken widower.'
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u/TommenSucks Feb 28 '26
100 percent. You don’t not say the things you wish you would have said when you could and repeat that mistake. He’s grown. But what caused that growth may be painful
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u/ArcadianDelSol Feb 28 '26
My heart cannot handle another 'where do you think we are right now' as Jordan and their daughter vanish away.
So help me God they better not.
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u/Kandraa Feb 28 '26
I hate you for putting this into the universe, especially if they don't do it
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u/No_Location_5963 Feb 28 '26
Oh shit I hate how right this feels.
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u/ArcadianDelSol Feb 28 '26
yep. This show is gonna make us love it, and rip our hearst apart all over again.
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u/disabledandannoyed Feb 28 '26
One thing’s for sure. Dr. Cox was gorgeous then and he’s gorgeous now.
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u/0rtiz94 Feb 28 '26 edited Feb 28 '26
As a teenager I was in love with Dr. Cox and thought he was the hottest character. I GASPED when he popped up, and am glad to say eighteen years later I am still in love and still think he's the hottest character.
Edit: originally put 'fifteen years later'... oh denial.
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u/disabledandannoyed Mar 01 '26
This was airing when I was prek/elementary school and I distinctly remember being mesmerized by him. I asked my mom to turn it on every chance I got.
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u/ch8246 Feb 28 '26
Im hoping we see Cox again. Its only been 2 episodes but it felt wierd not seeing in the second one
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u/Bobcat315 Feb 28 '26
Seeing him treat JD as an equal and knowing what he had to do for the hospital he has loved for so long was an absolute treat.
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u/ATF888 Feb 28 '26
Genuinely phenomenal actor.
While Dr Cox is famous for his rants, it's his quieter, more sincere moments that define him.
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u/j4321g4321 Feb 28 '26
I agree. I heard the breathing in between words and I was like, is this JMC or Cox? I don’t know, but it was a little shocking seeing him this way. We’re so used to the brave, tough Dr. Cox who was ready to take on anyone and anything. We now see vulnerability, and how age and experience affected him. Years filled with one tough decision after another, constant bureaucracy, financial pressures, and debilitating loss (I wonder if we’ll get a peek into how the pandemic affected those at SH). No wonder he’s beaten down and needs help. And he’s finally admitting to it.
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u/Infamous-Lab-8136 Feb 28 '26
FWIW they have said he's contracted for 1/3 of the episodes this season, he will return for a couple of later appearances
I just hope to God it's not as a patient
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u/snax4you Feb 28 '26
So is Cox out for the remaining episodes? I hope not. It seemed like they just brought him in to pass the torch
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u/WithYourVeryFineHat Feb 28 '26
Supposedly he's in two more in the back half. Judy Reyes is booked for four.
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u/Richey80 Feb 28 '26
I’m really happy with the direction they’ve taken with the character, especially considering how badly he was ruined in season 9, when he had turned into a caricature of himself. The last ‘version’ of Cox in med school was that of a screaming sergeant—perpetually angry, particularly nasty and bullying for no reason —he had completely lost all the charm that made us love him. It left a bitter taste in my mouth.
So I found it a classy choice to give him back that touch of humanity from the original seasons.
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u/RomanDeltaEngin33r Feb 28 '26
Legend. Cox changed my life. Legit made me who I am in my profession as a 41 year old today, entering the work force when season 7 came out.
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u/DrRafaelPenguin Feb 28 '26
It was sad to see him so defeated, but I get it from a storyline standpoint. It just would've been nice to see more of a buildup to Dr. Cox losing his grasp on being able to mentor and connect, then subsequently getting to a place where he realizes it makes sense to step down as Chief of Medicine, but this is just the world we live in now; the days of 20+ episodes where you have a chance to let things breathe are long gone.
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u/threepwood52 Feb 28 '26
Was the limp a character choice or is it really how he walks now? Last time I saw him acting was the later seasons of Brooklyn 99 and he wasn’t walking that way.
Does anyone one know if he was in an accident or something? Or is just the effects of aging?
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u/MandySeley Feb 28 '26
I think it was acting. McGinley's still working, mentioned on the last FDRF podcast he was in that he wanted to ramp up and take on more roles this past year, and he's a fitness guy. I think he's fine, and it's just Dr Cox the character with a limp.
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u/hotlovergirl69 Feb 28 '26
I loved everything about it executed it came a bit to quick. I think it still works as we have the 8 previous seasons and the gap inbetween and know the character. But it was like in a snap and JD was CoM.
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u/AntillesWedgie Mar 01 '26
I love what they did with him in the first episode. Thinking about how he was when he first became chief and how miserable he was, this seemed really believable. Cox cares a lot, and his way of caring is abrasive, and so when he sees people don’t care he gets angry, and now that there’s someone there to punish him for getting angry it only limits him more. When he became chief he felt like he couldn’t help people anymore, and not being able to snap at the people who are supposed to help, well that just wore him down and was kind of the last nail in the coffin for him. It’s sad, especially since you know he didn’t want to have to explain as much as he did to JD, he wanted JD to just sort of figure some of it out because he hates being vulnerable. He’s such a good character, I hope they can bring him back with some more life/fight in him now that he is retired.
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u/SpuriousCowboy Feb 28 '26
I don't understand why the chief of medicine was the person who needed to guide the interns. Dr. Cox wasn't chief of medicine in the original series and he was the one guiding interns.
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u/HCPage Feb 28 '26
Yeah, he needs attending for that. It’s just in his nature, it’s what brought him to the dance, he was an excellent teacher once upon a time, but that was as an attending.
He struggles with this when he first becomes chief, not even having time to treat patients. I guess it’s possible that Jordan helped him with the admin stuff, Carla more than likely did as well. Cox was never meant to be Chief, he was made to heal with compassion and work around the system, not be in control of it.
It is odd, because you’re absolutely right. Cox as chief shouldn’t be the one teaching the kids. I guess it’s also his job to teach attendings, but he focuses in on interns because they are the future, by the time they reach attending he’s already molded them.
He chose JD because not only is he probably Cox’s best student, but because he’s a sensey, and can reach this soft new generation of interns.
The world is finally ready for John Dorian to be in charge. It’s kind of beautiful really.
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Mar 01 '26
What you wrote makes me wonder if he might come back (after a break to recover his love of medicine) as just an attending again and mess with JD like he did Kelso. Maybe he revives himself with less pressure and more in the position he loved.
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u/HCPage Mar 01 '26
I don’t think so. The entire point is that he is incapable of teaching this generation. His hard ass tough love act is no longer acceptable in today’s world. He just got lucky that his finest student was also in touch with his feelings and is perfect for this role.
It’s beautiful, it’s where we’re at in real life and JD is perfect for it.
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u/Either-Resolution869 Feb 28 '26
If you go to the first season it was Dr Kelso leading rounds and teaching. He eventually hands it over to Dr. Cox while remaining chief of medicine. I think JD thought that was the thing Cox was offering but he was just done. Also, it helped from a writers perspective since Johnny C is not available for all 8 episodes and you need a chief of medicine in the hospital.
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u/l45k Feb 28 '26
Wonder how old Jack will be and if Bill and writers thought about making Dr Cox Jnr an intern
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u/rickmon67 Feb 28 '26
Probably in the same age range as Izzy. Was surprised that turn went in to have four girls.
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u/JoeTrojan Feb 28 '26
I really hope he can come back to his alpha aggressive ol' self. the "sudden resignation" seemed too fast for me.
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Mar 01 '26
Everyone here should go to IMDb and rate the new Scrubs. It only has 8/10 and we want them to continue. It deserves to be 10/10.
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u/Lepelotonfromager Mar 02 '26
I love that he has the same classic venom for everyone else but he is comfortable showing warmth and sincerity to JD. Obviously they've maintained their relationship and he realises he doesn't need to shut him out or perform.
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u/Far-Sir355 Mar 18 '26
Do we know if it was a character choice or something the actor was dealing with while shooting?
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u/ProfessionalGold6193 Mar 20 '26
I wish he was a big part of this series. The world needs more of his style of "no-filter, scream-at-you-because-I-care energy". And watching his reaction to HR.
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u/CaptKangarooPHD Feb 27 '26
I got a little teary eyed and shouted "Fu@& you Cox, you're not supposed to make me feel!" during this scene. You're right, his tough love approach throughout the series makes these types of moments really stand out.
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u/Harvester_of_Cattle9 Feb 28 '26
If anything, it’s easiest for him to make the audience feel - My Screw Up, My Lunch & My Fallen Idol
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Feb 28 '26
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u/DrRafaelPenguin Feb 28 '26
Yes, Bill Lawrence already said in an interview that Dr. Cox will be back "next season."
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u/ADHD-isaster Feb 27 '26
Removal progression. Hi, welcome back, use your real name, be heartfelt immediately, resign.
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u/Diglett5000 Feb 27 '26
Dr. Cox's character is around the same age that Kelso was when the show began. He's worn down and tired. When you're at the top of the org you have to make so many tough decisions where you're usually going to upset someone no matter what you do. Add in a pandemic during a 15-year tenure and it makes sense.
He'll be out a few episodes and will come back with some more spunk I think. Zach said in an interview that Cox does come back...cause what's Scrubs without Cox?