Sarah Chalke, Bill Lawrence Reunite For 'Cougar Town' Arc

I've got this really peanut butter-and-chocolate thing about producer Bill Lawrence and Sarah Chalke: not combination of the two can ever result in anything bad.

For the first time since Chalke's last appearance as bubbly Dr. Elliot Reid on the ill-fated last season of "Scrubs" on ABC - which Lawrence has publicly all but declared he'd like to pretend never happened - and for the third time overall, she'll pair with the comedic producer and teach the world to love again.

TVLine reports that Chalke is in for a big multi-episode arc during the upcoming third season of ABC's "Cougar Town."

Chalke will be playing Annie, who TVLine describes as "a natural beauty with a cool vibe" who becomes an object of Bobby's (Brian Van Holt) affection. The two become acquainted through Bobby's son, who's a college photography student of Annie's.

It's among Lawrence's most enjoyable creative characteristics that he often comes back to working with the same proven talent. It's a curiously amusing little thrill seeing old favorite from his other projects pop up unexpectedly for enjoyable guest gigs and probably just the slightest little hint of fan-service. Chalke is the sixth "Scrubs" alum that's pleasingly popped up so far in the Courtney Cox-led "Cougar Town" suburbs.

Ken Jenkins - the cantankerous Sacred Heart Hospital Chief of Medicine Dr. Bob Kelso on - has popped up as Jules' (Cox) father. Lawrence went a step further for Sam Lloyd, letting him reprise his quirky role as anxiety-addled Sacred Heart Hospital attorney Ted Buckland. Bit-player Robert Clendenin has a recurring role as neighbor Tom.

Scott Foley, who played Dr. Reid's one-time boyfriend Sean Kelly, spent a few season-one episodes playing Jules' boyfriend. And of course, what's a Bill Lawrence project without Dr. John Dorian himself, Zach Braff? He popped up in a cameo - in voice only, as the "App App" voice on Lauri's smartphone - last spring.

Of course, this is a door that swings both ways. Cox once had a several-episode "Scrubs" arc as an interim Sacred Heart Chief of Medicine after Kelso's retirement. Of course, fellow "Cougar Town" regular Chista Miller is married to The Boss himself and played Dr. Cox's smart-ass ex-wife Jordan Sullivan.

"Scrubs" aside, Chalke has also "appeared' in a Lawrence project that wasn't as memorable as "Scrubs," but every once as funny. She provided several character voices for Lawrence's gone-too-soon MTV animated comedy "Clone High," including playing Marie Antoinette and X-Treme Erin.

Along, of course, with fellow eventual "Scrubs" castmates Donald Faison, Neil Flynn, Braff and Miller.

Now, quick! Somebody make a Kevin Bacon connection!

(Note: Bacon and Chalke have both been celebrity pitch-folk for Hanes, with Chalke's ads being directed by Braff. Count it!)