Ricky Church reviews Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair…
Almost 20 years since their series finale, Malcolm and his crazy family are back in the reunion miniseries Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair. The special shows its older fans why the series and this cast in particular were not only great back then but still have so much mileage now. That goes just as much for the new cast as they immediately fit right into the dysfunctional dynamics with clever, funny beats that don’t hinge on pure nostalgia.
Life’s Still Unfair picks up with the family on the eve of Lois and Hal’s 40th wedding anniversary as the married pair chaotically plan for their milestone while trying to get the family together. Only Malcolm has all but disowned his family, choosing to go mostly no contact as they bring out the worst in him and doesn’t want them effecting not only his mental health, but also his teenage daughter Leah and his relationship with his girlfriend Tristan, culminating in a confrontation with all of his family as they celebrate Lois and Hal.
Frankie Muniz slips back into his role almost as if no time has passed, showing while Malcolm has grown and evolved over the years he can still be just as neurotic and selfish as he was in his youth, especially when he’s with his family. Like the original series, Muniz makes us simultaneously root for and against Malcolm as he spirals in the lead up to his parent’s anniversary. There are very clear reasons as to why he’s chosen to freeze them out for most of his life, but then other decisions are not as justifiable, namely keeping his daughter a secret from Lois and Hal throughout her life. The way Muniz portrays Malcolm’s growth and regression is well balanced with his likeability and making the conflict of having to cut family off but not completely break from them feel relatable.
The only one negative of Malcolm’s story is how Muniz spends most of the miniseries apart from his Malcolm costars, instead spending more time with Keeley Karsten’s Leah and Kiana Madeira’s Tristan. Given how hilarious their shenanigans were in the original, Life’s Still Unfair misses out a bit on the chemistry they all had and still have in the reunion, but while one does miss Malcolm with his family the exploration of his new relationships does much to make up for that. Muniz and Karsten are great together as Malcolm tries avoiding the mistakes his parents made and Leah navigates the awkward transition into high school.
Karsten immediately makes Leah likeable and understanding, especially with how the show gives her the same fourth-wall breaking power Malcom has. She is endearing and though she also does not share much time with her extended family, she fits right in with them and Karsten displays an ability to carry the show just as well as Muniz should this lead to a full series or further miniseries following her. Madeira also provides more of a straight-man role as Tristan is suddenly thrown into the insanity of Malcolm’s family, but is able to roll well with it. Madeira keeps up with Muniz’s manic portrayal once things go south and conveys Tristan’s down-to-earth attitude and why she and Malcolm make such a good and interesting pair on their own.
As for the rest of the cast, Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek shine as Hal and Lois. Despite the two-decade gap and Cranston’s own career transformation from the goofy and loveable father into a deadly drug kingpin for near on a decade in the Breaking Bad-verse, Cranston is just as silly now as he was then, reveling in Hal’s over-the-top declarations of love and the despair he feels at how his sons seemingly perceive him. The range he shows throughout these four episodes is exceptional as Hal goes through many emotions at a moments notice, not to mention his drug fueled trip where Cranston plays different versions of Hal.
Kaczmarek has always given Lois a complex portrayal and that is no different here as Lois shifts between her usual overbearing parenting style to justifiable hurt at Malcolm’s decisions to her genuine love for Hal. The culmination of their anniversary provides one of the most emotional highpoints in both this reunion and the original series.
Justin Berfield gives several laughs as Reese continues his antics as a social media star, sharing most of his time with Malcolm newcomer Vaughan Murrae as the youngest sibling Kelly, while Christopher Masterson displays a much more emotionally stable and mature Francis even as he still vies for Lois’ attention in his own way. He and Emy Coligado’s Piama have a small arc showing both their growth and earnest feelings while Caleb Ellsworth-Clark and Anthony Timpano’s grown-up Dewey and Jamie appear very little, giving brief glimpses into their lives compared to the others. Though they all have good moments, their problem is similar to Malcolm’s where more time could have been spent with the original stars together.
The focus though on how they’ve grown and their new relationships balances that criticism out though, especially when it comes to Murrae’s Kelly who fits right in with the family. They are unique in how they have the boys’ mischievous streak combined with Lois’ ruthless cunning to get one over on their brothers. Murrae gives a great performance through their comedic timing and one poignant beat in the finale. Should the reunion turn into a revival, both Murrae and Karsten are more than capable of carrying a continuation.
Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair is a welcome return to this crazy family and the cast, both old and new, give terrific performances along with several cameos and easter eggs from the original series. Muniz, Cranston and Kaczmarek carry the reunion while Karsten, Murrae and Madeira are thrown in and match their earnestness and insanity. It is just the right mix of nostalgia and new stories with crisp writing, hilarious moments and interesting character arcs. Life may still be unfair for Malcolm, but it is still as funny as it was 20 years ago.
Rating: 8/10
Ricky Church
