20 Years Ago Today Bryan Cranston's Emmy-Winning Comedy Went Off the Air
Bryan Cranston has built a career as one of the greats in the current landscape of Hollywood. He wowed in his Emmy-winning performance as Walter White in the great crime thriller Breaking Bad. And although it didn't get all the rounds of applause it deserved, Cranston's Your Honor was also a nerve-wracking, yet exhilarating drama. However, before he had us hanging on one suspenseful moment after another, he was flexing his comedic chops in a dysfunctional family sitcom.
The TV show in question debuted on FOX in January 2000 and managed to entertain the masses for seven successful seasons before airing its series finale 20 years ago today. So what's the comedy?
‘Malcolm in the Middle' Aired the Final Episode on May 14, 2006
Malcolm in the Middle was a comedy series that focused on Malcolm (Frankie Muniz) and his "eclectic" family as they navigated life in the suburbs. The family was far from perfect, and thanks to the antics of siblings, the members of the brood were often town pariahs. While the trouble usually caused by the siblings was always bordering on problematic (in the best of ways), the storylines were always equally funny.
Arguably, the best part of the show lay with the parents, Hal (Cranston) and Lois (Jane Kaczmarek). Hal was the loving and quirky father, while Lois was the disciplinarian who found the most unique ways to punish her children for their misdeeds.
The final episode of Malcolm in the Middle aired on FOX on May 14, 2006. Titled "Graduation", Season 7 Episode 22 follows Malcolm as he has to decide between his dream job and his dream school. But perhaps the most ironic thing about the whole episode is that Hal turns to organized crime to help raise money for Malcolm's education. It's as if it were a precursor to Cranston's role in Breaking Bad two years later.
Malcolm in the Middle is streaming on Hulu and Disney+ in the US. The limited revival, Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair, is also streaming on those platforms.
Related: 20 Years Ago Today, DC Aired the Last Episode of the Greatest Superhero Cartoon Ever
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 14, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published May 14, 2026 at 6:15 AM.