There have been so many American remakes of British comedies (although not all have been successful), whether it’s the nine season long US version of The Office that took on a life of its own or the Joel McHale led The IT Crowd, which was canceled after one episode. However, very rarely are there any British remakes of American sitcoms, even though they’d translate really well.
When it comes to recast today, this talented British cast would be faithful to the original series, but it’d also be an incredibly fresh take on the hospital sitcom.
Jordan - Phoebe Waller-Bridge
Phoebe Waller-Bridge is fast becoming one of the biggest stars in the world, and though she hasn’t yet had a major role in a movie, she has created Killing Eve and the hit comedy Fleabag, which had one of the best series finales of the past decade. Fleabag saw her wit perfectly encapsulated, and it’s a perfect fit for Jordan, the powerful ex-wife of Dr. Cox. She looks the part, and she could even be involved in the writing, given that she’s one of the best screenwriters working today.
Ted - Joe Wilkinson
As Ted is the flop-sweat lawyer of the hospital, his wet towel personality comes off as hilarious, and fans love to laugh at how unfortunate and depressing his life is. He is an iconic character from the show, but there aren’t many British actors who can imitate what Sam Lloyd did as well as him. However, Joe Wilkinson, a comedian first and actor second, has played that very character in shows like Him & Her and Afterlife, and he has even taken on that dejected personality for his stand-up shows too.
Todd - Andrew Scott
Todd is often seen as the most unlikeable character in the series mostly due to how sexist and immature he is, so who better is there to play the British version than Andrew Scott, who famously played Moriarty in BBC’s Sherlock? This version of Moriarty isn’t just an evil genius, but he’s also inherently annoying and he makes resoundingly stupid jokes. Seeing Scott making similarly insulting jokes only in scrubs with cut off sleeves and a bandana would be a sight to behold.
Carla - Nathalie Emmanuel
Having risen to fame by playing Missandei in Game of Thrones and now Ramsey in the Fast & Furious series, Nathalie Emmanuel has a great resume, but she’s been largely underused in some of the biggest projects she’s been a part of.
However, though they might not be the most exciting of her projects, she has performed best in the comedies she’s starred in. Whether it’s the TV adaptation of Four Weddings and a Funeral or Holly Slept Over, Emmanuel would kill it as Carla.
Janitor - Rhod Gilbert
The Janitor is one of the unpopular opinions about the show, there needs to be so much care put in to the British casting of this character.
Like Joe Wilkinson, Rhod Gilbert is a comedian first and foremost, but he has done spots of acting here and there. But above all else, Gilbert acts like the Janitor in real life, they look similar, and they both have the same hilarious stoic facial expression.
Bob Kelso - Hugh Dennis
Hugh Dennis has perfect comedy timing, and his exhausted-like approach to his role in Outnumbered, a sitcom where the parents are literally outnumbered by their children, is reminiscent of the chief of medicine, though not quite as angry. On top of that, not only do Bob Kelso and Hugh Dennis have a similar appearance, but Dennis has even played a doctor in a comedy in the past too, even if it was in My Hero, a completely different but equally surreal premise to Scrubs.
Dr. Cox - Idris Elba
Dr. Cox might just be the most complex and multi-dimensional character in the show, as he’s the best doctor in the hospital, but has clear anger issues and an on-and-off addiction to alcohol. And though Bob Kelso is just as angry, it’s Dr. Cox’s pieces of advice that sets him apart.
For a character with such depth, only an actor of high caliber like Idris Elba could do John C. McGinley’s role any justice. Idris Elba has McGinley’s build, a history of playing alpha males, and he has proven his comedy chops in the US version of The Office.
Elliot - Jodie Comer
Though it seems likely that she’ll soon outgrow the TV medium that she first found success in, as she has recently featured in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and is set to star in the Ryan Reynolds movie Free Guy, Jodie Comer would play Elliot Reed perfectly. Comer got her start on the soap opera Hollyoaks, and though that’s usually where actors start and stay, she went on to star in Killing Eve as a psychopathic assassin. It’s a dark comedy and most of the laughs come from Comer, and she’d perfectly capture Elliot’s perfectionist behavior.
Turk - Richard Ayoade
Having a long history with British sitcoms, Richard Ayoade got his start in the now classic The IT Crowd, and he has since gone on to star in Ben Stiller comedies. Richard Ayoade might be the complete opposite of Turk when it comes to his hair, and even in his personality, Ayoade has never actually played a character who could be considered “cool.” However, it’d be impossible to create a British Scrubs without including Richard Ayoade somehow, and real life, the actor is shamelessly cool.
J.D. - Jack Whitehall
J.D. might be lovable and audiences might enjoy living inside his head even more than their own, but there’s no denying how narcissistic that character is, and that’s Jack Whitehall’s MO. Whitehall is one of the UK’s best comedians at the minute, and he has led two successful sitcoms, Fresh Meat and Bad Education, and in both of them he’s kind of neurotic and self centered, not to mention that both actors are dark-haired, lanky, and excessively goofy.