Funeral (Malcolm in the Middle Episode)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Funeral is the 11th episode of the first season of the FOX sitcom Malcolm in the Middle. Written by Maggie Bandur & Pang-Ni Landrum and directed by Arlene Sanford, it first aired on April 9, 2000.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
Lois's aunt Helen (who she hates) dies, and she wants the family to go to her funeral. Dewey's friend Egg hangs around the house and doesn't leave. Malcolm wants to go to a concert with his friend Julie, but has to cancel because of the funeral. Francis is upset because no one told him about Aunt Helen's (and previously Uncle Fred's) death. Hal wants to listen to his collection of records, but has to give that up in order to go to the funeral. Reese wants to go, but only to hide Dewey's birthday gift (an expensive Mighty Man that he smashed) in Helen's casket to hide the evidence - to him, no evidence, no conviction.
After Malcolm fails to keep up with a lie he told Lois so he could avoid the funeral, he finally tells her that he doesn't want to go. Lois, angry that she does all the work in the house and gets nothing in return for it, gives up and announces that everyone can do whatever they want. She takes a bubble bath, Hal listens to his records, Malcolm prepares to meet Julie, and Dewey and Egg unsuccessfully try to get juice without making a mess. Reese gets mad at Malcolm because now he can't get rid of the broken Mighty Man. Julie arrives and sees Malcolm in his underwear. As she runs away, she slips on the electrical cord to Hal's record player and falls into trash kicked on the floor by an angry Reese. Angry and embarrassed, Malcolm convinces everyone to return to normal using Reese as a scapegoat and they go to the funeral.
[edit] Cold Open
Malcolm reads from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, albeit dully, in front of the Krelboynes. And they still applaud.
[edit] Malcolm's Overview (FOX.com summary)
You might say that what happened today was my fault, but if you really think about it, it was Aunt Helen. If she hadn’t died, Julie never would’ve slid headfirst into our garbage. See, Julie and I were supposed to go to a concert together, but because of the funeral, Mom made me cancel. Normally, I would’ve hatched an escape plan, but this was Mom’s favorite Aunt. I had to go. Julie was going to go with someone else and have all kinds of fun, while I was stuck wearing Reese’s old, sticky suit. All Reese cared about was trying to hide Dewey’s present that he destroyed. He was going to stash it with Aunt Helen in the coffin. He figured no evidence, no crime. I don’t know why they let him watch lawyer shows. Then I found out Mom hated Aunt Helen. I decided to ditch the funeral and told Julie to come over. I tried lying to Mom, but she quickly called me on it. So I finally just refused to go. Why should some relative I hardly knew and no one liked, ruin my day? I must have made a point, because the next thing I knew, Mom got mad, then Dad, then Reese, and all of a sudden, no one was doing anything for anyone. I felt bad, but I had to get ready for the concert. Julie showed up and somehow got past everyone and saw me in my underwear. She screamed and ran. By the time I caught up with her, she had slid into our garbage and said she never wanted to see me again. It was a disaster. Something had to be done. I knew the only way to get my family talking again was by having a scapegoat. So I ratted out Reese. We made it to the funeral on time, and everyone's fine again, except Reese, who I should probably avoid for a few days.
[edit] Guest Cast
- Alexander Gould — Egg
- Paulo Andres — Man at Funeral
- Landry Allbright — Julie Houlerman
[edit] Quotes
- Malcolm: Before you say anything, just remember we’re best friends. So that wheelchair isn’t going to stop me from kicking your ass.
- Stevie: Bring it on... Homeo.
- Lois: Did you call that girl?
- Malcolm: Yes, I called her. I called her and told her I couldn’t go to the concert, and now she’s probably gonna invite someone else.
- Lois: Well, Malcolm, I’m sorry that my mother’s sister – the woman who took care of me every day after school – had to die and inconvenience your social life.
- (As Lois walks away, Malcolm talks to us.)
- Malcolm: She does it on purpose. I could’ve made up a million different escape plans, but now my brain is filled with ‘mom-guilt’.
- Lois: We’re on our way to Aunt Helen’s funeral.
- Francis (on the phone): Aunt Helen died?
- Lois: Well, I sure hope so; we’re going to her funeral.
- Lois: You can wear one of the suits that Uncle Fred left you.
- Reese: Aw, Mom, a dead suit? Cool. A dead suit.
- Malcolm: You’re going to bury that [Mighty Man] with her [Aunt Helen]? You are so dead.
- Reese: Hey, I watch lawyer shows. Mom will think I did it, but she can’t prove it without this. It’s in the Constitution – No evidence, no conviction. E Pluribus Unum.
- Francis (on the phone): How did she die?
- Dewey: Cats ate her face.
- Francis: Dewey, I think you’re confused. I’m asking about Aunt Helen.
- Dewey: Cats ate her face.
- Francis: Look, would you just put mom or dad on the phone?
- (Dewey puts Hal on)
- Hal: Hello?
- Francis: Dad, what happened to Aunt Helen?
- Hal: Cats ate her face. Well, Dewey knows more about it than I do.
- Hal: You think I want to be cleaning out the gutters when I could be surfing the beaches of Europe or-or cruising around on my hog?
- Lois: What hog?!
- Hal: Aha! Exactly! Where’s my hog?!
- Malcolm: Hey! You can’t leave this mess here! I’ve got a guest coming over!
- Reese: Too bad. Thanks to you, no one has to do anything anymore. It’s anarchy, baby! That’s the word, right?
[edit] Trivia
- According to Hal and Dewey, Aunt Helen dies because "cats ate her face."
- All of Francis's scenes take place at military school on a pay phone.
- Dewey's friend Egg never appears again after this episode.
- Hal plays the single "Stuck in the Middle With You" by Stealers Wheel on his turntable.
