Brief Factual Information
Title: Doc McStuffins
Production Company: Disney, Disney Junior
Showing/Air Dates: 2012-today
Title: Doc McStuffins
Production Company: Disney, Disney Junior
Showing/Air Dates: 2012-today
Prompts Targeted Age Group: The show received a “G” rating meaning it is appropriate for all audiences, but is targeted for preschoolers. Type of show: -Animated: The characters are all cartoons, there are no live action characters. -Family: With a G rating this show is appropriate for all members of your family. It also promotes family relationships as Doc plays with her brother and goes to get help from her mom and dad. -Whimsy: This show isn't fantasy but is whimsical and magical because Doc can use her toy stethoscope to bring her toys to life. Style of Show: This show is all animated where a little girl brings her toys to life. The animation is more cartoon like than realistic. Title Sequence: -Introduction to characters: You first meet Doc dressed up in her white lab coat. She is putting on her stethoscope and it lights up and sparkles. You then follow the glitter are it goes on to "awaken" the toys. From that you understand the Doc needs her stethoscope to bring life to her toys. You then follow Doc and her toys into the play house. They all go to work on a patient. The main toys are the dragon, lamb, hippo, and snowman. -Lyrics: "The Doc is in and She'll fix you up. If you're a toy then you're in luck. It's okay don't be afraid the Doc really knows her stuff" (rhythm between up and luck, don't be afraid of the doctor its going to be okay) "Doo-doo-doo you know whats good for you....Oh-oh-oh its the place to go" (oh and doo repeat and promote singing along) -Images: After you are introduced to the main characters and they go into the playhouse turned doctors office to go to work on their patients. This familiarizes children with the doctors office. They are helping children overcome the common fear of doctors by showing Doc taking the blood pressure of a toy and helping another toy with "chicken pox". -Soundtrack: -Genre/Style: Each episode always has the opening theme song and the "Time For Your Check Up Song". While they would be categorized as "children's music" the songs have a very upbeat pop feel. Each song also has repeated verses to promote children engaging and singing-a-long. Other music: In each episode when Doc awakens her animal friends using her stethoscope there is sound effects that sound like magic. It is a twinkling noise that makes sure you know something special is happening. Also there is the sound effects of doctor's office noises, for example when you get your reflexes checked and the doctor taps the tool against your leg. Another sound effect/other music you will find in almost every episode is fast paced music when an adult is coming in the room. It adds suspense because it makes sure the audience knows the toys are going to have to race to freeze because Doc's parents can't know they come alive. Plot Sequence: -Episode: Doctoring the Doc -Beginning: The episode begins with Doc McStuffins (Stuffins because she takes care of toys but mostly stuffed animals) coming into "work" feeling a bit under the weather, she is coughing and sneezing. The toys are all excited to see her, especially Chilly the snowman because he needs a checkup. Chilly (snowmen live in the cold, cold is chilly) Doc tries to diagnose Chilly but she keeps asking the other toys to get her the wrong tools. Finally she is able to diagnose Chilly with "stuffed-belly-itis" ("itis" makes it sound like a illness of disease). But Doc is still not feeling good. -Middle: The toys decide to give Doc a check up because they are worried about her. They say that "you've always taken care of us". Then they sing the "Time For Your Check Up" song. This song goes through the basics of what happens when you go to the doctors office to get a check up (helps relieve some fear of uncertainty of doctor visits). The toys are able to diagnose Doc with "sniffle-itis", but they tell her she will need to go see a real doctor (lets children know if they feel sick they do need to seek help). The toys tell Doc they will go with her to see her mom (who is also a doctor) because she is always there when they need her ("that's what friends are for). So, Doc goes and tells her mom she is sick (toys by her side) and her mom gives her a check up. She says the Doc has the flu and needs to rest (stresses the importance of rest when you are sick for young children who won't want to have to rest). -Ending: Doc goes to bed to rest and brings her stuffed animals and toys with her. In the safety of her room they can talk again and tell Doc they are going to help her get better by cuddling with her as she sleeps. They sing a lullaby called "Take Care". The song stresses the importance of friendship and both sides of the friendship being there for each other, which will help children form good friendships (especially since the target age group is in preschool making their first friends). The next morning Doc wakes up feeling better and healthy (importance of rest and taking care of yourself when you are sick) and her and the toys go off to play. | -Moral of the story: First, if you don't feel well tell your parents and go to the doctor's office. The doctor may seem scary but they are there to help you get better. And second, friends will always be there for you if you are there for them, so help each other out! Characters and Descriptions: - Doc McStuffins: Main character, a preschool aged African American girl who plays doctor. She is able to communicate and bring her toys to life with a special stethoscope. She starts a doctors office in her backyard playhouse and uses the toys as patients. - Dr. McStuffins/Mom: Doc's mom who is also a doctor. She gives Doc a check up and helps take care of her. Doc is most likely playing doctor to be like her mom. -Chilly: snowman toy that always fears there is something wrong with him when really he is supposed to be stuffed. - Lambie: stuffed animal lamb that appears to be one of Doc's favorites, possibly one of her first stuffed animals. Helps Doc do check ups on other toys. - Hallie: stuffed animal hippo that acts as Doc's assistant or "nurse" when Doc is in the playhouse office. - Stuffy: blue dragon toy that also helps Doc out at the office, maybe one of her brother's toys? Repetition of any elements: At the beginning of the episode Chilly thinks he has something wrong with his stomach. Doc diagnoses him with "stuffed-belly-itis" but tells him that is how it is supposed to be. After Doc gets better and returns to the playhouse Chilly once again asks for a check up because he thinks the same thing is still wrong. The episode comes full circle and even though Doc was sick everything goes back to normal. Transitions: Most of the episode is spent in Doc's playhouse and follows a normal progression of time so there are no transitions. But when Doc goes to sleep in her bed the screen goes dark and then shows her room again to signify a new day. Use of Color: The use of color in this show is very feminine with lots of pinks and purples. To start Doc is wear pink and purple clothes underneath her lab coat. Then all of her doctor tools are pink and sparkly. Even the playhouse is bright pink. While most of her toys are pink (Hallie and Lambie) she does have Stuffy the dragon who is royal blue. Critique: -Stereotypes of Race: While the show doesn't use any typical stereotypes of race they did take a chance by not making the main character white like in most of the Disney Junior shows. Doc and her family are African American, but since the main characters are all toys you don't really see much of race being portrayed. -Stereotypes of Gender: This show breaks the stereotype that little girls should be playing house because Doc only plays doctor. Even further it challenges the ideas of women in the work place because Doc dreams of becoming a real doctor like her mom. With her mom being a doctor at a hospital the dad stays at home, which is usually reversed. But the show falls back to the standard ideas of gender with it's abundant use of pink, a stereotypically "girl color". -Stereotypes of Class: In the show there is limited interaction with the "real" world because Doc spends so much time with her toys. Because of that you don't really get a feel for what class her family falls into or how they relate to others around them and their classes. You can assume that because the mom is a doctor they have some money but it is never a focus. -Techniques you could borrow for your own classroom or in general when working with children: This show focuses on bringing medical concepts into something comforting to children. Children love their toys and seeing them go through doctors visits may help them overcome their own fears. So as a teacher you should find comforting things to your students and use that to help them overcome any fears. For example a student may be afraid of talking to others but they love to read. So you make reading groups and have the group read that students favorite book. They will know a lot about it and will find comfort in it so they will feel better about talking with their fellow students. Overall when working with kids you must be considerate of the children's fears, feelings, and what is happening in their life. Being observant will get you a long way. Other Evaluations: This show seemed to have many similarities with another Disney favorite, Toy Story. In Toy Story Andy's toys come to life when he isn't there. The toys go on adventures that test their friendship. Although Toy Story is popular with all ages it seems like it is meant more for elementary aged kids while Doc McStuffins is for preschoolers, targeting a younger age group. Also Toy Story is popular with both genders but the main characters are all male and male popular toys, where as with Doc she is female and her toys and show in general is more female oriented. I think it is possible that Doc McStuffins is a Toy Story for younger girls. |
Doc McStuffins Theme Song
"Time For Your Check Up"
"Let Us Take Care Of You"
Disney Junior Website (full episodes, clips, games, and parental information)
http://disneyjunior.com/watch/doctoring-the-doc-hot-pursuit-4c11c278d2214bc1a19f1527
http://disneyjunior.com/watch/doctoring-the-doc-hot-pursuit-4c11c278d2214bc1a19f1527