Malcolm in the Middle creator on why having non-binary sibling in reboot was 'so important'
20 years on from Malcolm in the Middle Malcolm, Hal, Lois, Reese, and the whole family are back for the new four-episode reboot special.
Whilst Erik Per Sullivan turned down ‘bucket loads of money’ to appear in the series, having retired from Hollywood and acting altogether, the rest of the main cast are all back for the special, including star Frankie Muniz.
Reboots cannot simply live off of nostalgia however so it was natural that Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair would introduce some brand-new characters.
Alongside Malcolm’s daughter Leah, there is one new character who actually technically did appear in the original TV show.
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Malcolm’s sibling Kelly is introduced in the show, with Lois having learned she was pregnant with a sixth child, but appear properly for the first time in the reboot.
Kelly is non-binary, meaning that they do not identify as either of the binary gender of male or female.
Though Hal struggles in the show Kelly predominantly uses they/them pronouns, and the decision to have their youngest child be non-binary was one that the show’s creator did for a very specific reason, saying it was ‘so important’.
The show’s creator Linwood Boomer and his wife, executive producer Tracy Katsy, spoke to Deadline about the reboot.
Katsy was asked specifically about Kelly, saying in response: “I gotta tell you, it’s a really important thing to us.
“Three out of four of our kids are queer, and without making it a thing and without making an issue, I think it’s really nice to have a character that, that’s just a facet of their personality as opposed to the entire story.
“So we’re really happy, and I’m glad to hear that you liked it.”
Boomer added that it was quite a simple decision, saying: “It’s in there because I don’t know what else to write except the stuff that’s really happening around me.”
Kelly is not the only LGBTQIA+ representation in the series either, with returning character Stevie being portrayed as being gay and with his own family.
The reboot has been largely given positive reviews, sitting at a score of 81% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Robert Lloyd of the Los Angeles Times gave the show a positive review, saying that ‘it’s true to itself’.
Cristina Escobar of RogerEbert.com gave the show 3.5/4 stars, saying: “It is loud, uncouth, heartfelt, uneven, and hilarious.
“It carries on the tradition of the original that way. And like the original, it’s worth a watch.”
Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair is available to stream on Disney+ now
Topics: TV, Nostalgia, TV and Film, LGBTQ
Michael Slavin