Adam F. Goldberg '80s Comedy Moves From Fox To ABC With Production Commitment

Adam F. Goldberg‘s 1980s family comedy has found a new home. ABC has given the project, from Sony TV and Happy Madison, a production commitment. Titled How The F— Am I Normal, the project is described as a dysfunctional Wonder Years set in simpler times and is an autobiographical show about growing up in the ’80s with a highly screwed up but loving family. Goldberg is writing the script, with Seth Gordon set to direct the pilot. The two are executive producing with Happy Madison’s Doug Robinson. How The F— reunites the auspices behind the Fox comedy Breaking In, which was co-created by Goldberg and Gordon (he directed that pilot too), and produced by Sony TV and Happy Madison.

The pitch for the project galvanized the marketplace when it was originally taken out in August 2011. All major networks, including ABC, went after it. In the end, Fox won it in a complex deal that included the resurrection of the recently-cancelled Breaking In with a midseason order. With Breaking In renewed, Goldberg focused on relaunching the show. The ’80s comedy project, which had received a script commitment with penalty, was put on hold.

With no movement on the new project following Breaking In‘s cancellation this May, Goldberg earlier this summer met with ABC, which was still very high on it and was willing to give it a production commitment if it were available. Goldberg then approached Fox about releasing the script, and the network agreed. A Fox spokesperson said the network brass loved Goldberg’s pitch but felt that, with strong comedy development this year and the network’s other priorities for the season, they couldn’t ensure production during the timeframe Goldberg had hoped for. After weeks of working out legal issues, the project was just reverted back to Sony TV, freeing Goldberg to make a deal at ABC.

WME-repped Goldberg remains in business with Fox, where he recently sold a sisters comedy starring Aly and AJ Michalka. “Fox will no longer be making (the 1980s project), but we’re excited to be working with Adam on the Untitled Aly/AJ Michalka comedy we ordered last month,” a Fox spokesperson said.

How The F— Am I Normal would fit nicely at ABC, which houses several family comedies led by hit Modern Family. Its title is reminiscent of the bleeped out title of another ABC comedy, Don’t Trust The B—- In Apt. 23.