Malcolm In The Middle: Every Lead Character Ranked From Worst To Best

From top, to bottom, to middle - which characters from this show rank best?

By Michael John-Day /

The world of sit-com comedy is filled from top to bottom with dysfunctional families. This is because such a vessel for plotlines has been proven to work countless time in shows like Full House, The Simpsons and many more. However, while there are many famous family units in the TV world, the Wilkerson's from Malcolm in the Middle easily rank as one of the best.

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These ridiculous characters were a tonne of fun, and each of them played to specific archetypes of family units. This made the show incredibly funny, but most importantly, one of the most relatable shows on TV.

While the series has been over for some time now, it's still a highly appreciated project that acts as a time capsule for early 2000s TV. It's clear that Malcolm in the Middle still holds a lot of sway, especially with the recent references from Wandavision. When looking back on the series, it's still easy to fall in love all over again.

Ranking the main characters based on their humour, personality and involvement in the plot is an excellent opportunity to explore what keeps it good to this day.

9. Abe

The fact that the charming and loveable Abe Kernaban makes it to the bottom of this list is a testament to the quality of the characters in this sitcom, as this loving father and wonderful friend was easy to fall for. Gary Anthony Williams did a great job in the role, helping Abe feel likeable and chucking in some particularly funny moments.

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However, there were a few downsides to the character that bring him down. For example, most of the show's roles had very distinct characteristics, but Abe never felt very unique. His personality and humour was mostly reserved compared to the others, and sadly this made him come across as very forgettable.

While Anthony Williams worked really hard in the role, he wasn't given tonnes to play with, as Abe always felt like a side character with no real importance to the plot. His only involvement came from other characters such as Stevie and close friend Hal, giving him no agency in the show's main story, and leading him to the lowest point on this list.

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