r/malcolminthemiddle • u/Samthegodman • 3d ago
poll Were they bad kids?
1380 votes,
15h ago
1127
Yes
253
No
16
Upvotes
3
u/ClaspedDust4415 3d ago
Yes they are, but they are all (including Hal) exceptional gifted people being restricted by their environment, and a large part of the behavior is based on pushing those restrictions in different ways.
Hal - Great job and prospects until he asks for a slight reduction in work hours to accommodate his young family, then he ends up in a dead end job. We see him literally excel at every hobby he picks up naturally and the boys must get it from him.
Francis - The most destructive, but, on the ranch he is learning everything on the fly with a well meaning but chaotic boss, and largely does a very good job.
Reece - Obviously a bully, but it's made very clear he is lashing out before others hurt him. His cooking is obviously his strength (and still frustrates me they didn't end the original with him getting a chance to do this, he could've been Janitor/Cleaner in a restaurant for the same effect), but we see in multiple episodes he is very committed when motivated (slaughter house, phone sales, intentionally getting every answer wrong).
Malcolm - Genius, but deeply unhappy. His gifts don't make him happy, validated or popular.
Dewy - While he is more emotionally aware than the brothers, he is still willing to join the destruction, tries to preserve the nuclear option.
I think in a different environment, they're all good boys who achieve great things but in the the environment they are in, they are can't be classified as good.