‘Doogie Howser, M.D.’ reboot is coming to Disney+ in 2021
In 1989, television viewers were introduced to a 16-year-old doctor named Doogie Howser, played by then-unknown Neil Patrick Harris. More than 30 years later, “Doogie” is coming to Disney+ in a 2021 reboot of the hit ’90’s series called “Doogie Kameāloha, M.D.”
The popular ABC series “Doogie Howser, M.D.” ran from 1989 to 1993 and made the term “Doogie” synonymous with kid genius. This time, the teenage doctor is a mixed-race 16-year-old girl named Lahela “Doogie” Kameāloha, who lives in Hawaii.
The 10-episode comedy series will follow Lahela as she juggles her medical career pressures with the challenges of being a teenager. Like the original Doogie, Lahela’s life is guided by—and in true TV comedy style, also complicated by—her family. That includes her Irish mother, who’s also her supervisor at the hospital, and her Hawaiian father, who has a hard time accepting that his daughter is growing up.
“Thirty years ago, a young medical prodigy took the world by storm and left a lasting impact on pop culture,” said Ricky Strauss, president of content and marketing for Disney+. “The team at 20th Television have created a very modern take on this beloved property, which will resonate with our global Disney+ audience. We can’t wait to introduce the world to the new Doogie!”
“Doogie Kameāloha, M.D.” is scheduled to go into production later this year with Hawaii-born Kourtney Kang (“Fresh Off the Boat,” “How I Met Your Mother”) set to write and executive produce the series for 20th Television along with Jake Kasdan and Melvin Mar. Dayna and Jesse Bochco, the widow, and son of “Doogie Howser, M.D.” creator, Steven Bochco, will be producers for the reboot.
“’Doogie Howser, M.D.’ is beloved by everyone at our studio, so we knew if we were going to reinvent it for a new generation, we had to have the blessing and participation of the Bochcos and a creator with a fresh, new take,” said 20th Television president, Carolyn Cassidy. “Kourtney’s vision for the character is so inspired […] and Disney+ is exactly the right home for this idea. We couldn’t be more excited.”
While there is no official word on whether or not Harris will appear in the new series, Kang was one of the writer-producers on his hit series “How I Met Your Mother,” so NPH fans have a reason to be optimistic. After all, he’s been known to show up in surprising places.
All four seasons of “Doogie, Howser, M.D.” are available on Hulu. Click here to watch episodes and view the trailer.
