Malcolm in the Middle - Why nobody is speaking about it?

[Psyduck]

It sounds racist but yeah, every Latino family I know of is like Malcolm in the middle except if you included the episode where Lois imagines them as girls and combined those 4 girls with the 4 boys

As the episode showed. The boys aren't that bad. Once they mature they stop acting like assholes while the girls never mature.

Spent a while down in Mexico and yeah, while not as loudly worshipped as Dragon Ball Z or The Simpsons, you ask anybody down there about MitM and they'll share a quote or their favorite scenes with you

 

[ForgedBlades]

I rewatched the entire series a couple summers ago and still put it on as background noise on occasion. Some thoughts:

• Seasons 2-4 are definitely the peak for me. 5 is good as well, but it deteriorates kind of rapidly midway through season 6.
• Cranston is just phenomenal as Hal (breaking news, I know). In a way it's kind of a shame that he's become so associated with Walter White because it has overshadowed just how great he was in MitM. Jane Kaczmarek was outstanding in her role as well. It's criminal that neither of them won an Emmy for their work on the show.
• The Francis plots were always underrated. The military school, Alaska, and Grotto arcs were all brilliant. Daniel von Bargen as Spangler especially stands out for me. He played that role absolutely perfectly. (Don't read his Wikipedia page, it's depressing as fuck)
• "Bowling" is about as brilliant as a half hour television episode can possibly be and is up there with the greatest sitcom episodes of all time.

 

[Breadbassket]

 

[Kari Kamiya]

As the episode showed. The boys aren't that bad. Once they mature they stop acting like assholes while the girls never mature.

Which is true to life lmao. Lois learning to appreciate what she's got when her daydreaming goes off the rails was great.

 

[ComeoutandJULAY]

I remembered Bryan Cranston from a particularly excellent episode of The X Files, so I knew he'd be great in BB.

I must have stumbled across Vince Gilligan's Kiwi Farms account, since that X-Files episode (written by him) was exactly what caused him to push hard for Bryan Cranston to get the role of Walter White in the first place (the execs apparently wanted Matthew Broderick instead). Ultimately, he was goddamn right. Goddamn right.

Back to Malcolm, though, I wouldn't be surprised if Vince saw Cranston's work as Hal as more of a benefit than a detriment for the latter's career. All those crazy stunts Hal did throughout the series (roller disco, bee suit, etc.) stemmed from a game the writers played called "What Would Bryan Cranston Do?", in which they wrote him to be in all sorts of dangerous situations. He rose to the challenge every single time, and eventually the game became "What Wouldn't Bryan Cranston Do?". It really was his dedication and his giving 200% to the role that elevated Hal into a character that was a step beyond the typical goofy sitcom dad, and I can't imagine anyone else as him. Even if TPTB were retarded enough to do a reboot where everyone was recast, they wouldn't be retarded enough to not keep Bryan Cranston as Hal.

 

[The Last Stand]

• "Bowling" is about as brilliant as a half hour television episode can possibly be and is up there with the greatest sitcom episodes of all time.

That's the one where there are alternative scenarios if either Hal or Lois stays in with Dewey because he's grounded? That was a unique episode. I considered the scenario where Hal stays in to watch Dewey my favorite B plot.

 

[The Nothingness]

The episode where Hal was a soccer coach was a favorite of mine.

 

[Iron Jaguar]

that X-Files episode (written by him) was exactly what caused him to push hard for Bryan Cranston to get the role of Walter White

I watched that episode when it first aired and I still remember thinking, "This is some of the best acting I've ever seen." There was one other notable X-Files episode like that, early on, where a guy is convinced that a computer is taking over his mind. Just incredible acting.

Back to MiTM, one of my favourites it when Hal quits his job to paint the perfect painting.

 

[The Last Stand]

Most sitcoms would have "perfect" houses for families. You could tell that they are sets. Malcolm in the Middle's family house actually looks lived in. Another thing, if they're poor, how much would a two bedroom house with a garage cost them? If they're the most dangerous family in the neighborhood, seems like a relatively safe community.

 

[William Murderface]

I think my favorite MitM moment was one of the cold opens where Hal comes in the front door, Malcolm and Reece are up against the wall, on their knees, with their hands behind their heads and their noses to the wall, and all Hall asks is how long they're in for and just walk away not listening or caring, like it's totally normal (which, in that house, it totally is).

That or when Hal bursts into the boys' room and offers one of them 50 bucks to take the rap for something he did, no questions asked and you can hear Lois in the background yelling "oh my God!".

 

[The Last Stand]

I think my favorite MitM moment was one of the cold opens where Hal comes in the front door, Malcolm and Reece are up against the wall, on their knees, with their hands behind their heads and their noses to the wall, and all Hall asks is how long they're in for and just walk away not listening or caring, like it's totally normal (which, in that house, it totally is).

That or when Hal bursts into the boys' room and offers one of them 50 bucks to take the rap for something he did, no questions asked and you can hear Lois in the background yelling "oh my God!".

How about that cold open where Hal and Dewey are trying to get rid of a spider only for them to throw it at Lois at the front door?

Dewey: "Go, she can only GROUND me. Get in your car and GO!"

 

[Breadbassket]

How about that cold open where Hal and Dewey are trying to get rid of a spider only for them to throw it at Lois at the front door?

Dewey: "Go, she can only GROUND me. Get in your car and GO!"

 

[cactus]

The Middle is pretty good too. It doesn't quite have the magic of Malcom in the middle but it's close.

It looked like a rip off of Malcolm in the Middle except they made Malcolm a girl the youngest kid was just ugly Dewey.

I love Malcolm in the Middle. In the late afternoon, Fox would air reruns with King of the Hill, those were some good times. Bryan Cranston will always be Hal. I saw Frankie Muniz in one of those Bosley hair system commercials, he looks his age.

 

[Iron Jaguar]

The episode where the family goes to visit Francis at the Dude Ranch and the boys let off that giant firework in the desert. That had me in stitches.

Edit: here we go:

 

[ForgedBlades]

 

[Sorry for a-logging]

One of my favorite punchlines in the series:

The reason this show was so universally enjoyable is because the actors put 120% in emoting, hand gestures and line delivery. It's like a classic cartoon. This makes it easier for kids (who otherwise couldn't pick up on subtlety) and people who don't speak English to understand at least some of the story and the jokes.
MITM also had great camerawork. It almost feels like the episodes were heavily storyboarded first and only then was the script written.
Finally, the lighting in the show was excellent. Even scenes filmed in darkness still had some backlight and highlights and stuff. You could always see what's going on. I miss the warm and bright colors, man.

 

[Kari Kamiya]

This is one of my favorite moments ever and I still can't ride a bike to this day.

 

[teriyakiburns]

Who could forget Reese's front-page appearance on Giant Jackass Dot Com?

 

[ChampFantana]

Seasons 2-4 are definitely the peak for me. 5 is good as well, but it deteriorates kind of rapidly midway through season 6.

I definitely agree with this, but there are still several moments in Seasons 6&7 that are worth the putting up with the rest of those episodes.

Stevie plowing head first into a tree in the street luge episode STILL sends my sides into orbit. Reese mailing himself to China, Jessica tricking Malcolm and Reese into thinking the other is gay, and Ida pitting Malcolm and Reese against each other in a contest of manhood are all pure gold.

Francis meandering his way through the last two seasons after his Grotto arc sucks though. Otto and Gretchen were great characters and Hal and the boys visiting the dude ranch is one of the best episodes in the entire series.

 

[Iron Jaguar]

Hal being Hal: