Iconic Scrubs moment that was completely unscripted

It became a recurring joke throughout Scrubs’ nine-season run – but this hilarious one-liner was completely ad libbed by Zach Braff.

It’s one of the most recurrent jokes in Scrubs’ entire nine-year run – but JD’s habit of shouting “EAGLE!” while being spun around in the air was never even in the script.

Fans of the quirky comedy series, which ran from 2001-10, will remember the first time it happened on-screen, during season 1 episode “My Hero”.

Brendan Fraser, who was guest-starring as Jordan Sullivan’s brother Ben, tossed JD (played by Zach Braff) into the air like a little kid while he gleefully shrieked “eagle!” (the joke doesn’t really translate in an explainer, but trust us, it’s funny).

He went on to do it a number of times throughout the show, with his best friend Turk (Donald Faison) doing the honours.

Faison and Braff revealed the titbit to news.com.au as they discussed the launch of their new podcast, Fake Doctors, Real Friends with Zach + Donald, which delves into all the juicy stories from behind the scenes of the hit series.

“‘Eagle’ is a perfect example of Zach riffing on a line and it sticking – he had some really good moments that ended up being really popular moments in the show,” Faison said of his co-star, who he also credited with coining the “chocolate bear” nickname used repeatedly on the show.

“We never knew what the fans would love or respond to – but the fans just thought (that joke) was so darn funny,” Braff explained. “Donald and I were travelling internationally and some girl, some Israeli young woman, sees me and goes – ‘eagle?’

“The great thing about Scrubs is there was so much freedom to be silly, so everyone felt free to riff – there was no wrong answer. So when Brendan picked me up and started spinning me, I thought, JD’s so nerdy he’d be like ‘no, no’ at first – but then he’d be thinking it’s like soaring, like a ‘great eagle’ … And that’s what came into my brain.”

Braff and Faison as JD and Turk.

Braff and Faison’s podcast is a real treasure trove of previously unknown details for Scrubs fans – but it’s also served as a handy refresher for the actors themselves.

Faison admitted to news.com.au that one of their recent podcasts had featured an episode he’d had absolutely no recollection of filming.

“I literally didn’t remember the show, I didn’t remember the episode,” he said.

“That’s what’s really cool – watching episodes and having no recollection of it, and you feel like you’re watching it for the first time … but there’s something so familiar about it.

“I really enjoyed that I didn’t know what was coming next.”

Fake Doctors, Real Friends with Zach + Donald is available now to stream on ARN’S iHeartPodcast network via the iHeartRadio App, with each new instalment focusing on one episode of Scrubs and featuring behind-the-scenes stories and special guests.

Originally published as Iconic Scrubs moment that was completely unscripted