Graduation is the 22nd episode of the 7th season and 151st episode overall, as the final episode of Malcolm in the Middle. It was broadcast on May 14, 2006.
Synopsis[]
In the series finale, Malcolm has been accepted into Harvard and is getting prepared for his graduation of North High School as the class valedictorian. Reese is also graduating and looking to get a job as a janitor at North High School. Hal is having trouble, looking for a monetary way to cover for Malcolm's college plan. Dewey was given a high honor of his own by his brothers.
Plot[]
In the cold opening, all the boys sit on the couch watching something when Reese returns with a bowl of popcorn asking what he missed. Lois tells Hal to call a repairman but he refuses claiming he can fix the television himself revealing the boys are actually entertained by watching their father's attempts to fix the television. Hal gets shocked making the boys laugh while Lois sighs in annoyance.
In the kitchen, Hal and Lois prepare all their money and paperwork for Malcolm. Malcolm explains that he got accepted into Harvard and although they have no idea how they’re gonna pay for it they’ve gotta find a way because its his dream school since it’s 2000 miles away from his mom. Lois informs Hal that they’re still $5,000 short, while Malcolm has already picked up some part-time jobs at Harvard to help make up the shortfall. Reese comments on how Malcolm being such a genius is worrying about his future while he is set for life. Malcolm asks Reese if he doesn’t think it’s a little bit sad to become a janitor at his old high school. Reese reminds him he will be the assistant janitor and it’ll be all mop and no paperwork. Reese is also planned to move in with Craig, who appears with a box of Reese's things getting them ready. Reese reminds Craig that they won't be roommates for another two weeks, Lois aggressively emphasizes that Reese has exactly twelve days left in the house and that the second he graduates from high school he is out of his parents' house forever and into Craig's.
In the boys' bedroom, Malcolm, Reese, Dewey and Stevie reminisce about all the times they've had in their room and now that Reese and Malcolm are leaving home, and Stevie is moving on, they will no longer have them together. Dewey admits that although he will finally have his own bed, the room will feel empty without his brothers. Abe is there as well and reflects on past endeavours before Malcolm reminds him that Stevie is there to help Malcolm write his valedictory speech. Abe understands but annoys Stevie, by passively complaining that despite getting his wealthy friend, Cedric Hampton, to be commencement speaker, Stevie is passed over from being valedictorian. Reese wonders if moving out and being independent will change him and asks if he’ll gain a British accent. Malcolm reassures him it will, just then Reese suddenly realizes now that him and Malcolm are leaving home, he and his brothers can now get rid of their "nuclear option."
Stevie asks about the nuclear option, while the brothers close all doors and windows, then each draw out a key around their necks to open the lockbox. Malcolm explains that it was evidence of the worst thing they ever did; make a fake X-ray of Lois having cancer to sneak away with her signature for poor grades in elementary school. Malcolm tells Stevie that no matter how badly they screwed each other over there was always a limit. How none of them could push anyone to a point where they had nothing to lose, or they just pull the trigger and destroy all of them. Malcolm states that they although they were proud of it at the time over time, they realized how shameful they were and now they can get rid of it. Reese decides Dewey should destroy it since Dewey will now be the oldest of his brothers still living at home. Dewey always knew that the day would come but thought both of them would be dead, but it still feels great either way.
Meanwhile, Hal learns Malcolm loses the Pierson Grant worth $3,000 as the sponsor decides to use the scholarship to do a research for kids who cannot afford college, and are offering Malcolm $50 to participate. After trying to talk to a bank for a loan and being denied by even a senior loan officer, Hal seeks a loan shark to give him the $8,000 he needs to pay for Malcolm's schooling. He tries to butter the shark up by revealing he has no intention of paying him back but instead is willing to go straight to the beating. He tries to convince the loan shark, he is ready to go anytime with being beaten and promises to be in horrible pain so that it can send messages to other borrowers to never miss a payment again. The loan shark then questions, it could accomplish the same thing without giving Hal the money, to which Hal tries to convince him the point would be muddled, before quickly leaving to allow the shark to sleep on the idea.
At school, Reese is being shown the ropes as a janitor by the head janitor, Al. Reese is very excited and looks forward to the job, however, Al tells him he will be gone after 30 days. Reese assures he is very committed to the job, but Al clarifies he'll be laid off as part of a union gig, as they dismiss the newest employee after the 30-day period, as the employees who work longer than 30 days will be eligible for full benefits and laying them off will save costs. Reese schemes up to create a mess that can last more than 30 days, so it be impossible to clean and need him longer to be locked in for life. At home, Malcolm struggles to write his valedictory speech and gets pestered by Lois, who wants to help him write it. She also comments that Malcolm shouldn't quote a rap group and instead Paul McCartney, who she believes is still relevant but clean in comparison, much to Malcolm's annoyance.
Later that night, Dewey has his brothers and Craig together, as he puts together a ceremony to destroy the nuclear option. Dewey makes a eulogy to symbolize the brothers' freedom of fear and blackmail and that Jamie can live a freer life with giving and receiving gifts out of genuine kindness and love instead of blackmail and dread. The bonfire ends with popping fireworks as a final touch.
At the house, Lois is on the phone with Susan telling her that Ida bullied her into giving the last ticket for Malcolm and Reese's graduation to her because the last time Lois stood up to her, she shoved a pig's head down their chimney. Francis and Piama arrive with Ida, Piama is panicked and warns Lois that she thinks Francis is really going to kill Ida this time. Francis comes in the house and grabs a fireplace poker claiming he drove by 70 miles of blunt objects to get to it and tell Ida she better run. Ida says he better make his first swing count. Lois closes the door and tells her mother that she'll make her some lunch after she finishes her cigarette and Francis and Piama can help make up their beds. Malcolm informs Francis that they could've been rid of her had he not made a speech first, Hal reassures him that in some parallel universe he did it.
Reese is revealed to have called Ida and shows him the mess he collected and put together in a barrel drum of gunk. Ida asks him about his patsy, who he is going to blame for doing it so they can take the fall for him, Reese admits he hadn't thought about a patsy before to which Ida suggests it can be anyone he wants, and if the mess is strong and successful, a whole village can go down. Reese is very impressed with how well Ida can brainstorm schemes. Meanwhile, Lois continues to badger Francis as he still does not have a job while he and Piama are helping her set up the table and trying to make everything as tidy as possible for Abe's fancy friend, Cedric. While Lois is reaching in the closet for the good china, she doesn't notice the her fake cancer X-ray fall out of the closet and Dewey panics while Francis notices it. Francis quickly fakes another argument to Lois and grabs the X-ray by stepping on it and picking it up with putting a gum on his shoe. He and Dewey talk privately in the bedroom, to which Dewey reveals the cancer scare being fake and how Dewey couldn't get rid of it as he'd be sad. Francis realizes for Dewey that the X-ray holds sentimental value for his bond with his brothers. Francis initially plans to keep it as it's perfect blackmail material especially since he had no involvement in this prank, but Dewey's simple statement of "Mom's friend Jenny" quickly has him hand it back.
At lunch, Cedric, with Abe, Stevie, and Malcolm are making small talk about computers to which no one else was understanding for the past half hour. Cedric then offers Malcolm and Stevie a dream job in lieu of college offering six-figures, full benefits and stock options. Malcolm can't believe the incredible opportunity he's being given, however Lois immediately turns down the offer for him by telling them he will be going to college and finish his education. Understanding, Cedric withdraws the job apologising to Lois for not consulting her first, telling Malcolm he needs his family to support his decision. Malcolm is left furious.
When the family piles into the van to go to the ceremony Lois aware Malcolm is angry and makes him say what's on his mind and to get it out of his system. Before he can however, Reese's mess explodes coating the entire family in the foul gunk. In the backyard they all wash themselves off, Hal hosing Jamie off while suspended apologizing for being unaware he was upside down due to the gunk coating him. Piama claimed she is now ready to have kids since her fear of diaper changing has been reneged. Reese claims that he is the victim, and everyone is scrubbing his dreams out of their cracks. Ida asks if anyone else is hungry before going back inside. Malcolm claims now his life looks exactly how it feels. Furious, Malcolm demands to know why Lois screwed him over to which Lois explains that she knew Malcolm was about to take the job and throw his life away, to Malcolm's confusion as he would have been rich and successful. Lois assures him he is not destined for the luxury life and the family expects him to go to college, work harder than all of his peers (who will still look down on him), graduate, start off as a district attorney or running a foundation, be elected governor of a mid-sized state, and eventually become President of the United States of America with all of his brothers being fully aware of his future and assumed he already knew himself.
Hal explains how their expectations for him began much smaller, but he continually succeeded them and upping the ante. When Malcolm reasons that he could've taken the job, become rich and bought his way into office but Lois already decided against it. Lois explains that he wouldn't be a good president and he needs to continue to struggle in order to understand, represent, and empathize with families like his own. Lois tells him that he needs to work hard and bust his ass twice as hard to get the impressions of others and to know they will still look down on him and it will break his heart, and that it will make his heart bigger, and he will finally realize that there’s more to life than proving himself to be the smartest person in the world. She stresses to him once again that he can't just get rich, have fun and have a luxurious life (Hal stating that it's Dewey who gets to do that). Malcolm then becomes furious with how high his parents' expectations are for him to be the greatest president in the history of mankind. Lois asks him to look her in the eyes and tell her that he can't do it. Malcolm tries but finds himself unable to.
At the school, in the class of graduates everyone (including Stevie) sits far away from Malcolm and Reese due to the horrible stench lingering on them and in the audience the same thing goes for the family as everyone sits far away from them. While reaching in his pocket for gum, Francis drops a name tag found by Hal to which he whispers he got a new office job and begs Hal not to tell Lois, as he loves it, and Lois would be too proud and would not let him live it down. Francis reveals that he has had the job for 2 months and he spends the entire day inputting numbers into a computer and loves every aspect of it including the stability, regular paychecks, parking space and receiving joke emails. Hal is very proud of Francis for turning himself around, but keeps his secret.
Malcolm finally makes his valedictory speech starting by saying how he is praying for the ceremony to be over like the rest of his former schoolmates, earning a chuckle from the audience. He says how all the seniors have dreamed of this day when they leave childhood behind and achieve independence, but now Malcolm understands that no matter how far away he goes his family will always be with him and while he will never truly be free, he'll also never truly be alone. He then looks out to Lois, and decides to quote Paul McCartney, as Lois suggested earlier, which makes her looks on proud of him.
Three months later, Dewey and Jamie, feeling closer than ever, keep up the tradition of causing mischief in the house and hide in the closet while Lois screams in rage telling Hal not to touch it, Dewey informs Jamie what Lois would do if she found out it was the two of them, until he realizes that he can still enjoy a brotherly bond even with Malcolm and Reese gone. Francis argues with Lois over the phone about how "he'll get a job when he's damn good and ready" and she just can't live with the fact that he is still a free spirit. He then hangs up on her, Piama hands him his lunch and tells him that they'll be having chicken casserole for dinner. Francis says he will come home at 5:00 as he gives her a kiss and heads off to work. Reese and Craig are happily living together as roommates where Craig receives a 5-setting heating pad for a birthday present and is overjoyed how Reese listened to him before the oven timer dings and Reese gets up to prepare Craig's birthday cake. Hal talks to Lois while she's in the bathroom, satisfied that Reese and Malcolm are out of the house and everything is going according to plan. Lois walks out of the bathroom with a horrified look on her face, she reveals that she is pregnant once again, as Hal screams in horror.
Over the phone, Reese tells Malcolm that after an incident where Reese framed the head janitor Al for putting peepholes in the girl's bathroom he was fired, and Reese was promoted to a full-time position as the new head janitor claiming their grandmother was right how beneficial it is to have a patsy to take the fall for his misdeeds. He then asks how his "Ivy League big shot" brother is doing, Malcolm tells him it’s going great and it’s a whole new experience for him. Malcolm now works as a janitor part-time to pay for his studies, while still maintaining his grades and attending his regular classes as a student. He then remembers he has to get to his calculus class and promises Reese he'll talk to him later. Malcolm then hangs up the phone, grabs his textbook, and runs off to class, bringing the series to a close.
Cast[]
- Jane Kaczmarek as Lois
- Bryan Cranston as Hal
- Christopher Masterson as Francis
- Justin Berfield as Reese
- Erik Per Sullivan as Dewey
- Frankie Muniz as Malcolm
Guest Stars[]
Recurring[]
- James and Lukas Rodriguez as Jamie (uncredited)
- Craig Lamar Traylor as Stevie
- Gary Anthony Williams as Abe
- Emy Coligado as Piama
- Dave Higgins as Craig
- Cloris Leachman as Ida
- Steve Vinovich as Principal
Cameos[]
- Linwood Boomer as Loan Shark (credited as Enzo Stussi)
- Lamont Thompson as Cedric Hampton
- Raymond O'Connor as Al
- Noah Matthews as Young Malcolm
Trivia[]
- This is the final episode of Malcolm in the Middle, and as such serves as the series finale.
- This episode marks the final appearances of Malcolm, Reese, Dewey, Francis, Piama, Jamie, Stevie, Hal, Lois, Craig, Abe, and Ida in the entire Malcolm in the Middle series.
- Jessica supposed to appear in the final episode with the boys in the graduation scene.
- Malcolm speaks the last lines of the series, ending with: "I'll talk to you later.” Malcolm was also the first character to speak in the first episode, thus both opening and closing the series.
- Malcolm's speech is never heard and cuts to time skip as he was ready to begin quoting Paul McCartney.
- As of this episode, Justin Berfield (Reese), Bryan Cranston (Hal), and Erik Per Sullivan (Dewey) were the only cast members to appear in every episode, surprisingly more than Frankie Muniz (Malcolm) despite being the title character.
- Frankie Muniz was only absent in Clip Show 2, only appearing in flashbacks, while the episode stars Lois and Hal. Reese only appears in the cold open and Dewey appeared in the end of the episode.
- An original scene had Reese unable to come up with a prank for graduation, possibly hinting from his last inability in Lois Battles Jamie and confides in Francis. Hearing this in secret, Malcolm is able to stop worrying about his graduation speech and comes up with a good prank that would make Reese proud. He secretly collects disgusting various items off the streets and hide it in the janitor's closet at his school. With Stevie's help, Malcolm is able to set the whole thing up. At the end of the graduation, he pushes a button and a series of disgusting concoction fall on to the graduating students and their parents including Hal and Lois. Reese is impressed by Malcolm's ingenuity and gives each other high fives. They leave with their diplomas in hand, while ignoring an angry Lois screaming at them to come back and face the consequences of their actions. This was dropped due to how expensive it would've been and the writers felt it would be a better ending if the boys matured from their experiences.
- The original epilogue was set at a year after Graduation. Piama is 3 months pregnant and handing Francis his lunch. Reese enjoying the benefits of his job as janitor and being roommates with Craig. Malcolm is able to live his college life normally and take a job that helps pay off his student loans. He becomes a caring person overtime and lets go of his ego. Dewey and Jamie tries to cause trouble, but Hal and Lois ignores them with problems of their own. They are dealing with their twin girls, Ariel and Kaylie, whom make their lives an even worse hell, especially Lois because she can no longer take advantage of the situation like her fantasy versions. Reese calls Malcolm and they talk about their lives. He hangs up to head off to his calculus class. Most of it was dropped except for Piama's scene with Francis, Reese enjoying his life with Craig his call with Malcolm(whom is a janitor instead of a businessman).
- Linwood Boomer, the creator of the series, makes a cameo in this episode, playing the role of the loan shark that Hal tries to get money from.
- This is the only episode aside from the Pilot to make mention of the last name of Malcolm and his family. However in this episode, rather than "Wilkerson", it is revealed to be "Nolastname", which is a joke on "No last name". The name is seen on Francis' name tag for his new job. It is unknown which one of these last names (if either) is meant to be considered canon.
- When Malcolm is called up to give his speech, microphone feedback blocks out his last name (although the Principal does mouth "Nolastname").
- The three oldest Wilkerson boys get jobs in this episode, with two of them supposedly kept for life:
- Francis gets a job at a huge business called Amerisys Industries, but he keeps it a secret from Lois, making her believe he's still jobless, just so he can spite her.
- Reese gets a job as head janitor of North High School, having gotten the previous head janitor fired.
- Malcolm gets a job as a janitor for Harvard to help pay for his tuition. It is implied that in the long run, he eventually becomes the President of the United States.
- It is also implied that Dewey's life is going to be perfect and that he'll be able to just kick back and do whatever he wants when he becomes an adult.
- As Jamie is still a toddler, his future is the only one not discussed.
- Susan Welker is mentioned in this episode but is not heard. Lois was heard, talking on the phone to her, saying that she wanted for her to come to Malcolm's graduation, but Ida bullied Lois into giving the ticket to her. This possibly shows that Lois and Susan are on good terms now.
- Although, it's also possible that Susan could've been lying all that time and the friction remains. She could still be bitter with Lois over foiling her chances of death and willingly allowed Ida to attend in her place, and why she never made another appearance again.
- Ida likely bulled Lois into ensure she is coming because Reese called her for help on his 30-day mess prank. 
- At the end of the episode, Lois reveals that she is once again pregnant with yet another child. As of this episode, The Wilkerson family now consists of six children. The name and gender of the child or any other information about it is never revealed, though.
- This is the second episode where Lois became pregnant. (Grandma Sues)
- At the graduation, nobody at the graduation would sit anywhere near Malcolm or his family because of their terrible smell. This is a callback to the Pilot episode, where nobody at Malcolm's school would sit with Malcolm because he was a genius (even including a similar overhead shot).
- After Malcolm runs off to his calculus class, the song from the Pilot ("Better Days (and the Bottom Drops out)" by Citizen King) is also played to end the series.
- Craig is seen holding a bag that says "Beds and Baths". This is a parody of the store Bed, Bath, and Beyond.
- Out of the Wilkerson boys, Malcolm and Reese are the first to graduate high school. 
- Francis is a high school dropout, due to emancipating himself and willingly dropped out of Marlin Academy, not completing his high school education. It is unclear if Francis ever got a GED, as his new job would likely require the bare minimum of a high school education.
Errors[]
- In the cold open: Malcolm, Reese, Dewey and Jamie are sitting on the couch, however in a back shot only Malcolm and Reese appear, and in the front shot they all appear again.
- When Malcolm says "This is unbelievable, you actually expect me to become president?", he is seen holding a towel. In the next shot, his hands are empty.
- The announcer for the graduation ceremony said that the Dalai Lama told him "Wisdom is the light by day. Virtue is the protection by night." There are two inaccuracies with this. First, this quote is actually a quote by Buddha, not the Dalai Lama. Second, the quote is actually "Wisdom is the light by day. Right mindfulness is the protection by night." In defense though, he said that this was what The Dalai Lama said on his yacht last summer and not the famous quote by Buddha.
Quotes[]
- [Reese is seen coming back in the living room with popcorn in the bowl]
- Reese: So, what did I miss?
- Malcolm: There was this big flash, some fire shot out and now he's just come to.
- Reese: What, I was just gone for a second.
- Dewey: Shh, I wanna see this.
- [Lois comes in and the boys are watching Hal trying to fix the family's TV set]
- Lois: Oh, for God's sake, Hal. Pay the money and get a repairman.
- Hal: I am not wasting good money when I'm perfectly capable of....
- [Hal screams as he is being electrocuted. The boys are seen laughing, while Lois is frustrated with him again for not listening to her]
- (Malcolm, Reese, and Dewey, are all just hanging out in their room with Stevie)
- Dewey: It's weird to think about. Pretty soon, you guys will be gone.
- Reese: Yeah, and this, just sitting around, hanging out. We're not gonna have many more of these.
- (Abe is revealed to be there also)
- Abe: (chuckles loudly) No, we sure won't. (to Stevie) Seems like only yesterday, you and I were going to homecoming, putting the school paper to bed, fretting over our first big date with Sharon Hines. Hmm, that kiss went on forever.
- Malcolm: Uh, Mr. Kenarban, Stevie's supposed to help me work on my speech.
- Abe: Right, right! Mr. Valedictorian. Congratulations again. I'm glad my son can help you out with your big important speech. It's probably that selflessness that got him the second spot.
- Stevie: Dad!
- Abe: I'm not insulting you salutatorian. It's quite an honor. I'm just glad that even after I got Cedric Hampton to be the school's commencement speaker, they still had the integrity to make you valedictorian and not my crippled son.
- Stevie: (angered) Go!
- Reese: I wonder if moving out and being on my own is going to change me. Do you think I'll get a British accent?
- Malcolm: ... Absolutely.
- (Lois opens the door and Piama's there)
- Piama: Lois, I really think he's gonna do it this time! You've got to stop him!
- (Francis furiously walks through and grabs a fireplace stake)
- Francis: There you are. I drove by 80 miles of blunt objects just to get to you. (screaming to Ida) I hope you run!
- (Ida comes in)
- Ida: You'd better make that first swing count, princess.
- (Lois closes the door on her)
- Lois: Hi, mom. Finish your cigarette and I'll make you some lunch. (to Francis and Piama) Come on, you can help me make your beds.
- Malcolm: (to Francis) You had to make a speech first, didn't you?
- Lois: Hal.
- Hal: Right. (to Francis) Son, don't feel bad. In some parallel universe, you did it.
- Malcolm: You know what? I'm glad. This is appropriate. Now my life looks exactly how I feel. How could you screw me over like that!?
- Lois: Because you were gonna take that job and we are not gonna let you throw your life away.
- Malcolm: How is being rich throwing my life away!?
- Lois: Because, it's not the life you're supposed to have. The life you're supposed to have is you go to Harvard and you earn every fellowship and internship they have. You graduate first in your class and you start working in public service either district attorney or running some foundation and then you become governor of a mid-sized state and then you become president.
- Malcolm: ... What!?
- Lois: of the United States!
- Malcolm: Dad!
- Hal: I'm sorry, son. It's true.
- Francis: Thought you knew.
- Hal: Our expectations started much smaller, but you just kept upping the ante.
- Malcolm: What if I don't wanna be president?
- Lois: It's too late for that. You're gonna do it.
- Malcolm: Oh, really? Have you decided my position on capital-gains tax cuts? What are my foreign policy objectives?
- Lois: That doesn't matter. What does matter is that you'll be the only person in that position who will ever give a crap about people like us. We've been getting the short end of the stick for thousands of years and I, for one, and sick of it. Now, you are going to be president, mister and that's the end of it.
- Malcolm: Did it ever occur to you that I could have taken this job, gotten really rich, and then bought my way into being president.
- Lois: Of course it did. We decided against it.
- Malcolm: What!?
- Lois: Because, then you wouldn't be a good president. You wouldn't have suffered enough.
- Malcolm: I have been suffering all my life!
- Lois: I'm sorry. It's not enough. You know what it's like to be poor and you know what it's like to work hard. Now you're gonna know what it's like to sweep floors and bust your ass and accomplish twice as much as all the kids around you and it won't mean anything because they will still look down on you and you will want so much for them to like you and they just won't and it'll break your heart and that'll make your heart bigger and open your eyes and finally, you will realize that there's more to life than proving you're the smartest person in the world. I'm sorry, Malcolm, but you don't get the easy path. You don't get to just have fun and be rich and live the life of luxury.
- Hal: That's Dewey.
- Dewey: (happily) Really?
- Malcolm: This is unbelievable. You actually expect me to be president. No, no, I'm sorry. You expect me to be one of the greatest presidents in the history of the United States.
- Lois: You look me in the eye, and you tell me you can't do it.