Malcolm in the Middle Revival: Everything We Know

Sitcoms have always been a key part of the TV landscape, and most of them have used the exact same formula for our whole lives, resulting in hundreds of shows that look and feel pretty much identical to each other aside from sometimes having different actors. Because of that, we tend to cherish shows that manage to blow up the formula while still being entertaining — and the 2000 single-camera sitcom Malcolm in the Middle, with its genius teen protagonist (Frankie Muniz) who talks to the camera, is one of our great modern examples of that. Naturally, that means it's ripe for a revival, and one is coming to Disney+.

While Malcolm in the Middle may be best known now for propelling Bryan Cranston into the big time — he went from this to Breaking Bad, and the rest is history — the sitcom still has plenty of value on its own merits simply because it was the first successful single-camera half-hour network sitcom in an era that would later give us The Office, Arrested Development, and more. If you like that multi-camera soundstage sitcoms are no longer the only kind of sitcom that gets made on network TV, thank Malcolm in the Middle. 

Here's what we know so far about the new Malcolm in the Middle.

How many episodes will the Malcolm in the Middle revival be?

While fans would hope for the show to simply return and continue on for multiple more seasons, this is not that sort of revival. Instead, Malcolm in the Middle is coming back for just four new episodes. While I'm sure Disney would consider doing more if the revival is successful, for the time being there are no plans that we know of to do anything beyond these four episodes.

When is the Malcolm in the Middle revival premiering?

We have no info on when the new Malcolm in the Middle episodes will premiere, but Frankie Muniz — and his baby — said filming on the revival was starting in mid-April. 

Nearly the entire cast from the original run of Malcolm in the Middle is returning —including Cranston as Hal, Jane Kaczmarek as Lois, Muniz as Malcolm, Christopher Masterson as Francis, and Justin Berfield as Reese — the lone exception being Erik Per Sullivan, the child actor who played Malcolm's little brother Dewey. Dewey will now be played by Caleb Ellsworth-Clark.

We've got some new cast members as well, as reported by Deadline, including Anthony Timpano as Malcolm's little brother Jamie, who was born during Season 4 of the original series, and Vaughan Murrae as Malcolm's young non-binary sibling Kelly, born after the series ended. (Malcolm's mother Lois, played by Jane Kaczmarek, discovered she was pregnant with a sixth kid in the original series finale episode, and Kelly is the result.) These new folks are big wild cards, and they'll no doubt be unhinged in some way or another.

On top of all that, we also have Keeley Karsten as Malcolm's own daughter, and Kiana Madeira will play Malcolm's girlfriend Tristan.

In addition to the returning cast, original series creator Linwood Boomer is also returning as writer and producer despite having done little TV work since Malcom in the Middle left the air in 2006.

Malcolm in the Middle revival cast

• Frankie Muniz as Malcolm
• Bryan Cranston as Hal
• Jane Kaczmarek as Lois
• Christopher Masterson as Francis
• Justin Berfield as Reese
• Anthony Timpano as Jamie
• Vaughan Murrae as Kelly
• Keely Karsten as Malcolm's daughter Leah
• Kiana Madiera as Malcolm's girlfriend Tristan

What is the plot of the Malcolm in the Middle revival?

Here's the official plot summary from the studio: "Malcolm and his daughter are drawn into the family's chaos when Hal and Lois demand his presence for their 40th wedding anniversary party." "Demand" is a funny word to use there, since it implies Malcolm isn't planning to go to the party — though if you were a 40-year-old man with Hal and Lois for parents, you probably wouldn't want to go either.

Where to watch Malcolm in the Middle

The original seven-season run of Malcolm in the Middle is available to stream on both Hulu and Disney+.