The Comeback from … Already Existing Success?

I think like most people my age, and especially those as nerdy as me – Doogie Howser, M.D. was pure, pure awesome. Brilliant, cute, funny guy is a successful doctor but still has to balance his genius life against being a kid. And he has a best friend who climbs in through the window. He is also a prototype for the first blogger, typing away on his awesome computer. I think its obvious that I was in total love.

Time went on, and I developed crushes on other important TV characters (Brandon Walsh will always have a place in my heart) and the memory of Doogie faded. (Also, I couldn’t maintain a serious crush on a guy named Doogie. In my head, I called him Doug.)

And, like most good nerds – I eventually fell in love with Buffy and Angel and the whole “Whedonverse” (verdict still out on Dollhouse) and was ecstatic to check out his internet-release Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog.  One of it’s stars was the awesome Neil Patrick Harris (Doogie). I was so psyched – happy he found work and was still so awesome. Other people were as well – the press was excited about it and mentioned how he was in those “Harold and Kumar” movies – but I hadn’t seen them, and even his appearance in them felt like a “Doogie cameo” (to me, who still hasn’t seem them). But everyone was talking about a comeback and how “Doogie has grown up.” I was happy – yay for Doogie!

And then recently, I started watching “How I Met Your Mother” – which is pure awesome. It has Alyson Hannigan, and it’s just really well-written. It gets good reviews, it’s been on since 2005 and is just pure funny. It also has Neil Patrick Harris – whose character, Barney Stinson is quickly approaching one of my favorite characters of all time – against my will, since womanzing wingmen with witty catchphrases aren’t usually my type.

So, how is it, that this actor who has been on a successful, network TV show for about 4 years is experiencing a “comeback” now? Isn’t he already back?

Tagged as: neil patrick harris