Several high-profile reboots and revivals are headed to the small screen, including Saved By The Bell and Punky Brewster, and that group also includes the reboot of Doogie Howser M.D., where fans were first introduced to Neil Patrick Harris. The reboot is being developed for Disney+, and now the show, which is titled Doogie Kamealoha, M.D., has cast Andi Mack star Peyton Elizabeth Lee in the title role (via Variety). Lee will play Lahela “Doogie” Kamealoha, a mixed-race 16-year-old girl who works as a doctor in Hawaii. Like the original series, she’ll attempt to balance her soaring medical career with the rollercoaster ride that is teenage life.
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Lahela’s family will also play a big part in the show, both as a guiding force and as an element of chaos (which pretty much describes every family), and will include her mother, who is described as a “spit-fire Irish mother” who also happens to be her supervisor at the hospital she works at.
There is also her Hawaiian “Local Boy” father, who is attempting to come to terms with the fact that his daughter is growing up, but is not adjusting very well.
The half-hour comedy series has been picked up for 10 episodes and will be written and executive produced by Kourtney Kang. Jake Kasdan, Melvin Mar, and Dayna and Jesse Bochco will also executive produce, and Jake Kasdan will direct the series’ first episode. The show will be produced by 20th Television.
There’s no mention of Harris having any kind of major or cameo role in the new reboot, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see him appear at some point down the line, though we’ll have to wait and see.
Disney is happy to keep the Andi Mack star as part of the Disney family, as Mack was one of their more popular shows over the course of its three seasons. She also recently appeared in the Disney+ film Secret Society of Second-Born Royals, and if Doogie Kamealoha, M.D. takes off, she could be a fixture on the streaming service for quite some time.
Are you excited for the new series? Let us know in the comments and as always feel free to talk all things Disney with me on Twitter @MattAguilarCB!
