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The Best Episodes of Malcolm in the Middle Season 1

Every episode of Malcolm in the Middle Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Malcolm in the Middle Season 1!

Binge this in 5h 52m•Peaking at 8.7/10

A gifted young teen tries to survive life with his dimwitted, dysfunctional family.

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    Malcolm in the Middle Season 1 Episode 1 - Pilot
    8.2/10(2527 votes)

    #1 - Pilot

    S1:E1

    Malcolm finds his life as the middle brother in an eccentric family made even more difficult by his being placed in a class for gifted students at school where he reluctantly befriends another boy with a high IQ and stands up to a bully.

    Director:Todd Holland
    Writer:Linwood Boomer

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  2. Malcolm in the Middle Season 1 Episode 2 - Red Dress
    8.4/10(2207 votes)

    #2 - Red Dress

    S1:E2

    Lois must take drastic steps to discover which of her sons ruined the special dress she bought for an anniversary dinner with Hal.

    Director:Arlene Sanford
    Writer:Alan J. Higgins

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  3. Malcolm in the Middle Season 1 Episode 3 - Home Alone 4
    7.9/10(1907 votes)

    #3 - Home Alone 4

    S1:E3

    Lois and Hal leave the boys alone for the weekend with Francis. the boys assume that if all goes well, Francis may not have to go back to military school.

    Director:Todd Holland
    Writers:Michael Glouberman, Andrew Orenstein

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  4. Malcolm in the Middle Season 1 Episode 4 - Shame
    7.6/10(1791 votes)

    #4 - Shame

    S1:E4

    Parallel stories pit Malcolm against a bullying, obnoxious new kid and Francis vies with his intimidating, military-school commandant, who's presenting sex-education lectures. Meanwhile, Hal takes heat after cutting down a tree.

    Director:Nick Marck
    Writer:Dave Richardson

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  5. Malcolm in the Middle Season 1 Episode 5 - Malcolm Babysits
    7.9/10(1750 votes)

    #5 - Malcolm Babysits

    S1:E5

    Malcolm's cushy babysitting job provides relief from the trailer the family's using while their house is being fumigated, until Malcolm learns that the trust placed in him in his new position is strictly limited. Meanwhile, the military school's master key leads Francis to a corpse, for which he provides a proper send-off.

    Director:Jeff Melman
    Writers:Maggie Bandur, Pang-Ni Landrum

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  6. Malcolm in the Middle Season 1 Episode 6 - Sleepover
    8.0/10(1681 votes)

    #6 - Sleepover

    S1:E6

    Malcolm sleeps over at Stevie's house and, appalled at his over-protected lifestyle, persuades him to sneak out to a strange, late-night escapade. Francis deals with hazing at military school. Reese tries to prove he's man enough to watch a scary movie.

    Director:Ken Kwapis
    Writer:Dan Kopelman

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  7. Malcolm in the Middle Season 1 Episode 7 - Francis Escapes
    7.4/10(1630 votes)

    #7 - Francis Escapes

    S1:E7

    Francis goes AWOL from military school to link up with his girlfriend, a ditsy doozy who's made him gaga.

    Director:Todd Holland
    Writer:Linwood Boomer

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  8. Malcolm in the Middle Season 1 Episode 8 - Krelboyne Picnic
    8.3/10(1787 votes)

    #8 - Krelboyne Picnic

    S1:E8

    The whole family attends a Krelboyne family picnic, and Malcolm dreads his performance in the event's Academic Circus will make him look like a freak. Disasters abound as stage acts bomb, families feud, and Malcolm's dad serves meat to vegetarians.

    Director:Todd Holland
    Writers:Michael Glouberman, Andrew Orenstein

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  9. Malcolm in the Middle Season 1 Episode 9 - Lois vs. Evil
    7.8/10(1594 votes)

    #9 - Lois vs. Evil

    S1:E9

    Lois's firing prompts household economizing. Meanwhile, Francis delights in his honor-guard duty—at a teenage beauty pageant.

    Director:Todd Holland
    Writers:Michael Begler, Jack Amiel

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  10. Malcolm in the Middle Season 1 Episode 10 - Stock Car Races
    7.7/10(1556 votes)

    #10 - Stock Car Races

    S1:E10

    While Hal secretly takes the boys to the stock car races, Lois desperately searches for her missing paycheck. Francis at military school is keeping a boa constrictor as a pet.

    Director:Todd Holland
    Writer:Dave Richardson

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  11. Malcolm in the Middle Season 1 Episode 11 - Funeral
    8.1/10(1625 votes)

    #11 - Funeral

    S1:E11

    A relative's funeral conflicts with Malcolm's plans for his very first date, so he tries to figure out a way to skip the bereavement ceremony.

    Director:Arlene Sanford
    Writers:Maggie Bandur, Pang-Ni Landrum

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  12. Malcolm in the Middle Season 1 Episode 12 - Cheerleader
    7.8/10(1557 votes)

    #12 - Cheerleader

    S1:E12

    A spiffy cheerleader attracts slovenly Reese, who cleans up his act—best as he can—to woo her. He even joins her rah-rah squad. Dewey tries to convince Lois and Hal to buy him a new toy. Francis has a heart-to-heart conversation with headmaster Spangler.

    Director:Todd Holland
    Writer:Dan Kopelman

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  13. Malcolm in the Middle Season 1 Episode 13 - Rollerskates
    8.7/10(1953 votes)

    #13 - Rollerskates

    S1:E13

    Roller-skating lessons from Hal bug Malcolm, who rebels against dad's discipline while mom agonizes in bed from a backache she blames on Reese. Francis avoids his squad's survival weekend.

    Director:Ken Kwapis
    Writer:Alan J. Higgins

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  14. Malcolm in the Middle Season 1 Episode 14 - The Bots and the Bees
    7.8/10(1479 votes)

    #14 - The Bots and the Bees

    S1:E14

    Malcolm and his Krelboyne classmates enlist the help of Hal for a school project, which involves a robot, and an enormous swarm of bees. Lois visits Francis at his school after he becomes injured and soon clashes with Spangler.

    Director:Chris Koch
    Writers:Alan J. Higgins, Dave Richardson

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  15. Malcolm in the Middle Season 1 Episode 15 - Smunday
    8.0/10(1462 votes)

    #15 - Smunday

    S1:E15

    The boys stay home from school when their mother thinks it's Sunday instead of Monday. Malcolm thinks of a plan to get Francis out of trouble once again. Hal gets sucked in by a Porsche dealership.

    Director:Jeff Melman
    Writers:Michael Glouberman, Andrew Orenstein

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  16. Malcolm in the Middle Season 1 Episode 16 - Water Park (1)
    8.6/10(1788 votes)

    #16 - Water Park (1)

    S1:E16

    When the family goes to a water park for a day, Dewey is left home with an elderly, stern babysitter. Francis is hustled at pocket billiards by his military-school commandant.

    Director:Ken Kwapis
    Writers:Maggie Bandur, Pang-Ni Landrum

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Season 1 Ratings Summary

"Pilot" is the best rated episode of "Malcolm in the Middle" season 1. It scored 8.2/10 based on 2527 votes. Directed by Todd Holland and written by Linwood Boomer, it aired on 1/9/2000. This episode is rated 0.2 points higher than the second-best, "Red Dress".