Medical professionals have been at the center of most news coverage lately, with good reason. But here’s a doctor story you probably weren’t expecting: Disney+ is working on a reboot of Doogie Howser, M.D. with a teenage girl in the lead role.
The Hollywood Reporter has it that the show will be retitled Doogie Kealoha, M.D. and feature a half-Asian, half-white 16-year-old girl as the title character. Neil Patrick Harris launched his career as the original Doogie, a teenaged genius who manages to graduate from medical school by the time he’s 14. Like his Howser, Kealoha will be the country’s youngest licensed doctor and work in a Hawaiian hospital.
The project is coming from Kourtney Kang, who was a producer and writer on Harris’ other major TV success, How I Met Your Mother. She also produced Fresh Off the Boat. This time around, serve as executive-producer on Doogie Kealoha alongside Dayana and Jesse Bocho, the widow and son of original series creator Steven Bocho. Jake Kasadan and Melvin Mar fill out the EP ranks.
Doogie Kealoha, M.D. is the latest series coming to Disney+ as the streamer struggles to find an identity. Projects like the Love, Simon spin-off Love, Victor and the planned Lizzie McGuire sequel series have both left the platform, with the former heading to Hulu and the latter’s star and producer Hilary Duff requesting the same for her show. The TV version of High Fidelity also went to Hulu after being developed for Disney+, which made sense considering its adult source material.
Meanwhile, for more child-friendly fare, Disney+ has TV series in the works based on The Mighty Ducks; Honey, I Shrunk the Kids; and the live-action Beauty and the Beast film. Gilmore Girls’ Lauren Graham is set to lead the Mighty Ducks show, while Rick Moranis is said to be coming out of retirement for Honey. As for the Beauty and the Beast limited series, it will focus on Gaston and LeFou, with Luke Evans and Josh Gad reprising their respective roles.
Disney Plus Rebooting Doogie Howser, M.D. with Female Lead
Ben Kaye
