'Problem Child' TV Show Coming To NBC

When I think of late Eighties/Early nineties comedies, Problem Child is one of those movies that oddly sticks with me. There was just something about seeing a kid who was my age up there on the big screen, raising absolute havoc. The film' story is about a couple (John Ritter and Amy Yasbeck) who can't conceive and decide to adopt. They're then saddled with Junior, the titular character who loves to terrorize everything and everyone around him. It has elements of gross out and wish-fulfillment comedy, and was kind of good for the time. Released in the summer of 1990, Problem Child made over $50 million and even got a theatrical sequel the following year.

Well, NBC seems to think the idea of the awful kid will work on television and they've hired Old School and Hangover writer Scot Armstrong to develop a Problem Child TV show as a single-camera sitcom.

Deadline broke the news of the Problem Child TV show.

The problem with the movie, and even more the TV show, is the repetitive nature of the premise. After the pilot where we learn about the plight of the adults and how they're duped into adopting this terrible child, it's episode after episode of him doing bad things and then being forgiven or learning a lesson at the end. That doesn't sound particularly appealing, even in a repetitive TV landscape.

And what about the main character? Do you think people will like him and want to tune back in every week? Wouldn't audiences, at some point, get annoyed and scream at their TV "Why have you not learned anything in 8 episodes?" "Ten episodes!" "Four Seasons." Or however long until their patience wears thin. The second he grows, the show loses its hook, but he has to grow to move the show along. It's a bit of a Catch-22 for Armstrong.

We'll see how the show does as there's never a guarantee it'll even see the air. Do you think the idea of a Problem Child TV show?