When will the “Seinfeld” players be allowed to move on with their acting careers?

Probably when the reruns leave syndication and move on to Nick at Nite, sometime in the next decade.

Of course, the actors could do themselves a favor by playing characters radically different from their “Seinfeld” personas. Michael Richards couldn’t let go of his Kramer shtick, and his self-titled NBC show went down quickly in flames last season.

Jason Alexander is too good an actor to be inducted into the One-Show Wonders Hall of Fame, along with Max Baer Jr., Larry Linville and Shelley Long. He hasn’t done himself any favors in “Bob Patterson,” debuting at 9 tonight on ABC.

Bob Patterson is America’s No. 3 motivational speaker (as if anyone could name the first two). But in his personal life, Bob is insecure and has trouble communicating, especially with women. In essence, Bob is George Costanza in a better suit.

It’s natural that an actor should fall back on what has worked for him before. But if viewers want to watch George, they’ll turn to the reruns. For one thing, they’re a whole lot funnier.

Alexander has a good cast around him, led by veteran comedian Robert Klein as his rah-rah partner Landau. But at its core, any sitcom must have healthy dollops of humor, which “Bob Patterson” lacks.

A pleasant surprise tonight is the hospital-based sitcom “Scrubs,” by Bill Lawrence, the co-creator of “Spin City.” It debuts at 9:30 on NBC.

“Scrubs” focuses on first-year medical intern John “J.D.” Dorian (Zach Braff, looking like a young version of “Ed” ‘s Tom Cavanaugh), and his experiences as he starts down the difficult road to becoming a doctor.

His confidants in this new struggle are his longtime friend, medical intern Turk (Donald Faison, “Remember the Titans”) and the attractive Elliott Reid (Sarah Chalke, “Roseanne”), the new lust of his life. He’s also having to learn whom he can trust among the staff, which includes jaded nurse Carla (Judy Reyes, “Oz”), abrasive Dr. Perry Cox (John C. McGinley) and fatherly chief of medicine Dr. Bob Kelso (Ken Jenkins).

Viewers not only hear what J.D. is saying, but see and hear what he is thinking as well, as he slips in and out of fantasy. It’s a chaotic place, J.D.’s mind, but nonetheless a humorous place to visit.

Tuesday is a comedy-laden night, and “Scrubs” unfortunately may get lost there. It deserves the opportunity to grow, but it’s not really compatible with its lead-in, “Frasier.” NBC needs to move it, stat, or lose it.