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Malcolm In The Middle writers tried to keep family’s surname secret

Home> Entertainment> TV

Published 14:16 27 Jul 2023 GMT+1

Malcolm In The Middle writers tried to keep family’s surname secret

Even the most dedicated Malcolm in the Middle fans would have to work hard to find out what the family's surname was.

Tom Wood

Tom Wood

More than two decades have passed since its debut on the terrestrial TV, but did you ever actually learn the last name of the family from Malcolm in the Middle?

Well, the idea was that no-one ever did, but it turns out that the family did actually have a surname and it was revealed right at the start of the show before never being mentioned again.

The hit sitcom ran from 2000 until 2006, telling the story of the hapless Malcolm, a kid born into a dysfunctional family but blessed with a huge IQ.

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Malcolm in the Middle was a staple of the early-2000s TV schedule.
Fox Television Studios

Malcolm (Frankie Muniz) was constantly hamstrung by the antics of his brothers Reese (Justin Berfield) and Dewey (Erik Per Sullivan), his father Hal (Bryan Cranston) and mother Lois (Jane Kaczmarek).

However, it’s his disobedient older brother Francis (Christopher Kennedy Masterson) who is of intrigue when it comes to learning what the family name was.

You see, Francis was sent away to military school for his behavioural transgressions, and it was his uniform in the very first episode that gave the game away.

In the pilot episode, Francis makes a phone call home and the front of his shirt has his full name written on it.

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Eagle-eyed viewers will see that his surname, along with his family's surname is 'Wilkerson', as that is what is written on the name badge.

The secret was on Francis' shirt.
Fox Television Studios

Over the seven seasons that the show ran for, it became clear that the writers were having a joke at the audience’s expense by refusing to reveal the family name.

The kids went to school and Francis continued at the military academy without their surname ever being uttered, whilst other families and characters within the show had clearly defined surnames.

Off camera, it was even rumoured that the writers joked of the family being called ‘Nolastname’.

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It even made it into the show on a couple of occasions.

The writers kept the joke running until the final episode.
Fox Television Studios

During Malcolm’s graduation ceremony from high school, a huge amount of screeching microphone feedback obscures the announcement of his second name, but the mouth of the announcer seems to mouth ‘Nolastname’.

Furthermore, in that very same episode, they seemed to put the ‘Wilkerson’ issue to bed for good, as Francis was spotted wearing a shirt that bears another name badge, but this time it read ‘Francis Nolastname’.

Still, it’s these sorts of small details that make shows like this special, and clearly it was a joke that kept the writers laughing whilst they worked.

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Also, it leaves a little easter egg behind for eagle-eyed fans to feel clever for spotting.

All in all, a great success, you'd have to admit.

Featured Image Credit: Fox

Topics: TV and Film

Tom Wood
Tom Wood

Tom Wood is a LADbible journalist and Twin Peaks enthusiast. Despite having a career in football cut short by a chronic lack of talent, he managed to obtain degrees from both the University of London and Salford. According to his French teacher, at the weekend he mostly likes to play football and go to the park with his brother. Contact Tom on [email protected]

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@TPWagwim

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