Disney+ Offers Island Take on Classic Series with ‘Doogie Kamealoha, M.D.’
Set in modern-day Hawai‘i, “Doogie Kamealoha, M.D.” – a coming-of-age dramedy inspired by the hit medical series “Doogie Howser, M.D.” – premiered Sept. 8 on Disney+.
The series follows Lahela “Doogie” Kamealoha (Peyton Elizabeth Lee), a 16-year-old prodigy juggling a budding medical career and life as a teenager. With the support of her caring and comical ‘ohana (family) and friends, Lahela is determined to make the most of her teenage years and forge her own path.
Lee played the title role in Disney Channel’s “Andi Mack” (2017-2019). Her other TV credits include “Shameless” and “Scandal.” Her father is actor Andrew Tinpo Lee, whom she describes as “one of the major reasons why I have become an actor.”
Guiding Lahela (and also complicating things) is her career-driven mother, Dr. Clara Hannon (Kathleen Rose Perkins), who’s also her supervisor at the hospital; her doting father, Benny (Jason Scott Lee), who helps keep her connected to what matters most; her free-spirited older brother Kai (Matthew Sato); her gregarious younger brother Brian Patrick (Wes Tian); her best friend Steph Denisco (Emma Meisel); her surfer crush Walter Taumata (Alex Aiono); and her hospital colleagues, Dr. Lee (Ronny Chieng), Charles Zeller (Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman) and Noelani Nakayama (Mapuana Makia).
The series was created by Kourtney Kang, who is also an executive producer. Other executive producers include Dayna Bochco and Jesse Bochco, wife and son of the late Steven Bochco, creator of the original series.
The title sequence features a new rendition of the original sitcom’s theme song, which has been reimagined and performed by composer Wendy Wang and world-renowned ukulele player Jake Shimabukuro.
