"Doc McStuffins" / Disney
“Doc McStuffins” / Disney

And update to last week’s kerfuffle over the apparent non-renewal of Disney Junior’s very popular show “Doc McStuffins”; the creator of the show published the below item on Twitter, hoping to help clarify things.

The above came after widespread panic over word on the Internet streets that “Doc McStuffins” would not be renewed for a fifth season.

Though the fourth season of the show begins on July 29, it was feared that the upcoming season would be the last for the series, which follows the adventures of Doc, a 6-year-old black girl who heals stuffed animals and toys in her backyard hospital.



Needless to say, many parents especially looking for positive young black girl images on TV, were upset at the possibility that the show was coming to an end. It apparently begun when comedian W. Kamau Bell tweeted the following to his followers after hearing of the show’s alleged impending demise: “Seriously, if you love #DocMcStuffins as much as my family, tell @DisneyJunior to #RenewDocMcStuffins!”

She followed that up with an article she wrote for the LA Review of Books website in which she asked: “How many other children’s TV shows have a black female lead character? Hint: The answer is ‘not nearly enough.’”

The clarion call to save the show was followed by several other parents and celebrities such as actress Holly Robinson Peete who tweeted: “Because I wish I had a show like this to watch as a little girl…”; and Broadway star Audra McDonald who tweeted: “Doc McStuffins is at the top of a short list of shows I plan 2 show my little one. #RenewDocMcStuffins Representation matters.”

It seemed like all the tweets and shared concerns by parents may have had some impact, since Disney Junior tweeted the following in response:

Whether or not that means the show will be renewed for a fifth season next year isn’t clear. Show creator Chris Nee’s stattement at the top of this post seems to suggest that it won’t be renewed, and this 4th season, which she says will comprise of enough episodes to run through the start of 2018, will indeed be the show’s last. As she notes, Disney Channel isn’t in the habit of running its shows for more than 4 season. So this could be it, although if it’s any consolation, the season will run at least through the end of 2017. But maybe the fact that the show broke ratings records to become the No. 1 preschool series on cable TV when it premiered in 2012, as well as the outpouring of support for its continuance, might make it a special case for Disney, and it’ll run beyond 4 seasons.


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