Scrubs was a wonderful television show, and while it didn’t float everyone’s boat, it certainly had a loyal fanbase that was sad to see it go. All these years later it’s still a cultural phenomenon in the eyes of many, and as such, we want to try and unpack why that was.
Our aim is to uncover what we believe to be the 10 funniest characters in the history of the show’s run - and while that may seem difficult, it certainly seems as if there are some clear candidates that slot straight into a list such as this one. Eagle, my friends. Eagle.
Laverne
Laverne’s quick wit was what always won us over whenever she came on screen. Everyone seemed to possess a little bit of fear for her, probably because she’s the sort of battle-axe that nobody would want to cross.
She was always there with an entertaining remark or two to entertain the masses, and while her death in the series was incredibly sad, it certainly gave us all a chance to reflect on the amazing job that was done in portraying her. Entertainment wise, she was among the best of the best.
Hooch
Hooch is crazy. He’s not even a big part of the show, but whenever he showed up, we had fun. His quick rants are always incredibly entertaining and we love the amusement, and fear, that he gives JD and Turk.
Scrubs is a silly show at heart and we’re well aware of that fact, which is why Hooch is so perfect. The character is never taken too seriously, and he doesn’t appear for long enough to warrant us caring all too much about how much he’s being featured. It’s kind of like the giant chicken in Family Guy.
Todd
The Todd is an odd creature, and while his bravado may not be welcome in the modern age of television, there was certainly a place for him back in the day. Sure, he was odd and a little bit confused, but his idiocy made him so intriguing - because we were left to wonder how someone like this wound up being a surgeon.
It just didn’t seem to compute, but as time went on, it’s clear to see that he’s much smarter than most of us initially gave him credit for.
Ted
The loveable loser Ted constantly fantasized about the possibility of taking his own life and while that is certainly a morbid way of looking at his character, it’s the truth.
From his band to his hatred of Kelso, there was something weirdly charming about Ted. You just never knew what he was going to come out with next, which made for a deliciously unpredictable series of episodes from week to week. We also have to wonder how on earth he was given the opportunity to be a lawyer. The mind boggles.
Kelso
Bob Kelso was the big bad boss in the first few seasons of the show, but as time went on, he transformed into a loveable goof that had the sort of comedic timing most of us can only dream of.
He just didn’t seem to care, and we mean that in the best way possible. His development from heel to babyface made a whole lot of sense given the trajectory of his career, and his growing friendship with Dr. Cox was one of our unexpected positives from the final few seasons.
Elliot
The girl next door turned into a woman who, within her own right, was capable of doing some pretty incredible things within the field of medicine.
We always knew in our heart of hearts that Elliot and JD would end up together, but that wasn’t the everlasting takeaway from her character on the show. We loved how she was able to blend the ditsy side together with her intelligence, going from a shy girl into someone that you simply would not want to mess with under any circumstances. Isn’t TV great?
Janitor
He was just mental, really. The Janitor appeared every episode or so and, for the most part, just terrorized JD.
In any other setting that would come across as incredibly unsettling but in Scrubs, it just kind of worked. They had the sort of comedic chemistry that you can’t really manufacture. He was the perfect foil throughout the seasons, mainly because he was so raw and to the point. He had a soft side, of course, but the Janitor that we all know and love will always be the weirdest one in the room.
Turk
It’s guy love, between two guys. There is no JD without Turk, and that much is just sort of obvious. Their friendship was just wonderful and even that might be an understatement – but Turk, as his own man, was forced into a situation where he had to grow and change with the times.
His relationship with Carla was great, but it was his adulation and affection for JD that we really adored. Whether he was screaming in the halls or winding up the masses with his immaturity, there wasn’t much to hate.
JD
John Dorian was the voice behind all of the chaos that comes with Scrubs as a TV show, and we loved him all the same because of it. He was unorthodox, he was weird, and yet he was an incredibly funny and smart guy that made us giggle with every single (or every other) day-dream that he had.
JD was the geeky kid at school that went on to be more successful than pretty much everyone he knew when he was younger, and that’s not a bad legacy to leave behind for such an enduring character.
Dr. Cox
It simply had to be. Perry Cox was able to make us laugh and cry in equal measure on an episode by episode basis, usually for all the same reasons. His sarcasm was matched only by his utterly bizarre relationship with JD, who he wound up being something of a father figure for.
This show simply would not be the same without Dr. Cox and it almost certainly wouldn’t be as funny. Bow down to the king, because we still consider him to be one of the best characters in the last twenty years of television.
