What About Bob? is getting female-led remake as an NBC comedy

January 26th 2017, 9:56am

A few days ago we reported that the 1978 Eastwood-ape movie EVERY WHICH WAY BUT LOOSE was getting the remake treatment, much to your guys’ dismay. Comments about childhoods being ruined went flying, and the world seemed lost in a vacuum of confusion and doubt. Well, here’s some more remake news for you!

Word round the remade campfire is that the 1991 Bill Murray/Richard Dreyfuss comedy, WHAT ABOUT BOB?, is the next film to get the remake treatment, but this time it will head for TV with the lead roles being gender swapped. The single-camera comedy show will be called WHAT ABOUT BARB? starring two female leads, and will air on NBC from creators Joe Port and Joe Wiseman (NEW GIRL, THE OFFICE).

The original movie, which made $64 million domestic, centers around a psychiatrist named Leo (Dreyfuss) who in trying to get rid of his overbearing client, Bob (Bill Murray), but ends up being stuck with him on his family vacation. The show will take on a similar scenario, being about “a psychotherapist who tries to cut ties with her most overbearing patient but is unsuccessful and gains an annoying family member in the process.” No new name for the female lead playing Leo’s role has been announced, nor has anyone been cast. I’m gonna go ahead and guess…Loretta?

For those keeping score this is the second Murray vehicle to get a female-led remake, the most recent being 2016’s GHOSTBUSTERS reboot, which was met with much fan-driven animosity. I have a feeling the show will be met with the same treatment, not because of anything relating to the cast, but because it’s a single-camera comedy on NBC. That’s just what happens with those.

I can’t say I fondly remember BOB, so I can’t relate to what anyone is thinking about the news. My only hope — as it is with any new endeavor — is that they do a great job with the material, and warrant its existence. That’s a hard thing to accomplish with any kind of remake, but I enjoyed GHOSTBUSTERS, so I guess it’s possible. Why is there a “Kick Me” sign on my back?

No release date has been announced for the show, but it wouldn't be far-fetched to expect it later this year or 2018.