Disney+ has given a series order for a reboot of the popular 1989 ABC sitcom Doogie Howser, M.D., according to The Hollywood Reporter. The reboot is set to star a mixed-race Hawaiian teenager and hails from Kourtney Kang (Fresh Off The Boat, How I Met Your Mother).
The original series starred Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother, The Smurfs) as Doogie Howser, the nation’s youngest surgeon as he simultaneously deals with the trials and tribulations of being a regular teenager as well as a renowned doctor. The series also starred Max Casella (Newsies, Ed Wood), Belinda Montgomery (Miami Vice, Man from Atlantis), and James Sikking (Hill Street Blues, Outland).
The spinoff series, Doogie Kameāloha, M.D., will follow Lahela “Doogie” Kameāloha, a 16-year-old girl who maintains her budding medical career along with being a regular teenager. Lahela is raised by her strict Irish mother who supervises her at the hospital and her father who struggles to allow his daughter to grow up so fast. Drawing from her personal accounts, Kang created this story based on her own experiences as a biracial woman who grew up in Hawaii. While the late Steven Bochco (NYPD Blue, Hill Street Blues) and David E. Kelley (Ally McBeal, Big Little Lies) created the original series, Bochco’s now-widowed wife, Dayna, and her son, Jesse, will serve as producers of the spinoff. Meanwhile, Kang, Jake Kasdan (Jumanji, Sex Tape, Bad Teacher), and Melvin Mar (Bad Teacher, Shades of Ray) will executive produce.
Commenting on the spinoff, 20th Television President Carolyn Cassidy (The Knights of Prosperity) stated, “Doogie Howser, M.D. is beloved by everyone at our studio, so we knew that if we were going to reinvent it for a new generation, we had to have both the blessing and participation of the Bochcos and a creator with a fresh, new take that made us lean in. Kourtney’s vision for the character is so inspired, we’ve been dying to collaborate with Melvin and Jake again, and Disney+ is exactly the right home for this idea. We couldn’t be more excited,” via The Hollywood Reporter.
Since its launch in November 2019, Disney+ has released several spinoff series, including High School Musical: The Musical: The Series and the upcoming Beauty and the Beast prequel series. In statement, President of Content and Marketing at Disney+ Ricky Strauss (The Visitor, The Sweetest Thing) said, “Thirty years ago, a young medical prodigy took the world by storm and left a lasting impact on pop culture. Kourtney and 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,” per The Hollywood Reporter.