Doogie Howser, M.D.: Season 04  (1992)

Theatrical Release Information:
Doogie Howser, M.D.: Season 04

At the age of 20, child prodigy Doogie Howser (Neil Patrick Harris) remains America's youngest practicing physician--not to mention one of the shyest and most self-effacing members of his profession--as Doogie Howser MD begins its fourth and final season. Besides Harris, most of the familiar regulars are still in attendance, including James B. Sikking and Belinda Montgomery as Doogie's parents, Max Casella as Doogie's roommate Vinnie, Lawrence Pressman as his boss Dr. Benjamin Canfield, Markus Redmond as orderly Raymond Alexander, and Kathryn Layng as Nurse Spaulding. Gone from the series are Doogie and Vinnie's former girlfriends Wanda and Janine; now Vinnie is playing the field, hoping to impress potential "conquests" with his talents as a burgeoning filmmaker, while Doogie is more or less going steady with Nurse Michele Faber (Robyn Lively). The season begins with a typical balanced blend of comedy and drama, as fledgling trauma surgeon Doogie tries to cope with the aftermath of the 1992 Los Angeles riots. In later episodes, Doogie buys a gun after his family is robbed, only to be plagued by memories of the shooting victims he has treated; Doogie agrees to participate in a medical-school project in which he must endure the indignities of being a "typical" patient; Vinnie is inspired to make an all-pantomime film after meeting a hearing-impaired girl; a hospital visit from a friend of the Howser family raises the ugly spectre of child abuse; a confusing encounter with Michele leads Doogie and Vinnie to emulate Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson; and the Letter of the Law becomes an issue when Doogie discovers that one of his colleagues is a phony doctor--but a brilliant phony doctor! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide