# When did Malcolm in the Middle start sucking? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 4, 2005, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-malcolm-in-the-middle-start-sucking/302340 "2005-05-04T07:37:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gozu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gozu/32/6615_2.png) [@Gozu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-malcolm-in-the-middle-start-sucking/302340/1 "2005-05-04T07:37:06Z")
I enjoyed the show for the first 3 seasons and it suddenly became absolutely horrible in the 4th one. Was I just young and stupid? Did it always suck? I wonder… ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-malcolm-in-the-middle-start-sucking/302340/2 "2005-05-04T13:50:05Z")
You can chose from 21 diffrent reasons at : [http://www.jumptheshark.com/m/malcolminthemiddle.htm](http://www.jumptheshark.com/m/malcolminthemiddle.htm) , but personally, I think it was Lois went to work at the drug store. ---
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-malcolm-in-the-middle-start-sucking/302340/3 "2005-05-04T14:08:12Z")
My personal reason is when Francis got married and went to work at the ranch. Although I’ve always liked the episodes that let us see a glimpse into Dewey’s double life of get-rich-quick schemes, like when he becomes a street performer and goes door-to-door selling Patriotic Cookies. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-malcolm-in-the-middle-start-sucking/302340/4 "2005-05-04T14:11:50Z")
> [@](#): > > My personal reason is when Francis got married and went to work at the ranch. But I love the german ranchers! Seriously, I don’t think it was any one thing. The premise was great, but it just can’t be done for as long as it has without getting boring. ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-malcolm-in-the-middle-start-sucking/302340/5 "2005-05-04T14:43:05Z")
The kids are just getting too old. Reece and Malcolm look like they’re ready to start college. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-malcolm-in-the-middle-start-sucking/302340/6 "2005-05-04T14:55:34Z")
> [@Nonsuch](#): > > The kids are just getting too old. Reece and Malcolm look like they’re ready to start college. Tha’t because they are both 19 years old: [Frankie Muniz (Malcom)](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005260/) [Justin Berfield (Reese)](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0073678/) ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-malcolm-in-the-middle-start-sucking/302340/7 "2005-05-04T17:11:06Z")
I still like the show though it may be getting close to being played out. I think Hal is great (perhaps because I can relate to him which says a lot…). The German couple were the most passive-aggressive people ever to appear in a comedy. I miss them. ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-malcolm-in-the-middle-start-sucking/302340/8 "2005-05-04T18:22:54Z")
I always was mildy annoyed with Lois but lately her harpy overprotective act has gotten unbearable. Last week’s episode where she told Malcolm he wasn’t allowed to work anywhere she wasn’t because she had to have complete control ovewr him and all his interactions or something of that ilk just pushed me past my tolerence level for the character. ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-malcolm-in-the-middle-start-sucking/302340/9 "2005-05-04T18:27:51Z")
> [@Fear Itself](#): > > Tha’t because they are both 19 years old: > > [Frankie Muniz (Malcom)](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005260/) > > [Justin Berfield (Reese)](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0073678/) QED. ---
**Author:** ![nivlac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3bc359/32.png) [@nivlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nivlac)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-malcolm-in-the-middle-start-sucking/302340/10 "2005-05-04T18:51:31Z")
> [@Nonsuch](#): > > The kids are just getting too old. Reece and Malcolm look like they’re ready to start college. BINGO! The kids outgrew the original premise of the show. I also think that the show got increasingly nastier with some of the characters, case in point, Cloris Leachman’s act as Lois’ mom. The character is great, but has gotten beyond over the top. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-malcolm-in-the-middle-start-sucking/302340/11 "2005-05-04T20:54:47Z")
> [@BurnMeUp](#): > > I always was mildy annoyed with Lois but lately her harpy overprotective act has gotten unbearable. Last week’s episode where she told Malcolm he wasn’t allowed to work anywhere she wasn’t because she had to have complete control ovewr him and all his interactions or something of that ilk just pushed me past my tolerence level for the character. “_Now once I find you a proper wife then you can have your precious freedom._” **Lois**. Classic. ---
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-malcolm-in-the-middle-start-sucking/302340/12 "2005-05-04T21:03:10Z")
> [@smiling bandit](#): > > But I love the german ranchers! > > Seriously, I don’t think it was any one thing. The premise was great, but it just can’t be done for as long as it has without getting boring. So do I. I was just trying to think of a rough timeline of when the series started to suck, at least for me. But now I change my mind. Yeah, when the kids started getting older. Perhaps when Malcolm became a high schooler. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-malcolm-in-the-middle-start-sucking/302340/13 "2005-05-04T21:26:03Z")
I’ll miss it, but the series really should wrap up while it’s still reasonably funny (I don’t feel it’s reached suckitude), ending with Malcolm going off to college. Once he’s removed from his family, all the show’s tension will evaporate and I don’t think the writers could get lucky _twice_ and build up a similarly perfect supporting cast of fellow students and teachers. It might end up looking like (blech!) _A Different World_. I can imagine Fox trying something desperate, like having the focus move to Dewey (and have him inherit the talk-to-the-camera role) and _that_ would suck. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-malcolm-in-the-middle-start-sucking/302340/14 "2005-05-04T21:31:21Z")
I think it was someright right after the first intro. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-malcolm-in-the-middle-start-sucking/302340/15 "2005-05-04T21:32:28Z")
I think it was somewhere right after the first opening credits. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-malcolm-in-the-middle-start-sucking/302340/16 "2005-05-04T21:33:02Z")
Once Malcom stopped being sympatetic. At first he was the only normal one in the family, now all he does is complain and whine. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-malcolm-in-the-middle-start-sucking/302340/17 "2005-05-05T02:36:40Z")
Another vote for the kids getting too old. The show is suffeering from the “Leave It to Beaver” syndrome. When Francis finally busted out of military school it became clear that he was going to grow up to become just like Lois. Early Reese was a trouble-making scamp, now it’s clear someday the police will find body parts in his freezer. Malcolm went from being a sympathetic victim to a grouchy nerd. I admit I like the way Dewey has evolved, though. ---
**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:** [May 5, 2005, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-malcolm-in-the-middle-start-sucking/302340/18 "2005-05-05T04:18:31Z")
I’m not sure that I agree that it sucks. It has its weak moments, but the Ida’s missing leg/ethnic center baking and stick-dancing arc was hysterical.