Anything like Malcolm?

rzombie1988

New member
I've always thought the Adventures of Pete and Pete had a few similarities to mitm. It's just they were alot more happier and less vulgar.
 

MalcolmFun

New member
How exactly does Scrubs copy MITM :confused1: ?

"Single camera" shot style with different camera angles and lenses. Fast paced plot and lines with actors proceeding in a realistic conversation pace. Action is actually shown. Scenes move quickly from one to the next. It uses unconventional plot devices like you can hear what people think sometimes, or flashbacks, soliloqueys, sometimes the audience is decieved with either more or less knowlege then what the characters actually have and all kinds of other things like this.

Look at any comedy from the 80s or 90s before Malcolm came out in Jan 2000. Seinfeld, Friends, Cheers, Frasier, Married with Children ect ect they are nothing like this. They are setup more like a stage play where you can almost see the set is 3 walls. Not many camera angles, you mostly just have a view of the room they are in, not many closeups or other shots. Shots outside are rare. There are long pauses between jokes and lines in which the laugh track drags on. Scenes tend to be long conversations and move slowly from one to the next. Very little if any music. THe story usually proceeds in a simple linear narrative ussually without any special literary devices. There is very little action of any kind, it is mostly talking. Often the characters sit around and talk about and allude to some interesting events and nothing of the sort is ever actually shown on film.

This change in the way it TV comedy is done is maybe becoming more common now but it is all pretty much copied from Malcolm. Malcolm didnt necesarilly invent all that stuff, most of it was used in movies but not television. It is just the only TV show that tied all those together and alot of pieces of its style have since been copied.


You know writing that got me thinking. This newer style is superior to the older one, but most of the new shows all totally suck anyway, mostly because of bad writing I think. IMHO Malcolm is the only show that had good writing and this good style. It would be interesting see one of the older shows with good writing, like Seinfeld, refilmed in the Single Camera style similiar to Malcolm. Then, instead of always being in Jerry's apartment talking about fun things that happened to them, we would actually get to see them.
 
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Deleted member 1693

Guest
While watching season one of Daria, which is the wittiest animated sitcom around in my humble opinion, I can relate a lot of it to MITM. I am surprised no one has mentioned it. The main character is an intelligent and sarcastic loner (obvious connection here. the only difference between M. and her is that Daria never cares what anyone else thinks of her), who has a ditzy and superficial sister, Quinn (pure stupidity alone relates to Reese. think 'If Boys Were Girls'). Her dad, Jake is "well meaning, but totally clueless when it comes to the intricacies of parenthood. He is almost always stressed out over some issue or another; that, combined with many unresolved issues from his childhood and a tendency to blow the tiniest of things way out of proportion, often get in the way of his best intentions" (Hal and him are practically the same person). Her mom, Helen, is an overworked businesswoman who barely has time for her own family (she doesn't share much resemblance to Lois other than mere looks, but what other TV mom does?).

Here are some pictures, as my post wouldn't be complete without them. The first is obviously Daria, and the second is her family (and Jane, her best friend, on the extreme right).

daria-the-movie.jpg


Dariatitle.jpg
 
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Deleted member 1693

Guest
I know! Jake acts like Hal too. He goes insane sometimes over small things a lot. :p
 

Melancholic

New member
Well, no matter how many shows try to be funnier or wittier than Malcolm, all past attempts have failed. I highly doubt there will be any show in the future that will match the geniune, authentic comedy that comes from not only the talent of the actors but the genius of the writers to make such hilarious plots, and at the same time have it relate to people. I actually don't see the connection to any shows toward Malcolm, no matter how people try to point it out, maybe because I'm ignorant, but I'd like to believe it's because I simply still think MITM is the best show on Earth.

I'm sad it had to end. But all good things come to an end, eh?
 

theduchboy

New member
Melancholic, i absolutely agree with you
everytime i see an episode, i think: how do they come up with this stuff?
every ep. has some good funny things, try to come up with that for so long :)
 
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Deleted member 1693

Guest
This show definitely did not wear itself out over time. One of the freshest shows after all those challenging years.
 

Lozart

New member
I don't think anything could top Malcolm in the Middle.

It is so good. Why did I watch this show so early! Why couldn't I have just found out about this show now so that I won't be bored every day.
 

Raykel

New member
Hmm, "Grounded For Life" my dad loves MITM and got me onto that show too, but it's a live sitcom...there's "King Of The Hill" and "Eight Simple Rules" but I think Malcolm may just be one of a kind, well we have all heard of The Simpsons, and I believe they are in the same class :tongue:
 
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AlexTheMartian

New member
Hmm, "Grounded For Life" my dad loves MITM and got me onto that show too, but it's a live sitcom...there's "King Of The Hill" and "Eight Simple Rules" but I think Malcolm may just be one of a kind, well we have all heard of The Simpsons, and I believe they are in the same class :tongue:

that class is called "dysfunctional family", by the way :)
 

ronbin

New member
Years ago, I watched a show called "Oliver Beene". It was something like 'Malcolm' meets 'The Wonder Years', and was pretty funny. Unfortunatelly the show was cancelled after 24 episodes.
 

Richiepiep

Administrator
Years ago, I watched a show called "Oliver Beene". It was something like 'Malcolm' meets 'The Wonder Years', and was pretty funny. Unfortunatelly the show was cancelled after 24 episodes.

Yes, I've heard many comments like that about Oliver Beene. It's never been aired over here though, so I haven't seen it. There were some clips on that showed a similar style, that's what I got.

There's still the question, how unique was and is Malcolm? For some possible forerunners/sources of inspiration which, for instance, had the leading teen characters comment on the action to the audience, see three threads in the Reese Apartment's forum. Please comment and watch clips.

The Wonder Years

Clarissa Explains It All and Bailey Kipper's P.O.V.

Parker Lewis Can't Win and The Adventures Of Pete & Pete

Rich
 
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MITM_Fan

Member
I don't think anything could top Malcolm in the Middle.

It is so good. Why did I watch this show so early! Why couldn't I have just found out about this show now so that I won't be bored every day.

Wonder Years vs MitM vs The Middle = MitM

The Middle, well.. apart from its name, it hasn't got much to do with MitM other than a few imitations, but all shows tend to do that.
 

Ryebeach

Moderator
There's a new FOX show I'm rooting for called Raising Hope that premieres on Tuesday, September 21st. It has a real MITM vibe to it with the setting, quirky characters and offbeat humor. There's also a lot of heart in it too, something I loved about MITM. Cloris Leachman (Grandma Ida) stars in this new show as well. One more reason for MITM fans to check it out this fall. :)

Here's the trailer:

 
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