Doogie Howser = Hospital Drama! - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

bobola · 12-15-2011, 05:42 PM

Like the hit 1980s family drama The Wonder Years, Doogie Howser, M.D. is incorrectly called a Sitcom, per the otherwise great TV resource book The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows by Tim Brooks & Earle Marsh.

Im sorry, Tim & Earle, but you are SO wrong about Doogie being a situation comedy; in truth, it is a Hospital Drama.

Created by Steven Bochco, Doogie Howser was a Hospital Drama focusing on the home and work life of a teenage doctor, Douglas Howser.

Like most teenagers, Douglas still lived with his parents--dad David (James B. Sikking), also a doctor, and mom Katherine (Belinda Montgomery).

While most teens were attending high school, Douglas was in his 2nd year of residency at Eastman Medical Center, where he was employed by Dr. Ben Canfield (Larry Pressman), the Hospital Chief of Services, and worked with colleagues Dr. Jack McGuire (Mitchell Anderson) and Nurse Curly Spaulding (Kathryn Layng).

As Howie Mandels character of Dr. Wayne Fiscus provided comic relief for St. Elsewhere, Douglases best friend, aspiring filmmaker Vincent Delpino (Max Casella), provided comic relief for this show.

The show enjoyed a 4-year successful run on ABC from September 19, 1989 - March 24, 1993.

Since then, reruns have aired on Nickelodeon (Australia only), the Odyssey Channel (US only), and now air on The Hub (US only).

Mr. Television · 12-15-2011, 08:24 PM

I always considered Doogie Howser and the Wonder Years sitcoms. Back in the 80's a group of sitcoms aired which were dubbed the dramedies. They were half hour comedy-dramas. They did not have a laugh track or were filmed in front of a studio audience. It forshadowed a lot of today's sitcoms. But both the wonder years and Doogie Howser were aired as part of comedy blocks and they were considered sitcoms and were mentioned as such in many of the newspaper articles of that time..

Schmoopie · 12-17-2011, 04:01 AM

I actually liked that it didn't have a laugh track or a live audience. To me that made the jokes funnier in a way. Haven't seen Doogie Howser in years so maybe I'll see if I can find some episodes to watch.

An 80s Guy · 12-23-2011, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schmoopie

I actually liked that it didn't have a laugh track or a live audience. To me that made the jokes funnier in a way. Haven't seen Doogie Howser in years so maybe I'll see if I can find some episodes to watch.

It's on Hulu and airs every weeknight on The Hub.

12-15-2011, 05:42 PM	#1
bobola Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Dec 07, 2011 Location: Statesboro, Georgia Posts: 14	Doogie Howser = Hospital Drama! Like the hit 1980s family drama The Wonder Years, Doogie Howser, M.D. is incorrectly called a Sitcom, per the otherwise great TV resource book The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows by Tim Brooks & Earle Marsh. Im sorry, Tim & Earle, but you are SO wrong about Doogie being a situation comedy; in truth, it is a Hospital Drama. Created by Steven Bochco, Doogie Howser was a Hospital Drama focusing on the home and work life of a teenage doctor, Douglas Howser. Like most teenagers, Douglas still lived with his parents--dad David (James B. Sikking), also a doctor, and mom Katherine (Belinda Montgomery). While most teens were attending high school, Douglas was in his 2nd year of residency at Eastman Medical Center, where he was employed by Dr. Ben Canfield (Larry Pressman), the Hospital Chief of Services, and worked with colleagues Dr. Jack McGuire (Mitchell Anderson) and Nurse Curly Spaulding (Kathryn Layng). As Howie Mandels character of Dr. Wayne Fiscus provided comic relief for St. Elsewhere, Douglases best friend, aspiring filmmaker Vincent Delpino (Max Casella), provided comic relief for this show. The show enjoyed a 4-year successful run on ABC from September 19, 1989 - March 24, 1993. Since then, reruns have aired on Nickelodeon (Australia only), the Odyssey Channel (US only), and now air on The Hub (US only).

12-15-2011, 08:24 PM	#2
Mr. Television 22 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,128	I always considered Doogie Howser and the Wonder Years sitcoms. Back in the 80's a group of sitcoms aired which were dubbed the dramedies. They were half hour comedy-dramas. They did not have a laugh track or were filmed in front of a studio audience. It forshadowed a lot of today's sitcoms. But both the wonder years and Doogie Howser were aired as part of comedy blocks and they were considered sitcoms and were mentioned as such in many of the newspaper articles of that time..
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12-17-2011, 04:01 AM	#3
Schmoopie Keep Calm and Love Snoopy Forum Star Join Date: Jul 13, 2008 Location: Lynnwood, Washington Posts: 15,697	I actually liked that it didn't have a laugh track or a live audience. To me that made the jokes funnier in a way. Haven't seen Doogie Howser in years so maybe I'll see if I can find some episodes to watch.
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