This Scrubs Scene Was Copied By A Totally Different Medical Show 18 Years Later

Scrubs and The Good Doctor don't have a great deal in common other than their medical setting, but that particular similarity results in certain scenarios occurring in both shows, and one shared sequence of events is suspiciously alike. Freddie Highmore leads the cast for all seven seasons of The Good Doctor, but the scene that closely copies a Scrubs moment doesn't involve Highmore's character of Dr. Shaun Murphy. Similarly, the scene's Scrubs counterpart doesn't really feature Zach Braff – who played John "JD" Dorian throughout all nine seasons of Scrubs.

The Good Doctor had some wild storylines over its seven-season run, so while the moment it shares with Scrubs doesn't quite make the cut of bizarre plots, it isn't that far away either. Both shows also handle the occurrence very differently. With Scrubs being a sitcom and The Good Doctor being a drama, it would have been unusual for the latter to imitate the former's approach perfectly. However, the underlying tonalities aren't completely disparate.

Scrubs & The Good Doctor Both Have Episodes Where Doctors Flash Patients In The Name Of Medical Care

Doctors Reid & Reznick expose themselves to help those in their care

It may be an unorthodox way of treating a patient, but it's creative enough that two shows in less than two decades have decided to have a doctor flash their patient. In Scrubs season 1, episode 5, "My Two Dads," Sarah Chalke's Dr. Elliot Reid fulfills a teenage patient's request to see a woman's breasts by flashing him with her own. The intent is to boost his morale and help his condition improve. Ultimately, it works. Then, 18 years later, The Good Doctor did the same thing.

In The Good Doctor season 3, episode 7, "SFAD," Fiona Gubelmann's Dr. Morgan Reznick also exposes herself to a patient of a similar age to that of Elliot's. The reason for each instance of flashing isn't exactly the same, but they do still both raise questions about what's appropriate conduct from a medical professional. Either way, it's an interesting parallel between the two medical shows. While it's tricky to know if the moment in The Good Doctor was directly inspired by the Scrubs scene, it'd be surprising if there wasn't at least a measure of direct influence.

How The Good Doctor's Flashing Scene Is Different To Elliot In Scrubs

Dr. Reznick limits her flashing to a single instance (whereas Dr. Reid tries it with other patients)

While neither instance is strictly necessary, both benefit their respective patients. Elliot's flashing scene is a last resort to get her patient's condition to improve – which it does. She also uses her "magic breasts" more than once. Morgan's patient is about to be surgically blinded by the removal of his last remaining, cancerous eyeball, and he's upset about never seeing a naked woman. While Scrubs uses the moment almost entirely for laughs, The Good Doctor somehow manages to give the scene a little poignancy – although there are laughs to be had in the moments that immediately follow it.