Is 'Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair' a hit with fans? A look at the reactions for Hulu's reboot of iconic classic
Hulu's reboot of 'Malcolm in the Middle' hasn't necessarily won hearts after a twist in the mix. The four-episode revival made its debut on Friday, with the main cast reprising their roles, but the surprise move in the form of Malcolm (Frankie Muniz) revealing that he has a daughter to his parents, Hal and Lois (played by Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek), drew mixed reactions from the series faithful.
Per Hello!, the show synopsis reads, "According to its synopsis, Malcolm has been keeping himself and his daughter at arm's length from his family for over a decade. Yet he finds himself pulled back into their chaotic world when his parents, Hal and Lois, insist that everyone must attend their forthcoming 40th wedding anniversary celebration." Fans took to X to share their views, and one of them posted: "The reboot of Malcolm in the Middle is worse than the Scrubs reboot." Another seconded this: "The Scrubs reboot was really good. The Malcolm in the Middle Reunion was terrible." The thumbs-down continued with a fan stating, "Let's see how it will get ruined with all this modern audience crap, just like Malcolm in the Middle has."
However, some did like what the series had to offer. "I watched the revival of Malcolm in the Middle, and it is very funny. They did a great job updating the original characters and introducing new ones. They didn’t make a big deal of the non-binary character except for one small exchange involving pronouns," a fan tweeted. "I JUST WATCHED THIS TONIGHT, AND MY HEART BROKE!!!! I loved Malcolm in the Middle!" another added. "New Malcolm in the Middle is class," a fan said.
In related news, series creator Linwood Boomer, in an interview with Collider, shed light on the show's future. "Well, it depends on how it does. There's a certain number, and I don't even know what it is, and I don't even know what it's measuring, but some piece of data has to hit a certain number, and if it's one shy, they won't ask, and if it's one over, they will ask, but not until then. We all had a great time. Everyone had a great time. It was a really good working experience, which I was nervous about after having been retired for so long and happily out of the business. Disney and 20th were terrific. They were great to work with." With the mixed reception, there is no word on the classic show's future. For now, fans can stream the episodes on Hulu.