One fan theory linking the medical comedy-drama Scrubs to the dysfunctional family sitcom Malcolm in the Middle suggests that they may exist in the same universe, and it’s strangely compelling. Scrubs and Malcolm in the Middle both hold similar – but entirely separate – distinctions as two of the most enduring comedy series of recent years. Scrubs’ initial run included eight seasons (and an ill-fated Scrubs season 9 spinoff), and Malcolm in the Middle ran for seven seasons before ending.
In premise, the two shows couldn’t be more different: Scrubs follows the medical career of the talented (but easily distracted) doctor, John “J.D.” Dorian, and Malcolm in the Middle follows the dysfunctional family of teen genius Malcolm as he navigates his formative years. Both shows were primarily character-driven comedies, but their vastly different premises made for two vastly different shows. They did share one important distinction, though: they both took place in fictional or undisclosed locations – Scrubs in the fictional San DiFrangiles, California, and Malcolm in the Middle in an unnamed suburban town intended to evoke an average American neighborhood.
However, one fan theory posted to Reddit suggests that the two shows exist as part of a shared universe. Though the Scrubs theory may sound ridiculous, there’s actually a compelling amount of evidence to support it, including the appearance of multiple Scrubs actors in Malcolm in the Middle playing almost identical roles, a possible shared location, and another handful of otherwise coincidental similarities. Though the two shows don’t overlap in a strictly narrative sense, the theory that Scrubs and Malcolm in the Middle may exist in a shared universe isn’t as farfetched as it seems. Here’s why.
Both Scrubs & Malcolm In The Middle Seem To Take Place In California
While Malcolm in the Middle makes a clear point of never explicitly disclosing its exact geographical setting, there are a few indicators of roughly where the show takes place. In Malcolm in the Middle season 1, episode “Stock Car Races,” Hal takes the boys (minus his oldest Malcolm in the Middle son Francis) to Irwindale Speedway. Irwindale is in California, which, combined with the family’s trip to Las Vegas and Francis’ job in later seasons as a ranch foreman, would make a California setting the show’s most likely.
Once Francis takes the job on Otto’s ranch, he’s shown making the trip home far more often, implying that it’s closer to home than his previous Alabama military school or his work in an Alaskan logging camp. This seemingly places Malcolm in the Middle closer to Scrubs, which is confirmed to take place in California, albeit in the fictional city of San DiFrangeles. Scrubs‘ setting is clearly an amalgamation of San Francisco and Los Angeles, and while the fictional city isn’t directly referenced in Malcolm in the Middle, it theoretically places the two shows in geographical proximity.
Aloma Wright Appears In Both Shows As The Same Character
One of the clearest links between the shows is Scrubs‘ Laverne (Aloma Wright), who seemingly makes an appearance in Malcolm in the Middle. In season 1 episode “Home Alone 4,” Malcolm is injured while in the care of his older brother Francis, and the boys visit the hospital (which looks remarkably like Scrubs’ Sacred Heart), where they’re met by a cynical nurse played by Aloma Wright. While the nurse’s nametag is too small to read, the way she reacts to Malcolm’s injury is very much in line with her character on Scrubs.
As Laverne mentions in Scrubs that she’s worked at Sacred Heart for over 20 years, it’s entirely possible that the two characters are one and the same. “Home Alone 4” aired in 2000, while Scrubs‘ pilot, “My First Day”, aired in 2001. The timeline, combined with the nurse’s indication that the boys have a history of attending the hospital, the fact that Wright’s two characters appear to be exactly the same, and the hospital looking identical to the setting of Scrubs, furthers the shared universe theory.
Sam Lloyd Appears In Both Shows As (Almost) The Same Character
Another Scrubs actor to appear on Malcolm in the Middle in a very similar capacity to his Scrubs character is Sam Lloyd, better known as Ted Buckland, Sacred Heart’s resident lawyer. Appearing in season 6’s “Buseys Take a Hostage,” Lloyd’s Malcolm in the Middle character introduces himself to Hal and Malcolm as Jim, who works as the attorney for the Homeowners’ Association. However, as well as sharing a career, Jim possesses many of the same qualities that made Ted Scrubs‘ best side character.
The only notable difference between the two characters is his name. The theory also suggests a solution for the discrepancy: Ted was never the character’s real name, and Kelso’s mistreatment of the meek lawyer meant that Lloyd’s Scrubs character never felt brave enough to correct his boss. Although the explanation for the different names might seem like a stretch, the two characters are the same in almost every other way, including seeming to be well-intentioned but decidedly inept. The theory that Lloyd’s character moonlights as the attorney for Hal and Malcolm’s Homeowners’ Association is even more plausible considering the apparent proximity of the two shows hinted at by Aloma Wright’s appearance.
Why Scrubs & Malcolm In The Middle Seem Unrelated
The theory of a secret Scrubs connection to Malcolm in the Middle seems unlikely because the shows themselves are so different. However, their disparate natures make for disparate stories, and that’s directly linked to their characters. Both Malcolm and J.D. are regularly criticized by others for being too self-involved, and both act as their show’s narrators. Therefore, even if the two shows did exist in the same universe, it’s unlikely that their respective main characters would take notice – particularly as one is a teenager more interested in making trouble and landing a girlfriend and the other is an overworked doctor with a busy imagination.
Are Scrubs & Malcolm In The Middle Connected?
The connections between Scrubs and Malcolm in the Middle may be relatively small, but they are many. As Scrubs‘ main character is a doctor preoccupied with his work and Malcolm in the Middle‘s protagonist is a teenage boy, the two shows seem to be entirely unrelated. However, the appearance of two major Scrubs characters in almost identical roles, combined with the two shows’ apparent California setting and the fact that their timelines broadly overlap, means that the connection is more than possible. Though it’s unlikely that the connection was intended, the evidence is all there – Scrubs and Malcolm in the Middle could plausibly exist within a shared universe.
