Dear friends,

peace and love,
zb

Since NBC was never really one to promote SCRUBS and ABC certainly isn’t talking, it’s up to your friendy neighbourhood TV Addict to spread the word.

Tomorrow night at 8:30PM marks the last ever episode of SCRUBS on NBC. So don’t miss the Zach Braff directed homage to THE PRINCESS BRIDE. Or else an angry Janitor is going to show up at your door. And trust the TV Addict. You so do not want to piss off Janitor.

Greg Berlanti’s fond of saying that the best season finales call back to a moment from the show’s season premiere. Not surprisingly, last night’s season ender of BROTHERS & SISTERS did not disappoint, as this TV addict gleefully watched the entire Walker clan (Holy and Rebecca included) jump into the family pool fully clothed. A stark contrast to the show’s series premiere, when the Walker clan surrounded the pool for an entirely different reason — the death of patriarch William Walker. Who’d have thought that almost a year later, William’s death would lead to an even stronger Walker family? So in the traditional Walker way, please join theTVaddict in raising a virtual glass. Cheers to our newest favorite television family. Thanks for the laughter, memories and endless of bottles of Chardonnay. See you in September.

Did anyone else find Zach Braff’s stint as SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE host incredibly disappointing? Memo to Zach, we get it. GARDEN STATE made you an indie star, your music tastes are impeccable, and you have a great voice (yes, the SCRUBS musical episode is still saved on my PVR). But here’s the thing. SNL isn’t an informercial for everything Zach (he sings! he directs!). Amidst all the shameless self promotion on Saturday’s season finale you forgot the most important rule of SNL — BE FUNNY. Career advice if we may, don’t quit your day job.

“The actor has cut a one-year deal with “Scrubs” producer ABC TV Studio that will pay him about $350,000 per episode for the 2007-08 season of SCRUBS”

Of course, the deal only happens if NBC picks up SCRUBS for a seventh season. But considering the network is investing significant dollars on their new marketing campaign “Comedy Night Done Right,” we at theTVaddict.com think a pick-up is a sure thing. Afterall, without SCRUBS, is comedy night really done right? We certainly doesn’t think so!

Thanks to Watch With Intelligence for the Tip!

For a preview of tonight’s episode, head on over to GMMR or TVGuide.

FRIENDS REUNITE ON FX’S DIRT
Turns out when they sang ‘I’ll be there for you…’ Jennifer Aniston really meant it. According to reports leaking from the January Television Critics Association Press Tour, the former Mrs. Pitt will guest star on the March 27 season finale of Courtney Cox’s new FX drama DIRT. The two haven’t worked together since FRIENDS ended in May of 2004. Aniston will play Tina Harrod, a tabloid editor and competitor of Lucy Spiller (Courtney Cox).

SCRUBS TO GET A SEVENTH SEASON
Television’s most heartwarming and entertaining comedy will most likely be returning for a seventh (and final!) season. According to creator Bill Lawrence, should NBC pass on bringing the show back, it will find a home at Touchstone’s corporate cousin, ABC. “Since every produced episode makes a ton of money for Touchstone,” Lawrence says, “they told us not to write a finale for this year.” Continues Lawrence, “We’ve essentially been told that NBC is really happy with how we are doing. I would say it’s better than a coin flip we are back on NBC.” Lawrence also says that the show would not continue without star Zach Braff, but he “feels pretty good” that Braff is on board for a seventh and final season.

Yet another reason to love the cast of SCRUBS. Check it out as the entire cast performs A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS. And yes, I realize this has been floating around the net for about a week now, but truth be told — it’s a slow news day. So sit back, relax, and enjoy!

Apparently delivering stellar comedy for six seasons wasn’t enough of a challenge for SCRUBS creator Bill Lawrence — he just had to take on Broadway. In its sixth [and possibly final season] Bill Lawrence, with the help of the brilliant creators of Broadway’s AVENUE Q present SCRUBS: THE MUSICAL!. The episode, airing in five weeks, revolves around an actual medical case of a woman who had an aneurism that resulted in her seeing everything as a musical. While there is no doubt that the episode will be a hit, this TV Addict thinks the bigger question is how long until some enterprising producer decides to stage an actual version of SCRUBS: THE MUSICAL? After-all, in a recent interview with theTVaddict.com, Zach Braff [a self-proclaimed theatre nerd himself] said, “At some point in my career I’d like to sing ‘Corner of the Sky’ on Broadway.”

The Laughs Are Back as MUST SEE TV returns

There was a time when Thursday night TV meant only one thing: NBC’s Must-See line-up, which featured such powerhouse hits as SEINFELD and THE COSBY SHOW. But somewhere along the line, things took a very unfunny turn as the classic sitcoms faded away and were replaced by dreck such as VERONICA’S CLOSET and THE SINGLE GUY. This Thursday, however, the network does its darndest to reclaim the night from such stiff competition as GREY’S ANATOMY and UGLY BETTY by presenting a two-hour comedy block filled with shows that are actually funny.

That’s right, for the first time in many years, NBC may once again claim (and truthfully, this time) that its Thursday night lineup — MY NAME IS EARL, THE OFFICE, SCRUBS and 30 ROCK — is Must-See TV.

And the only person happier about that than we are is SCRUB’s creator Bill Lawrence. “I love that we’re on Thursdays on NBC in the midst of the entire industry crapping on comedy,” he says. “We’re part of a night of four great comedies, and I think it’s cool to be there. Sure it’s our 150th time slot, but I’m psyched about it”.

While the show’s latest time slot puts the comedic docs up against the bed-hopping surgeons of GREY’S ANATOMY and CSI’s morgue squad, Lawrence isn’t complaining. “We used to wake up and look at the ratings for the first three years. But after six years in this creepy deserted hospital, the networks are down to ten live-action comedies. Frankly, I’m surprised and happy that we still have jobs.”

Star Zach Braff is more than ready to see his alter ego take on McDreamy and company. “No matter where they move us — Saturday before cartoons or Sunday after the preacher — we’re always going to have the same loyal core audience,” he says.

Those fans needn’t worry that the recent baby-to-be boom which found three (count ‘em… three!) characters pregnant at the same time will result in the show morphing into a hospital-bound version of FULL HOUSE. “In the beginning,” explains Lawrence, “we really were going to have two characters be pregnant. But then my wife [Crista Miller, who plays Jordan] got pregnant, so we said ‘Screw it, we’ll have three babies.’” But don’t expect the show to suddenly focus on the hospital’s maternity. “People say kids always change a show, but on EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND, I think I saw those kids eight times in seven years.”

Instead, expect to see more of the same… including the return of such popular past guest stars as Tom Cavanaugh, Freddie Rodriguez, Elizabeth Banks, Michael Weston and Cheryl Hines. Lawrence would also love to see Scott Foley return to throw a monkey wrench into the love life of Sarah Chalke’s Dr. Reid. And don’t be surprised if Masi Oka — better known as the aptly named time-travelling Hiro on a little show you may have heard of called HEROES — slips back into the lab coat he wore as SCRUBS’ lab tech, Franklyn.

One thing Lawrence says fans shouldn’t look for is a revolving door of big-name stars. “Stunt casting is a sham,” he declares, citing one of his own network’s past hits as an example. “This week on WILL & GRACE: Osama Bin Laden! The [networks] feel that when they have a ‘name’ they have to promote it with a thousand commercials,” he explains. “I think the reality is that people would watch the show if they just ran the thousand commercials without touting Special Guest Star Carrot Top.”

In the end, neither Lawrence nor Braff have any delusions about taking down the competition, insisting that attracting a new audience isn’t their number-one priority. “We pretty much make the show for ourselves and for our fans,” Braff concludes. “Bill could very easily write more sex or love triangles, and the ratings might go up. But it’s really about staying true to the vision, not catering to what everybody wants.” But should the network suddenly apply pressure to make the show a bit more like its rival, the actor has a very ANATOMY-like triangle in mind. “J.D., the lawyer and the janitor,” he says with a smile. “Stay tuned!”

Be sure to check back all this week as theTVaddict.com celebrates the return of TV’s best comedy. Tuesday — Thursday will feature more questions and answers with creator Bill Lawrence and star Zach Braff.