DOOGIE HOWSER, M.D.: PILOT {SERIES PREMIERE} (TV)
Summary
The first in this comedy series about teenage genius Doogie Howser, M.D., the youngest doctor in the country, who attempts to live his life as a normal adolescent.
In this episode, on his sixteenth birthday, Doogie's driver's test is interrupted when he rushes to save a pedestrian struck by a car, surprising everyone with his medical expertise. He heads to Eastman Medical Center, where he works as a second-year resident surgeon, and argues with Dr. Henry Josephson over their treatment of a young boy, William Johnson, whom Doogie feels cannot survive a heart transplant. At home, Doogie chats with his pal Vinnie Delpino about the upcoming Harvest Dance, at which Doogie hopes to share his first-ever kiss with a girl, Wanda Plenn. During his birthday, Doogie is frustrated when his father David, also a physician, refuses to loan him the car, reminding him that his academic accomplishments do not mean that he is mature enough for all adult privileges.
At work, Doogie is flustered when attractive Nurse Curly Spaulding pulls him aside and informs him that she is interested in "younger men" – but then reveals that she was merely tricking him to facilitate a birthday surprise. Later, Curly and Dr. Jack McGuire apologize for the mean joke, and Doogie enlists Vinnie's help to prank the pair in return. Doogie then visits William, revealing that he was seriously ill as a child with leukemia and vows that William, too, will make a full recovery. At the Harvest Dance, Doogie and Wanda's romantic moment is interrupted by a call from the hospital, and Doogie is crushed to learn that William has died. David comforts him, acknowledging that he has far more worries to contend with than does a "normal kid." Doogie reflects on receiving his first kiss and losing his first patient on the very same day. Includes commercials and promos.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: September 19, 1989 8:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:29:02
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:15303
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; Drama, medical; Doctors; Teenagers
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 1989-1993
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - AT&T telephone services
- TV - Commercials - Domino's Pizza restaurants
- TV - Commercials - General Mills Clusters cereal
- TV - Commercials - L'Oréal Performing Preference hair color
- TV - Commercials - Little Caesars pizza restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Oldsmobile automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Pizza Hut restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Sears stores
- TV - Commercials - TV Guide magazine
- TV - Promos - "Doogie Howser, M.D." upcoming episode
- TV - Promos - "thirtysomething"
CREDITS
- Steven Bochco … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
- Phillip A. Goldfarb … Coordinating Producer
- David E. Kelley … Supervising Producer, Created by, Writer
- Rick Wallace … Producer, Director
- Michael M. Robin … Associate Producer
- Mike Post … Music by
- Kristin Draudt … Choreographer
- Neil Patrick Harris … Cast, Dr. Douglas "Doogie" Howser
- Max Casella … Cast, Vinnie Delpino
- Belinda Montgomery … Cast, Katherine Howser
- Lawrence Pressman … Cast, Dr. Benjamin Canfield
- Mitchell Anderson … Cast, Dr. Jack McGuire
- Kathryn Layng … Cast, Nurse Curly Spaulding
- James B. Sikking … Cast, Dr. David Howser
- Alan Fudge … Cast, Dr. Henry Josephson
- T.J. Evans … Cast, William Johnson
- Lisa Dean Ryan … Cast, Wanda Plenn
- Niles Brewster … Cast, Elgin Bane
- Martin Azarow … Cast, William Finkelstein
- Neil Flynn … Cast, Policeman #1
- Jeremy Roberts … Cast, Policeman #2
- Jeris Lee Poindexter … Cast, Driver