Doogie Howser 1.3

A Stitch Called Wanda

How would you like to have a doctor who is only 16 years old? Imagine having that same doctor being your boyfriend! Wanda Plenn becomes the sixteen year-old Doctor Doogie Howser's steady girlfriend in this episode. They are out with Vinnie and his current girlfriend celebrating their official couple status, Wanda starts having pains that signal her appendix must be removed.

Wanda is immediately taken to the hospital where Doogie realizes that he has to be the doctor who assists Wanda's surgery. She panics, but has to relent because her life is at stake. When she finally comes to after the surgery is complete, she finds out Doogie saw more of her than she would have liked. Subsequently, she breaks up with Doogie because of the embarrassment she faces just by seeing Doogie.

Doogie had put a lot at stake. Not only was he given a hard time by Wanda's parents, he had to face the head physician at the hospital. However, it's Wanda's reaction that has the most affect on him. She feels violated. She is scared that Doogie knows too much about her. She also has to realize (with help) that she was confusing embarrassment with anger.

Being violated for whatever reason carries a whole process of pain to deal with. At this point, Doogie has to see where Wanda was coming from, imagining the personal view of his patient, who happens to be his girlfriend. He was there just to save her life, not to go beyond his boundaries as a boyfriend. He cared on two levels--as a boyfriend and a doctor.

This was a very interesting episode because we have to see how Doogie functions on a professional and personal level, and his professional integrity in question. He passes the test, but Wanda almost fails. She just couldn't handle it. It's interesting that this is quite similar to how we react when we let someone in, and they end up getting a little too close. It's an accident, but it could be that we witness something in their life they don't want us to see or we are in a situation at work where we find out that they are not perfect. In any situation, it's how we handle it and how they see us deal with it that will determine if the friendship will survive. Can we be like Doogie?

If you want to watch this episode (because you missed it on The Hub), you can watch it here: http://www.hulu.com/watch/84/doogie-howser-md-a-stitch-called-wanda