For fans of “Malcolm in the Middle” and the Walt Disney Co., 151 episodes weren't enough.
The beloved comedy, which ran for seven seasons on Fox in the early aughts, will return April 10 for a four-episode arc on Hulu. The reunion brings back viewer favorites Bryan Cranston as Hal, Frankie Muniz as Malcolm, Jane Kaczmarek as Lois and a pair of Malcolm's TV siblings.
“Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair” arrives nearly 20 years after the original went off the air. Muniz's character, Malcolm, is called back to his dysfunctional family to help celebrate Hal and Lois' 40th wedding anniversary.
Disney previewed the trailer on Monday.
Disney acquired the rights to the shows from studio 20th Century Fox after purchasing much of Rupert Murdoch's entertainment assets in 2019. The deal gave Disney blockbusters like “The Simpsons” and “Avatar.” Recently, the Burbank entertainment giant tapped into the Fox vault to tap into the comfort-food TV trend for millennials, boomers and Gen Z. Executives have seen nostalgia programming take off on streaming services, including Disney+ and Hulu.
The return of “Malcolm in the Middle” should appeal to viewers who have followed Cranston's career even before his breakout performance in the AMC crime drama “Breaking Bad.” Muñiz has also remained popular in pop culture; He works as a racing driver affiliated with Ford.
Jane Kaczmarek as Lois, Bryan Cranston as Hal and Erik Per Sullivan as Dewey in the original Fox version of “Malcolm in the Middle.” Sullivan is the only one who will not return.
(FOX)
A recent study by the National Research Group found that around 60% of all television consumed is library content. The study found that among Generation Z, 40% of respondents said they gravitated toward older shows because they were comforting and nostalgic. Disney's own research has shown that a quarter of the shows young people consider favorites were produced before 2010.
Disney's ABC will also bring back the quirky hospital comedy “Scrubs” on February 25. That comedy, set in the fictional Sacred Heart Hospital, will reprise the bromance between Zach Braff and Donald Faison's characters, which the pair recently recreated in T-Mobile commercials.
The show, which ran from October 2001 to March 2010, was also produced by 20th Television along with Bill Lawrence's Doozer Productions. Sarah Chalke will return and John C. McGinley will guest star. The show will air on ABC and, a day later, on Hulu.
Most of the original “Malcolm” cast returns for the limited series, except for Erik Per Sullivan, who played Dewey. He is no longer an actor, so the role is now played by Caleb Ellsworth-Clark.
Additionally, the Wilkersons' home will be the same but rebuilt as part of the set, as the classic mid-century home in Studio City that served as the exterior for the show was supposedly renovated years ago.
The show will also introduce new characters: Malcolm has a daughter, played by Keeley Karsten, and a girlfriend, played by Kiana Madeira.
The original series aired on Fox from January 2000 to May 2006. Those episodes are streaming on Hulu.
Former Times television critic Howard Rosenberg in 2000 called “Malcolm in the Middle” “the smartest, best-written and most original comedy of the season.”
The reboot is produced by Disney Television Studios and New Regency. Linwood Boomer, who created the original series, also returned as writer and executive producer. Ken Kwapis directs all four episodes and also serves as executive producer.
Beyond reviving old shows, Disney has also collaborated with advertisers to make vintage commercials to showcase classic films on its streaming platforms and television networks.
Staff writer Stephen Battaglio contributed to this report.
