Zach Braff: His 10 Best Roles (According To IMDb)

Despite making his on-screen debut several years before his breakthrough role as Dr. John ‘JD’ Dorian in the critically acclaimed medical sitcom Scrubs, the show is undoubtedly what made Zach Braff a household name. While he may be forever associated with the show, Braff has been involved with countless film and TV projects over the years, both in front of and behind the camera.

An accomplished actor, screenwriter, producer, and director, Braff has proved himself to be a real industry talent – but acting seems to be where his attention truly lies. With that in mind, these are Zach Braff’s 10 best roles, according to IMDb.

10 Undateable (2014-2016) – 7.3

Following the womanizing Danny Burton, as he attempts to steer his supposedly ‘undateable’ group of friends towards romantic success, Undateable ran for three seasons from 2014 to 2016. While it didn’t enjoy tremendous critical reviews, fans were kinder to the show, with Undateable sporting a 7.3 on IMDb.

In two of the show’s live third season episodes, Undateable held something of a Scrubs reunion, with Zach Braff, Donald Faison, Neil Flynn, and Christa Miller appearing in the episode. Braff played the role of Zach, a co-worker of Ron Funches’ Shelly.

9 The Disaster Artist (2017) – 7.4

Chronicling the creation of the infamous so-bad-it’s-good movie The Room, The Disaster Artist is an entertaining re-telling of Greg Sestero’s memoir of the same name – featuring James Franco as a pitch-perfect Tommy Wiseau.

While Zach Braff doesn’t appear as a character in the movie, he shows up in the movie’s opening along with a whole host of other celebrities, talking about what makes The Room so special, as well as its impact on fans across the world.

8 Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993) – 7.4

With a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes as well as a 7.4 on IMDb, Manhattan Murder Mystery proved to be one of the most memorable Woody Allen movies of the 90s. Playing a married couple who become suspicious of their seemingly healthy neighbor’s sudden death, Woody Allen and Diane Keaton collaborate once again in the movie.

Zach Braff appears briefly in Manhattan Murder Mystery as Nick Lipton, the son of Allen and Keaton’s characters in the movie, and also served as the actor’s feature film debut.

7 Garden State (2004) – 7.4

While Garden State has been criticized over the years for being pretentious and indicative of burgeoning hipster culture, the movie is still great for those who can view it through a non-cynical lens. Braff plays Andrew Largeman in the movie – a depressed actor who returns to his hometown after the death of his mother.

Written, directed by and starring Zach Braff in his directorial debut, what Braff pulls off in Garden State is truly impressive. And that soundtrack really is something else, regardless of your opinions on the movie itself.

6 Clone High (2002-2003) – 8.1

An animated sitcom aimed at adults, Clone High is set at its titular high school, which just so happens to be filled with clones of history’s most iconic figures – including Abraham Lincoln, Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, Mahatma Gandhi and John F. Kennedy.

Created by Bill Lawrence of Scrubs fame as well as the amazing Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, Clone High’s cast is jam-packed with Scrubs alumni, including Neil Flynn, Sarah Chalke, Donald Faison, and Christa Miller. Zach Braff plays two separate characters in the series, taking on the roles of Paul Revere and X-Stream Mike.

5 Scrubs (2001-2010) – 8.3

Yes, believe it or not, the beloved series that made Zach Braff a household name isn’t sitting at the top of this list. While it’s easily Braff’s most popular and enduring project, the fact that the series had so many episodes – including a widely-hated final season – brings the show’s average score down a little.

Regardless, Scrubs is one of the best sitcoms of all time. Braff plays Dr. John ‘JD’ Dorian in the show – a fresh-faced young medical intern with a tendency to daydream, who gradually becomes a great doctor over the course of the show.

4 The Sixth Lead (2015) – 8.4

One of the more obscure projects Zach Braff has been attached to, at least conceptually speaking, The Sixth Lead is a mockumentary web-series that serves as a spin-off of Undateable, running for 5 episodes in 2015.

The show sees actor Rick Glassman meet with many of Undateable’s cast and crew, hoping to get some advice on how to get a bigger role on the show. Braff shows up in the episode “Meeting with Zach Braff”, where he talks about his latest directorial effort Going in Style. Funnily enough, despite the bizarre concept of The Sixth Lead, it actually has a higher IMDb rating than Undateable.

3 Nobody’s Watching (2006) – 8.7

Perhaps the most unique entry on this list, Nobody’s Watching is a collaboration between Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence and two of the writers of Family Guy. A mockumentary following two friends who are given free rein to make their own sitcom by The WB, Nobody’s Watching started out as a failed pilot, rejected by the network for being ‘too confusing’.

After fans expressed a lot of interest in the pilot however, it received short-lived web-series – with the whole collection becoming something of a long TV movie. As a frequent collaborator and friend of Bill Lawrence, Zach Braff had a small role in the project, playing himself.

2 BoJack Horseman (2014-2020) – 8.7

Rapidly earning a reputation as one of the greatest animated television shows ever made, BoJack Horseman follows the life of its titular horse – a has-been sitcom actor from the 90s. Masterfully tackling issues of depression, identity, and failure, the show has earned several accolades, including two Primetime Emmy Awards and multiple Critics’ Choice Television Awards.

Zach Braff plays himself in the show but meets an unceremonious end at the hands of Mr. Peanutbutter’s ex-wife, who burns him alive in ritual sacrifice. He later appears as a hallucination when BoJack goes through a near-death experience.

1 Arrested Development (2003-) 8.7

One of the smartest sitcoms of the 2000s, Arrested Development’s story of an affluent family who loses everything contains some of the best guest stars you’re ever likely to see in a half-hour comedy.

One such guest star is Zach Braff, who appears in two episodes of the show as Phillip Litt, the sleazy creator of the “Girls with Low Self-Esteem” videos. The character runs afoul of both Gob and Lindsay Bluth – but is later outed by Tobias as a fellow ‘Never Nude’.