Episodes
Disc One: “Pilot (New Extended Version)”, “Red Dress”, “Home Alone
4”, “Shame”, “Malcolm Babysits”, “Sleepover”
Episodes
Disc Two: “Francis Escapes, “Krelboyne Picnic”, “Lois Vs. Evil”,
“Stock Car Races”, “Funeral”, “Cheerleader”
Episodes
Disc Three: “Rollerskates”, “The Bots And The Bees”, “Smunday”,
“Water Park”
Stars:
Jane Kaczmarek, Bryan Cranston, Christopher Kennedy Masterson, Justin Berfield,
Erik Per Sullivan, Frankie Muniz, and Craig Lamar Traylor
Writers:
Linwood Boomer, Alan J. Higgins, Michael Glouberman, Andrew Orenstein, David
Richardson, Maggie Bandur, Pang-Ni Landrum, Dan Kopelman, Jack Amiel, and
Michael Begler
Directors:
Todd Holland, Arlene Sanford, Nick Marck, Jeff Melman, Ken Kwapis, and Chris
Koch
Created
By: Linwood Boomer
Executive
Producer: Linwood Boomer
Co-Executive
Producers: Matthew Carlson, Gary Murphy, Neil Thompson, Michael Glouberman,
Andrew Orenstein, Michael Borkow, Alex Reid, and Rob Hanning
Feature
length: 360 minutes
Extras:
Over One Hour Of Running Commentary On
Selected Disc One Episodes, One Hour Of Running Commentary On Selected Disc Two
Episodes, Over 40 Minutes Of Running Commentary On Selected Disc Three Episodes,
“Malcolm In The Middle: A Stroke Of Genius” Featurette, “Malcolm Vision”
Widescreen Bloopers, Season One Gag Reel, Four Alternate Show Openings, Four
Deleted Scenes, “Behind The Middle” Behind-The-Scenes Sneak Preview Of
Season Two, “Dewey’s Day: A Portrait Of Erik Sullivan” Featurette, Season
One Promotional TV Spots
Languages:
English, French, and Spanish Language Dolby Surround Sound
Subtitles:
English Captions and Closed Captions and Spanish Language Subtitles
Packaging:
Three-Disc Digipack Gatefold Within A Slipcase
Sound:
Dolby Surround Sound
Year
of Television Broadcast: 2000/DVD Release: 2002
Home
Video Distributor: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
MPAA
Rating: Not Rated
Reviewer:
Mark A. Rivera
Ever
since the Fox Network first aired in the latter half of the 1980s, it has
redefined the family sitcom from the outrageousness of “Married With
Children,” through the ever popular “Simpsons” as well as “That 70s
Show,” but with these popular shows under the network’s belt Fox still
caught the viewers by surprise again with the premiere of “Malcolm In The
Middle” on January 9, 2000. Now in it’s fourth season, “Malcolm In The
Middle” has won the prestigious Peabody Award and multiple Emmy Awards® and
has been hailed by critics as one of the most distinctive and creative comedies
to hit television in decades.
While
the show uses a kinetic style and narration of Frankie Muniz breaking the fourth
wall between the show and the viewers, the thing that I think makes “Malcolm
In The Middle” endearing is that despite the strangeness in which the series
presents the characters, the show has maintained a root of truth to it. I mean I
have an older brother and I think anyone who has grown up with at least one
brother can understand the mix of sibling rivalry, teasing, and antics that are
also mixed with the interdependence that occurs where the younger brother looks
up to the older, how the older brother seems like the coolest guy in the world
when you are a kid and are absolutely sure you are not, when brothers band
together to cover for each other, and how the reality of most families is
probably closer to a “Bundy,” “Simpson,” or “Malcolm In The Middle”
than a “Cosby Show” or “Brady Bunch.” The element that ultimately unites
all of these shows regardless of whether or not it is said or unsaid is that we
as viewers believe the characters care for each other and I think we can more
than believe the family dynamics of “Malcolm In The Middle” no matter how
stylized it might be because it just feels more real. While the show is
purposely exaggerated at times this exaggeration provides a contrast with shows
about beautiful people doing things that not matter how bad it is, they either
always learn their lesson or come out better for it in the end. Now how real is
that? A great example of the difference between the “Malcolm In The Middle”
sitcom family and one of those everyone is so well adjusted it’s weird
families can be seen on the disc one episode entitled “Malcolm Babysits.”
The episode’s resolution says it all.
Malcolm
(Frankie Muniz) is your average grade school kid, who happens to be genius and
thinks his family is weird until as episodes demonstrate, perhaps Malcolm’s
strange world is not so strange at all.
Twentieth
Century Fox Home Entertainment has released all 16 season one episodes in a
three-disc set with each episode being presented in a (1.33:1) aspect ratio.
Though “Malcolm In The Middle” is shot in widescreen, the first season’s
episodes contained more than a few mishaps where things that should not be in
frame were accidentally shot. Therefore all of the season one episodes are
presented in full-framed aspect ratios. The image quality is a bit
disappointing. My guess is that perhaps the best source materials used for these
panned and scanned transfers was probably ¾ inch broadcast network videotape
because the scenes contain a fair amount of grain, especially the extended
pilot. The quality improves in later episodes, but there is not one episode in
the entire set where this grain does not show up. I hope that future sets will
look better. English, French, and Spanish Language Dolby Surround Soundtracks
are encoded for all 16 episodes along with English Captions and Closed Captions
for the hearing impaired and Spanish Language Subtitles as options. The English
Dolby Surround Soundtrack is well mixed and clear. All three dual layered discs
contain running commentary on select episodes covering the show’s genesis and
development as well as episode particulars.
The
third DVD contains the majority of the extra features that begin with “Malcolm
In The Middle: A Stroke Of Genius” featurette with behind-the-scenes footage
as well as newly videotaped interviews with the show’s creator Linwood Boomer,
select crew members, and the cast. This is actually quite comprehensive and
feels almost like an episode of “A&E’s Biography” rather than the
typical featurette. Overall this is one of the best supplements in the entire
set and one of the best featurettes I’ve seen all year regarding a TV series.
There is also a short-videotaped featurette focusing on Erik Per Sullivan
(Dewey), a gag reel (5:00), 10 promotional TV spots, 4 deleted scenes, and 4
unused “Cold Openings” hosted by Bryan Cranston. In addition Bryan Cranston
introduces and narrates some widescreen bloopers from the first season, which
interestingly not only explain why the first season was presented in a (1.33:1)
aspect ratio, but gives a simple definition of the difference between 16 by 9
and 4 by 3 aspect ratios as well as an example of how these sideline mistakes
are covered up by the use of the full-framed presentation, giving an
unintentional, but still educational demonstration on how screen information can
be lost when people choose a panned and scanned aspect ratio over a program’s
true intended viewing format. There is also a behind-the-scenes montage of
season 2 with optional subtitles to highlight the names of crewmembers that
appear on screen.
Unfortunately
the music video for the theme song by “They Might Be Giants” is not included
within this DVD set. I remember seeing “They Might Be Giants” live over a
decade ago after my first year of college. I hope the music video will appear on
the next set. The main menu on each disc features full motion scenes from the
show in the same style as the series’ opening credits with animated
transitions to standard interactive still frame menus and all are easy to
navigate. The episodes can be viewed individually or as one reel on each disc.
The three dual layered discs come within a Digipack style gatefold with an
eight-page booklet insert containing episode information, and the gatefold is
housed within a somewhat glossy cardboard slipcase.
I
like this set a lot and think it is some ways among the best the series has to
offer. “Malcolm In The Middle: The Complete First Season On DVD Box Set” is
available now from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.
©
Copyright 2002 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.
The Top Ten TV On DVD-Videos Of 2002 As Reviewed At GENRE ONLINE. NET