Malcom in the Middle: Soundtracks are Unfair

Growing up in the early 2000s became a chore. Understanding life through ever developing lenses of technology shifts, a growing culture of teenage society, and a musical scene that rebels against its time. Malcolm in the Middle aired 2000 to 2006 and left 151 episodes in its Fox channel run time. Many of the episodes followed Malcom, a gifted child as he survived, cultivated, and hungered to escape his chaotic but misunderstood family. 

Through these episodes we find ourselves in a cluster of a multi-genre musical soundtrack. Reflecting both the stupidity of aggressive teenage years and groggy adulthood to an opening theme song that rebels against the youth and adults alike. Much of its soundtrack defined both the era it originally aired on television and as well the generation of music that came before it. Music that came from the 70s, 80s and 90s gave the show a breath of fresh air without completely consuming its overall style of the show. From here, it allowed us to stay within the early 2000s aesthetic by keeping within the boundaries of the music and its generational influences.

By first understanding the era of the show, we must take a step back and understand the genres of the songs. Typically for the early 2000s, the dominant music for teenagers had been pop punk. Bands such as Blink-182, Green Day, and Sum 41 came forth during a cultural elevation of tense politics, changing cultural aesthetics, and a high rise in youth rebellion. The genre itself is focused on a bubblegum flavor of punk rock. A fast, heavy, and rebellious genre became something targeted towards a new generation of Playstation, Blockbuster rental, and late grunge era kids. Kids who played in the street, read too many comic books, and jammed a bit too hard to Iron Maiden. If you had a green mohawk on your head and a skateboard you picked up from the mall, you definitely had Malcolm in the Middle playing on your CRT television set. 

Let’s take a look at the chaotic opening of the show and the song that screams at you the second an episode starts. They Might be Giants “Boss of Me” became the staple of the series as it became the theme, capturing the identity of the show. Lyrically, it narrates the idea of “Life is unfair” the main tagline of the theme song and as well the underline message the show prompts. To rebel against parental figures, to be a party animal, and suggest life is unfair, so let's make it work out. It is a punk anthem at its roots, to go against the typical hierarchy format of theme songs, one that is catchy through the rhythm of the subgenre Ska, but still keep it strong enough to become television appropriate. 

The visuals itself feels like a home movie gone wrong. As many of its shots are chaotic and completely unimaginable. Like flipping channels during the recording of a home video. That someone was recording other programs over another home movie VHS tape. It feels static and is visually analog. Capturing its generational influence and moving forward by. While we get scenes from the show and the family. When Hal was shaving his nude hairy body in the kitchen, the kids looked away in shock. Dewey tied up and stuck on the back of the door, moving around trying to escape. We as well are introduced to shots of Japanese animation, wrestling matches, and the most outrageous and violent moments of television. 

By understanding the visuals of the intro we can leap into the suggested material of the show. An example of a chaotic episode with a flashy sound comes from season 1 episode 13 “Rollarskates. We first follow Malcolm as he attempts to learn roller skating with his father, Hal. Hal being known to be a major goof ball, but as well a loving father, was known for his past as being a legend of his time, through roller skating. This had become something of an unspoken experience as Malcolm’s older brothers have sworn to never talk about the training their father had put them through, as it was a traumatic experience of sorts. Even through the warnings, Malcolm was ready for the challenge. After an intense conversation with Hal, Malcolm wakes up at the crack of sunrise to go train in the school yard with his father. Hal quickly busts out a large boombox and from the speakers blast Lipps Inc “Funky Town” as he breaks down some silly disco style moves with his rollerblades. Spinning around on one foot, clapping his hands, and walking on his tip toes, Hal becomes a disco roller skate god. 

The whole overall experience becomes beyond embarrassing for Malcolm to witness and be a part of. Due to this embarrassment of training, Malcolm quits, leaving Hal in the dust. With this pent up emotional rage, Hal feels he has failed Malcolm with his training. With passion and anger in his heart, Hal exercises these feelings through the only magical way he knows how, with roller skating. Once more, Hal returns to the schoolyard during the night time dressed in dazzled attire, mocking that of the disco era. From here, Queen’s smash hit, “We are the Champions" begins to dance around the scene alongside Hal as he twirls and dances his heart out. After this scene, we are taken back to another street hockey game with Malcom. The tensions are high now as Hal stands on the side line with a boombox blasting Funky Town once more. Malcolm's training kicks in and Malcolm’s embarrassing moves become his greatest strengths at winning the game of street hockey. 

Both songs are prime examples of how the show uses songs from the past within a modern world and recreates the tunes to feel more in tune to the modern world, without needing any unnecessary background explanation.. Through the usage of visual comedy, the music plays a vital role to emphasize Hal’s silliness when it comes to his amazing rollerblading skills. These skills alone can impress anyone who finds the sport to be entertaining and those who as well find it to be “different.” As the Funky Town itself has been utilized through media for more disco-tense moments, while We are the Champions is meant to be a celebration type of song. The show uses these for both comedic references with Hal’s skating and even a more so “dramatic” scene when Hal skates around the schoolyard in his disco attire, to build up moments that stick to the plot. 

Season 3 Episode 13, “Reese Drives” follows Malcom’s 2nd older brother Reese, the dumbest of the bunch, as he attempts to “go behind the wheel.” Through this episode, both parents, Hal and Lois, find themselves at a crossroads to show their 2nd oldest son the ways of the road, due to his chaotic and intense nature; he’s a big bully. At every attempt possible to make sure Reese doesn’t get his license, the parents end up failing in the end from preventing him, and takes him to said driving classes in hopes he fails the test and does not earn his license. This rattles up the episode as we begin to learn and see the dynamics of the parents and the children. There really is none, both in the end sort of butt heads and make the most of the pressure they put one another in. 

During said driving test another student, Jackie, was miserably failing the test. Hitting cones, breaking props, and parking unwell.  As the driver instructor leaves the car, and leaves both Reese and Jackie alone, this gives Reese the chance to go behind the wheel and take the car for a spin. By leaving the student drivers course, Reese takes his little driving party on the road. Attracting the attention of the police and local news, his journey becomes known on live television tuned in by his now frustrated and angered parents. Reese’s final act is to drive back to the student testing zone and complete said program. During his cruising ride Sum 41’s “In Too Deep” crashes around the scene. As he drives perfectly, not missing a single cone, not hitting any prop animals, and even parallel parking perfectly sandwiched between two cars, his final words to Jackie were “...when the kids at school ask you about this. Tell them I got under your bra.” as the police ram him down to the ground on live tv.

Much of this scene primarily focused on a comedic resolution while leaving us at the edge of our seat. We began to root for Reese almost, as we wanted him to escape the cops, and as well question how he was going to do this. At the end, when all hope seemed like it was gone, Reese for once, in many of the episodes that have run, finally thought of a smart conclusion. As the soundtrack within the scene itself contributed to reminding us of the era and the teenage rebellion the song holds. Suggesting, Reese was “...in too deep, and I'm tryin' to keep, Up above in my head, instead of goin' under” lyrics from the song itself, reminding us, no matter how hard a situation can be, just keep you chin up, and things will come in place when needed.

Malcolm will continue to believe life is unfair, but will never understand the contributions the show has made to the staple of soundtracks for the youth of the era, and beyond. Just as the Tony Hawk Pro Skater series held us tightly over the punk rock and hip hop soundtrack, Malcolm in the Middle took plenty of notes from what was the staples of the pop culture during the time, Not by only presenting a mix of analog and modern technology, but as well by reminding us of a childhood we once lived. Rebellious, chaotic, and surprisingly not so unfair.