FOX has taken it upon itself to answer history’s most burning question: What would happen if Jack Black adopted the kids from “Malcolm in the Middle” and moved to Arizona? While that may not be the exact plot of “Sons of Tucson,” it’s pretty damn close. But here’s the thing: It actually works.

“Sons of Tucson”

Sundays at 9:30
FOX

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Tyler Labine (“Reaper”) is our Jack Black wannabe, taking on the role of Ron Snuffkin, a slightly overweight, washed-up loser who lives in his car. He's approached by the Gunderson children, three incredibly rich, orphaned kids who secretly live on their own in a suburban Tucson home. The trio pays Snuffkin to pose as their father so they can enroll in school. As the kids struggle to avoid being found out and sent into foster care, they broker a deal with the desperate Snuffkin, giving him a weekly stipend and room and board in exchange for him posing as their father on an as-needed basis.

While Labine is technically the star of the show, he just seems along for the ride. His acting is certainly up to par, but his character is the stereotype of a low-brow slob, giving him few opportunities to shine in an original way. Snuffkin’s requisite heartwarming moments as a father figure, though, are actually aided by this, as he manages to retain his slovenliness even in his noblest actions.

It’s really the children who make the series shine. They take the main trio from “Malcolm in the Middle” and give each character an upgrade, adding wit, charm and a whole lot of love.

There’s the youngest Gunderson, eight-year old Robby (newcomer Benjamin Stockham), who is crazy, loud and often shockingly diabolical. And while he’s certainly not the first rambunctious, angry child we’ve seen on the small screen, he’s one of the most endearing, and one of the saddest. He’s a scared kid who's upset to be alone and is just looking for someone to look up to. Robby harbors an incredible resentment toward adults, so he takes it out on every adult close to him. And Stockham is able to make this motivation clear without the show ever mentioning it overtly.

Then there’s the middle child, 11-year-old Gary (newcomer Frank Dolce), who is smart and mature to the point of absurdity, just like Frankie Muniz’s Malcolm. But while Malcolm was motivated to escape his family, Gary’s motivation is to keep everyone safe and together. For God's sake, the kid made sure they all got signed up for school. But more than anything, Gary is a stress ball, going so far as to buy a heart monitor at a yard sale to ensure he stays healthy under pressure. Dolce pulls the character off perfectly. Sometimes it’s hard to remember he’s a child, not a vertically challenged adult who shops at Gap Kids.

Thirteen-year-old Brandon Gunderson (newcomer Matthew Levy) is the oldest of the three, though Gary is undeniably the leader. While Brandon has some of the bullyish, slightly oblivious qualities of Reese from “Malcolm,” once again his motives are far more endearing. Brandon puts up flyers of Gary saying “What up, slut?” not to mock Gary, but to give him a chance to reinvent himself as a fun-loving guy. Brandon seems the most aloof to the trio’s plight, but still fulfills the role of morale booster.

This trifecta of novice actors is supremely entertaining and extremely talented. And the Gunderson characters make for great television; they’re just weird enough to allow for some absurd plots, but still driven by brotherly love. “Sons of Tucson” manages to combine the crazy antics we see in the “Home Alone” movies and in “My Name is Earl,” then make them legitimately heart-warming and witty.

The show would probably be better without Snuffkin. He only shines when he's with the kids, and the scenes without them drag on tediously and for far too long. But even that slob Snuffkin can’t completely mess up the magic of the Gunderson children. Hopefully when the dust clears in Tucson, the trio of aspiring actors will find a chance to have the spotlight on themselves.