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

As stated earlier in the article, one of the show's most significant selling points was its ability to take everyday life and convert it into humour. This is what helped it become incredibly relatable, and for many people, Lois was one of the most ubiquitous characters.

Plenty of viewers could identify with her, either because they had similar perceptions of their mothers or because they knew how hard motherhood was and how you could never win.

The series presented Lois - played sublimely by Jane Kaczmarek - as an over-the-top villain, holding a tyrannical rule over the low-income family. Her anger and punishments became a major part of the show's narrative, as almost every episode revolved around the children trying to misbehave, all while avoiding their mother's wrath.

However, on the other end of the scale came the fact that Lois was totally understandable. Her children were little monsters, and it made sense that she was so demanding and angry all the time. This was the icing on the cake, as her motives were believable, despite how extreme her methods were.