You gotta love Netflix. It instantly streams movies of all genres and TV series in an ever growing archive of entertainment. So, taking advantage of all Netflix has to offer, I re-watched one of my favorite childhood shows, “Malcolm in the Middle.” This time I got the dirty jokes. The series follows the mishaps of Malcolm, the genius middle child of four/five children (depending on the season). Malcolm, brilliantly played by Frankie Muniz, grows up with three devilish brothers, an irresponsible father, and an overbearing, control freak, rageaholic mother.
The show had a lot going for it: each episode contained multiple, entertaining story lines and unique, funny characters that culminated in an almost perfect success. Almost. The single factor holding the show from reaching its full potential happens to be the component that led it to success: the lead actor, Muniz.
When Muniz auditioned for the role, the staff was looking for a nine-year-old. But, thirteen-year-old Muniz impressed the director enough to change the age of Malcolm from single to double digits. This resulted in a strange mixture of maturity for the siblings. In some episodes like Season 7's A.A. the boys attempt to high-jack their parent's car to go on a crime-spree of childish pranks within a 50-mile radius; an overly juvenile stunt made even more delinquent by the fact that Malcolm and his brother Reece are 17 and 18, respectively.
In other episodes, such as Season 1's Cheerleader, the same two teenage characters act as they should and pursue girls instead of mischief. Due to the age jump of the title character, the writers tried to serve the intent of the show -- to follow a young boy growing up -- and also cater to a pubescent actor whose acned face could no longer pull off cute.
Particularly in the last few seasons, one can see the show struggle with its direction. The first half of the series, in which Muniz still maintain his girlish voice, was about a young boy dealing with life's hardships in a way the audience can find incredible. The same basic premise exists in the second half, but Malcolm's older age makes it far less enjoyable because of the decrease in crazy kid antics that marked the success of the series’ first half.
The flip-flop between rebellious teen angst and immature childhood drama leaves a bizarre taste in the viewer's mouth, yet, in spite of this unique mixture, the show still holds a very special place in my heart and I still long for a spin-off. But this time, geared more towards childhood.
