Entertainment

‘SCRUBS’ DOCS RETURN TO NBC

THE future of “Scrubs” was up in the air until NBC brass recently decided to bring it back.

So the wackos behind the NBC sitcom decided they had nothing to lose while filming half-a-season’s-worth of episodes last fall.

“I think as actors, we were a little bit extra wacky and silly, and I think the scripts were a little more surreal and crazy,” the show’s star, Zach Braff , told the entertainment Web site, Zap2it.

“I think this fifth season is even more amped up than the show ever was, just because there was this attitude of, ‘Who knows if anyone will ever see this, so let’s just go have fun.’ “

Viewers will finally get to see the extra-loony fruits of their labor when “Scrubs” begins its fifth season tomorrow night (9 p.m./Ch. 4).

The late start stems from the fact that NBC opted for only four comedies on its fall schedule, with “My Name Is Earl” and “The Office” filling the 9 p.m. Tuesday hour that was the primary home of “Scrubs” the past couple of seasons.

In a sense, getting put on ice by NBC led the cast and crew to realize that they could focus on catering to the show’s fans.

“The fifth season isn’t a year that’s about building an enormous fan base,” Braff said. “It’s about going, ‘Okay – these are our hard-core fans, let’s make shows for them. Let’s really point it at the people who love our show.’

“I feel like this season, more than any, is really aimed at doing all the things we know that people who really love this show love about it.”