AllMovie

In the opening bit, Lois (Jane Kaczmarek) snaps to restore order while getting a family portrait taken. Stevie (Craig Lamar Traylor) excitedly calls about Malcolm's (Frankie Muniz) impending overnight visit. It takes an effort to get past Lois, who mistakes the asthmatic boy for a crank caller. Later, at the Kenarben house, Malcolm tries to get Stevie to rebel against his insanely overprotective parents, Abe (Gary Anthony Williams) and Kitty (Merrin Dungey, who played a teacher on the pilot). Once the boys get past the pressure-sensitive floor alarm, they're ready for a wild night at the arcade. But things take a desperate turn when Stevie's wheelchair is stolen. Back at home, Reese (Justin Berfield) tries to convince Hal (Bryan Cranston) and Lois to let him stay up past his bedtime to watch a "Chucky" movie on TV. Lois offers him a dastardly deal. He can stay up if he manages to put Dewey (Erik Per Sullivan) to bed. Meanwhile, at military school, Francis (Christopher Kennedy Masterson) runs afoul of the dreaded "Brothers of the Apocalypse." But as it turns out, he's immune to their "amateurish" scare tactics after growing up under the care of the genuinely terrifying Lois.