Doc McStuffins

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Dottie "Doc" McStuffins and her stuffed animal friends

Doc McStuffins is an American animated children TV series created by Chris Nee. Aired on Disney Channel, Disney Junior, and Tiny Pop from March 2012 to April 2020 for five consecutive seasons. A following TV special entitled " The Doc Is In " will premiere on December 4, 2020[1]. Doc McStuffins is considered a Disney legacy project after five seasons, two spinoffs, and a couple collaborations with Michelle Obama[2]. As stated in the independent.co.uk, Time magazine recently named the show as one of the most influential toys of all time, ahead of Star Wars figurines, due to its boasting $500m revenue in sales in 2013 making it the first black figure to become popular among kids of all races[3].

Plot

The series revolves around a seven-year-old Dottie "Doc" McStuffins who wants to become a doctor like her mother. She then pretends to be a doctor by fixing up toys and dolls, and when she puts on her stethoscope, all the toys, dolls, and stuffed animals magically come to life. With a little help from her stuffed animal friends Stuffy the Dragon (a.k.a. Stuffy Philbert McStuffins), Hallie the Hippo, Lambie the Lamb, and Chilly the Snowman[4] she helps toys "feel better" by giving them check-ups and diagnosing their fictional illnesses with "The Big Book of Boo Boos" and "The Big Vet Book" for the toy pets.

Black Empowerment

msnbc.com stated that in the 11 months since the show launched, it has become cable TV's top rated preschool series and sparked a social movement. The show fills a void in popular culture and highlighted the American health care. Where African-Americans make up 13% of the population, yet barely 4% of the nation's doctors are black, and only 1,9% are black women. The show became the seed of the founding of Artemis Medical Society, a new organization devoted to drawing black women into medicine and supporting those who dare to crash the gates[5]. In Black Fatigue: How Racism Erodes the Mind, Body, and Spirit written by Mary-Frances Winters; the Doc McStuffins series embody the 'Black Girl Magic' movement. A term coined by CaShawn Thompson in 2013, used to illustrate the universal awesomeness of Black Woman. The movement is designed to counteract all the negative stereotypes about Black women and to create a space where Black girls and women can affirm their power and unique beauty[6].

References

  1. "Doc McStuffins". Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  2. 'Doc McStuffins' Changed Disney, Now Her Creator Is Coming for All of Kids TV. July 13, 2020. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  3. "The female, African-American cartoon character is a big hit on TV and in the shops". November 30,2014. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  4. "Doc McStuffin". Retrieved December 15,2020.
  5. "The doctor is in! 'Doc McStuffins' reveals changing face of medicine. February 8, 2013. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  6. Winters, Mary-Frances. 2020. "Black Fatique: How Racism Erodes the Mind, Body, and Spirit.". Berret-Koehler Publisher.