This month, Hulu pulled off the TV reunion of 2026 by bringing the cast of Malcolm in the Middle back together for a four-part revival series, Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair.
Frankie Muniz reprised his role as Malcolm, but the cast member who emerged as a major star since the series ended was his on-screen father, Bryan Cranston, who also returned for this show.
Now that the series is streaming, Watch With Us is sharing the three reasons why Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair is the one comedy show you need to watch in April.
Although judging by the early streaming numbers, it seems like the majority of fans have already embraced the revival.
The biggest attraction for the revival is seeing almost all of the original cast members reprising their roles. Erik Per Sullivan was the only major holdout who refused to return as Dewey, and it seems like the show gave his replacement, Caleb Ellsworth-Clark, the short end of the stick by keeping his character largely relegated to video calls. The character and the actor deserved better. But having said that, it was a blast to watch Muniz, Cranston, Jane Kaczmarek, Justin Berfield and Christopher Kennedy Masterson slip back into the characters they played.
It’s not even surprising that most of the family didn’t change that much in the intervening decades. Honestly, it wouldn’t be Malcolm in the Middle if his family had transformed themselves into fully functional people who didn’t have such oddball personalities. Out of the siblings, Francis (Masterson) looks like he might be ready for parenthood, but he’s also still kind of stuck in his ways as well. As for Hal (Cranston) and Lois (Kaczmarek), they should never change. Too much of the comedy comes from Lois’ freakouts and Hal’s willingness to be ridiculous.
Bryan Cranston Gets to Be Funny Again
Speaking of which, Cranston has been so closely identified with his more serious turns in Breaking Bad and Your Honor that it feels like a breath of fresh air to see him clowning it up again as Hal. Cranston is a terrific dramatic performer, but he’s at his best when he’s allowed to slip into his comedic persona. Hal also gets some of the revival’s best stories, including his very palpable sense of betrayal when he realizes the extent to which Malcolm hid his life from his parents and his siblings.
Without giving away too much about the show’s most amusing subplot, Hal’s attempt to cure himself of depression leads to a dual performance from Cranston. This alternate version of Hal is even more over-the-top than his normal self, and Cranston nails the performance yet again. It’s not as if the rest of the cast aren’t good in their roles as well. Life’s Still Unfair just reaches another level whenever it gives Cranston a chance to take center stage.
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Getting the cast of Malcolm in the Middle back together regularly is probably too tall an order for it to become a reality. But Life’s Still Unfair gives Malcolm a life away from his family that looks like it could be the basis of its own sitcom. Since Malcolm’s a father now, the focus seems to shift to his daughter, Leah (Keeley Karsten). She’s got his fourth-wall-breaking ability, and she even takes over the narration in this series. Karsten is excellent in the role, and it’s possible she could do more with it if there’s a full revival.
Kiana Madeira is also interesting as Malcolm’s girlfriend, Tristan. She’s a good match for Malcolm, and the show reveals that she has a few skeletons in her own closet. Tristan doesn’t let Malcolm get away with anything, and they would be an intriguing set of parents for Leah if there were a show that was only about them. But for now, we’ll have to wait and see if this is the end of Malcolm in the Middle, or the start of something new.
Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair is streaming on Hulu.
