Cue the “Nobody cares, Sean” memes — Scott Foley is coming back to “Scrubs.” The actor will reprise his fan-favorite character, Sean Kelly, in a recurring role on the second season of the ABC revival, a return that was revealed at the D23 panel on Friday.
In a full-circle move, Sean will go back to where his “Scrubs” journey started: dating Elliot (Sarah Chalke). The reunion comes just as Elliot’s ex-husband J.D. (Zach Braff) embarks on a new relationship with Charlie (Rachel Bilson), setting up a love triangle for the ages.
A Full-Circle Romance
Foley made his “Scrubs” debut at the end of Season 1, when Sean — a marine biologist and animal trainer at SeaWorld — was admitted to Sacred Heart with Elliot as his doctor. The two had a brief fling before she dumped him. They reconnected in Season 3 and dated long-distance while Sean went to New Zealand, until Sean eventually moved on with J.D.’s baby mama Kim Briggs (Elizabeth Banks).
“Scott Foley’s back to be love interest for Sarah, and Rachel has been mine; the dynamic with us all together is just hilarious, and we’re having so much fun,” Braff told Deadline.
“Scrubs” creator Bill Lawrence had Foley on his wish list for a while, joking at PaleyFest in April that he wanted him back “just so Zach can say ‘Nobody cares, Sean.‘” The famous dismissive line has haunted Foley for two decades — fans use it to respond to anything he posts. Foley leaned into it on stage at D23: “This is personal for me. For those of you who don’t know, I played a character named Sean Kelly. Nobody cares, I heard that.”
Foley was first asked back for Season 1, but scheduling couldn’t work out. He became available after Prime Video canceled his drama “It’s Not Like That” and his two-season arc on “Will Trent” ended in May.
Why It Matters
“Scrubs” is one of the most beloved sitcoms of the 2000s, and the revival’s job is to cash in on nostalgia without feeling like a cash grab. Bringing back Sean — the linchpin of one of the show’s most famous love triangles — is a genuine crowd-pleaser, and it teases the return of more original-season favorites alongside the blue scooter Sasha. The show returns Sept. 30 with a two-episode premiere on ABC and next-day streaming on Hulu, and Sacred Heart just got a whole lot more complicated.
