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‘Doc McStuffins’ Canceled? Amid Reports Beloved Disney Junior Show Could Be Canceled, Parents Rally Online To #RenewDocMcStuffins

By Nathan Francis
Published on: 07:02 PST, Jul 2, 2016

Amid rumors that Doc McStuffins could be canceled, parents and fans of the Disney Junior show are taking to the internet in an effort to pressure the network to keep the show.

The morning children’s show has quickly grown into a ratings and cultural juggernaut since debuting in 2012. Featuring an inquisitive young African-American girl and her mother — a medical doctor — the show has given children a role model that breaks outside normal stereotypes. It has also created the most prominent portrayal of an African-American doctor in a family setting since The Cosby Show.

But now there are rumors that Doc McStuffins could be canceled. Though the network has given no official indication, word spread on Twitter that the show could be in trouble (the site RenewCancelTV, which tracks the status of all shows, officially has Doc McStuffins listed as unknown).

The rumors led many fans to take to the internet, with the term #RenewDocMcStuffins trending on Twitter. Many noted that if the show were canceled, it would be taking one of the few diverse characters off the air.

So far, Disney has given no official indication whether Doc McStuffins might be canceled. It would seem an odd move if the network were to give the show the ax, especially after the success and accolades it has received in just a few years on the air. Beyond the show’s enthusiastic fan base, Disney has built a very lucrative merchandise empire behind the show. The New York Times noted that the show created more than $500 million in merchandise sales in 2013, which industry experts said was an all-time record for an African-American character.

Doc McStuffins also appeared to have the support of Disney, with Disney Junior Worldwide working closely with Chris Nee, the show’s creator, to create a wide fan base. It was Nancy Kanter, the general manager of Disney Junior Worldwide, that suggested the main character be African-American.

“The kids who are of color see her as an African-American girl, and that’s really big for them,” Nee told the New York Times. “And I think a lot of other kids don’t see her color, and that’s wonderful as well.”

But Kanter told the New York Times that the show has an appeal far beyond a single racial demographic.

“If you look at the numbers on the toy sales, it’s pretty obvious that this isn’t just African-American families buying these toys,” she said. “It’s the broadest demographics possible.”

Ratings for Doc McStuffins have been strong as well. Back in 2013, AdWeek noted that the show was the force behind a major jump in revenue for the network.

“It’s a wrap at the Disney kids’ cable group—Disney XD, Disney Channel, and Disney Jr. The networks saw a bump of 25 percent in total dollars over last year, likely because of new network Disney Jr., and because of improbable ratings juggernaut Doc McStuffins. Rarely do TV series premieres clock 1.08 million demo viewers at 9 a.m.—rarer still when the demo is kids ages 2-5.”

The strong ratings have continued through the show’s tenure. Earlier this week, Variety noted that Disney Junior “notched a greater share of volume of advance ad commitments as part of its upfront sales,” thanks in large part to the success of Doc McStuffins.

There are also some important fans in the show’s corner. First, Lady Michelle Obama was once a guest star on the Peabody Award-winning show and has praised it as a great example for children.

So while the #RenewDocMcStuffins effort may be getting plenty of attention, the chances of Doc McStuffins actually being canceled don’t appear to be too high.

[Image via Disney Junior]

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