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It’s the kind of problem any reboot or revival or re-quel faces: how do you turn something old (and, presumably, beloved) into something new? How do you take something recognizable, but still freshen it up for the current day? How do you take, say, a set that was used over the course of eight years, nine seasons, and over 180 episodes and give it new life… more than a decade later?
Such was the challenge for “Scrubs” revival production designer Roger Fires, who joined Bill Lawrence’s Hulu series in its long-awaited tenth season, which just so happened to pick up more than 15 years (in real life and in TV time). Fires, a long-time fan of the series, was eager to put his own spin on its central setting of Sacred Heart Hospital, which has been through plenty of changes since the gang (including returning stars Zach Braff, Donald Faison, Sarah Chalke, John C. McGinley, and Judy Reyes) were last all there together.
“The principle that we did was trying to build that renovation of the hospital as a real hospital,” Fires said during IndieWire’s Craft Roundtables. “So we … split in two different ways: analyze what had grown and [what had] evolved into 15 years difference from when they wrapped to now, patient experience, staff experience, the staff breakage, and everything else, and [then] also the branding.”
Also necessary? Building out a massive set that could accommodate the show’s iconic walk-and-talks (you need actual space to walk and talk, you know), and one that felt familiar and comforting for long-time fans who have been wanting to get back within its walls after almost a decade away.
“The hospital was … 30,000 square feet that we had to build in six weeks after four weeks of planning,” he said. “And then it was one of the biggest challenges that I had to do is just trying to get that done so the audience could look at that and see, ‘Hey, I’m back home.'”
Season 10 of “Scrubs” is now streaming on Hulu.
“IndieWire Craft Roundtables” is now available to stream on the PBS App.
English (US) ·