Doogie Howser, M.D. [TV Series] (1989)

Created by Steven Bochco and David E. Kelley, the weekly, half-hour "dramedy" Doogie Howser, M.D. starred Neil Patrick Harris as Douglas "Doogie" Howser, a child prodigy who after completing high school in nine weeks, graduating from Princeton at age 10 and finishing medical school four years later, became at the tender age of 16 the youngest practicing physician in the country. As the series began, Doogie was in the second year of his residency at Los Angeles' Eastman Medical Center, astonishing one and all with his vast medical knowhow. But back in his own home, Doogie was just another typical, mixed-up teenager, straining to prove his emotional maturity (usually with minimal success) to his family and friends. James B. Sikking costarred as Doogie's dad, Dr. David Howser, with Belinda Montgomery as his mother Katherine. Doogie's best pal (and later roommate) was the squealy-voiced, girl-crazy, and somewhat dimwitted Vinnie Delpino (Max Casella); his boss at Eastman Medical was Chief of Services Dr. Benjamin Canfield (Lawrence Pressman); and his coworkers included fellow resident Dr. Jack McGuire (Mitchell Anderson), Nurse Curly Spaulding (Kathryn Layng), and, beginning in the second season, Markus Redmond as hospital orderly (and former petty thief!) Raymond Alexander. During the first few seasons, Lisa Dean Ryan was seen as Doogie's high school sweetheart Wanda Plenn, while Vinnie's steady was Janine Stewart (Lucy Boryer). As Doogie and Vinnie grew older, they also grew away from their girlfriends, with Doogie carrying a torch for Nurse Michele Faber (Robyn Lively). Each of the series' 97 episodes ended with Doogie recording his most recent experiences in his computer diary. Debuting September 19, 1989, Doogie Howser M.D. ran until July 21, 1993. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi