Bryan Cranston’s Return in the Reboot of “Malcolm in the Middle”
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Jane Kaczmarek and Brayn Cranston in “Malcolm in the Middle: Nothing has changed”
“Life is unfair” – “Life is unfair”. This is probably what Disney+ subscribers will say once they have finished watching the reboot of Malcolm. Titled Malcolm: Nothing has changed, the series plunges viewers back into the chaotic daily life of Hal, Lois, and their children. We almost wish we didn’t find them again, because we are going to miss them terribly.
Some cult series are, generally speaking, perfect. They become untouchable, which means that the mere idea of a reboot, spin-off, or prequel triggers protests from the original fans. The more common and less risky practice is to bring in a new generation (while keeping one or two old cast members) to carry on the legacy, as seen with shows like Charmed, Gossip Girl, Beverly Hills, or That 90’s Show.
In reality, there have been very few cult series that dared to take the risk of a comeback with the original cast. However, creators of Malcolm: Nothing has changed took that bold step, and it paid off. The feat of Malcolm: Nothing has changed is to immerse us back, in a snap, into the spirit of the 2000s series.
Bryan Cranston On Point
Despite aging and changes in the household, viewers immediately feel at ease in this familiar joyful chaos. Just like finding an old high school sweatshirt at the back of a drawer. Within seconds, you reunite with the parents, now grey-haired, chatting with Dewey on video call while Lois shaves every single hair off a fully naked Hal. Every hair.
Reese clearly hasn’t matured and seems to have honed his ability to be a nuisance. Francis, still madly in love with Piama, is desperate not to be a priority for his mother. Dewey has become a global music star with a string of concerts and girlfriends. Jamie is a military officer not particularly invested. And there’s Kelly, the youngest child of the couple, a fabulous non-binary teenager with the sharpest tongue in the family.
We reconnect with the entire clan a few days before the grand celebration for Lois and Hal’s 40th wedding anniversary. Malcolm has no intention of attending, choosing to stay away from his family since leaving for college to avoid losing his temper in their presence. Their reunion is definitely explosive.
The “Malcolm in the Middle” Family
Linwood Boomer, the creator of Malcolm and its reboot, has somehow managed to reproduce everything that made Malcolm unique without feeling outdated or forced. The banter is still sharp, the interactions explosive, the dialogues cutting, and the jokes hilarious. Fans who still hum the theme song “You’re not the boss of me now” in the shower will be thrilled.
Most of the series’ actors have left comedy, except for Bryan Cranston, who has since garnered awards for his roles in Breaking Bad and on Broadway. While they all agreed to return (except Dewey’s actor), it’s clear they still have great chemistry. Bryan Cranston mentioned to the Guardian that “getting naked” for the sake of comedy was one of the greatest pleasures of his life. And you will see it.
However, there is one criticism to Linwood Boomer, and it is significant. Four episodes of less than half an hour are far too short. It’s like Santa giving you a great gift unexpectedly, only to take it back the next morning. “Life is Unfair,” we warned you.
