Malcolm in the MiddlestarsFrankie Munizas the titular Malcolm, a scientific genius who is the middle child in a dysfunctional family of four (later five) boys. The show ran for seven seasons from 1999 to 2006 and was adored by many a 00s kid for its portrayal of middle-class family life and the struggle to fit in that comes with adolescence. The show was truly a masterpiece of its time, taking a lot of unorthodox approaches for a TV sitcom, making use of multiple location changes, the single-camera setup, and montages, none of which are typical of sitcoms.
Fans of the show should rejoice, as aMalcolm in the Middlerebootis on the way this year. This means that if you’re a fan of the show, it might be time for a rewatch. Or if you’ve never seen the show in full, it might be time for a first-time viewing. As with any show,someMalcolm in the Middleepisodes are better than others, with some really shining above the rest. This is usually due to how technically unique the formatting of the episodes are, but it’s also sometimes due to the storylines or production value.
Malcolm in the Middle
20"Ida’s Dance"
Season 6, Episode 18 (2005)
“Ida’s Dance” is about Lois' (Jane Kaczmarek) cantankerous mother, Ida (Chloris Leachman), who is celebrating the fictional Saint Grotis' Day with a bunch of other women from her unspecified European county of origin, with Lois doggedly joining the festivities. Here, various aspects of Ida’s culture are shown, which belong to various countries, or no country at all, leaving her ethnicity ambiguous. This is another example of the show’s running gag of being intentionally vague.
The actual dancing in the episode is honestly very impressive, and kind of comical considering the ridiculous traditions put in place by Ida and her friends. This includes making an enormous tart with 100 layers of fruit that is intentionally hard to make, and that doesn’t even really taste that good, and performing a dance where the goal is to dodge razor-sharp blades, inspired by thePhilippine bamboo dance known as Tinikling. It’s abizarre episode, but one that is pretty darn comical in all aspects.
19"Mrs. Tri-County"
Season 6, Episode 22 (2005)
In the season 6 finale, the boys jokingly enter their mother in their local beauty pageant, but are stunned when she is actually selected to perform. Hal (Bryan Cranston) catches onto their ploy, and really cracks down, intending to make the entire experience the most non-embarrassing event of Lois' life. The result is a coordinated family effort to ensure Lois at least has a good performance, with Dewey (Erik Per Sullivan) in charge of music, Hal directing, and Malcolm in charge of bribing his evil teacher, who also happens to be a judge in the competition.
In the end, Lois actually comes out on top, winning the pageant and earning the title of Mrs. Tri-County. It’s a moment of pure triumph for Lois,showing the great things that can happen when the family stops fighting and really puts their minds together to create something magical. Lois never suspected she was entered as a joke, but her fleeting victory is one of the greatest moments of her life, and it shows, as her face beams with pride and happiness.
18"Tutoring Reese"
Season 2, Episode 19 (2001)
“Tutoring Reese” follows Reese’s (Justin Berfield) academic struggles, which is nothing new, considering Reese is a bit of a dimwit. Reese becomes threatened by his teacher that if he doesn’t step his game up, he’ll be placed in the remedial program. As such, Lois orders Malcolm to help Reese study, and the two begrudgingly spend hours poring over notes until Malcolm is confident Reese can pull off a C. Yet, Malcolm’s lessons don’t seem to be paying off. To ensure his success, Malcolm organizes an elaborate scheme to cheat on Reese’s test, wherein Malcolm writes the test for Reese, yet it still gets an F.
In this moment, Malcolm realizes that Reese’s teacher is just out to get him, something that eventually slips to Lois. This revelation is home to some brilliant comedic timing, as well as Lois' parenting philosophy. The teacher argues that if they complain to the school, they will know Malcolm cheated and will likely be expelled. Yet, this doesn’t phase Lois, as she rebuts that she could basically throw Malcolm to the wolves on Monday and he’d be leading the pack by Friday—Reese is the one who actually needs the help.It’s an episode that shows how Lois thinks,the family’s chaotic dynamic, and that as much as Reese gets under Lois' skin, she still loves him, no matter what.
17"Funeral"
Season 1, Episode 11 (2000)
“Funeral” follows the death of Lois' aunt Helen, a woman whom Lois despised with every fiber of her being. However, Lois is determined to get the family to the funeral, because Helen is still family, and deserves respect. Unfortunately, nobody else seems to want to go, so Lois angrily concedes and allows everyone to do whatever they want, and gets rid of all the rules in the house. As one can imagine, with the family’s dynamic, this quickly leads to chaos.
One of the main reasons this is such a memorable episode is the introduction of the one-time character, Egg (Alexander Gould). He barely says a word, and just kind of shows up in the family’s home, apparently a friend of Dewey’s. Egg quickly became a fan-favorite character for how nonchalant the family was about accepting him into their debacle and their lives, without asking him where he came from or who his parents are. Aside from Egg, though,the episode has an important moral about familial responsibility, and about choosing what is rightover what is fun or easy.
16"Lois' Birthday"
Season 2, Episode 3 (2000)
“Lois' Birthday” opens up with Lois giving her three youngest sons money so they can buy something for her birthday, hinting to them that if they pool the money, they can buy her a foot massager that she really wants. Instead, they buy her a bunch of useless gifts that she clearly doesn’t like, and spend the rest of their funds on candy for themselves. Lois is miserable, made even worse by the fact that her own husband forgot about her birthday. Furious, she heads off to the batting cages to blow off some steam.
There, her family does her best to make up for it, with clowns and a cake that was stolen from another party. One of these clowns insults Lois, leading to an all-out brawl between the clowns and the Wilkerson boys. This slo-mo fight sequence highlights the bond the Wilkersons have as a family. Though they are constantly at each other’s throats, they look out for their own. As it turns out, seeing her boys defend her in such a manner proves to be exactly what Lois needed that day, and she smiles proudly. Thisfinal brawl is one of the best scenes of the whole show, and is an example of the overarching narrative of love conquering all.
15"Health Scare"
Season 3, Episode 6 (2001)
Season 3’s “Health Scare” highlights the boys’ ability to scheme, albeit unsuccessfully, as well asBryan Cranston’s innate talent for absolutely hilarious comedy. Having found a suspicious lump, Hal is filled with both fear and a renewed love for his family. Meanwhile, Malcolm and Reese ditch home to attend a party and Dewey strives to prove his maturity by taking care of the class hamster.
The episode has its ups and downs, to be sure, but the moment when a thankful and emotional Hal walks into his sons’ room while they are supposed to be asleep and kisses the balloon doubling as Reese’s head only for it to burst is just about the funniest moment in the entire series. Balancing some somber notes against heartfelt family charm and some side-splitting sequences,“Health Scare” contains all the strengths ofMalcolm in the Middleat its best. –Ryan Heffernan
14"Lois Strikes Back"
Season 7, Episode 16 (2006)
There are few things that can rival the protective power of a mother’s love, somethingMalcolm in the Middle’s Season 7 episode “Lois Strikes Back” takes full advantage of to generate plenty of laughs. When Reese is humiliated at school by four popular girls who play a prank on him, Lois bounds to action to ensure the girls face retaliation. All the while, Hal hides in the garage and builds a pitching machine.
An episode that highlights Lois’ maternal instincts, unconventionality, and her fierce determination,“Lois Strikes Back” is as rewarding as it is hilarious as a tale of bullies getting their comeuppance. As the only one who knows all of what is going on, Malcolm is thrust into an awkward position as he tries to stop his mother’s vendetta while sympathizing with Reese’s anguish. The episode also featuresEmma Stonein a pre-fame television appearance. –Ryan Heffernan
13"Family Reunion"
Season 4, Episode 3 (2002)
“Family Reunion” sees the boys put their usual antagonism and opposition towards their mother on standby when they attend a reunion for Hal’s side of the family to celebrate their grandfather’s birthday. Forced to wear a nametag and with the Hal’s relatives making no effort to hide their dislike of Lois, the boys rally around their mother to help her get through the uncomfortable event.
A heartwarming ode to the mysterious, sometimes bullying nature of familial love,seeing Malcolm and his brothersflock to Lois’ aid by turning their terrorizing antics on the other adults is as oddly beautiful as it is cheekily hilarious. As pure and good-natured a display of family values and loyalty as was ever featured inMalcolm in the Middle, “Family Reunion” mixes charm with comedy to rousing effect. –Ryan Heffernan
12"If Boys Were Girls"
Season 4, Episode 10 (2003)
Malcolm in the Middlemakes no secret of the fact that parenthood can be tough. The Season 4 episode “If Boys Were Girls” sees Lois fantasize about an alternate route, another possible reality where, instead of having four scrappy, insolent, messy, and rambunctious sons, she had four obedient, kind-hearted, and well-mannered daughters. While her imaginary haven is initially perfect, it soon sees Lois appreciate the boys more, even if there are still certain aspects she doesn’t enjoy.
The episode ends on an uplifting note with the boys buying Lois a box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day while Hal buys her something for their upcoming fifth baby. Lois happily soaks in the moment before confiding to her unborn child that she hopes it is a girl.Hilarious, heartfelt, and pointed without being preachy, “If Boys Were Girls” is a fun and lively hypothetical that is smartly executedto be one of the series’ strongest episodes. –Ryan Heffernan
11"Rollerskates"
Season 1, Episode 13 (2000)
It is quite amazing just how many ongoing subplots are squeezed into “Rollerskates”. Tired of having to run when he plays hockey, Malcolm asks Hal to teach him to skate, an ordeal his father takes very seriously. Meanwhile, an injured Lois is tended to by Reese, who slips her medication to keep her manageable, and Francis (Christopher Masterson) plans to ditch his comrades at military school as the cadets prepare for a demanding weekend training program.
Practically every major character gets their moment to shine in the Season 1 episode, though it is tough to look pastHal’s unusual yet patient and persistent mentoring of Malcolm, which comes to a tee with his memorable “Funky Town” moment. Still, the bonding on display between Malcolm and Hal as well as Reese and Lois makes “Rollerskates” a fun and uplifting episodeabout familial love in all its wonderful complexities. –Ryan Heffernan
