Scrubs Exposed The Janitor’s Real Name 14 Years Ago, Ruining The Joke For The Reboot

14 years before the Scrubs reboot was set to come to ABC, the funniest possible continuing bit was accidentally ruined. Luckily, the reboot can still play around with this long-running joke that threaded through Scrubs. Scrubs originally ran for nine seasons, officially ending in 2010 after switching networks from NBC to ABC.

Now, 15 years later, a Scrubs reboot is in the works, with numerous original cast members set to return. Zach Braff will reprise his role as J.D, and Donald Faison will come back as Turk. Judy Reyes will do double duty on ABC, starring in both the Scrubs reboot and the hit drama High Potential.

The original iteration of Scrubs included a long-running mystery that was finally addressed in the season 8 finale… kind of. The comedic moment both answered a question and left fans guessing, which could have made for a great callback in the reboot. Unfortunately, that joke was accidentally ruined long before the reboot was announced.

The Original Scrubs’ Longest-Running Mystery Was The Janitor’s Real Name

The Janitor and J.D. cheers their beer bottles on Scrubs

For eight seasons, J.D. neglected to ask The Janitor what his name was. At first, this may not have been a big deal; the Scrubs Janitor was originally imaginary. The antagonistic relationship between the surly custodian, portrayed by Neil Flynn, and J.D. was meant to be all in the intern’s head.

For much of season 1, The Janitor only interacts with J.D. However, as the show became popular, the writers realized they needed to allow The Janitor to speak to the rest of the characters. Thus, The Janitor became a flesh-and-blood person.

J.D. doesn’t think to ask this coworker his name until the end of season 8 (or at least, that’s how The Janitor remembers it). When he finally asks, The Janitor admits his name is Glenn Matthews, which J.D. promptly forgets. Glenn reminds him, and that seems to be that.

That is, until another hospital worker walks by and calls The Janitor “Tony.” This left fans guessing: is Glenn The Janitor’s real name, or did he lie to J.D.?

Bill Lawrence Confirmed Janitor’s Name Is Glenn Matthews In 2011

Zach Braff and Donald Faison smile at each other while sitting in the cafeteria in Scrubs

The Janitor lying about his name could have been a continuing gag in the Scrubs reboot, but creator Bill Lawrence put the speculation to rest 14 years ago when he announced The Janitor’s real name in Scrubs is, in fact, Glenn Matthews. Of course, Lawrence didn’t know that a reboot was a possibility at the time, but he inadvertently ruined any chance of reviving that bit in the future.

The Scrubs Reboot Can Still Reference The Joke Even If Neil Flynn Doesn’t Return

Promo shot of the Scrubs cast standing in front of skeleton XRays

There has yet to be any announcement on whether or not Flynn will be appearing in the Scrubs reboot. Whether he does or doesn’t return, the aforementioned joke can still be incorporated. Perhaps J.D. overhears someone refer to Glenn as Tony (or another fake name) and questions if he was lied to.

Or maybe the cast is working with a new janitor who actively lies to J.D. about his name. This new character could even be related to Glenn and want to carry on his legacy. No matter what direction the Scrubs reboot takes, it’s sure to be a hilarious and entertaining show.