Dinner’s on Me with Jesse Tyler Ferguson - Sarah Chalke – on 'Scrubs’ revival and ‘Roseanne’ learnings

Episode Date: February 17, 2026

'Scrubs' star Sarah Chalke joins the show. Over an omelet and patty melt – diner go-to's – Sarah tells me about becoming famous straight out of high school on the no. 1 sitcom, ‘Roseanne,��� and we get into how formative ‘Scrubs’ was in her career and what it’s like to reunite with her colleagues in the upcoming revival. This episode was recorded at Clark Street Diner in Los Angeles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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That's growth therapy.com slash D-O-M. Availability and coverage vary by state and insurance plan. Hey, it's Jesse. Today on the show, you know her from Roseanne, you know her from Scrubs. It's Sarah Chalk. They, like, yelled at me, and they were like, I'm like the first Becky way better. And I was like, okay.

Yeah, she was fantastic. I agree. She was great. And then he came back and he was like, hey, I just wanted to apologize. I've always just wanted to yell at an actor and you were here. And so I'm sorry. This is Dinner's On Me and I'm your host, Jesse Tyler Ferguson. So today we're at the Clark Street Diner, which is in the old space once occupied by the 101 diner, which was in itself the Hollywood Institution. It's a place where you would see actors in between auditions.

or studio executives, having tuna melts. It's a really charming space. It was also in the movie Swingers, ironically. And the good people over at Clark Street Bakery revived the diner and opened up Clark Street Diner. And I thought this would be a perfect place to bring my friend Sarah because she's about to have her own revival herself. She's putting on Dr. Eliot's Scrubs again

on the iconic TV show Scrubs. So let's get to the conversation Shakespeare in the park You've done a ton of theater I've done a lot of theater That's why I started Did you just do theater? So I

Not since drama in high school Drama, you're so Canadian I live up there now I'm back in drama in high school And then we were doing scrubs And I got an audition To Molly Ringwald Was leaving a play in New York

and James Lepine had directed it and it was a forehander and so an audition came in and I drove downtown and I auditioned for it just kind of like on a whim I didn't think I was going to get it I just was like oh I want this this is a cool challenge and

I auditioned with James and I got the call that I got it and I was like wait what I can't I haven't acted since drama class This is on Broadway or here in LA? This is off Broadway I had no fucking glue what I was doing I remember the first night of walking on stage

I remember that moment like it was yesterday of putting my foot over the threshold and going, what if, what if, what if I don't remember one word? What if this is terrible? What if I, I've never done this. Like, what if this doesn't work? And, like, it was within minutes, so fun. Like, within minutes. Isn't it the best?

It was the best. And I, like, I loved everything about it. I loved the fact that. Every night's different. The fact that there are factors, the fact that the audience is another character that you... There's no editor. That's my favorite part about it.

Someone was trying to play, like, why do you love theater so much? It's like, and I love editor. I mean, like, please, like, edit a performance around, like, what I just gave you. But you don't get that. But you don't get that. But having a performance completely under my jurisdiction is really exciting.

Like, I get to, like, from the point, A to point Z, like give the audience, like the version of this character that I want to give them without an editor. It's so exciting. That's such a good way to look at it. Because, yeah, there's no, there's no, and there's no safety net of an editor. There's no safety net of an editor. Like, A, if you go up on a line, but B, just the timing of it and the cadence. And that was a thing that was so crazy was, like, one night, one of the actors called in sick and the understudy jumped in.

and I hadn't experienced that before and we hadn't rehearsed with this person and so I'm literally like going like you know he's not kiss he's supposed to lean over and just like kiss me and we're standing right at the edge at the front of the stage and he's not kissing me and I'm like okay

so he's got a bit of different timing like he's gonna Hello hi how are you Good thanks I got some menus for you here You know you're at a diet over the minis also the place mad You guys will serve with any coffees right away I've had so much coffee today. I'm going to.

But I want that. I love a bottle of sparkling water. I love sparkling water. And can I do all great tea with a bit of... You have an almond milk? We have a black tea. Yeah, almond milk. Yeah, that sounds great.

I'm sorry to all you guys know. Thank you. So... He wasn't kissing you. He wasn't kissing me and I'm like, okay, it was different timing. And right before that, I had to do a crying scene. And any time I cry, my nose runs.

He finally kisses me and he pulls away. And I had a giant bugger on my face that has now transferred to his face. And I, in that moment, realized, I was like, oh, that's why. That's why he wasn't. Yeah, there was a hesitation. So now it's on his face. And we're right at the edge of the stage. And I am mortified.

And we run around the stage. We run off. And I was like, oh, my God, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I just, sometimes when I cry and my nose, I did. He's like, yeah, I was waiting, hoping that you'd feel it and move it. And you did. And so it was like, that was like the best, that wasn't the best part. I felt terrible at the burger, but like the best part in that like every night was different. And they'd be like,

we're going to play Pass the Carrot. And I was like, what's Pass the Carrot? We're like, we're going to pass this tiny carrot between. I was like, I'm not ready for Pass the Carrot. No, no, no. Just let me do the play. I did, um, the first time I ever replaced it a play. I was 21 years old and it was a play called the Most Fabulous Story I ever told at the Menelaine Theater which is a very tiny theater and in the first the first I don't know

I'm going to say like 9 to 11 minutes of the play my character is nude nude nude naked and you did it? Yeah you're so... 21 years old. Fearless and 21. But this is the crazy thing about it put in when you are the whole cast was I was the only new person and everyone was in their regular clothes.

They didn't use their... They don't need to rehearse with their costumes because they have done the play. Right, right. But also, like, being nude is, in a way, a costume. Right, in a costume. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, at the beginning of the play,

there's a scene where I play with another actor on stage and we're both nude in this scene. They have the put-in. He's completely, like, wearing clothes that he, like, walked out of his house in, and I am 1,000% naked, just doing the play with him. And I'm like, this is strange. This is very strange. And I have to be okay with this?

Just 1,000% naked. And he's wearing sneakers and socks and a hat. Just playing the scene with me. I actually can't imagine it. No. In fact, I'm looking back, and I was like, you should have gotten naked with me. Yes. Yes.

How are you? I'm good. Do you guys get a chance to figure it out? I mean, I think I know what I'm going to do. Do you need a moment? No, no, no, I can do fast. I'm going to tell patty melt. For the patty milk?

How would you like it cooked? Medium? Yes. French fries for your side. Are we going to do colesla? I think you're going to do coleslaw. Sounds good. And for you, my name?

I would love the spinach and mushroom omelet. That's a lot. You like red peppers instead? Yes. Okay. I love red peppers. And that's a good company, our hash cream toast,

you know fresh made sourdough, wheat, white, brown. Oh, sourdough is great. Very cool. Did you like little jam on the toast? Yeah, it's nice. That'd be great, thanks so much. Are you guys?

Thank you so much. Oh my god, there's Rufus Raine Wright. Do you love Rufus Rane Wright? I want to say hi to Harry. You know who Rumpus Wainwright is? Oh. Oh, I see hi to it. Of course he's here.

Of course he's here. That's where we're here. have, that's why we're here, we're here for these moments. I'm going to say hi to him before you guys. I was supposed to have dinner with him a few nights ago, through a mutual friend of ours, and then it all fell apart. He's like, do you mind if I invite Rufus Ramey? I was like, absolutely.

No, I haven't. We used to, like, hang out in the East Village together, and he was just coming out with his album, the very first album. And I was like, this guy is everything. Then, of course, you have to say, you already know. Yeah, I mean, I do go over a little bit. I will. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Do you love doing the podcast? You're so good at it. And what a fun thing. And what an amazing idea to do it like this? I think if I was in a studio just like, I mean, I actually love being on podcast because there's something about long-form conversation. I just feel like so liberating.

You don't have to speak in sound bites. You can really like clarify your thoughts and like tell stories that are like meaningful. So I do love that. But the fact that we get to do this over a meal, and I'm such a foodie and I get a child these incredible places

and shine light on these restaurants that I love and try places like this that I've never been to. I've been to it when it was a 101. Yeah, yeah. But, you know, it's great. I'm having such a good time with it.

Wait, so you used to, you didn't, wait, you just lived near here. You didn't work here when it was a one-on-old. I lived, so right when I moved back to L.A. Okay. Because I commuted when I did Roseanne and then when I was like, right, like, moved here, moved here.

I said to my best friend since I was five years old, my best friend since I was five. She got to film school and wanted to produce. And I wanted to act. And a friend of ours had a six-month sublet like in Beachwood Canyon right there. And so we decided to come down for six months and we stayed 17 and 19 years respectively. This is such a great area to like have your first like moments in L.A.

It's so viety. Thank you. Thank you. Oh, that looks so good. That looks so good. And I was my guy's great. Thank you so much. Any other hot sauce that you might eat?

Yeah. I'll take some hot sauce. I don't churula for me. It's such a vibe area. I used to live in those feelings. So not too far away. But like that's my galsons. It's just like down the street.

I used to come here all the time and like hanging out with friends who were visiting. It felt like such a vibey. It was featured in the movie Swingers. So like that's kind of what made it big. Yeah. So I definitely, I love that. It's sort of been resurrected by Clark Street. Thank you so much.

I mean Lusculus after beach wedding. It was a Nesquilis. Yeah, yeah. I feel like I used to run into you in Losefiz. Yeah. Lusvus. It was great. It's great.

Where do you shoot scrubs? You're not going to believe this. This is the craziest thing that's happened to me in my lifetime. But, um, so a couple of years ago, I was like, I just, so I moved, I lived here 17 years. I moved back to Vancouver where I'm from. Yes, I knew that. That's where I saw you. decade ago. And so I did a drama up there and I loved it. It was a great experience. But I was

dying of cancer in the show and I had to cry like six times a day towards the end. At the end of that I was like, I want to do a comedy like scrubs that felt like scrubs shooting in Vancouver. Like that's what I want to do. And then we started talking about the reboot and the revival of the revival of the revival of Scrubs. And then about a year and a half ago, it started to get real. and then about a year ago I got a call that they were like, the studio wants to shoot it in Vancouver but nobody wants to go up there so don't get excited, it's not going to happen.

And I was like, oh my God, the emotions that are running through my body in this moment, are you kidding me? They want to shoot it here in my home? And so then it was six months of going back and forth, L.A., Vancouver, L.A. Vancouver. And I remember where I was driving in my car when I got the call was shooting Vancouver.

No! So we just shot the first season in Vancouver, which is my hometown, which like... That's so cool. It was incredible. Like, they don't shoot comedies up there for the most part. There's, like, a couple of the shot up there. And it was a dream.

I mean, I can't even articulate in words what it was like. Like, I got to have everybody in my hometown. Oh. And it was so cool. We did nine episodes because mid-season replacement. And it was everything. But the fact that it was, like, it would have been, I mean, it was amazing experience. I would love doing it ever.

But the fact that it was there was so lucky. It's so cool. I manifest it. That's incredible. Yeah, that's awesome. Now for a quick break, but don't go away. When we come back, Sarah tells me about her experience sharing the role of Becky on the iconic 90s sitcom Roseanne and all that came with that. Okay, be right back. Okay, I have a confession to make. Seafood used to really stress me out.

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I know. You can talk about it at nauseam. but literally I know you probably told the story every time you see Dante in front of someone but it is fascinating that you know you went into like the number one show in America to replace an actor and like there was no

I don't remember like any sort of they didn't try to like cover that up it was like oh this person's going to be just played by a new person three seasons four seasons into the show six seasons into the show six seasons in yeah and it was Yeah, they did it.

The only way they addressed it was in the tag. They would always do those amazing, like, creative tags at the end. And so in the tag, they had us all watching an episode of Bewitched. And someone said, I can't believe they switched that Darren. And then I said, like, I think the second one was much better or something like that. And that was the only way that it was addressed. But it was, yeah, it was crazy. It was at a time when, like, I was in grade 11, which is Canadian for 11th grade.

For anyone listening, he doesn't know that. And I got this audition. and I just like put a VHS tape in the mail. Really? To the Cassandra. I mean, do you think the breakdown was like, the actors should sort of look somewhat like? Becky from Roseanne.

They were keeping it under wraps. They said it was for a new show filming in 1994. And so it was a scene. And the names Becky and Mark had literally been whited out and they put like Jessica and Ben or something. Oh, really? And so the guy I was reading the scene with who came in as a favor was like,

this is a scene from Roseanne, I've seen this episode. And they're like, okay, I guess they're keeping this other show under wraps and they're just using these sides. So I didn't even know what it was for. And then the next audition came, and I knew what it was for.

And then the next audition came, and it was basically, they were like, we're going to fly you down to audition with Glenn Quinn, who played Mark, Becky's husband. And there were seven of us with me and six other women,

and they were all 21, moved to L.A., living in L.A. Actresses, and I was, like, 16 from Canada. and they put us kind of through this. By the way, they were all terrified because they flew you down.

I know that. I know that for a fact. Because that happened to me when I did the class. I was the only one that got flown in and all the other actors were like, if they flew you in, you're the threat. Oh, that's so interesting.

I did not know that. I didn't know anything at the time. I literally hadn't worked. Me either. So I knew nothing. And they put us through hair and makeup and they had us all matching Becky blouses.

And then they had us on the stage and they had four cameras and they were calling out numbers. They had a laugh track for the audience and they were kind of putting all the elements in to see if you could keep your focus. But the whole scene was making out with Glenn Quinn and I was 16 and he was 24 and Irish and gorgeous

and I just remember like going like, how am I going to remember one line? Like he was like, baby, baby, come here and I'm like, get a job at the gas station. He's like, come here, I'm like, get a job at the gas station. And that was the scene. And so we do the scene and they said, we'll let you know in seven days. And on the seventh day, they said fly back tomorrow.

We're going to put you with four other, down to four of you. And you're going to audition with Roseanne. The audition was like on the infamous couch. Yeah. Yeah. The quilt. We're sitting there and just remember her turning to me, Roseanne turned to me and said,

How old are you? And I said, I'm 16. And she said, how old are you actually? I thought you're lying. I was like, it would never have occurred to me to lie about my age. Like, I didn't even know that was a thing. And I was like, I'm 16. She thought you were a legal adult, like, lying about, like.

I'm a kid. And because everyone else was 21 in auditioning, and because Sarah and Lise had both wanted to go to college, I think they were concerned that I was the wild card that would maybe take the job and go to college

where all the other girls were already doing this. Right. And so Tom Arnold called me in my house and was like, what about college? And I knew why I was calling.

I was like, yeah, no, no college for me. And even though I knew I would go eventually but I would never... This was an opportunity. I would go to college after. I would do whatever. So I get the call, I get the job. I go to a party that night.

I tell a couple people, and it sounded like the weird, like it was before streaming. There was like 10 shows on TV. It was the number one show on TV. And it was like literally saying, oh, I'm going to go and be that person who already has the job on the sixth season of this number one show. It sounded insane. It spread around our school really quickly. And then on Monday I got a call from the Roseanne show saying, we're getting cold feet about switching Becky. We don't know if we're going to do it.

If we do, it will be you, but we're going to put you on fold for four months. to give you $10,000, which was all of the money in the world, because I was 16. For doing nothing. For doing nothing. But I was like, but also, my ass is grass at high school. Like, I will be, if they don't do this, I'm going to be the crazy person who came in and said, I'm going to do that, John. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

And so I'd wait for four months to find out. And then they called and they were like, yeah, yeah, we're going to do it, come down. I mean, it was risky, though, you know? I mean, that's, like, really jumping into the deep. Obviously, it's like scrubs, you know, create something together. You create it in a bubble for a little while. Then you bring it out to the world. Like people make opinions about it.

The critics decide whether or not they like it. And like, there's this whole thing. And like, maybe it's not a hit right away. And it becomes a hit. I mean, you were jumping into the deep end of literally the number one show in America. And I mean, I imagine there must have been like, and obviously the, the, the, the, the, the, the internet wasn't anywhere. I mean, like, people's opinions didn't float as freely as they do now.

Right, right. But I can imagine that there were people who had very strong opinions about someone. You get invested with these people. Can you imagine if they, like, replaced Jennifer Aniston, six years of your friends? Like, there would be an up for. I mean, was there? I feel like. You know, I think there was, for sure, a lot of opinions.

and I remember like a couple of specific events. Like one time I was at, I went to university. And I ended up going, I ended up starting partway through and just kind of like whatever classes I would miss, I would miss, and once I would go go to. And I remember being at a Freedom Tibet rally and someone coming up to me, and I just kind of like hit started,

and I just made some new friends. And I'm sitting with them. And they like yelled at me, and they were like, I like the first Becky way better. And I was like, okay. Yeah, she was fantastic. I agree. She was great.

And then he came back and he was like, hey, I just want to apologize. I've always just, like, wanted to yell at an actor, and you were here. And so I'm sorry. And I didn't mean it. And I was like, oh, thank you for clarifying. But I think the only reason that I was able to actually even go and do the job was because I was so naive and I didn't actually get it. I mean, I got it a little bit. I didn't really get it in the same way that I would now in terms of the only that.

in terms of like potentially the pressure cooker that that situation was. I think I didn't fully comprehend. I think it's the only reason I was actually able to even go and audition and be in that room and be present and have a conversation with them. I feel like now even I'd be like. Right, right, right, right. I think I just was pretty young and naive to how, to what that was. Do you think it prepared you at all for, I mean, that was,

pressure cooker if there ever was one. I mean, I'm really good for the Danny Zucker who wrote on a modern family. I know he wrote on Roseanne. I mean, he told me he was like, that was a tough set. I mean, that was a pressure cooker. I mean, there was a lot of tension between

Roseanne and the writers. And like, it was insane. Writers got fired. It was like in groups. Yeah. It was a pressure cooker. And because it was like, I mean, I've done tiny projects in Vancouver. Like really small things.

Like answered the phone in a movie of the week and been like, mom's phone, but like very small. They haven't really done much. And it was, you know, yeah. Roseanne would, yeah, came in one day in Firewriters. Once you see that and you're a kid, you're like, oh,

is this something that can happen, you know? And, yeah, great thing. She looks so much like my friend Miriam. I didn't understand all of it. Everything was new. Like even the press, like doing press for it. Like I came down and I think a lot of that cast was super private, kept their private life's private.

And I think I came down there like, great, you're going to be doing some press. So I thought the answer was yes to everything. So I didn't understand that like some things you might say no to. So if they asked me to do something, I just showed up. And so like one time I remember there was like a Saturday and it was Battle of the Network stars and it was superstar American gladiators and they gave us these tiny hop pants and these tiny brawl. and you're like, there's like the gladiators like at the top of a water volcano

shooting water down with you and it's like me, Mario Lopez, Tina Yothers they put all these people from these shows and I got there and there was no one of the rest of the Roseanne cast and I was like, where's my group? And I was like, oh, first of all, I forgot about that whole era of TV.

Yes. That is a throwback right there. Battle the network stars where you were dressed as gladiators. Yes. And the actual gladiators are like doing the these basically like sort of challenges

and then you're kind of thrown in in teams so things like that where I'd be like 17 I would get there and be like where's the rest of the cast or like I did an interview I remember my first interview was for entertainment weekly and like I sat down and did the interview

and I was in grade 12 at this point and I talked about like what I love to do and hanging out with my friends and hiking and all these things outdoors and then they did the photo shoot. And I didn't understand that the photo shoot is like a fashion photo shoot and it has nothing to do with the interview.

So I felt like, why are it, like the clothes were just getting smaller and smaller until I was in like hot pants, platform heels, a tiny little situation, like so much makeup. And then they're handing me a cat and I'm holding this kitten and now they're like now pout

and I'm literally like sitting there holding the kitten, pouting, wearing very little, tear comes down my cheek. The photographer's like, are you okay? And I was like, uh-uh, I don't think I am. They're like, what's going on for you? And I was like, well, I just don't understand, like, how... Now I look back and I was like, it was actually a really cool fashion shoot.

Like, it was really interesting and well done and artistic. And at the time, I was like... We were taking photos to support the interview you'd give it. Right, well, I just all I could visualize was my friends in Canada going like, what are you doing? I know. And so I didn't have any frame of reference for it. Now for a quick break, but don't go away.

When we return, we get into the Scrubs revival, and Sarah tells me what it felt like to reunite with cast members Zach Braff and Donald Faison. Okay, be right back. You know those moments where your brain suddenly goes, wait a minute, wait a minute, did I lock the door? Or you're already out to dinner and you think, wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute, did I turn off the stove?

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I also love that with the ADT Plus app, you can check in on your home from virtually anywhere. Whether you're traveling, working late, or just lying in bed, second-guessing yourself, you can see what's going on and actually rest easy. ADT makes sure your home is your haven, not another thing to worry about. When every second counts count on ADT, visit ADT.com to learn more. And we're back with more dinners on me. I assume like going into the survival scrubs must have felt, because you have experienced like every union in sorts, like with the connor,

like coming back with the people that you haven't seen in a while, sort of picking up where you left off. I mean, but I mean, scrubs got to feel, first of all, It's such a, it really came about. Like, that was such a iconic moment in television comedy. I feel like it changed the landscape in so many ways. There weren't a lot of, like, single-camera shows. It changed the way we looked at comedy.

I think, you know, it was like, it was really like the big hits were all multi-camera shows. This came in, and it's such a different tone. People loved it, obviously. all became huge stars when that show was on. And it was, first of all, felt so different to be a part of that show, having been a part of something like Roseanne, which was also a huge hit, but you really jumped into the deep end with that show.

So, like, start with a cast and be able to, like, build a character from the ground up, not, like, put on someone other characters' pants and literally someone else's name, but to, like, create a character from the ground up. and have such an incredible run with it. And I think about this a lot of times with the bottom film. Like, I would love in 10, 15 years to go back and revisit these characters. I get so happy.

Oh, God, yeah. I get so happy for people like you and Zach and Donald who get to come back to these characters after some time away. It just must feel like such a gift. But also, I mean, it must be trippy. I mean, you're totally different people now. You have families and kids and you're emotionally in different places in your lives. And, yeah, you're coming back to this character that feels so familiar.

I don't know. Speak on that. It's like... Well, you, like, exactly what you said about coming in and getting to develop a character from the ground up. Like, that was my first time in my life and my career getting to do that. And I was at... My whole 20s were on that show. was 24 to 32 for the run.

And I feel like it was the time when I learned everything about comedy and timing and how to tell a joke. And because Bill Lawrence, who created it, like, he would come up every single rehearsal for the entire eight years. Because we filmed in this whole abandoned hospital in Valley. And so it wasn't like, you know, like right now we're shooting scrubs in Vancouver, the right of the rooms in L.A. It was the show that I worked on where we got the closest. with all the writers because we'd hang out at lunch. We'd go down to the writer's room. We got to know them all super well.

And so Bill would come up before every rehearsal and he would say, okay, try this, do it like that. Here's a few alps for that joke. Try those. I think try delivering it like this. And it was like being at school, like for comedy every day with Bill, who is so crazy talented.

And so to get to do that, And, like, I don't know what your take on this with Modern Family is, but for me, with Scrubs, like, I loved, I loved the opportunity to work on the same show with the same people playing the same character for a run. Yeah. Like, there's something so uniquely special about that as opposed to, like, new job, new environment. Like, there's something great about that, too, but I loved, I really loved it. And it was, like, that lightning in a bottle where you love the character and the script and the story. line and the people and all of it. And we got to do it for a big chunk of time.

And so, like, to do that once in your life feels really lucky. Yeah. And when I heard we were going to do it again, I was like, yeah, absolutely, I'm on board. And then it was, like, when you say Trippy, it's kind of the, it's exactly how Donald explained it yesterday. It was the word he used. They said, give it in one word, and he said trippy. Because they rebuilt the whole, old, like, we could have just shot in any hospital

set, an old hospital in Vancouver or whatever. they rebuilt the entire hospital to a T. And we all thought when we heard, I was so pumped because, like, that was such a cool idea. Yeah. We thought they'll get, like, 60% of the way there. It's identical. Like, admissions, the exact, like, the weird, like, octagon ceiling tiles,

like everything. Was this that store somewhere? Or was it they... You know, it was an old hospital that they actually tore down and built... Oh, I see. I see. I see.

So you've never shot... That hospital was never recreated out of a safe. Never. This is the first time. It's the first time. Wow. And they built it identical. So, like, when you're used to being like,

oh, if I opened that door, I'm going to step out onto Riverside Drive. And instead, it's like you're stepping out onto a soundstage. And it's 30,000 square feet of sets that they built in these soundstages of Vancouver. And, like, it was such a trip because you're walking onto these sets that, like, you walked on for the first time 25 years ago. And you're playing the same character with the same people wearing the same clothes. It's going to feel like a fever dream. It is.

It totally was. Like, I had chills when I walked on the first time. I had fun. So I was like, this is crazy. And it was immediately, immediately so fun. Like, when you, as you know, like, have a character that just lives in you, like, you can just read it. And you're like, oh, that cadence.

Got it. That's you. Just do it. And it was just, you know, the only tweak was like we wanted to figure out a way to bring it into 2026. Because obviously, comedy shifted now and it's dead. different and the first seasons of scrubs were more grounded as we went on they started to get like yeah back to see we still have the fantasies and we go off in those but anything that's happening in real time is more grounded and real so that was kind of the one thing when we're doing the pilot

back in october of this iteration was figuring out like okay you're still your character but we got kind of broad sometimes so how do we bring it grounded and how would it be if it was just like totally real and so we kind of did it a few different ways to find our way back in um But yeah, it was super, it was super special. And I highly recommend it. I think you guys should do it. I think, you know, you take a break, you take the time, and then coming back to it, like,

actually just feels like putting on your slippers. Yeah. I feel like it's too soon, but I do dream of it coming back in some iteration. I just saw Julie and Sophie last night for dinner. Julie says hi, by the way. Oh, so hi back. Yeah, she loves you. You kids went to school together, right?

Yeah, at the very, very beginning, right before I moved to Canada. Right, right, right, very, right. We were in kindergarten, three quarters with your kindergarten, we left and moved to Canada. I can only imagine that it's... I guess what I'll say is, like, I got to watch the first few episodes. And I can see what you're talking about. I mean, like, you're different people. You're 15 years older than you were.

You're just, you're all... You can tell you're... You as actors have so much more life experience and, like, things have happened to you. And it brings us, like, other level to your characters. It's just like, it's really like you have, I mean, you fast forward. And you're like, what are these people doing now? Like, there's still these same people that we loved watching on TV. But, like, there's all this life experience that they bring with them.

And, you know, I don't want to spoil anything. But, like, things have happened. And to these characters and things have happened in your lives. And it's just, I don't know, it's really lovely. I just, I, it felt very, I don't know, I felt very organic. It's the only word I could think of when I, when I watched it. It just felt really, it felt very truthful, like, exactly, like, what it should be. Are you pleased with, like, what you've seen?

You know, I obviously, like, going into it, you're like, what's this new one going to be? And where are they going to find a jumping in point? And when I read the script, I was like, oh, yes, this is so smart. Like, the way they chose to drop everybody in, like, without spoiling anything, I just thought it was such a smart jumping off point for, like, a right ground for comedy and drama. And then obviously, like, the three of us being, like, it was really important to Bill that we're all, like, really good teachers now. Like, they're all, they're all, they're all, they're all, like, illegitimately good doctors and, and, like, really care and are really good leaders. And then that leaves room for, like, the new interns to come in and be, like, you know, the new kind of, like, fish out of water.

and they're all so good. They are so talented. Where are they making these actors nowadays? What? What water are they drinking? What water? Like they're... Like, they coming so, so talented

and equally nice as human beings, which has been the coolest part, and they all, like, hang out and love each other when you're shooting on location. You're just... It lends itself to that, like they all become super close. But they're also...

What struck me was how comfortable in their own skin they all are. They're all so unique. and so comfortable in their own skin. Where did they learn that? I did not have that at all. Where did they get that? It's in their water.

Maybe the time I think I did, but looking back upon myself, I'm like, ooh, poop. Yeah, exactly, exactly. The time you feel like, yeah, I got this, but they look back and they're like, I don't got this. Oh.

Yeah, and they just are so confident. And, and, uh, but they're humble. Like, there's no grateful for the experience, but they're so, they're just comfortable in their own skin, which has been so cool to watch. But anyways, to answer your question,

am I happy with where it landed? Like, I think it was cool. You know, you think about a revival and if people would come back, like, just nobody's phoning it in. Everybody's like, I want this to be the best it can possibly be and trying so hard to do everything that they can to make it great. And I think as you guys will have,

if you decide you want to do a revival of modern family, like there's something that is, you can't actually just make up when you've had that many years together. Like you just, it's a, you can't, you know, you go on to a new set and you hope you have chemistry, but you can't manufacture history.

And that just exists. And so like, everybody just knows each other so well, and I think that translates. Like, you know, we came on to the first day and everybody, like, everyone's making fun of each other but in the best way, because you just know all of each other's quirks. Like, I am my,

character I thought maybe that would be something that would have changed this many years in that I would know where my body is in space, but I don't. And so we meet all the new kids and Zach's like, okay, so Chalky's going to injure it. Like every day something's breaking. She's going to break something, some body part, like, and you're going to come in and the day's going to start with like, you're not going to believe what happened. And it's going to be real and you're not going to believe that it's every day. It's every day. And so the next day, it's the day before shooting. and I'm running down to meet a bunch of the cast for brunch

and I break my finger. I give the dogs and I go to brunch and I don't want to worry like every like, I haven't had an x-rayed yet but I know it's broken. So I'm like, I'm not going to say anything just going to get through brunch and then I'll go and my sleeve like comes down and Zach's like, why are you bleeding from your arm?

And I was like, oh yeah, I just, I was just hiking and I fell and while I'm telling the story at brunch. The server walks by with a tray of so many drinks and so much food and trips and all over my lap.

So I'm telling the story of my broken finger while I'm sitting at a giant puddle I have so much food on my lap. And everybody was like, nothing has changed at all.

The prophecy came true. And so I went to set the first day with the like finger I'm like I broke my finger and so they're trying to like figure out how to like it's an Easter egg

for anyone watching the first few episodes. You'll see like my fingers are buddy taped so they're going to CGI out the buddy taping but like I have like a weird lobster claw like these fingers are together I can see it

it's like why you really didn't break it so that's just like one example and I won't worry with all of them but like of the fact that yeah nothing has changed I hope you guys do it because it is super unique to get to come back and do something like how many years has it been since you guys wrapped? Well now

almost six six So maybe another like, maybe five or ten. I mean, Sophia keeps joking. She's like, we're not going to have Ed for very much longer. We need to do it sooner than later. I'm like, Sophia. So dark, Sophia. So dark.

But he's like, I mean, he's like, he's really great. Last time I was like, he's not going anywhere. He looks great. We have a few more years. Thank you for doing this. Thank you for having me. This episode of Dinners on Me was recorded at Clark Street Diner in Los Angeles, California. Next week on, next week on,

Dinner's On Me. You know her from the real housewives of Beverly Hills, Melrose Place, and more recently from the newest season of The Traders, it's Lisa Runa. We'll get into her iconic soap days, her reality TV reign, and what drew her to the ultimate mind game The Traders. Plus, she has a new memoir coming out, so I got a lot of questions for her. And if you don't want to wait until next week to listen, you can download that episode right now by subscribing to Dinners on Me Plus. As a subscriber, not only do you get access to new episodes one week early, they'll also be able to listen completely ad-free. Just click try free at the top of the Dinners On Me show page on Apple Podcasts to start your free trial today.

Dinner's On Me is a production of Sony music entertainment and a kid named Beckett Productions. It's hosted by me, Jesse Tyler Ferguson. It's executive produced by me and Jonathan Hirsch. Our showrunner is Joanna Clay. Our associate producer is Alyssa Midcast. Sam Bear engineered this episode. Hans Dale She composed our theme music. Our head of production is Sammy Allison.

Special thanks to Tamika Balance Kalasni and Justin Makita. I'm Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Join me next week.