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Reese Joins the Army: Part 1 is the 21st episode of Season 5 and the 106th episode overall of Malcolm in the Middle.

Synopsis[]

Reese's new girlfriend breaks up with him for Malcolm and so Reese joins the army out of devastation. Hal's company takes a nosedive and two corrupt FBI agents want him to make false accusations against an employer.

Plot[]

Reese's has a new girlfriend named Beth is about as dumb as he is. Malcolm finds her very annoying and wants nothing to do with her. He mentions that Reese and Beth are perfect for each other. He actually falls in love with her and declares her feelings for him, only for her to break up with him. When Reese questions Beth, she claims they're not right for each other. Then, he discovers she's been cheating on him with another guy. Reese pulls the guy out, planning to beat him up, until he turns around and reveals himself to be Malcolm. Horrified and feeling guilty, he apologizes to Reese for what he done. Malcolm begs Reese to beat him up and break his fingers. If not, he'll do it himself. Devastated, Reese tells Malcolm to take care of Beth and leaves. He runs away and joins the army under the false surname "Jetson."

Hal's company goes under à la Enron, and two corrupted FBI officers want him to falsely testify against an employer. He has a hard time about that decision, but Lois adamantly tells him not to because it's beneath them. She claims the employer could be innocent and Hal would be no better if he gone ahead and lied to the agents. The FBI has Hal arrested when the employer provides false testimony against Hal, who is placed under house arrest with an anklet designed to keep track of his movements.

Lois stresses-out when she must work overtime at Lucky Aide to make ends meet; eventually her snappy demeanor and mounting mental instability get her fired. Instead of being mad, she pretends nothing is wrong and starts spending all her time making pigs out of detergent bottles and taking cold showers with her clothes on.

Meanwhile, Dewey enters a piano contest and is angry when no one notices... even when he leaves town for it and wins (mainly due to both Francis and Piama dealing with both disciplining Malcolm for his selfishness and Lois's mental instability).

At the Army, Reese butts heads with Sgt. Hendricks for his thinking. This has gotten him into trouble with the latter and makes him do push-ups in the mud with Hendricks hosing him. Reese later turns around and decides to shut off his brain to obey Sgt. Hendricks.

Hal's only hope to avoid prison comes in a form of an FBI informant whom he meets at the library due to Malcolm modifying the anklet so he can take the receiver with him. Hal is forced to leave the bag outside the library and meets with his informant who claims that he falsified evidence against Hal in order to have him arrested and save the employer. However when he learned he was dying from an unknown cancer, the agent decided he has to do the right thing and expose the truth about his employer's lies.

When Hal leaves the library, an officer asks if the bag is his. When Hal panics and denies it, the officer looks inside and thinks the device he sees is a bomb. Hal claims he's from the bomb squad, only to be surrounded by a dozen officers and the words "To be continued..." ending the episode.

Cast[]

Guest Stars[]

Recurring[]

  • Emy Coligado as Piama
  • Steve Rankin as Sgt. Hendrick

Cameos[]

  • Molly Orr as Beth
  • James Hendrickson as Agent Moon
  • Monti Sharp as Agent Joplin
  • Erik King as Agent Stone
  • Michael Chieffo as Dennis
  • Kevin Crowley as Tech
  • Paul Gleeson as Mystery Man
  • Hopsin as Army Cadet (uncredited)

Trivia[]

  • Reese's real last name isn't revealed in this episode, but he joins the army under the false last name of "Jetson".
  • Dewey wins a trophy for the national music competition, though no one in the family pays attention to him at all. This may have been unintentional mainly due to Lois' stress over Hal's arrest and Francis disciplining Malcolm.
  • Second time Malcolm and Reese have the same love interest, whose name is "Beth". The first time was when they were in a fight over Beth from the episode "Bowling".
    • However, in this episode, Malcolm originally had no interest in Beth and thought she was perfect for Reese due to their similar intelligence. However when she challenges him off screen by showing off her high intelligence, Malcolm starts falling for Beth.
  • This marks the 2nd time Malcolm regretted betraying Reese. The first time was in Malcolm Films Reese.
  • Second time Lois gets fired from the Lucky Aide. The first time was in (Lois VS Evil) when Mr. Pinter fired her out of spite.
  • This marks the 3rd time that Hal has been arrested, but the first time he had been framed. His first arrest was back in Charity. His 2nd arrest was in Garage Sale and his last arrest is in Malcolm Defends Reese.
  • The unit Reese joins is the 101st Airborne Division[1]
  • Rapper Hopsin makes an uncredited appearance as an army cadet, visible when Hendrick pauses during his "maggots" speech.
  • Billy was going to make a return appearance and Dewey asks him for a favor to pose as him in the house while he goes to his piano contest out of town in Sacramento. When Ira asks about it, Dewey explains he needs someone to keep his family distracted since they're ignoring him about his piano concert and Reese is gone. Due to their similar appearance, Billy was able to fool his family into thinking he was still at home.

Errors[]

  • When Reese is being questioned by his Drill Sergeant, he looks at his bed. The US is face up. This part of the blanket should only occur when a US soldier dies and the unit has not moved their belongings from the Barracks.
Malcolm in the Middle episodes
Season 1 PilotRed DressHome Alone 4ShameMalcolm BabysitsSleepoverFrancis EscapesKrelboyne PicnicLois VS EvilStock Car RacesFuneralCheerleaderRollerskatesThe Bots and the BeesSmundayWater Park
Season 2 Traffic JamHalloween ApproximatelyLois' BirthdayDinner OutCasinoConventionRobberyTherapyHigh School PlayBullyOld Mrs. OldKrelboyne GirlNew NeighborsHal QuitsThe GrandparentsTraffic TicketSurgeryReese CooksTutoring ReeseBowlingMalcolm vs. ReeseMini-BikeCarnivalEvacuationFlashback
Season 3 HouseboatEmancipationBook ClubMalcolm's GirlfriendCharityHealth ScareChristmasPokerReese's JobLois' MakeoverCompany Picnic (1)Company Picnic (2)Reese DrivesCynthia's BackHal's BirthdayHal CoachesDewey's DogPoker 2Clip ShowJury DutyCliquesMonkey
Season 4 ZooHumilithonFamily ReunionStupid GirlForwards BackwardsForbidden GirlfriendMalcolm Holds His TongueBoys At RanchGrandma SuesIf Boys Were GirlsLong DriveKicked OutStereo StoreHal's FriendGarage SaleAcademic OctathalonClip Show #2Reese's PartyFuture MalcolmBaby Part 1Baby Part 2Day Care
Season 5 VegasWatching The BabyGoodbye KittyThanksgivingMalcolm Films ReeseMalcolm's JobChristmas TreesBlock PartyDirty MagazineHot TubIda's BoyfriendSoftballLois' SisterMalcolm Dates a FamilyReese's ApartmentMalcolm Visits CollegePolly in the MiddleDewey's Special ClassExperimentVictor's Other FamilyReese Joins the Army: Part 1Reese Joins the Army: Part 2
Season 6 Reese Comes HomeBuseys Run AwayStandeePearl HarborKitty's BackHal's Christmas GiftHal SleepwalksLois Battles JamieMalcolm's CarBillboardDewey's OperaLiving WillTiki LoungeIda Loses a LegChad's SleepoverNo MotorcyclesButterfliesIda's DanceMotivational SpeakerStiltsBuseys Take A HostageMrs. Tri-County
Season 7 Burning ManHealth InsuranceReese vs. StevieHalloweenJessica Stays OverSecret BoyfriendBlackoutArmy BuddyMalcolm Defends ReeseMalcolm's MoneyBride of IdaCollege RecruitersMonoHal GrievesA.ALois Strikes BackHal's DentistBomb ShelterStevie in the HospitalCattle CourtMorpGraduation
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