Character Relationship Map: Problem Child 2

Characters

• Ben Healy (played by John Ritter) — protagonist

  Well-meaning adoptive father trying to raise Junior in a new town.

• Junior Healy (played by Michael J. Oliver) — protagonist

  Mischievous adopted son known for elaborate pranks and chaos.

• LaWanda Dumore (played by Laraine Newman) — supporting

  Wealthy woman who pursues Ben and clashes with Junior.

• Annie Young (played by Amy Yasbeck) — supporting

  School nurse and Ben's romantic interest in the second film.

• Murph (played by Eric Edwards) — minor

  Classmate and rival who reports Junior's schemes.

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• LaWanda Dumore → Ben Healy (Romantic Suitor) — LaWanda aggressively pursues Ben as a prospective husband.

  LaWanda takes an interest in Ben, decorates his house to impress him, and receives his marriage proposal.

• Ben Healy → Annie Young (Romantic Love Interest) — Annie becomes Ben's genuine romantic interest.

  After Ben wakes from the satellite-dish accident, he sees Annie, the school nurse, and becomes smitten with her.

• Ben Healy → Junior Healy (Family Adoptive Father And Son) — Ben is Junior's adoptive father and primary caregiver.

  The plot identifies Junior as Ben's adoptive son, and they move to Mortville together to start over.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Junior Healy → Annie Young (Conflict Romantic Obstacle) — Junior initially treats Annie as a threat to his relationship with Ben.

  Junior tries to draw a mustache on Annie's picture after becoming annoyed by Ben's sudden interest in her.

• Junior Healy → LaWanda Dumore (Conflict Stepfamily Rival) — Junior and LaWanda openly oppose each other over Ben's future marriage.

  Junior ruins LaWanda's dinner with live cockroaches, and LaWanda threatens to send him to boarding school in Baghdad if she becomes his stepmother.

• Ben Healy → Murph (Conflict Collateral Adversary) — Ben becomes an unwilling target of Murph's conflict with Junior.

  Murph's attempt to drop the school satellite dish on Junior misses and hits Ben, knocking him unconscious.

• Junior Healy → Murph (Conflict School Rival) — Their rivalry escalates from bullying and pranks to dangerous retaliation.

  Junior tapes Murph to the chalkboard, after which Murph retaliates by trying to drop the school's satellite dish on him.

Story Analysis

A father and his mischievous adopted son struggle with school chaos and competing romance before Junior exposes the wrong bride.

Plot Progression

1. A New Town, Old Trouble — Ben and Junior leave Cold River for Mortville, hoping to start over. Junior immediately causes trouble by popping a girl's balloon and disrupting his new school.
2. Schoolyard Retaliation — Junior's confrontation with Murph escalates into a dangerous satellite-dish attack that injures Ben. Ben then meets Annie and develops a new romantic interest.
3. The Rival Suitor — LaWanda pursues Ben and tries to impress him by decorating the house. Junior responds with a disgusting dinner prank and learns that LaWanda intends to control him.
4. Love and Misjudgment — Ben learns that Junior was not responsible for every school disruption, while Annie explains why she cannot easily date him. Ben nevertheless proposes to LaWanda.
5. Sabotage Before the Altar — A shared meal gives Ben, Junior, and Annie a temporary sense of family. Junior then attacks LaWanda's health examination and surgery in an effort to prevent the wedding.
6. The Wedding Reversal — At the altar, LaWanda's hatred of children exposes the truth behind Junior's warnings. Ben recognizes Annie as the woman he truly wants, and Junior ends the ceremony with an explosive cake prank.