Throwback Thursday: A "Malcolm in the Middle" Review, A Mischievous & Relatable Sitcom

Malcolm in the Middle is an American sitcom made by Linwood Boomer. The seven seasons spanned 151 episodes of Malcolm being a smart ass, Reese causing a ruckus, Dewy being underappreciated, Francis looking for retribution, and Hal and Lois over and under reacting

The show followed the life of a family in suburbia with two working parents and children prone to getting into trouble. It is narrated by Malcolm, the genius middle child of (first) 4 (then 5) siblings. His brothers, friends, and family get into plenty of shenanigans, faced with your typical growing up situations, and usually come out stronger for it. The talented cast includes Frankie Muniz (Malcolm), Jane Kaczmarek (Lois, the mom), and Bryan Cranston (Hal, the dad).

This is a show I remember enjoying very much as a kid, and I still enjoy watching it now. Malcolm in the Middle is mischievous, fun, destructive, and heartening all at once. It is hilarious, relatable, sometimes cringe-worthy, and entertaining for all ages. It can be a bit over the top, but in the name of comedy it makes perfect sense. Most dependably, it is constantly reminiscent of childhood. The best part of this show is that the family really feels real, especially with the fights and relationships—I’m sure a lot of people can relate. You learn that it’s okay to not always love your family.

The show is relatively diverse, with multiple characters of different races, body types, and abilities seen consistently throughout the 7 seasons. It touches economic and social problems, as the family encounters plenty of growing expenses and monetary pains. Some may even call it a “socialist masterpiece.” But this is always in passing; comedy is the central focus. As the memorable theme songs says, Life is unfair, so you keep going and suck it up.

Malcolm in the Middle won a Grammy, a Peabody, seven Golden Globe nominations, and seven Emmy Awards. This TV show originally aired on FOX, with the first episode being broadcast in January 2000 and last in May 2006. And now, it is available on Hulu for your convenient binging.