NBC Denies Scrubs Move to ABC

Scrubs is at the center of a tug-of-war between NBC and ABC, after reports surfaced (including one from that troublemaker Ausiello) that the med-com would be switching networks. Ausiello's sources confirmed what the Hollywood Reporter wrote on Thursday: Scrubs' producers, ABC Studios, are indeed in talks with their sibling network, ABC, to bring the show back for another 18-episode season. THR reports that, in such a scenario, the entire cast would remain. For its part, NBC argues that Scrubs isn't going anywhere just yet. An existing licensing deal between NBC and ABC Studios gives the Peacock first rights of negotiation and refusal, hence any other deal-making would be a violation of its contract. As it stands, the show has five pre-strike episodes in the can, which NBC plans to air in April and May. Whether the Peacock will bill the last of those five episodes as the series finale isn't clear. — Mickey O'Connor

TV GuideNews Feb. 29, 2008 at 11:58 a.m. PT