Poker is the eighth episode of the third season of Malcolm in the Middle, which was broadcast on January 6, 2002.
Summary[]
Hal finally gets an invitation to Abe's poker game, where things get competitive. Malcolm clashes with Stevie for filming him in a homework assignment. Reese collects money from old ladies who wanted to partner up at Lois's dance class, then uses the money to get Dewey a toy and smashes it in front of him.
For revenge, Dewey films Reese being dragged along to the class.
Meanwhile, Francis and his Alaskan friends are trapped in an Alaskan blizzard fending off cabin fever for a whole week. Lavernia gives them an assortment of supplies (which consist of meat paste and caribou jerky) that they are supposed to ration. Throughout the blizzard, the guys do many activities to pass the time: reenacting whole episodes of "Gilligan's Island", memorizing the ingredients labeled on the rations, and Pete making puppet shows with his socks. They Eventually become desperate to find a new thing to do, then they see Eric playing with a string. They all take turns playing with the string until it is lost, Pete, Artie, and Francis all blame Eric for hoarding the string for himself, and as a punishment Eric is seen being held down with his buttocks exposed and Francis about to brand him like a cow. When all seems to be an inevitable ordeal for Eric, Lavernia barges in and announces that the blizzard has ended and that the whole camp has been cleared of the snow. She comments "every damn storm" after seeing their attempted action on Eric.
Trivia[]
- Bernard, the hamster in the orange ball that Dewey set free in the episode Health Scare, is briefly seen again in this episode, as it rolls past Dewey in the background while he is filming Reese.
- This was the first episode to premiere in 2002.
- The poker variation they are playing, while not specifically named, appears to be 7-card stud.
Errors[]
- Towards the end of this episode, Lois is shown to be a very sloppy and uncoordinated dancer however in Ida's Dance, Lois is shown to be a rather good and coordinated dancer.
Quotes[]
- Artie: You're the only one who seems to have a motive against the string.
- Eric: No, I love the string, it's just-...
- Artie: Maybe you loved it a little too much, and I quote: "If I can't have the string, no one will."
- Eric: I didn't say that!
- Artie: Well someone said it!
- Eric: You! Just now!