LOL that's the only reason!? I guess it doesn't take much to amuse you.
The funny little things on MITM
- Thread starter tony_montana
- Start date
AlexTheMartian
New member
That is just one of many factors of me liking the show. It shows a realistic and at the same time exaggerated view of how middle (or possibly lower-middle) class families in America live. That is one of the things I love about the show, even though it is exaggerated, it is still entirely realistic. People of the same class as the families in Married with Children and Malcolm in the Middle will not have a house as non-cluttered as Married... but instead as messy as MITM.
There's got to be at least 5 in each episode
I just saw Jury Duty a few minutes ago. Boy was it hilarious. Francis, Eric, that Old guy, and another person were trapped in that shelter because a bear was right outside. They start arguing and arguing. Finally they decide to take a vote to see who should go out and try to get the truck. "Who votes Eric" All 3 but Francis votes. "Who votes Eric" All 3 but Eric votes. "Who votes (their friend)" All 3 but him vote. "Who votes (The old guy) All four of them vote. "Hey you what. You tricked me. NO!!!" So he gets pushed out while saying, "No you can't push me outside. I taste horrible! I tried!" Then Francis and them were discussing that that was the worst thing they've done. Suddenly Francis says, "Hey. Wait. I don't hear any eating" Then they hear the engines turning on and hurry outside. In a faint voice, "You backstabbin sons of bitches. See ya in hell!"
Oh god that was hilarious :laugh:
There was plenty more. You just have to see that episode
I just saw Jury Duty a few minutes ago. Boy was it hilarious. Francis, Eric, that Old guy, and another person were trapped in that shelter because a bear was right outside. They start arguing and arguing. Finally they decide to take a vote to see who should go out and try to get the truck. "Who votes Eric" All 3 but Francis votes. "Who votes Eric" All 3 but Eric votes. "Who votes (their friend)" All 3 but him vote. "Who votes (The old guy) All four of them vote. "Hey you what. You tricked me. NO!!!" So he gets pushed out while saying, "No you can't push me outside. I taste horrible! I tried!" Then Francis and them were discussing that that was the worst thing they've done. Suddenly Francis says, "Hey. Wait. I don't hear any eating" Then they hear the engines turning on and hurry outside. In a faint voice, "You backstabbin sons of bitches. See ya in hell!"
Oh god that was hilarious :laugh:
There was plenty more. You just have to see that episode
cadmiumgold
New member
I agree, and its the attention to detail and the character traits that make the show so great. The characters are all really well defined and its the way they deal with things that make them so funny, like Hal's craziness, Lois's overreacting, Malcolm's cynism etc. The way they view things is funny and a sign of great character development. For example, Hal's undying love for Lois and his upset that she doesn't belive in God in the tiki time episode and the random things that Dewey imagines like the way he plays up to being cute in the earlier seasons like when he sings to the babysitter, or the way Malcolm gets really worked up by things and just makes them worse by overreacting or analysing like in 'Bowling'. I was just watching Evacuation again and I noticed for the first time a tv saying 'toxic orphan' in the background of the restaurant Francis is in. It's nice to notice little things like this after watching this episode a few times over the years. It's why watching the repeats never gets old and I still love the show.
This is just like one of those funniest moments threads where there's too many to write them all.
I agree.
One thing I noticed that I thought was funny was Ida's remarks about Lois and bread. I know there was one in "Ida's Dance" and "Christmas" (when she's talking to Francis about the bread maker). I thin there are other times too, but those are to two I can remember. I think it's funny how that came up more than once in the series.
Richiepiep
Administrator
Thanks folks for all the great little memories!
I thought I'd share a fan letter with you I sent to the MITM production company back in 2003. I just found it in some computer folder. My oh my, the things that will turn up on your hard disk. Yes, it's on topic.....
I replicate the font and layout:
MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE
4024 Radford Ave.
Office: S
Attn: Malcolm In The Middle
Studio City, CA 91604
USA
July 13, 2003
Malcolm is magnificent!
Dear Malcolm-makers,
In seven words: I simply love Malcolm In The Middle! Even though, in the Netherlands, your series has been scattered between the Fox and Net 5-channels over the years, and we now have to do with equally scattershot programming at the BBC, I have savoured every episode of it – and we are only at the start of Season 3 over here! I wonder why the reception in Holland has been relatively lukewarm. Perhaps we cloghoppers really are a boring lot!
What can I say about the show? It is simply a series of tremendous craft and originality. The scripts are always highly intricate and smartly directed, they feature surprising twists and turns and the casting is one of a kind with all the actors giving their all. I am really fond of the kids and how they interact, but a special word of appreciation must go to Jane Kaczmarek and Bryan Cranston, who after careers of twenty-odd years have really made the roles of the parents their own. They have so many modes of acting at their disposal it is such a joy watching them!
Then there are the always amusing cold opens, the hilarious sound track (I have been a They Might Be Giants fan for fifteen years now, so you can guess how thrilled I was with their contributions), the razor-sharp editing and the highly inventive camera work. Oh, how I relish your inexhaustible array of lenses and camera angles! And as far as I can see, they are always functional too. I can also go crazy over tiny details like the geometrical compositions of the cadets at Marlin Academy and the contrast between the action in the foreground and background planes. And I could go on…
I bought the DVD of Season 1 last year, and I have played it many times since, also enjoying the nice menu lay-out and the many extra fragments and comments included. I am eagerly awaiting more releases, especially as it has not been possible for me to view every episode.
So, please give my warmest regards to the cast and crew for creating this magnificent series! You are really setting a new, high standard here that is an extremely tough act to follow. Mimicking Hal praising the washroom attendant of Red Dress : you do a service to your craft!
With best wishes to all, and lots of success for many years to come,
I thought I'd share a fan letter with you I sent to the MITM production company back in 2003. I just found it in some computer folder. My oh my, the things that will turn up on your hard disk. Yes, it's on topic.....
I replicate the font and layout:
MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE
4024 Radford Ave.
Office: S
Attn: Malcolm In The Middle
Studio City, CA 91604
USA
Malcolm is magnificent!
Dear Malcolm-makers,
In seven words: I simply love Malcolm In The Middle! Even though, in the Netherlands, your series has been scattered between the Fox and Net 5-channels over the years, and we now have to do with equally scattershot programming at the BBC, I have savoured every episode of it – and we are only at the start of Season 3 over here! I wonder why the reception in Holland has been relatively lukewarm. Perhaps we cloghoppers really are a boring lot!
What can I say about the show? It is simply a series of tremendous craft and originality. The scripts are always highly intricate and smartly directed, they feature surprising twists and turns and the casting is one of a kind with all the actors giving their all. I am really fond of the kids and how they interact, but a special word of appreciation must go to Jane Kaczmarek and Bryan Cranston, who after careers of twenty-odd years have really made the roles of the parents their own. They have so many modes of acting at their disposal it is such a joy watching them!
Then there are the always amusing cold opens, the hilarious sound track (I have been a They Might Be Giants fan for fifteen years now, so you can guess how thrilled I was with their contributions), the razor-sharp editing and the highly inventive camera work. Oh, how I relish your inexhaustible array of lenses and camera angles! And as far as I can see, they are always functional too. I can also go crazy over tiny details like the geometrical compositions of the cadets at Marlin Academy and the contrast between the action in the foreground and background planes. And I could go on…
I bought the DVD of Season 1 last year, and I have played it many times since, also enjoying the nice menu lay-out and the many extra fragments and comments included. I am eagerly awaiting more releases, especially as it has not been possible for me to view every episode.
So, please give my warmest regards to the cast and crew for creating this magnificent series! You are really setting a new, high standard here that is an extremely tough act to follow. Mimicking Hal praising the washroom attendant of Red Dress : you do a service to your craft!
With best wishes to all, and lots of success for many years to come,
Richiepiep
Administrator
Yes, I loved those singing trashcans in the 'Vegas'-episode too! I completely agree with Alex here: strangely enough, those absurd bits, like Dewey's hamster practice ball rolling through scenes in various episodes, Hal's daydreams etc, didn't make the series less realistic. It's over the top, yes, but I still recognize so many bits from my childhood and from my friends'. Balancing the craziness with the realism is a tightrope act, but the way they managed it was pure genius!
There are so many comedy shows out there that are just lame (especially in the acting: often, actors, especially in American routine shows, seem to be more sleepwalking all the way to the bank than acting), neither realistic enough, nor fanciful, or original, and this one hits all the right buttons.
Yes, I loved the bit from 'Hal Quits' too: Malcolm dreaming about his boring jobs, imagining a busload of his alter egos (that's throwaway genius, a brilliant CGI scene that is gone in the blink of an eye!) and then waking up when a cross-dressed Malcolm welcomes him as his wife and kisses him!
Rich
There are so many comedy shows out there that are just lame (especially in the acting: often, actors, especially in American routine shows, seem to be more sleepwalking all the way to the bank than acting), neither realistic enough, nor fanciful, or original, and this one hits all the right buttons.
Yes, I loved the bit from 'Hal Quits' too: Malcolm dreaming about his boring jobs, imagining a busload of his alter egos (that's throwaway genius, a brilliant CGI scene that is gone in the blink of an eye!) and then waking up when a cross-dressed Malcolm welcomes him as his wife and kisses him!
Rich
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Richiepiep
Administrator
In the episode Kicked Out (4.12), Francis' attempt at German is priceless - it's only the incongruous 'Lehnsessel' (armchair) bit where he is way off the mark:
"Ich weiß, daß Sie nur versuch sind freundlich zu sein, aber was Sie Lehnsessel machen, machen Sie mich fühlen schlecht".
Also, the music synchronized to Francis' movements is great, and the brand name of the keyboard reads 'Sydnor', not a real brand, but the name of MITM's musical director and composer Charles Sydnor!
In Watching The Baby (5.2), the crazy bedtime story Dewey thinks up for Jamie was hilarious and perfectly executed as an alternative environment to their own house. It also rang true, because it ties in with Dewey's feeling of being neglected by the family. The looks on Erik Per Sullivan's face were priceless too, especially when he started yelling and Jamie started to cry. It looks like a happy accident on the set, but it's just so fun to watch.
Rich
Rich
"Ich weiß, daß Sie nur versuch sind freundlich zu sein, aber was Sie Lehnsessel machen, machen Sie mich fühlen schlecht".
Also, the music synchronized to Francis' movements is great, and the brand name of the keyboard reads 'Sydnor', not a real brand, but the name of MITM's musical director and composer Charles Sydnor!
In Watching The Baby (5.2), the crazy bedtime story Dewey thinks up for Jamie was hilarious and perfectly executed as an alternative environment to their own house. It also rang true, because it ties in with Dewey's feeling of being neglected by the family. The looks on Erik Per Sullivan's face were priceless too, especially when he started yelling and Jamie started to cry. It looks like a happy accident on the set, but it's just so fun to watch.
Rich
Rich
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