Malcolm in the Middle Revival: All 4 Episodes of Life's Still Unfair, Ranked

Malcolm in the Middle has returned with a new revival outing on Hulu, and the new Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair miniseries is stacked with four very great episodes. The revival is unfortunately a lot shorter than fans might have been hoping for as the original creator (and much of the original cast) has returned for this new effort after 20 long years. But while the revival series isn’t around for long, it makes the most of its runtime by packing in as much of the original show’s spirit as it can within each episode.

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Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair takes place 20 years after the events of the original series, and sees Malcolm and his fourth wall breaking narration making a comeback with just as chaotic of a family that fans saw in the original series. With a new status quo teasing the potential of a much longer future that could happen down the line, and a self-contained story perfectly wrapping everything up in case this is it, here’s every episode of the Malcolm in the Middle Hulu revival series ranked from worst to best.

4). Episode Two

The unfortunately immediate issue with the second episode of the miniseries is the fact it has to follow up such a fantastic premiere. It’s the first of two episodes that has to expand on the new status quo set up in the pilot, and does well to help establish new addition Kelly’s dynamic in the family. Putting them up against Reese’s hilariously cruel shenanigans sets up Reese’s new family rival, and has Hal caught in the crosshairs. Bryan Cranston taking Hal’s emotional state to a whole new level leads to some incredible physical comedy in this episode specifically.

The image of them having to roll Hal down the hallway while he’s in a fetal position is such a fun visual that it would fit perfectly within the original series. It’s the same for Malcolm’s daughter Leah, who’s time in school as used as a way to tap into the original series’ more kid focused stories in a new way. The main thing holding this episode back compared to the others is that it’s a lot more set up for events we’d see pay off later down the line. It’s full of great moments and gags (like everything with Reese and Francis), but it’s outshined by everything around it.

3). Episode Three

If you haven’t watched the original Malcolm in the Middle series in a while, you might have forgotten just how wild a Hal centric story can be for any particular episode. His stories lead to some of the most experimental episodes in the original run, and that’s especially the case for this miniseries. This is the episode where he mistakingly takes a ton of drugs, and figures out a whole new outlook on his life that sees him accepting that his love has essentially been taken advantage of by his family for decades. It’s a fun, yet dark take on everything that’s happened. Yet it all makes so much since for Hal’s journey.

The other events in the episode help to move things towards a satisfying finale as Francis realizes his mother truly cares about his new baby, Malcolm’s daughter forces him to reunite with his family, Reese gets to fully dive into his sociopathic tendencies, and the sudden dark cliffhanger car accident (which is immediately fixed the next episode) brings it all to a sudden end. It’s a great way to lead into the finale.

2). Episode One

The first episode of Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair is just about as perfect as fans of the original series could ask for. It reveals that Malcolm has separated himself from the rest of his family, but the others are pretty much closer than ever after all these years. It’s also got a lot of fun nods to the original series with side characters you wouldn’t expect to see return in the premiere (especially with the same actors), but doesn’t feel overstuffed by all of the references to the past. In fact, it’s focused on setting up the current state of each of their lives.

This pilot episode introduces Malcolm’s daughter Leah, who serves as the focal point of the teenage adventures that Malcolm used to have but with a modern day coat of paint. It’s such a fantastic blend of the wacky (borderline cartoon) tone of the original show with new characters and elements from modern day sitcoms that fit right in. It’s approachable for new viewers thanks to this firmly established new take on the story, but also such a great walk down memory lane that makes a ton of sense for each of the characters. Also helping in this matter is that no one has lost a step (especially Malcolm running away in the final moments).

1). Episode Four

Just like the very strong opening, Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair also goes out with as perfect of a finale as you could ask for as well. There is a bit of a buffer here, however, as it’s going to hit much better for fans of the classic series. This is where the full reunion aspect of the revival comes to fruition as with the celebration of Lois and Hal’s 20th anniversary, it offers the new series the opportunity to bring back all sorts of fun characters from the past for an updated appearance. And each one of them is welcome.

Most importantly, it’s also the emotional payoff of the entire miniseries. Through the episodes things build between Malcolm and his mother, and the two of them are able to come to a new understanding as adults as Malcolm reveals how he really felt about Lois’ speech in the final episode of the original series. But all the while, the rest of the family reaches a new level as they help to tell their father how much they truly appreciate everything he’s done. It’s a very emotionally resonant episode that works after 20 years sitting with the classic series, and it really did go out on a high.

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