Today in TV History: Dave Franco, Star of ‘Scrubs,’ Is Born

Of all the great things about television, the greatest is that it’s on every single day. TV history is being made, day in and day out, in ways big and small. In an effort to better appreciate this history, we’re taking a look back, every day, at one particular TV milestone. 

IMPORTANT DATE IN TV HISTORY: June 12, 1985

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT: As an older brother, this is kind of tough for me to say. It goes against my nature, and hopefully no sibling of mine will start getting ideas, but I think I’m at the point where I have to admit that I like younger bro Dave Franco better than James Franco. And I’m an occasional James Franco defender, so don’t see this as any easy trend-hopping. And like I said, I don’t want to start some kind of trend where younger brother start getting delusions of grandeur. But it’s time to admit it.

Lil’ Franco was great in 21 Jump Street (although he was limited to the worst scene in 22 Jump Street), he could hang with the cast of Now You See Me, a not-great but inexplicably popular movie (he’ll be in the sequel), and I would say he’s easily the fourth-best thing in the very good Neighbors, ranking behind Rose Byrne, Zac Efron’s shirtless scenes, and Rose Byrne again.

In 2009, young Franco hadn’t been in much of anything and was still looking for his break. At the same time, wayward sitcom Scrubs was getting its third final season. Having been cancelled by NBC after season 7, then picked up by ABC for an 8th and (supposedly) final run, a revamped Scrubs came back with hardly any of its original cast and a focus on younger characters, including Eliza Coupe (Happy Endings), Kerry Bishé (Halt and Catch Fire), and one Dave Franco as Cole, a cocky, motivationally challenged, painfully Millennial med student.

Opinion on Scrubs 9.0 was divided, but clearly the new cast members were talented. Franco was able to make a name for himself by marrying his oddball comedic appeal with that of the show’s. It really paid off, and it was a fine training ground for the comedy work he’s done since.

[You can watch Scrubs on Netflix.]

Joe Reid (@joereid) is a freelance writer living in Brooklyn. You can find him leaving flowers for Mrs. Landingham at the corner of 18th and Potomac.

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