Dateline Pasadena: ‘Scrubs’ is prepped for another season, perhaps on ABC; and two ‘Class’ mates weigh on show’s future (one’s in denial)

  PASADENA, Calif. -- Bill Lawrence couldn't be happier that the show he created, “Scrubs,” is what is politely referred to as a cult hit. Oddly enough, if it had a bigger audience, the show might not have lasted six seasons, with a seventh season now a sure thing.

  “I think there are only two ways to survive in television right now,” said Lawrence on Monday, while some of his fan base -- half a dozen TV critics with tape recorders running -- huddled around.

  “You either have to be a giant hit that grabs the zeitgeist -- 'Lost,' 'Dancing with the Stars' -- and everybody watches. Then you're fine. You can print money. Otherwise, you have to have such a loyal core audience that they are going to stick with you no matter what. But you have to feed them, feed them, feed them.”

  And the “Scrubs” audience is well-fed, with inside jokes, podcasts and fan-friendly promotions like the cell phone that cast members pick up and answer, in character, at the show's production offices, which are located at the onetime hospital where “Scrubs” is filmed.

  And this Thursday, another treat: the show's first-ever musical episode. Scored by two composers for the Broadway hit “Avenue Q,” and with “Avenue Q” lead Stephanie D'Abruzzo in a guest role as a patient who thinks everyone is singing to her, “Scrubs: The Musical” (8 p.m. Thursday, NBC, KSHB-TV) is chock-full of lyrics aimed to please not only the broad viewing public, but the faithful fans who've been there since the beginning.

  Take the kicky tango number, sung by nurse Carla (Judy Reyes) to her husband Turk (Donald Faison), “I'm Not Puerto Rican, I'm Dominican.” That's a reference to a very occasional joke that goes back to the show's first season -- “a shout-out to our core,” said Lawrence.

  The idea for the musical came about because of an error in judgment.

  “We thought this would be our last season,” said Lawrence. “I promised everyone -- the cast's all musical theater geeks -- that we'd do one. It's just really labor intensive. We hired out musical talent because they're crazy talents, 'Avenue Q,' and because I can't write music.” (His favorite number is “Guy Love,” featuring Zach Braff and Faison, “because it's a giant power love ballad between two guys, J.D. and Turk. Makes me laugh.”)

  As it turns out, the musical is far from a swansong for Sacred Heart Hospital. That's because “Scrubs” is one of the last shows still on TV that's produced by a different network, ABC, than the one that airs it. And on Monday, the publication Broadcasting & Cable broke the news that if NBC isn't interested in a seventh season of “Scrubs,” ABC is.

  Of course, NBC has good reasons to hang onto a show it has considered canceling more than once in the past. “Scrubs” now routinely exceeds internal ratings estimates and, after yet another schedule shuffle, seems well matched with zany newcomer “30 Rock,” which follows it at 8:30.

  But Lawrence said it boils down to this: “The reason 'Scrubs' is still around is because, no matter what of the 40 time slots we're on, our core of fans still watches,” he said.

  Other news from the winter press tour

  “Class” dismissed? It sure looks that way. At a panel on the annual ritual in Hollywood known as “pilot season,” several TV insiders explained the grueling and oft-maligned process by which shows are pitched, written, filmed and picked up by the networks during a frenzy that peaks in late April.

  Two members of “The Class” were there: Lizzy Caplan, who plays the cynical Kat, and Sean Maguire, who's the gay schoolteacher Kyle. The comedy arrived last fall with high hopes; a former muckety-muck on “Friends” was producing and the show earned a coveted Monday-night schedule spot on CBS. But the episodes disappointed and the network decided to end the show's season early, leading to speculation whether it will return next fall.

  With the new pilot season approaching, the question came up: Will cast members on “The Class” be free to try out for other shows? Maguire said that while “technically” they were, “I would say it would be disrespectful to a show we believe in.”

  But Caplan countered, “I don't know if I agree that it's disrespectful. I mean, everybody needs a job.” The assumption being, they won't have one on “The Class” for much longer.