--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I did 'Scrubs', we were able to…" description: "\"When I did 'Scrubs', we were able to always do one as scripted, and then we got to play a little bit and do some stuff. I thought that was pretty loose..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b46/eliza-coupe-19553_able_when-i-did-scrubs-we-were-able-to-always_908684.png" --- # When I did 'Scrubs', we were able to always do one as… ![“When I did 'Scrubs', we were able to always do one as scripted, and then we got to play a little bit and do some stuff. I thought that was pretty loose, but then coming on 'Happy Endings,' it's even looser.” quote by Eliza Coupe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b46/eliza-coupe-19553_able_when-i-did-scrubs-we-were-able-to-always_908684.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b46/eliza-coupe-19553_able_when-i-did-scrubs-we-were-able-to-always_908684.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b46/eliza-coupe-19553_able_when-i-did-scrubs-we-were-able-to-always_908684.png) > “When I did 'Scrubs', we were able to always do one as scripted, and then we got to play a little bit and do some stuff. I thought that was pretty loose, but then coming on 'Happy Endings,' it's even looser.” [Eliza Coupe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-coupe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The shift from strict scripts to improvisation in sitcoms allows more creative freedom, though it varies by show. **In simple terms:** Shows become looser, giving actors more freedom. Key Takeaway Balance structure with spontaneity. Themes creativity improvisation television writing collaboration Mood playful analytical Type professional creative When to use this quote - writing sitcoms - actor improvisation - show development - creative workshops Key Concepts creative process industry practices artistic freedom Questions to Reflect On - How much improvisation is beneficial? - When does structure become restrictive? A Different Perspective Too much looseness can cause inconsistency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Able Scripted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able-scripted-1312515/) [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Bit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bit/) [Bits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bits/) [Coming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coming/) [Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/did/) [Did Scrubs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/did-scrubs-1312513/) [Endings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/endings/) [Even](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/even/) [Got](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/got/) [Happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happy/) [Happy ending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happy-ending/) [Happy endings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happy-endings/) [Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little/) [Little bit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-bit/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Loose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loose/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Pretty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretty/) [Scripted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scripted/) [Scripted Got](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scripted-got-1312514/) [Scrubs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scrubs/) [Some](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/some/) [Stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuff/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Then](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/then/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [Were](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/were/) ## Related quotes > [Our deal always was that we did one as scripted always, we got it like we thought we needed - so we were all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blair-underwood/our-deal-always-was-that-we-did-one-as-scripted-always-we-got-it-like/) [Blair Underwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blair-underwood/) > [My hands are huge. When I was on 'Scrubs,' Zach Braff used to make fun of them all the time. And now I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-coupe/my-hands-are-huge-when-i-was-on-scrubs-zach-braff-used-to-make-fun-of/) [Eliza Coupe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-coupe/) > [I'd say I'm a pretty intense person. I'm definitely not my Denise character on 'Scrubs,' nor my Jane character on 'Happy Endings,' but I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-coupe/i-d-say-i-m-a-pretty-intense-person-i-m-definitely-not-my-denise/) [Eliza Coupe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-coupe/) > [My very first job was something called 'Nobody's Watching,' that Bill Lawrence who created 'Scrubs,' it was his pilot. It was my very first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mircea-monroe/my-very-first-job-was-something-called-nobody-s-watching-that-bill/) [Mircea Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mircea-monroe/) > ['No Scrubs' is a mean song for a lot of reasons. If you're 18, 19-year-old guy, or even 17, your friend just got a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-rel-howery/no-scrubs-is-a-mean-song-for-a-lot-of-reasons-if-you-re-18-19-year/) [Lil Rel Howery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-rel-howery/) > [I tried it a few times but didn't see the point. I'm Zach Braff. What the fudge do I need a team for besides…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/i-tried-it-a-few-times-but-didn-t-see-the-point-i-m-zach-braff-what/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [“J.D.: Elliot, I'm thirty years old; I'm single, I'm homeless, and I'm pretty sure I just soiled myself. Elliot: Why don't you just move…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-lawrence/j-d-elliot-i-m-thirty-years-old-i-m-single-i-m-homeless-and-i-m/) [Bill Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-lawrence/) > [I know I always look like the evil one bossing the band around in 'Scrubs' - well, I'm the same in real life too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-lloyd/i-know-i-always-look-like-the-evil-one-bossing-the-band-around-in/) [Sam Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-lloyd/) > [Lots of people were giving me flak when I made the deal to do the very last season of Scrubs for $350,000 an episode.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/lots-of-people-were-giving-me-flak-when-i-made-the-deal-to-do-the/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [My very first job was something called Nobodys Watching, that Bill Lawrence who created Scrubs, it was his pilot. It was my very first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mircea-monroe/my-very-first-job-was-something-called-nobodys-watching-that-bill/) [Mircea Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mircea-monroe/) > [If you look at American medical fiction written by doctors, like 'The House of God' by Samuel Shem and 'The Blood of Strangers' by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mercurio/if-you-look-at-american-medical-fiction-written-by-doctors-like-the/) [Jed Mercurio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mercurio/) > [A lot of things went incredibly well for 'Scrubs': from a ridiculous number of downloads on the iPods, to whenever they issue a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-mcginley/a-lot-of-things-went-incredibly-well-for-scrubs-from-a-ridiculous/) [John C. McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-mcginley/) > [My idea of superwoman is someone who scrubs her own floors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/my-idea-of-superwoman-is-someone-who-scrubs-her-own-floors/) [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) > [Until Scrubs, I didnt have a business manager. I learned everything on my own - and I learned the hard way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-faison/until-scrubs-i-didnt-have-a-business-manager-i-learned-everything-on/) [Donald Faison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-faison/) > [You know, I once did a short film with Kay Cannon. It was set at a gynecologist's office and I was her nurse in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-hunt/you-know-i-once-did-a-short-film-with-kay-cannon-it-was-set-at-a/) [Brendan Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-hunt/) ## More by Eliza Coupe > [If I'm not clear with the character, I can't do anything with it. But once I get that character, the possibilities are endless. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-coupe/if-i-m-not-clear-with-the-character-i-can-t-do-anything-with-it-but/) [Eliza Coupe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-coupe/) > [I don't want anyone to get seriously hurt. But I do watch awards shows to critique the clothes while I sit around eating chips…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-coupe/i-don-t-want-anyone-to-get-seriously-hurt-but-i-do-watch-awards-shows/) [Eliza Coupe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-coupe/) > [I cannot feel my legs from the waist down any longer. But who cares? I look good and that's all that matters. And when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-coupe/i-cannot-feel-my-legs-from-the-waist-down-any-longer-but-who-cares-i/) [Eliza Coupe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-coupe/) > [If you have a strong sense of who you are and what you're doing, then it's actually easier to work with other people, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-coupe/if-you-have-a-strong-sense-of-who-you-are-and-what-you-re-doing-then/) [Eliza Coupe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-coupe/) > [I would love to do a dramatic comedy. All of that, it all interests me. At some point I want to do my 'Monster,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-coupe/i-would-love-to-do-a-dramatic-comedy-all-of-that-it-all-interests-me/) [Eliza Coupe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-coupe/) > [When you're walking around in Shanghai, I called it the City of Near Misses, because they do not stop for pedestrians. And the pedestrians…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-coupe/when-you-re-walking-around-in-shanghai-i-called-it-the-city-of-near/) [Eliza Coupe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-coupe/) > [You can't improv off of bad writing. Then you have to actually create your objective, which is really hard to do in an element…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-coupe/you-can-t-improv-off-of-bad-writing-then-you-have-to-actually-create/) [Eliza Coupe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-coupe/) > [I think the writers of 'Community' have moved on from my character. I'm pretty sure. I would love to go back on. I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-coupe/i-think-the-writers-of-community-have-moved-on-from-my-character-i-m/) [Eliza Coupe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-coupe/) > [I made sure that instead of people making fun of me, like every comedian probably says, I made fun of myself first so they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-coupe/i-made-sure-that-instead-of-people-making-fun-of-me-like-every/) [Eliza Coupe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-coupe/) > [There's such an odd, eclectic group of people that make up the town of Plymouth, New Hampshire. I don't think I could avoid not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-coupe/there-s-such-an-odd-eclectic-group-of-people-that-make-up-the-town-of/) [Eliza Coupe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-coupe/) > [I've been recognized a couple times. I get people staring at me, and I think in their heads they're thinking, 'How do I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-coupe/i-ve-been-recognized-a-couple-times-i-get-people-staring-at-me-and-i/) [Eliza Coupe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-coupe/) > [I try to be optimistic, but in this business it's so hard. The craziest stuff can happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-coupe/i-try-to-be-optimistic-but-in-this-business-it-s-so-hard-the-craziest/) [Eliza Coupe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-coupe/) > [I used to play the piano by listening to it - like Chopin pieces, when I was, like, a little kid - and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-coupe/i-used-to-play-the-piano-by-listening-to-it-like-chopin-pieces-when-i/) [Eliza Coupe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-coupe/) > [I was on a show called '12 Miles of Bad Road' with Lily Tomlin - it was an incredible HBO show. We shot 6…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-coupe/i-was-on-a-show-called-12-miles-of-bad-road-with-lily-tomlin-it-was/) [Eliza Coupe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-coupe/) > [I was the female lead in a romantic comedy. It's a little indie film that we shot in China called 'America Town,' starring Daniel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-coupe/i-was-the-female-lead-in-a-romantic-comedy-it-s-a-little-indie-film/) [Eliza Coupe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-coupe/) [Explore all 32 Eliza Coupe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-coupe/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. 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I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) [Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I did 'Scrubs', we were able to always do one as scripted, and then we got to play a little bit and do some stuff. 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