It’s been nearly 25 years since audiences first heard the now-familiar shout “Malcolm!” from the actors Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek, but they are back with a new series of Malcolm in the Middle.
The pair, who played the chaotic parents of the eponymous Malcolm, reprised their catchphrase in a video posted on social media on Friday announcing that the show would be returning with its original cast.
Frankie Muniz, who is now 39 and returns to his role as the show’s protagonist, said: “I have been waiting for this moment for 18 years. Let’s find out where Malcolm and his family are now.”
Disney+ has commissioned four news episodes with a storyline based on Malcolm and his daughter being drawn back “into the family’s chaos when Hal [Cranston] and Lois [Kaczmarek] demand his presence for their 40th wedding anniversary party”. A date is still to be set for when the episodes will air.
The original sitcom started in 2000 and ended in 2006 after 151 episodes, during which it won several Emmy awards. They Might Be Giants, the band behind the show’s theme song, Boss of Me, were also awarded a Grammy.
Cranston, who received critical acclaim after the show for his performance in the crime drama series Breaking Bad, said he was so excited for the show to return that he “may have peed … just a little bit”.
Kaczmarek said: “What a delight I get to yell at that kid again! We’re very excited about coming back together and seeing what this family has been up to.”
The president of Disney Branded Television, Ayo Davis, told Variety magazine that she hoped fans would be glad to see the show back, and promised it would contain “all the laughs, pranks and mayhem fans loved” the first time round.
“Malcolm in the Middle is a landmark sitcom that captured the essence of family life with humour, heart and relatability,” she said. “Its hilarious and heartfelt portrayal of a lovably chaotic family resonated with audiences of all ages and we’re so excited to welcome the original cast back to bring that magic to life again.”
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The original series creator, Linwood Boomer, also returns as writer and executive producer.
The show is the third broadcast network series from the early 2000s to announce a revival in the past week, after reports that Scrubs is making a comeback at ABC and a reboot of a Prison Break has received a pilot order at Hulu.
