15 Best ‘Malcolm in the Middle’ Episodes, Ranked

Malcolm in the Middle stars Frankie Muniz as the titular Malcolm, a scientific genius who is the middle child in a dysfunctional family of four (later five) boys. The show ran for seven seasons from 1999 to 2006 and was adored by many a 00s kid for its portrayal of middle-class family life and the struggle to fit in that comes with adolescence. The show was truly a masterpiece of its time, taking a lot of unorthodox approaches for a TV sitcom, making use of multiple location changes, the single-camera setup, and montages, none of which are typical of sitcoms.

Fans of the show should rejoice, as according to Muniz, a Malcolm in the Middle reboot is very close to being put into production. This means that if you’re a fan of the show, it might be time for a rewatch. Or if you’ve never seen the show in full, it might be time for a first-time viewing. As with any show, some Malcolm in the Middle episodes are better than others, with some really shining above the rest. This is usually due to how technically unique the formatting of the episodes are, but it’s also sometimes due to the storylines or production value.

15 “Health Scare”

Season 3, Episode 6 (2001)

Season 3’s “Health Scare” highlights the boys’ ability to scheme, albeit unsuccessfully, as well as Bryan Cranston’s innate talent for absolutely hilarious comedy. Having found a suspicious lump, Hal is filled with both fear and a renewed love for his family. Meanwhile, Malcolm and Reese (Justin Berfield) ditch home to attend a party and Dewey (Erik Per Sullivan) strives to prove his maturity by taking care of the class hamster.

The episode has its ups and downs, to be sure, but the moment when a thankful and emotional Hal walks into his sons’ room while they are supposed to be asleep and kisses the balloon doubling as Reese’s head only for it to burst is just about the funniest moment in the entire series. Balancing some somber notes against heartfelt family charm and some side-splitting sequences, “Health Scare” contains all the strengths of Malcolm in the Middle at its best. – Ryan Heffernan

14 “Lois Strikes Back”

Season 7, Episode 16 (2006)

There are few things that can rival the protective power of a mother’s love, something Malcolm in the Middle’s Season 7 episode “Lois Strikes Back” takes full advantage of to generate plenty of laughs. When Reese is humiliated at school by four popular girls who play a prank on him, Lois (Jane Kaczmarek) bounds to action to ensure the girls face retaliation. All the while, Hal hides in the garage and builds a pitching machine.

An episode that highlights Lois’ maternal instincts, unconventionality, and her fierce determination, “Lois Strikes Back” is as rewarding as it is hilarious as a tale of bullies getting their comeuppance. As the only one who knows all of what is going on, Malcolm is thrust into an awkward position as he tries to stop his mother’s vendetta while sympathizing with Reese’s anguish. The episode also features Emma Stone in a pre-fame television appearance. – Ryan Heffernan

13 “Family Reunion”

Season 4, Episode 3 (2002)

“Family Reunion” sees the boys put their usual antagonism and opposition towards their mother on standby when they attend a reunion for Hal’s side of the family to celebrate their grandfather’s birthday. Forced to wear a nametag and with the Hal’s relatives making no effort to hide their dislike of Lois, the boys rally around their mother to help her get through the uncomfortable event.

A heartwarming ode to the mysterious, sometimes bullying nature of familial love, seeing Malcolm and his brothers flock to Lois’ aid by turning their terrorizing antics on the other adults is as oddly beautiful as it is cheekily hilarious. As pure and good-natured a display of family values and loyalty as was ever featured in Malcolm in the Middle, “Family Reunion” mixes charm with comedy to rousing effect. – Ryan Heffernan

12 “If Boys Were Girls”

Season 4, Episode 10 (2003)

Malcolm in the Middle makes no secret of the fact that parenthood can be tough. The Season 4 episode “If Boys Were Girls” sees Lois fantasize about an alternate route, another possible reality where, instead of having four scrappy, insolent, messy, and rambunctious sons, she had four obedient, kind-hearted, and well-mannered daughters. While her imaginary haven is initially perfect, it soon sees Lois appreciate the boys more, even if there are still certain aspects she doesn’t enjoy.

The episode ends on an uplifting note with the boys buying Lois a box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day while Hal buys her something for their upcoming fifth baby. Lois happily soaks in the moment before confiding to her unborn child that she hopes it is a girl. Hilarious, heartfelt, and pointed without being preachy, “If Boys Were Girls” is a fun and lively hypothetical that is smartly executed to be one of the series’ strongest episodes. – Ryan Heffernan

11 “Rollerskates”

Season 1, Episode 13 (2000)

It is quite amazing just how many ongoing subplots are squeezed into “Rollerskates”. Tired of having to run when he plays hockey, Malcolm asks Hal to teach him to skate, an ordeal his father takes very seriously. Meanwhile, an injured Lois is tended to by Reese, who slips her medication to keep her manageable, and Francis (Christopher Masterson) plans to ditch his comrades at military school as the cadets prepare for a demanding weekend training program.

Practically every major character gets their moment to shine in the Season 1 episode, though it is tough to look past Hal’s unusual yet patient and persistent mentoring of Malcolm, which comes to a tee with his memorable “Funky Town” moment. Still, the bonding on display between Malcolm and Hal as well as Reese and Lois makes “Rollerskates” a fun and uplifting episode about familial love in all its wonderful complexities. – Ryan Heffernan

10 “Blackout”

Season 7, Episode 7 (2006)

“Blackout” centers around a power outage after Jamie (Lukas & James Rodriguez) releases a balloon that gets caught in the power lines. This episode stands out due to its time loop format. Normally, the show revolves around multiple plotlines between different characters in different locations, but this time, all the characters are at the family home. Their various schemes and ploys intersect as they try to get away with their nefarious deeds.

The episode asynchronously presents this. For example, it shows Hal enlisting Reese to cook up some quality stakes for his and Lois’ anniversary. Other plotlines ensue, before time loops back to where it began to show a different set of events, where it is revealed Reese plans to put sleeping pills in the steak sauce to make his parents fall asleep so that he and Malcolm can get away with sneaking three Dutch girls into the house. This non-linear formatting works exceptionally well, which is what makes it one of the more standout episodes. Of course, it leaves plenty of room for humor as well.

9 “Baby, Part 2”

Season 4, Episode 21 (2003)

This episode didn’t do anything that was technologically impressive, but it was an extremely entertaining and pivotal episode in the show’s narrative. It’s a two-parter, but the second part is much better than the first. The plot concerns Lois going into labor while Malcolm, Reese, and Dewey are out with Hal. Hijinks ensue, and before long, the boys aren’t able to make it home to drive Lois to the hospital.

The main reason this episode is such a good watch is that all the Malcolm in the Middle boys are actually working together for once. They don’t do anything malicious or intentionally annoy their parents. When Hal ends up in the hospital after crashing the car, Malcolm, Dewey, and Reese decide to take a class at the hospital that teaches them to take care of the baby. Meanwhile, Francis is at home helping his mother deliver the baby (despite his disgust at the task) and get rid of their evil grandmother, Ida (Chloris Leachman). While it is a hilarious episode, it’s one that shows what the series is all about: the overarching narrative of love. Even though the family may constantly be at each other’s throats, in the end, love conquers all, and it may not always be apparent, but it’s always there.

8 “Opera”

Season 6, Episode 11 (2005)

“Opera” wound up being the most expensive episode of the entire show, boasting an immense production value. This is due to Dewey writing an opera and imagining all the scenes in his head, which are based around his parents’ squabbling over a new mattress. The original musical numbers bring in elaborate costumes, backup singers, extravagant theatrical sets, complex lighting, choreography, and even pyrotechnics.

This production value is precisely what makes this episode such a memorable one. And it’s pretty funny to watch such a silly problem be turned into such an enormous and dramatic production thanks to Dewey and his knack for music. Bryan Cranston actually performed his singing lines himself, with his solid baritone invoking the feel of an actual opera. This is an episode that likes to show off, that’s for sure.

7 “Water Park”

Season 1, Episode 16 (2000)

The Season 1 finale of the series follows Hal and Lois as they take Malcolm and Reese to a water park. Dewey is forced to stay home with a babysitter due to having an ear infection and not being allowed near chlorinated water. Despite Dewey being disappointed initially, he ends up having the time of his life with his elderly babysitter, resulting in an iconic scene where the six-year-old Dewey dances with the babysitter to “Fernando” by ABBA.

Meanwhile, Malcolm and Reese get into an escalating prank war at the water park. While many of these pranks are simple, they’re also hilarious. But above all, this is the episode that makes audiences realize that this is why Malcolm’s family can’t have nice things – because they constantly ruin them. Here they are, on what is supposed to be a nice vacation, and it’s being ruined by the boys’ fighting. It would grow to be a recurring, yet beloved theme throughout the rest of the series.

6 “Flashback”

Season 2, Episode 25 (2001)

“Flashback” is the Season 2 finale, and shows Hal and Lois struggling with the possibility that Lois may be pregnant again. As they argue over it, the show takes audiences on a journey back to the births of each of their boys. Every single one of these moments is absolutely ridiculous and features new child actors playing the younger versions of the show’s characters.

While this is an interesting approach to take to an episode, the true kicker is once again that the overarching narrative of love keeps the dysfunctional family from completely falling apart. As Lois and Hal simmer down, they turn to see their four boys wrestling with each other over something insignificant. Despite all the trouble the boys put them through, Lois and Hal admit that they wouldn’t trade their kids for anyone and that they love them through it all. It’s an important message about family life. Through all the sibling squabbles and parental arguments, love conquers all, and love can see a family through anything so long as they’re together.

5 “Bowling”

Season 2, Episode 20 (2001)

“Bowling” centers on Malcolm and Reese being taken out bowling with some kids from school. However, it seems the writers couldn’t decide which would be funnier: Lois taking them or Hal taking them. So they opted to show both. Through a series of smooth transitions, the story of “Bowling” unfolds in two drastically different ways. The funny thing is, neither story works out very well for everyone, though each version has its pros and cons.

This is one of the most unique and creative episodes of television ever made, which is what makes it such a memorable and entertaining episode of Malcolm in the Middle. Many regard it as the best episode for this reason. However, it falls just a little bit short of that mark because it isn’t the funniest episode, and the stories themselves are pretty simple in comparison with some of the others. That said, it is an episode unlike anything anyone had ever seen before, and that still holds true today.

4 “Forwards Backwards”

Season 4, Episode 5 (2003)

“Forwards Backwards” follows a similar format to “Flashback,” but instead of going back ten or so years to the birth of each son, it cuts back to a few hours or days ago. The episode opens with Reese beating up Malcolm after Malcolm covers Reese’s head in tape. It is then gradually revealed what caused this fight. The flashbacks are interspersed throughout the episode and are shown in reverse order, leaving the audience to piece together the full story on their own.

It is revealed that Malcolm and Reese have gotten into a viciously escalating prank war after Malcolm eats a blueberry that Reese wanted. This episode is not only among the funniest but also one of the most groundbreaking. The events of sitcom episodes are rarely shown out of order, much less in reverse order. And yet, it works so well. It’s an episode that many fans remember fondly, and aren’t soon to forget even 20 years later.

3 “Graduation”

Season 7, Episode 22 (2006)

Malcolm in the Middle had a nearly perfect series finale, which ended with Malcolm graduating high school and moving away to enroll at Harvard University. The episode sums up everything the show has been about. Reese tries to cause chaos for his own benefit, which blows up in his face… literally. Malcolm is offered a high-paying job, but his overbearing mother denies it for him. It is then revealed that Lois and Hal want Malcolm to suffer in his youth so that he will know what it’s like to be a working-class citizen so that he can become the President of the United States.

Malcolm is initially resistant to the life his parents have picked out for him, but Lois tells him to look into her eyes and tell her he can’t do it, which is when he realizes she is right. This fate is apparently known to everyone but him. In the final moments, Reese and Malcolm get jobs as janitors at their respective schools, Dewey and Jamie continue to drive their parents crazy at home, Francis gets a good job and lives with his wife, Piama (Emy Coligado), and Lois is revealed to be pregnant again. But among all the chaos in the family, that message of love trumping everything still appears. There are also a lot of parallels to the first episode of the series, making for some great nostalgic moments, and overall making for a sweet and fitting ending for all parties involved.

2 “Traffic Jam”

Season 2, Episode 1 (2000)

“Traffic Jam” is the second part of “Water Park,” occurring on the family’s way home from their vacation. They come across a traffic jam and are stuck for hours. The reason this episode is so memorable is that it features a total of six individual plotlines. Malcolm meets a girl who takes him on a small adventure while Reese battles an ice cream man who refuses to sell ice cream to the kids in the traffic jam. Meanwhile, Francis has a pool competition with his commandant at military school, Hal strives to find some meaning in his life, Lois tries everything in her power to fix the traffic jam, and Dewey is lost and tries to get home.

But the real kicker is that very little of the episode takes place at the family home. Each plotline wraps up nicely and some even intersect a bit. Many of the characters learn valuable lessons, such as Lois learning that some things are just beyond her control, or Hal learning that he doesn’t need to go the extra mile to make a meaningful impact, because if he does, it usually ends up falling flat on its face. It encompasses all the major themes of the show and is a superb bit of writing, not just for a sitcom, but for any episode of television.

1 “Red Dress”

Season 1, Episode 2 (1999)

“Red Dress” is the first real episode aside from the Pilot. It is Hal and Lois’ anniversary, and Lois has purchased a beautiful new red dress for their special dinner out. However, as she gets ready, she finds said dress floating in the toilet. Upon closer inspection, it is blackened with soot from a burn. This episode is when Lois’ fierceness as a mother really makes itself apparent. She immediately descends upon the boys like a bat out of hell, demanding to know who burned the dress. She then resorts to a series of unusual punishments, such as playing bad music as a form of psychological warfare.

All the while, Malcolm, Dewey, and Reese point the finger at each other, insisting they didn’t do it. While this episode isn’t particularly revolutionary, it is by far one of the funniest and one that sets a superb tone for the rest of the show. It actually does a better job of letting the viewers know what they’re in for better than the Pilot does. That’s what makes it the best in the series, and one that is endlessly rewatchable.

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