Bryan Cranston, the iconic star known for his portrayal of Walter White in Breaking Bad, was once a dad in the iconic sitcom Malcolm in the Middle. The revolutionary TV show featured several iconic stars who went on to have great careers in Hollywood.
One of these stars was Erik Per Sullivan, who was a worldwide celebrity for portraying the role of Dewey in Malcolm in the Middle. However, the actor refused to appear for the upcoming revival of the TV show, and Bryan Cranston knows the answer why.
Bryan Cranston knows why Erik Per Sullivan won’t be returning
The fourth child of Lois and Hal Wilkerson, the character of Dewey was one of the protagonists (the third protagonist) in Malcolm in the Middle. Portrayed by Erik Per Sullivan, Dewey was highly intelligent in the show, with a knack for manipulation whenever he desired.
News broke out recently that the Bryan Cranston show will be getting a revival with a mini-series of the same name. Bryan Cranston will be returning to his role of Hal alongside most of the cast, except Erik Per Sullivan.
In a recent interview with Variety, Bryan Cranston shared that when he called Sullivan for his potential return to the upcoming series, the former star politely declined the request. The harrowing reason that Erik Per Sullivan gave is very similar to something that Dewey would do in the iconic TV show.
I talked to Erik and I said, ‘Hey, we got the show! It’s going to come back.’ He goes, ‘Oh, that’s fantastic!’ And I go, ‘Yeah, so we’re looking forward to having you back.’ He goes, ‘Oh, no, no, I don’t want to do it. But it’s fantastic,’
Bryan Cranston further continued,
He’s actually going to Harvard. He’s really, really smart, and he’s getting his master’s at Harvard right now. He said, ‘Oh God, no, I haven’t acted since I was 9 or something. So I’m not into it.’
So, the child prodigy is going to Harvard, which suits his character. In the upcoming revival of Malcolm in the Middle (which goes by the same name, of course), the role of Dewey will be portrayed by Caleb Ellsworth-Clark (according to the Calgary Herald).
Of course, people will be very happy to see the revival of a classic show that essentially revolutionized sitcoms for all the years to come. Malcolm in the Middle even inspired The Office, too!
The Office was inspired by Malcolm in the Middle!
Before Malcolm in the Middle, most of the sitcoms would often be filmed in front of a live audience with that infamous laughter track running in the background. However, the 2000 TV show became one of the most influential sitcoms of all time by breaking all the rules.
First off, the show ditched the live audience setup. It was filmed like a regular series without open set pieces, where the audience could see into what was happening in a certain room.
Secondly, the infamous laughter track was completely removed, which has been in use ever since the early 1940s and ’50s. Side note: the laughter track that you hear was recorded in the early 1940s, and all the people who recorded it are probably dead. You are hearing dead people laugh. You’re welcome.
The most important aspect of Malcolm in the Middle was that the entire sitcom was filmed in a single-camera setup, which gave it a more raw and personal feel compared to the multi-camera setups. This created a feeling like you’re part of the family, which made the show better.
The repeated breaking of the fourth wall by Malcolm (when he would look disappointingly at the camera or talk to the audience) also created a feeling of being involved in this family at the ground level and not from a wide box. These tactics were later adopted by other sitcoms as well, including The Office.
According to Far Out Magazine, Malcolm in the Middle‘s tone, camera setup, and the repeated breaking of the fourth wall were some of the influences that inspired the tone and theme of Steve Carell’s The Office. The decision not to add a laughter track in the Bryan Cranston show was also relevant in The Office, which just made for awkward instances with no laughtracks to annoy you.
Shows like Everybody Hates Chris, Community, 30 Rock, and Arrested Development also adopted similar styles, and soon, sitcoms were changed from live audience to being in front of a camera and a mockumentary style theme. The iconic Bryan Cranston show, which inspired all of these sitcoms, went on to become a fan favorite all over the world.
Malcolm in the Middle (the revival miniseries) is scheduled to premiere in December 2025 and will be available to stream alongside the original show on Disney+ (USA).
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