National Lampoon’s Vacation goes small screen on HBO Max with The Griswolds

Pack your bags, grab your passports, and be sure to empty your shitter before hitting the road, because the Griswold family is planning a trip to HBO Max!

WarnerMedia has announced that THE GRISWOLDS, a half-hour single camera comedy based on National Lampoon’s Vacation films, has been put into development with BIG BANG THEORY's Johnny Galecki producing. THE MIDDLE's Tim Hobert will pen the series, which is set to focus on the daily lives of the Griswold family as they navigate their daily lives while living in the suburbs of Chicago.

So far, there are five films in National Lampoon's Vacation series, which are based on John Hughes’ short story Vacation ’58 that was originally published by National Lampoon magazine. The films revolve around the Griswold family, who upon doing their best to enjoy a nice family vacation, find themselves invaded by in-laws, at the mercy of foreign social conventions, and traffic-choked roundabouts that trap them in a neverending loop of frustration and near-empty gas tanks. In other words, things rarely come up Milhouse for the Griswolds, no matter where they go or how hard they try to make the best of plans gone awry. Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo starred in all five films as the parents, Clark and Ellen Griswold, while the Griswold children were portrayed by a series of young actors. Funnily enough, Galecki starred as Rusty Griswold in perhaps the most beloved film in the series, NATIONAL LAMPOON'S CHRISTMAS VACATION.

In addition to writing the series, Hobert will executive produce with Alcide Bava’s Galecki and Holly Brown, with Cory Wood producing. Alcide Bava produces in association with Warner Bros. TV.

Big Ben, Parliment!

Of the five Vacation films, I think NATIONAL LAMPOON'S CHRISTMAS VACATION and NATIONAL LAMPOON'S EUROPEAN VACATION might be my favorite. Wait a minute. Was the original NATIONAL LAMPOON'S VACATION the one where the Griswold's attempt trekking out to "America's Favorite Family Fun Park," Walley World, only to find out that it's no longer operational by the end of the film? Oh man, that one was great, too. Boy, they just don't make comedies like they used to. Here's hoping that Galecki and company can find a unique and entertaining way to bring National Lampoon's Vacation premise back into the fold for a whole new generation.