Pilot (Malcolm in the Middle episode)

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The Pilot is the first episode of the FOX Network series Malcolm in the Middle. It originally aired on January 9, 2000.

Contents

[edit] Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

The episode begins with Malcolm introducing his family life - Reese's squeaky nostril, Dewey's freezing cold feet, Francis away at military school, Lois' hard-nosed parenting approach, Hal's monthly hair shaving, and Malcolm stuck in it all, lamenting that the best thing about childhood is that "at some point, it stops." Malcolm gets put in the Krelboyne class with his 165 I.Q. and deals with his new wheelchair-bound friend Stevie Kenarban and school bully Dave Spath.

[edit] DVD version

An extended version of the pilot was released with the complete first season of "Malcolm" on October 29, 2002. It contains about 24 minutes of the episode, compared to the usual almost 22.

[edit] Differences between the DVD version and the TV version

  • Lois is shaving Hal's back but instead of The Isley Brothers' "It's Your Thing" on the stereo, it's Hot Chocolate's "You Sexy Thing" playing.
  • On the TV version, Reese and Malcolm are fighting because of who should get the door when the doorbell rings. On the DVD pilot, Reese and Malcolm are fighting because of Francis’ confinement to Alabama and Reese’s out of context quote (skiing in Alabama).
  • The scene where Eraserhead starts talking to Malcolm about the number Pi can only be seen on the DVD version.

[edit] Malcolm's overview

"Is it just me, or is my life starting to get weird? Here’s what I did this week. I ate waffles while my dad had his back shaved, I found out I had an I.Q. of 165, I threw chocolate pudding in a guy’s face, I yelled at a kid in a wheelchair, I got transferred to a new class, and somewhere in there my butt got dipped in red paint. That’s normal, right?"

[edit] Music used

[edit] Quotes

  • Malcolm (to us): This is the world – 196 million square miles. If I covered 100 square miles an hour every hour for the rest of my life…I’d still only see half of it.
[We see Reese’s nose, squeaking]
Malcolm: This is the left nostril of my brother Reese. It squeaks...all night long.
[We see Dewey’s feet]
Malcolm: These are the freezing cold feet of my little brother…Dewey.
[We see a picture of Francis]
Malcolm: This is my oldest brother, Francis. He’s the one I really like…so of course, he got sent to military school.
[We see Malcolm]
Malcolm: My name is Malcolm. You want to know what the best thing about childhood is? At some point, it stops.
  • Lois: You kids, you just take your legs for granted, you know, like nothing could ever happen to them. Well, let me tell you something – that is just wishful thinking. There’s meningitis; there are car accidents; I could be giving you a spanking and accidentally snap your spinal cord. Every day is a lottery and first prize is that you don’t have to scoot yourself around town on a skateboard with your hands. You think about that.
  • Dewey: I don’t take my legs for granted, Mom.
Lois: I know, honey; you’re a good boy. (pause) Stop playing with yourself.
  • Francis: Dad, I know what you’re going to say, and believe me, I totally agree with you. There is no excuse for what I did. It was idiotic, immature, totally reckless, and I’m really sorry. I’m just… I’m hoping against hope that you will give me another chance, which I admit I don’t deserve. But if you could just find it in your heart to forgive me, I know I could earn your trust back.
  • Spath: All right, here’s how it works. You can beg for mercy on your belly, lick the bottom of my shoes, or take a beating. You must pick at least two, but... but-but, if you pick three, you get a pass for the next two weeks. All right? Now, that’s your best value.
  • Caroline: You know what, I just want to play some games with you. Okay? Puzzles, stuff like that.
Malcolm: Why?
Caroline: Boy, oh, boy, you are a suspicious little dickens, aren’t you?
  • Malcolm: The car’s shadow’s going the wrong way, the steering wheel’s on the wrong side, there’s no brake pedal, the words in the mirror should be backwards, the guy’s watch wouldn’t say twelve o’clock if he’s looking at a sunset, and I have red paint on my ass! That’s right – red paint all over my ass!
  • Caroline: I’m here because I think that there is a tremendous opportunity for Mal—could you, you know, maybe put a top on?
Lois: They’re just boobs, lady. You see them in the mirror every morning, and I’m sure yours are a lot nicer than mine.
  • Lois: Just remember, any kid who makes fun of you…is a creepy little loser who will end up working in a car wash.
Malcolm (to us): This shouldn’t make me feel better, but it does.
  • Dewey (in the trash can): A bug went up my nose.
Malcolm: So what do you want me to do about it?

[edit] Additional Info

  • The theme song is slower than its original version.
  • “Krelboyne”, the name of the class of gifted students to which Malcolm belongs, is taken from the name of the nerdy hero of “Little Shop of Horrors” in 1960.
  • Writer Linwood Boomer and director Todd Holland both won two Emmys for this episode - Holland for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series and Boomer for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series.
  • In Malcolm's syndicated life, 15 out of 16 first season episodes (including this one) were aired without the cold opener; However, the 16th one wasn't excused from cutting out other footage, reducing the length of each episode to about 20 minutes.
  • In syndication, this episode ends as the camera sees a wide shot of the kids standing around Stevie, then pans up toward the sky and Linwood Boomer's executive producer credit appears (Malcolm's ending explanation about what happened to Dave Spath, while sitting on top of a garbage can with Dewey inside, is not seen).
  • Merrin Dungey, who played Ms. Hogan in this episode, later portrayed the character which became Mrs. Kenarban, Stevie's mom, later in the season, as Ms. Hogan was never to be seen again (since Malcolm switched classes).

[edit] Guest Cast

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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