An upcoming reboot of Doogie Howser, M.D. will center on a mixed-race female lead living in Hawaii, reports Deadline.
The original 1989 medical comedy-drama starred Neil Patrick Harris in the titular role of Doogie Howser, a teenage medical prodigy.
The reboot re-imagines the character Doogie Howser as Lahela “Doogie” Kameāloha, a 16-year-old mixed-race girl working as a doctor in Hawaii. The series follows Lahela as she balances her medical career with her life as a teenager, with guidance from her Irish mother and Hawaiian father.
The series has been renamed with the working title Doogie Kameāloha, M.D.
It will be written and produced by Kourtney Kang, who has drawn from her own experiences growing up in a mixed-race family in Hawaii. Kang previously worked as a co-executive producer on Fresh Off the Boat.
Kang will work alongside executive producers Jake Kasdan and Melvin Mar. Dayna and Jesse Bochco will also serve as producers on the reboot. Dayna and Jesse Bochco are the wife and son of the late Steven Bochco, who was a showrunner on the original 1989 series.
According to Variety, Doogie Kameāloha, M.D. has been picked up by Disney Plus for ten half-hour episodes.
“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 at Disney Plus. “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!”
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