# Malcom in the Middle's house (4/2/06 ep) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 3, 2006, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcom-in-the-middles-house-4-2-06-ep/351089 "2006-04-03T16:06:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcom-in-the-middles-house-4-2-06-ep/351089/1 "2006-04-03T16:06:31Z")
After watching last night’s episode of _Malcom in the Middle_, I got to wondering what other surprises are in that house? A while back, they discovered a long-lost toilet - what they’d thought was just a clutter-crammed closet turned out to be a bathroom. Last night, they discover a fallout shelter under the trash cans. Completely stocked with apparently edible TV dinners and booze. What’s the next thing they’ll find? A secret second floor? A basement bowling alley? Two other notes on last night’s ep: It seemed completely out of character for them to win a nice new truck. Any bets as to what terrible fate awaits? Truly geeky: in the fallout shelter’s kitchen, they had a Sunbeam mixer that was about 15-20 years too new. My spouse collects Sunbeam mixers and we simultaneously said “Waitaminnit… wrong decade!” ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcom-in-the-middles-house-4-2-06-ep/351089/2 "2006-04-03T16:17:12Z")
Malcolm in the Middle is still on? I thought they ended it last year. Huh… Was the episode any good? ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcom-in-the-middles-house-4-2-06-ep/351089/3 "2006-04-03T16:27:55Z")
It was surprisingly good. I watched it last night for the first time in… oh… a couple years or so? I was bored and had nothing better to do, and was fully expecting it to suck, but surprisingly enough it did not. MrWhatsit said after watching it with me was that one of the interesting things about that show is that they have reasonably well-developed characters that still _never manage to learn anything_. They always finish the episode more or less where they started it. Case in point: In last night’s ep, Malcolm discovers that he is attracted to a girl who is stereotypically geeky; he discovers that she is attracted to him too. Instead of learning that it’s okay to be attracted to someone who isn’t a standard hottie, he gets pissed off because she reveals that he’s subpar in physical attractiveness too, and they get in a huge fight. Total amount learned from this: nothing. Which, I agree, makes it all the more surprising that Lois won the truck. It’s a nice, new item, which I think has to mean it’s going to be lost in the next episode somehow, or will bring downfall on a family member in some way. Good things just do not happen to this family! ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcom-in-the-middles-house-4-2-06-ep/351089/4 "2006-04-03T16:52:39Z")
I liked the episode but then I’m a big fan of the show. Except…can anyone answer the following questions: 1. Why and when did Francis leave the ranch? Otto was a great character. 2. What ever happened to the very cute blonde girl who lived with them? 3. Are they ever going to include the Kreylbone’s again? ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcom-in-the-middles-house-4-2-06-ep/351089/5 "2006-04-03T16:54:57Z")
> [@Lochdale](#): > > 1. Why and when did Francis leave the ranch? Otto was a great character. He was fired. It turned out that the ATM he had been depositing the ranch’s takings at wasn’t an ATM. ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcom-in-the-middles-house-4-2-06-ep/351089/6 "2006-04-03T17:08:43Z")
> [@Priceguy](#): > > He was fired. It turned out that the ATM he had been depositing the ranch’s takings at wasn’t an ATM. Doh! Amazed Otto fired him. Too bad as I liked that side of the show. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcom-in-the-middles-house-4-2-06-ep/351089/7 "2006-04-03T17:26:20Z")
> [@Priceguy](#): > > He was fired. It turned out that the ATM he had been depositing the ranch’s takings at wasn’t an ATM. See, that sounds like something Otto would do. I’mn surprised that got him fired. So what does Francis do now? Is he still married to Piama? I never liked that blonde neighbor girl. She was annoying and evil. I think it was around that time that I stopped watching regularly. Oh since my thread asking this question from a few months ago got NO replies… maybe in this thread it will… What happened to the brunette Krelborne girl? They set her up to be a girlfriend of Malcolm’s (especially after the whole "she went to Europe and came back with big boobs episode) but I don’t know if anything happened with that. It seems like she disappeared with the rest of the Krelbornes. One of which is on “War at Home” now. ---
**Author:** ![davenportavenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f8ce5/32.png) [@davenportavenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davenportavenger)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcom-in-the-middles-house-4-2-06-ep/351089/8 "2006-04-03T17:33:19Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > MrWhatsit said after watching it with me was that one of the interesting things about that show is that they have reasonably well-developed characters that still _never manage to learn anything_. That’s because AFAICT Malcolm in the Middle is basically a live-action cartoon. The plotlines are always over-the-top and the characters often get into acts of physical harm which would kill characters on other sitcoms. Even the settings have kind of a bright “cartoonish” look to them. In fact I can see this show coming back as an animated show once the kids turn 25 or so. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcom-in-the-middles-house-4-2-06-ep/351089/9 "2006-04-03T17:53:06Z")
Personally, I thought the girl was pretty good looking, at least in her competition attire. I’m not sure why Malcolm went from “hottie who can’t dance” to “TV ugly girl who can”. It’s not like there weren’t other girls who could dance that were arguably better looking than TVUG. Isn’t Francis the manager of that rock band? Brian ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcom-in-the-middles-house-4-2-06-ep/351089/10 "2006-04-04T03:11:51Z")
Pretty good episode. But… Didn’t they already do the “hand on the car contest” thing before? I remember Craig was in it. Some sleeping in tents at the mall. (Episode guides aren’t helping.) As to Francis: He doesn’t stay anywhere forever. The academy, Alaska, etc. If anything he stayed too long at the ranch. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcom-in-the-middles-house-4-2-06-ep/351089/11 "2006-04-04T03:15:27Z")
> [@Push You Down](#): > > What happened to the brunette Krelborne girl? They set her up to be a girlfriend of Malcolm’s (especially after the whole "she went to Europe and came back with big boobs episode) but I don’t know if anything happened with that. It seems like she disappeared with the rest of the Krelbornes. One of which is on “War at Home” now. Cynthia (?) (Tania Raymonde) is guesting on _ **Lost** _ for an episode or more. The rest disappeared when Malcom went to high school. ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcom-in-the-middles-house-4-2-06-ep/351089/12 "2006-04-04T03:37:25Z")
> [@Oslo Ostragoth](#): > > Cynthia (?) (Tania Raymonde) is guesting on _ **Lost** _ for an episode or more. The rest disappeared when Malcom went to high school. I’m sorry they dropped them. The smary, jealous, under achieving teacher was a good character. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcom-in-the-middles-house-4-2-06-ep/351089/13 "2006-04-04T04:29:52Z")
> [@Lochdale](#): > > I’m sorry they dropped them. The smary, jealous, under achieving teacher was a good character. He went on to a memroable part on Gilmore Girls season 4. Some of the Krelbornes were around a bit into high school. The first high school episode was just on in syndication here. A major plot was Malcolm trying to ditch the Krelbornes… apparently he eventually succeeded. It’s sad that that character (the brunette) didn’t get written out and just was dropped. She was a good character and a strong actress. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcom-in-the-middles-house-4-2-06-ep/351089/14 "2006-04-04T04:29:15Z")
> [@Lochdale](#): > > I’m sorry they dropped them. The smary, jealous, under achieving teacher was a good character. He went on to a memroable part on Gilmore Girls season 4. Some of the Krelbornes were around a bit into high school. The first high school episode was just on in syndication here. A major plot was Malcolm trying to ditch the Krelbornes… apparently he eventually succeeded. It’s sad that that character (the brunette) didn’t get written out and just was dropped. She was a good character and a strong actress. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcom-in-the-middles-house-4-2-06-ep/351089/15 "2006-04-04T04:32:46Z")
> [@Lochdale](#): > > I’m sorry they dropped them. The smary, jealous, under achieving teacher was a good character. > [@Lochdale](#): > > I’m sorry they dropped them. The smary, jealous, under achieving teacher was a good character. He went on to a memroable part on Gilmore Girls season 4. Some of the Krelbornes were around a bit into high school. The first high school episode was just on in syndication here. A major plot was Malcolm trying to ditch the Krelbornes… apparently he eventually succeeded. It’s sad that that character (the brunette) didn’t get written out and just was dropped. She was a good character and a strong actress. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcom-in-the-middles-house-4-2-06-ep/351089/16 "2006-04-04T04:41:13Z")
I think creator/writer/producer Linwood “the blind guy from _Little House on the Prairie_” Boomer just decided it was time for the family to catch one lucky break. But I’m probably wrong. Unrelated trivia that I’ll mention anyway: Frankie Muniz was offered the lead in the upcoming _Running With Scissors_ movie, in part because he could convincingly play a 14-16 year old but is old enough to handle some of the sexually explicit material. He turned it down due to scheduling conflicts and unwillingness to do any more nudity than he had in his love scene with [Cher](http://www.filmfocus.co.uk/mediadetail.asp?FilmbaseID=9&MediaID=198). ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2006, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcom-in-the-middles-house-4-2-06-ep/351089/17 "2006-04-05T18:15:46Z")
I like this episode. Yes, it was silly and cartoon-like, but it kept me interested and surprised. I thought for sure that Lois, just happening upon that contest, would win and then get disqualified for not registering ahead of time or something. I loved the way she went around the truck to each contestant and started messing with their minds. The whole bomb shelter thing isn’t too believable, but nevertheless it worked. I thought the scenes with Hal drinking a martini and having a chat with a portrait of Kennedy were great. What exactly is a Krelborne anyway? I have no idea what the origin of that word is, and I’ve seen most every episode up to a year or so ago. Did anybody else recognize Malcolm’s redhead dance partner was Lily from Grounded for Life? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2006, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcom-in-the-middles-house-4-2-06-ep/351089/18 "2006-04-05T19:22:53Z")
The name Krelboyne comes from the lead character in Roger Corman’s movie The Little Shop of Horrors. In Malcolm in the Middle, they are the kids in the gifted class. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2006, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcom-in-the-middles-house-4-2-06-ep/351089/19 "2006-04-05T19:36:19Z")
> [@Dewey Finn](#): > > The name Krelboyne comes from the lead character in Roger Corman’s movie The Little Shop of Horrors. In Malcolm in the Middle, they are the kids in the gifted class. Yep, I realized it was a derogative name for the nerdy kids. So the kids are called Krelboynes because they’re similar to that character? Was that ever mentioned on the show? Has anyone heard of that term used outside of MITM? Is it just me or does MITM seem vaguely Canadian? ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2006, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcom-in-the-middles-house-4-2-06-ep/351089/20 "2006-04-05T19:58:10Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > Is it just me or does MITM seem vaguely Canadian? Its you. I always assumed it took place in the Ohio area. The military academy was in the South and they lived atleast 8 hours away from it. Althought they never have Winter do they? Sometimes the show does seems to take place in SoCal, but that might just be because the occasional palm tree and recognizable San Fernando Valley locations. Same way that My Name is Earl seems to take place around Maryland but looks like SoCal a lot of the time. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcom-in-the-middles-house-4-2-06-ep/351089.md?page=2)