IkhwanArif While there have been other family-based comedy, none that came before has been so indulgently and deliciously dysfunctional as Malcolm in the Middle. It is perhaps, the best representation of Generation X cynicism, sheer creative destruction as well as critical and thoughtful satire of how society functions.Every family member is distinctive and memorable played by an enthusiastic cast. Bryan Cranston, Jane Kaczmarek, Frankie Muniz, Christopher Masterson, Justin Berfield and Erik Per Sullivan, all convincingly portrayed a believable and at once unbelievable misbehaving nuclear family that love and hate each other. If there is one flaw, it is that by season 6, the show gets just a little tired as it seems that after all the great character developing moments witnessed, they are rendered pointless as not one character seem to mature as the seasons progress, save Francis (Christopher Masterson) who's story arc have been quite fulfilling to watch. Regardless, it is definitely a show worth discovering, especially in a time when Gen Y and Millenials are so easily triggered.

TxMike I completely missed this TV series in its original run. For reasons I can't remember it just didn't seem like something I would enjoy. Boy was I wrong in that assessment!So what happened, why did I now, March 2015, change my mind? It all comes down to the recent death of an old college friend, Daniel von Bargen, a classmate of mine at Purdue in 1969. The TV series, which had a total of 151 episodes over several years, mainly involved the family of Malcolm, the middle of three boys still at home. But there was a 4th boy, sent to Military school in Alabama, with the hopes of shaping him up. The Commandant there was Edwin Spangler, played by von Bargen. While he was only in 15 episodes total his role was a great addition to the series. And for me nostalgia as I watched von Bargen and recalled him in college. It is sad that he is now gone, he was such a good and interesting actor. Jane Kaczmarek is the mother, Lois, who works at the local 'Lucky Eight' store. She is written as a very quick-tempered, stubborn mother but cut through the exaggerations and she is more like a typical caring mom than some might realize. She is great in this role.Bryan Cranston is the dad, Hal, and we don't really have a good idea what he does for a living but it is some type of office job that he hates, we find out clearly when he quits temporarily for a short- lived effort of become a painter, the artist type. His role here is just a short trip to his role as Walter in 'Breaking Bad.' He is great in this role also.But the star of the series is Frankie Muniz as Malcolm, a character younger than his actual age. He is in middle school as the TV series starts, but is discovered to be gifted, a genius, so is put with the other exceptional children, which also seems to make him a social outcast. His brother in Military school is Christopher Masterson as Francis, his older brother at home is Justin Berfield as Reese, and his younger brother at home is Erik Per Sullivan as Dewey. In addition to the stories it is interesting to see them grow up over the 7-year span of the series. With the entire series currently available on Netflix streaming over the past few days I have watched all 15 of the episodes with von Bargen as Spangler, plus a few of the other episodes. Without commercials each episode is right at 22 minutes, which is a nice length. It has become a favorite now. The characters are so quirky and the writing is full of surprises, each episode is different but each is also very entertaining.In memory of Daniel von Bargen, 1950 to 2015.

drawlife Malcolm in the Middle is apart of my childhood, so it gets some nostalgia points because of that. Regardless it's an awesome show. What's amazing is the all around family dynamic within the cast. You genuinely believe that they are true dysfunctional family. There's our protagonist, Malcolm. From the start he's very very flawed. He's brilliant with an IQ of 165, and the show does a good job showcasing his intellect and he breaks the fourth wall talking to us, the audience about how he feels, what he thinks, etc., as well as narrating his journey. Throughout the series we see him grow up and although he's smart, he's insecure, shallow, and has low self-esteem. More often than not, the show likes to put him in ridiculous situations and it's always entertaining to see him go through what life has to throw at him. It's very hard to imagine someone else in the role other than Frankie Muniz. He carries this sitcom on his shoulders, along with Jane Kaczmarek. Ah yes, Jane Kaczmarek as Lois. Her character is an over-bearing, strict control-freak. Writers of the series do a great job making you despise her as the mother of the family, and I applaud them for being consistent, you dislike her guts and hate her personality, but she always has a point in her actions and has a strong sense of what's right. Bryan Cranston is always entertaining to watch as Hal, their inept, but caring father, who also completely depends on his wife almost all the time. He's also very neurotic and has a slight obsessive-compulsive disorder, and also enjoys unusual hobbies.The siblings are also hilarious on their own right. Reese, played by Justin Berfield is the comic relief for his complete incompetence and stupidity. Anyone who's fond of Reese knows he is a culinary prodigy, so it was a shame he didn't put use to that skill and became a janitor in the finale. Erik Per Sullivan comes off as the annoying little brother(for the time being) when he's young, but as the series progresses he learns to mature and has a love for music. At times he can be more clever than anyone and is a bit mischievous. Christopher Materson is the oldest of the siblings who was sent to military school. As Francis, he's a mixture of both Malcolm and Reese. He's not completely stupid, but he's also not very smart in his actions and is a trouble maker. He eventually learns to mature as well. James and Lukas Rodriguez who play Jamie the newest sibling, despite his infancy, he is shown to already have some of his brothers' habits, such as stealing and disrespecting Lois.What I love about the show is that the situations the family goes through are real, but some actions or events that occur within can be a little exaggerated. The writers find a nice balance between subtly and right in your face humor. They're also a caricature of a sub-urban family, which to some of us we can all relate to. The reoccurring characters in the series also provide great humor as well, namely all of Malcolm's friends, Graig(David Anthony Higgins), Commandant Spangler(Daniel von Bargen), Lionel Herkabe(Chris Eigeman) and Grandma Ida(Cloris Leachman). Underneath the hilarious exterior, there are often times where it gets deep and real. As the series progresses, the quality does dwindle down sporadically, but the actors make the show watchable regardless. The family dynamic between everyone is strong and they all bounce off each other perfectly. In short, despite the characters possibly falling in some clichés, they are well balanced for the entertainment that they provide and can be relatable from time to time. The series does end in a high note, especially the last episode. It provides a lot of closure, but still wanting more. I wish the series did have an extra season or so, but nothing lasts forever. Along with Friends, Malcolm in the Middle is a show that I can watch on repeat. 9/10

porters-429-432497 Ever since i was a little kid i loved this show. I think it defines the word hilarious. It is the best show that has ever been on TV it is so creative and funny. I love the atmosphere the jokes and the innocents of Dewey, the stupid it all stuff recklessness of Reese, the complaining all the time of Francis, and the know it all stuff from Malcolm and i don't know how to explain Jamie. I don't just love the show because its funny also because i can relate to the family I'm the middle child, we r in trouble with money I'm one of the kids know one likes because I'm smart. I'm a fanatic i watch it on netflicks, on IFC and bought the DVDs in case it comes off netflix i give the show a 1,000,000 out of 10.