The reboot of the popular FOX series from the early 2000s, Malcolm in the Middle, is facing backlash from fans for altering beloved characters significantly.
Titled Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Not Fair, the new series premiered recently, but it hasn’t resonated well with many viewers.
The original series, running from 2000 to 2006, depicted a chaotic family of six: Hal (Bryan Cranston), Lois (Jane Kaczmarek), and their three sons, Francis (Christopher Masterson), Reese (Justin Barfield), Malcolm (Frankie Munoz), and Dewey (Eric Per Sullivan). It humorously portrayed their struggles through various life’s ups and downs. Yet, the reboot seems to have strayed from this formula at crucial points.
One fan, Jordan Eshelman, criticized Disney and Hulu for changing the character of Stevie (Craig Lamar Traylor), who is now depicted as a gay man with a husband and kids, despite his prior interest in girls throughout the original series.
Eshelman questioned this shift, stating, “They’ve framed Stevie as gay even though he was always interested in Malcolm’s babysitter and even pretended to be sick to impress a girl. There’s ample proof that Stevie liked girls,” he remarked on X.
Additionally, Eshelman took issue with the introduction of a non-binary fourth child in the storyline.
“Don’t bother watching; modern Disney just keeps recycling the same themes!” Eshelman shared regarding the remake.
Blogger Flopping Ace also expressed disapproval, saying, “What is Hollywood thinking? They didn’t just reboot Malcolm in the Middle; they dragged it through the mud with every modern ideological checkbox.”
He continued, “It’s a total disappointment. No laughs, no chaos, and absolutely no nostalgia. Just four episodes filled with preachy nonsense, as if crafted by a group of straight families and young Disney interns who don’t get real comedy.”
Ace also criticized the non-binary character development, suggesting it turned the character into “an iconic warrior filled with apathy and confusion.” He lamented that Stevie’s character had shifted to that of a gay man with a white partner and adopted children.
“This is peak Hollywood’s writer approach: check, check, and check. Five out of five on the absurdity scale,” Ace vented.
“There are no laughs here, no heart. Just a relentless ideology presented as ‘progress.’ This isn’t a revival; it feels like a betrayal,” he concluded, calling it “a hate crime against one of the funniest shows ever made.”
As of now, the four-episode reboot hasn’t achieved positive ratings on Rotten Tomatoes. It currently sits at a modest 78 percent from reviewers and an even lower 75 percent from the audience. So far, it hasn’t quite captured the enthusiasm of either group.
Social media is packed with criticisms.
