Hal can't accept consequences for his actions

In Red Dress, the arrangement that he would meet Lois at the restaurant was so that he would not be home when she discovered the dress so Lois would think it was one of the boys, meaning they suffered an evening of torture when it wasn't even them. Then, in Water Park, he did something bad enough to make Lois scream "OH MY GOD!" but again, he couldn't accept that he did what he did and face the consequences, he had to bribe Malcolm into taking the fall for him instead. Thirdly, in Clip Show. He didn't set the brake on his car and the boys got punished. Yet whenever the boys misbehaved, he didn't have a problem with punishing them.

That's very true and not really something I've ever thought of. People have talked a lot about how Malcolm thinks about consequences because he's all smart, and how Reese doesn't because he's "stupid." Genetically speaking, it appears that Reese inherited the trait from Hal, who can't seem to accept responsibility or to comprehend the consequences for this actions.

To me, the fact that Hal cannot accept consequences for his actions are the main bit of Hal and his character revolves around that fact. I think its funny

You're right, good observation Amigo. Another example is in Cliques where Hal was going to knock over the dominoes knowing full well the Reese would take the fall for it if he did.

Yardgames, I agree that Hal was probably a lot like Reese in his younger days--and now too a little. Reese even said something like "I know that look. Its my look. Now I know where I got it from." (also in Cliques)

samboo1 said:

To me, the fact that Hal cannot accept consequences for his actions are the main bit of Hal and his character revolves around that fact. I think its funny

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The ways in which he gets out of facing the consequences, they are definitely funny. Burn the dress and get out of the house, do something bad and bribe Malcolm to take the fall for $5, forget to set the brake on his car and assume the boys went joyriding.

It would be interesting to see what influence MITM has on younger viewers; and whether they would have started doing that at home to avoid the consequences of their actions.