The Bad Seed is a 2018 American made-for-television horror drama film directed by Rob Lowe for Lifetime.

Lowe is also executive producer and stars in the film, alongside Mckenna Grace, Sarah Dugdale, Marci T. House, Lorne Cardinal, Chris Shields, Cara Buono, and a special appearance by Patty McCormack.

On September 16, 2018, a "special edition" of the TV movie was released that features behind the scenes interviews with Lowe, Grace, and McCormack.

At breakfast, she expresses to her father her hope to win a Citizenship medal handed out each year to a student who exemplifies the values of the school.

Emma apologizes, but she secretly guides Milo away from the party and through the trees until they reach cliffs overlooking the sea.

That night, as David peruses the photos, he notices Emma in the background of many of them looking at Milo and his medal with a contemptuous scowl.

The next day, Mrs. Ellis and an investigator arrive at David's house to ask him questions, and Emma eavesdrops on the conversation.

In order to prevent the adults from discussing the matter further, Emma smashes a cookie jar and scratches her arm on broken glass, screaming.

Chloe discovers Milo's citizenship medal hidden under Emma's bed and hangs it from a lamp in David's room.

The psychiatrist, Dr. March, (named after the author of the novel, The Bad Seed,) assures David that Emma is “one hundred percent normal”.

The next day, David drives Emma to a lake house a few miles away, evading the suspicious Sheriff Peterson.

The next morning as David's body is being removed, Emma sits solemnly in the back of a car and hugs her aunt Angela, staring into the distance with a cold and victorious grin.

A conventional remake by Barbara Marshal of The Bad Seed, had been in development hell between Lifetime and executive producer Mark Wolper.

David Feinberg of The Hollywood Reporter said: "Call it The Bad Seed and you tap into a surface-glaze legitimacy that's probably unwarranted, because the movie, notable as co-star Rob Lowe's directing debut, achieves only a baseline amount of trashy fun, nothing more or less.

"[3] Andrea Reiher from the website Collider said the film "suffers from being neither dark enough nor campy enough—either choice would have been a lot more enjoyable.

"[4] Upon its initial broadcast on September 9, 2018, The Bad Seed was watched by 1.87 million viewers, placing it in the top ten most-watched cable programs on that date.