‘Malcolm in the Middle’ Age Crisis: Disney+ Revives Dysfunctional (But Loveable) Family for Limited Series
It’s time to scream “Malcolm!” again.
That’s what Jane Kaczmarek and Bryan Cranston do in the brief video clip, shot on someone’s phone, promoting the return of Malcolm in the Middle. Frankie Muniz, in character as Malcolm, replies to their bellowing wearily, as any almost-40 something would.
The clip, available on TikTok and Instagram, hails the Disney+ resurrection of the beloved Fox sitcom about the hilariously dysfunctional Wilkerson family: dimwit Dad Hal (Cranston), overwhelmed Mom Lois (Kaczmarek) and Malcolm (Muniz) the gifted middle child with a handful of mischievous brothers. Malcolm ran for 7 seasons on Fox, from 2000 to 2005.
He does not say “Yes. No. Could you repeat the question?” though, so maybe Hal and Lois ARE the boss of Malcolm, even now.
The reboot will be written and directed by original series creator Linwood Boomer, and Disney has ordered four new episodes of the beloved sitcom. Whether any of the other cast will return has yet to be announced.
The official series description reads, “Malcolm and his daughter are drawn into the family’s chaos when Hal and Lois demand his presence for their 40th wedding anniversary party.”
In the clip, Cranston and Kaczmarek joke about how long they’ve waited to reprise their roles. “25 years since we premiered Malcolm in the Middle…I’m so excited… that I may have peed just a little bit,” said Cranston. Kaczmarek added, “What a delight that I get to yell at that kid again! We’re very, very excited about coming back together and seeing what this family has been up to.”
20th Television, now owned by Disney, is happy to resume production on the show as well. “Malcolm in the Middle literally changed the face of the television comedy landscape when it premiered two decades ago, redefining what the genre could be,” Karey Burke, president of 20th Television, said in a statement.
She added, “when Linwood Boomer suggested it might be time to bring everyone’s favorite dysfunctional family back for a bit of a reunion, we couldn’t think of a more iconic and influential series to revisit, along with a truly brilliant cast to reunite.”
A premiere date has yet to be set for the return of Malcolm.
