Disney Junior said it ordered a fifth season of Doc McStuffins, the Peabody Award-winning animated series.
The new season of the show, featuring a girl who fixes toys while aspiring to be a physician like her mom, will start in 2017.
"Doc McStuffins is an unmistakable example of our commitment to powerful storytelling that enriches and enlightens kids,” said Nancy Kanter, executive VP and general manager for Disney Junior Worldwide. “I can think of no other children's television show in recent history that has touched as many lives and made the kind of impact around the world that Doc has. Our viewers have forged a deep connection with this series and are very vocal about how strongly they believe in these characters. We are excited to share with them many more stories about Doc and her toys when season five begins airing in 2018."
The series is among the top 10 preschool cable TV series in key demographics. It averages 16 million views on the Disney Junior app, VOD and Hulu. It reaches 150 million viewers worldwide each quarter.
Season 4’s premiere episode drew a 2.8 rating among kids 2-8, at the time making it the top-rated series episode for the network in 2016. Ratings were up 27% from a year ago among kids and up 26% among adults 18-49.
In August, Doc McStuffins had its best month ever on the Disney Junior app, with 6.78 million starts. From June to August 2016, viewing on the app grew 91%.
Created and executive produced by Humanitas Prize and Emmy Award-winning Chris Nee, Doc McStuffins has been honored with a Peabody Award recognizing outstanding storytelling in electronic media and NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Children's Program.
