The long-awaited reboot of Malcolm in the Middle, subtitled Life's Still Unfair, is set to premiere with four half-hour episodes reuniting the original cast. The new trailer showcases the show's trademark gross-out humour, including scenes of police officers being punched, Santa Claus kicked in the face, and a barrel of faeces exploding inside a family car. The series follows the Wilkerson family as they gather for parents Lois and Hal's 40th wedding anniversary.
Bryan Cranston, who plays father Hal, reprises his role with full commitment, including multiple nude scenes. In one callback to the original series, Hal strips down so Lois can shave his excess body hair while their children watch in horror. Cranston, now 70, joked: 'Taking my clothes off seems to be my whole life.' He also performs a choreographed dance routine in a supermarket aisle and, after accidentally taking hallucinogens, imagines himself as Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor.
Frankie Muniz, who plays the titular Malcolm, revealed that the reboot was sparked by a 2015 tweet in which he expressed interest in catching up with the characters. The overwhelming response led to a dinner with Cranston, who said Hal was the only role he would want to revisit. Muniz noted: 'It's thanks to Bryan that it really did happen.' The actor also reflected on the show's global popularity, recalling being chased down the street by fans in Geneva.
Jane Kaczmarek, who plays Lois, laughed at Cranston's enthusiasm for the role, suggesting his experience playing a murderer on Breaking Bad made him eager to return to comedy. The new episodes feature classic family showdowns, including siblings calling the tax office on each other and Malcolm keying his own car to win an argument. The series promises to maintain the original's blend of surreal humour and over-the-top antics.
