Doogie Howser, M.D. is an American medical sitcom that ran for four seasons on ABC from September 19, 1989, to March 24, 1993, totaling 97 episodes. Created by Steven Bochco and David E. Kelley, the show stars Neil Patrick Harris in the title role as a teenage physician who balances the challenge of practicing medicine with the everyday problems of teenage life.
Plot Dr. Douglas "Doogie" Howser (Harris) is the son of David (James B. Sikking) and Katherine Howser (Belinda Montgomery). As a child, he twice survived early-stage pediatric leukemia after his father—a family physician—discovered suspicious bruising. The experience contributed to the younger Howser's desire to enter medicine.
Possessing a genius intellect and a photographic memory, Doogie participates in a longitudinal study of child prodigies until his 18th birthday. He earned a perfect score on the SAT at the age of six, completed high school in nine weeks, graduated from Princeton University in 1983Courie, Katie. at age 10, and finished medical school four years later. At age 14, Howser was the youngest licensed physician in the country. As a newspaper article (one of several noting some of Doogie's aforementioned accomplishments that are shown in the series' opening title sequence) stated, he "can't buy beer... [but] can prescribe drugs".
The series begins on Doogie's 16th birthday; the cold open of the pilot episode shows him stopping his field test for his driver's license to help an injured person at the scene of a traffic accident. Doogie is a second-year resident surgeonHe began his residency in September 1988, a year before the pilot. at Eastman Medical Center in Los Angeles, and still lives at home1782 Amalfi Drive, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272. with his parents. Doogie's best friend and neighbor, Vinnie Delpino (Max Casella), is a more typical teenager who often climbs through Doogie's bedroom window to visit and connects him to life outside of medicine. Doogie has kept a diary on his computer since 1979; episodes typically end with him making an entry in it, writing observations about the situations or lessons he had experienced or learned in the episode.
Doogie seeks acceptance both from children his age and from his professional colleagues. Many episodes also deal with wider social problems: AIDS awareness, racism, antisemitism, homophobia, sexism, gang violence, access to quality medical care, and losing one's virginity are topics, along with aging, body issues, and friendship.
Doogie initially has a girlfriend, Wanda Plenn (Lisa Dean Ryan), but they break up after she leaves for college; he also begins a trauma surgery fellowship and moves into his own apartment. Bochco intended to end the show with a "season-long story arc for Doogie where he becomes disaffected with the practice of medicine and quits medicine to become a writer".Doogie Howser M.D., Season 1 DVD ABC abruptly canceled the show due to low ratings, preventing Bochco and the show's writers from implementing that storyline, other than Howser's resignation from Eastman and departure for Europe in the final episode.
Production The weekly, half-hour dramedy was created by Steven Bochco. He originated the concept and asked David E. Kelley to help write the pilot, earning Kelley a "created by" credit. Harris was the first actor the show's staff had found that could convincingly play a teenage doctor, but ABC executives opposed his casting. Bochco's contract required that the network pay an "enormous" penalty if it canceled the project, so ABC was forced to let him film the pilot. The network still opposed Harris's casting and disliked the pilot, but after positive reception during test screenings, ABC greenlit the show.
Cast
Main cast Neil Patrick Harris as Dr. Douglas "Doogie" Howser, the show's protagonist. Max Casella as Vincent "Vinnie" Salvatore Delpino, Doogie's best friend since they were five years old. A typical girl-crazy teenager, Vinnie resists his father's demands to join the family business and instead attends film school to pursue a career as a film director. Belinda Montgomery as Katherine Howser, Doogie Howser's mother. Originally a housewife, she later returns to work as a patient advocate at her son's hospital. Lawrence Pressman as Dr. Benjamin Canfield, head of Eastman Medical. Canfield is an old friend and classmate of David Howser, and persuades him to join the hospital to run its family practice. Mitchell Anderson (seasons 1–2) as Dr. Jack McGuire, a resident at Eastman and Doogie's friendly rival. A visit to rural Mexico inspires him to leave the hospital to serve the poor overseas. Kathryn Layng as Mary Margaret "Curly" Spaulding, a nurse at Eastman. Spaulding occasionally dates McGuire and, briefly, both Canfield and Howser. James B. Sikking as Dr. David Howser, Doogie Howser's father. He's a Vietnam War MASH veteran with a family practice. Lisa Dean Ryan (seasons 1–2, recurring in season 3) as Wanda Plenn, Vinnie's high-school classmate and Doogie's girlfriend. After her mother dies in an automobile accident, Wanda's relationship with Doogie suffers. After she leaves for the School of the Art Institute of Chicago they end their relationship. Lucy Boryer (seasons 1–3, two episodes in season 4) as Janine Stewart, Vinnie's girlfriend and Wanda's best friend. She drops out of college and becomes a buyer for a department store. Markus Redmond (seasons 2–4, guest star in season 1) as Raymond Alexander, an orderly (and later an EMT) at Eastman. While he was a gang member, Alexander meets Doogie after taking him hostage during a convenience-store robbery; after finishing his sentence, Doogie helps him get a job at the hospital as an orderly.
Recurring cast Rif Hutton as Dr. Ron Welch, a fellow doctor who is also friends with Howser. Robyn Lively as Michele Faber (seasons 2 and 4), a nursing student. She becomes Howser's girlfriend shortly before he decides to leave Eastman and go to Europe. Barry Livingston as Dr. Bob Rickett (seasons 2–4), a fellow doctor working at Eastman.
Episodes
Syndication In the United States, reruns of Doogie Howser, M.D. ran in syndication between September 1994 and September 1996. Repeats of the show aired on cable on the Odyssey Network (now Hallmark Channel) from 1999 to 2001. The Hub began airing reruns of the show on October 11, 2010 lasting until May 26, 2013. Antenna TV aired reruns from January 5, 2015 to January 1, 2018.Antenna program Starting January 5, 2015 antennatv.tv
Home media Anchor Bay Entertainment released all four seasons of Doogie Howser, M.D. on DVD in Region 1 (United States and Canada) between 2005 and 2006. A Complete Collection release was announced on August 28, 2008, but was eventually canceled. All 4 seasons had been available to stream on Hulu, but expired on that service on June 27, 2023. The series was made available internationally on Star on Disney+ beginning March 15, 2023.
Reception
Critical reception According to Metacritic, Marvin Kitman of Newsday gave season 1 of Doogie Howser, M.D. a 40/100 score and commented: "What a wasted childhood my kids have had, I got to thinking while watching this otherwise normal Doogie Howser. It makes you look at your kids differently. What lazy bums they must be, still in high school at 16." Scott Weinberg of DVD Talk recommended season two: "It's not high art, but it's a heckuva lot better than what generally passes for your average weeknight sitcom." Christopher Smith of the Bangor Daily News gave season three a "C" grade and commented: "No classic, this series. [...T]he show has become gratingly cute, particularly in the episodes “Doogiesomething,” “Double Doogie with Cheese,” and “Lonesome Doog.” Doog, I'm Dooged out."
Awards and nominations Year Award Result Category Recipient1990 People's Choice Award Won Favorite New TV Comedy Series Viewers for Quality Television Award Nominated Best Actor in a Quality Comedy Series Neil Patrick Harris Best Supporting Actor in a Quality Comedy Series Max CasellaYoung Artist Award Won Best Young Actor Starring in a Television Series Neil Patrick HarrisNominated Best New Television Series Best Young Actor Guest Starring in a Television Series Michael Bacall1991 Primetime Emmy Award Won Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy Series or a Special Joe Kenworthy Bill Thiederman Dean Okrand Mike Getlin Humanitas Prize Nominated 30 Minute Network or Syndicated Television Nat BernsteinMitchel KatlinYoung Artist Awards Won Best Young Actor Guest Starring in a Television Series Christopher Pettiet Best Young Actor Starring in a Television Series Neil Patrick Harris1992 Primetime Emmy Award Won Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy Series or a Special Joe Kenworthy Bill Thiederman Dean Okrand Mike Getlin Nominated Outstanding Cinematography for a Series Michael D. O'Shea Golden Globe Award Nominated Best Performance by an Actor in a TV-Series – Comedy/Musical Neil Patrick HarrisYoung Artist Award Won Best Young Actor Starring in a Television Series Nominated Best Young Actress Co-starring in a Television Series Lisa Dean Ryan 1993 Primetime Emmy Award Won Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy Series or a Special Joe Kenworthy Mike Getlin Dean Okrand Bill Thiederman
Cultural influence
Neil Patrick Harris has satirized his years playing a teenage medical doctor several times: In an episode of Roseanne, Roseanne Conner (Roseanne Barr) has a dream after having undergone breast reduction surgery. She goes to the mirror and realizes that her breasts are comically larger than before. Doogie Howser (Harris) comes in and asks an upset Roseanne if they were supposed to be bigger. Barney Stinson (also played by Harris) writes in his computerized diary at the end of the How I Met Your Mother episode "The Bracket," while the Doogie Howser theme music plays. In the later episode "The Stinsons," he also comments, "Call me crazy but child actors were way better in the '80s". In the 2004 comedy Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, Harris – playing a fictionalized version of himself – claims to have "humped every piece of ass ever on that show" (except the hot nurse, over whom he expresses regret). Harris is referred to as "Doogie Howser" while stealing Harold (John Cho)'s car from the convenience store. In Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, Harris remarks, after taking psychotropic mushrooms, "Dude, I was able to perform an appendectomy at 14, I think I can handle a few 'shrooms". In 2008, Harris appeared in commercials for Old Spice deodorant, claiming to be an expert because he "used to be a doctor for pretends". During the opening of the 2009 TV Land Awards, Harris, who hosted the show, travels through "The TV Land Zone" (a spoof of The Twilight Zone), where he finds himself the star of TV classics. At one point, Harris walks into a doctor's office, dressed as Doogie, while the Doogie Howser, M.D. theme plays. After realizing where he is, he storms out, saying, "No no no, not gonna happen! Check my contract!" On the January 10, 2009 episode of Saturday Night Live, an "SNL Digital Short" featured Harris, the episode's guest host, leading a full orchestra version of the Doogie Howser theme. When the song concludes, he turns toward the camera and sheds a tear. On the March 14, 2011 episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, a "real doctor" played by Harris endorses Jimmy Kimmel's Jim-Miracle Diet, as the Doogie Howser theme plays. Harris in 2017 joined other actors from medical television shows in Cigna's "TV Doctors of America" advertising campaign for annual checkups. Neil Patrick Harris played Doogie Howser in The Earth Day Special in 1990. In the special, Doogie, along with two other doctors (played by Dana Delany and James Brolin), are informed by the Back to the Future trilogy scientist Emmett L. Brown (played by Christopher Lloyd) on how to save Mother Nature (played by Bette Midler).A Matter of Time: The Unauthorized Back to the Future Lexicon Page 125