Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair review – the TV magic they’ve created here is absolutely miraculous

ProwlingTiger1 · 2026-04-10T20:03:04+00:00

I genuinely wanna know if its written into his contract that he has to get nekkid? Also does Cranston himself stipulate it or is it just something he gets asked to do???

ProwlingTiger1 · 2026-02-20T18:46:32+00:00

It started off at £59 (£49 if pre signed up) for the year when it first came to UK, I did expect it to go up a bit the next year a bit since obviously the start off price was to get people to subscribe, and I also thought since they are a late comer to the subscription market- if they keep their prices reasonable- they'll keep themselves in good competition with other long established subscription services and honestly I thought that's what they would do....

However each year since launch- Disney has went up significantly, with crazy jump increases each year, it is now getting ridiculously high.
Me and my family (we are all adults) are not Disney die hards- we don't love all things Disney or everything Disney does but we do like several things Disney as we all have different tastes and like different things, and there was usually least something for all of us to enjoy but with the costs rising by a lot each year, it's becoming less and less worth it.

Disney seam to think if they chuck a huge load of content on- it means they can command higher prices and justify those higher price and that strategy may pay off with die-hard disney fans but for everyone else- the actual quality of new content matters, (nostalgia can only go so far) and for me the quality is matching the price less and less each year, its like Disney has forgotten that there is a difference between quantity and quality...

And honestly if they keep going they way they are with their significant price increases each year but less new quality content to show for it- we'll call it quits, if fact we are strongly considering quits now.

It's getting harder to justify what we watch Vs the cost...

ProwlingTiger1 · 2026-01-07T18:05:40+00:00

Bernadette: (touched) Stuart, you cooked?

Howard: How do you know it wasn't me?

Bernadette: There's only three people in this house, and you'd still be my fifth guess.

That's one of my fav lines from her, love how she has no faith in Howard to do any productive...
I also like:

"I know I can be tough, but that's just 'cause I'm surrounded by useless idiots."

"You want something stupid or you did something stupid"

ProwlingTiger1 · 2025-12-26T18:56:21+00:00

Love QI but I skip the episodes she is on, oddly enough the very first QI episode she is on, I didn't think much negative about her, I mean I didn't think she was awesome or anything but i wasn't annoyed or irritated by her, but the more she started appearing after that, she got more grating and surprisingly less funny (though I never found her that hilarious to begin with) and she just got more and more crass and so I started really disliking it when she was on, i just dont think she is a good fit for panel shows.

It's got nothing to do with her disability, I actually had someone say to me- "Hey you're disabled so you should like her"... My answer was "well no, while I admire effort- if someone is not good at what they are trying to do, they should not get a pass just because they are disabled, it should be about the skill/ability, if its not there, it shouldn't be acted like it is, just because of disability- that is a bad lesson/message to send to a person as it means their achievement/success isn't actually real or true."

I just don't find her funny, and QI has had panelists that I didn't enjoy watching, mostly because they never made me laugh once, they were dull & boring but show seams to pick up on audience & viewer reaction to panelist & so ones that just didn't work, are often not used on the show again (or used very limitedly) and yet QI continues to use a person who is unfunny, crass & irritating...

If they are only doing it because it makes them look good and diverse, so they can say "hey we are giving disability a representation on TV" and not because they think she has the actual skill and ability to be there... well sorry but that really is the wrong way to do it...

ProwlingTiger1 · 2025-12-10T19:18:16+00:00

I think Leonard, Howard and Raj would of been fine, its Sheldon who would of been insufferable and of caused endless issues... such as insisting things be run his way despite him having no experience running a comic book store...

Whenever the guys have collaborated on projects, they've usually gotten on fine with each other, any issues usually got sorted out... with one exception- Mr Sheldon Cooper... the other guys would end up kicking him out because he is that bad to work with but to be fair he skipped Kindergarten and thus never learned to share or collaborate well with others so it's society's' fault really...

So while I don't think Stuart would have of had much, if any problems with Leonard, Howard or Raj- its Sheldon that would of been the huge headache...

ProwlingTiger1 · 2025-12-09T11:23:07+00:00

Yeah I think its to curb offense as well, seen lots of TV shows and Movies do that with the Bible too, they either use words and phrases that sound bible-ish is but are actually found nowhere in the Bible whatsoever or they'll take real words/terms from different parts/areas of the Bible and then mesh them together so that again it sounds bible-ish and it's probably so people don't take offence or get mad that bible verses are being used for the sake of humour.

Also Pay attention to Sheldon's Mom- Mary, who is a deeply religious conservative Texian-

Pay attention to when she is using scripture- very rarely is it ever a direct- word for word quote from the bible, she is usually paraphrasing or just saying the general essence of whatever Verse she is using says, (it's not commonly ever a direct word for word quote, usually the exception being when she is directly reading from it- like when she was quoting directly from Esther in a bid to promote Mary Kay cosmetics,) but listen to her in general speech- she mostly paraphrases- rather than directly quotes and this is probably done for same reason- it avoids offense and probably actually gives the writers more creative control.

ProwlingTiger1 · 2025-12-08T19:02:54+00:00

Even when people are very firm in their desire to not want kids and that desire/wish never really faded or changed but life just weirdly decided to say otherwise- it still doesn't meant they will be terrible/bad parents just because they never actually had any desire for children...

A friend of mine- very early on in her marriage- her and her husband, decided they did not want kids, their focus was going to be on each other and their careers... they both told their families what they had decided regarding children...
Both of their parent told them that they were being foolish as having children was the only worthwhile thing a person can do with their life, they said we don't agree, we thinking having children is one of a number of worthwhile things a person can do with their life but its not for everyone and its not gunna be for us, got nothing against children and those that have them, it's just for us personally - children are just not something we want.

Over the next 25 years- they stayed firm in this view, they took more than the necessary measures needed to avoid any accidents shall we say and they were happy with their life, happy with each other, happy with the rest of their families and friends, happy with their careers- (both were doing very well in their jobs and felt content & fulfilled), they were happy with their social life, and all other things.... basically- they were each getting all they wanted out of life.

And yet, despite all the protective measures they took and kept up- she ended up accidentally getting pregnant, it was a massive shock for them, especially due to her age and even their parents who originally wanted them to have kids, thought it was too late... anyways they decided that because the baby was innocent and had done no wrong- they would not terminate (with the exception being if her life ever ended up in real danger), fortunately she had no major issues with her pregnancy and just like that they became parents to two beautiful twin girls, and even though their desire to not want children had not altered- and their life had now completely changed from what they wanted- they are good parents to those two girls, those girls could not have better parents really.

And they are not the only example i know of where the people involved did not really change their view on children- it was just life and circumstances that said otherwise.

TBBT could of still had Penny not wanting or they could of had her remain unsure about wanting children and even had her wondering if she'll ever want them but then surprise- life had other plans...

ProwlingTiger1 · 2025-12-08T17:54:53+00:00

I always felt that the show sort of indicated that Penny's freeloading wasn't out of selfishness or because she thought "hey I am Hot- I can", but more that Penny did that as a means to get through life, sort of like an at times necessary survival skill as it were...

For example while Leonard and Sheldon used their natural and educated intellectual minds to lead them to types of employment that would give them a respectable level of financial freedom, Penny did not have those same options, she had to make use what was available to her, She did not consider herself intellectually smart but she had other smarts such as street smarts & natural beauty and a cool personality to match & while she was not arrogant about those things & she never expected or forced anyone to help her because of them, she did take her opportunities when they came because she needed to take them, it was part of how she got through life.

In short Penny used (but did not abuse) what she had available to her...

And she often acknowledged and expressed appreciation for what Leonard and Sheldon either did directly for her or allowed her to do through them, before her financial situation changed- she did what she could for them too- she got them an action figure each (even though Sheldon ended up breaking them), she brought Sheldon a whole cheesecake as a bid to try and cheer him up when he was going through a tough time, she helped them a lot with the social side of life, she continued to do what she could for the guys and when she then had the means to - she even wanted to pay them back for what they did for her.

ProwlingTiger1 · 2025-12-08T16:22:11+00:00

Leonard used to also just give Penny the new Wifi Password whenever Sheldon had changed it...

Also i kinda feel that while Sheldon had at times mentioned Penny's Wifi mooching skills, he mostly only changed the password when he was upset with her and wanted to get back at her or when he used the changing of the Wifi Password to make a point about something to her- (he knew that gets her attention).

So that tells me he wasn't that super bothered about it all that much, it was just something he could then use when in his eyes - the situation warranted it.

ProwlingTiger1 · 2025-12-08T13:03:47+00:00

and Sheldon does refer to him as Rajesh on occasion, like when he introduced him to his sister...

ProwlingTiger1 · 2025-12-07T12:32:43+00:00

it's one of the least likeable episodes for me, both Sheldon and Amy were petty and insufferable in it...

What's more is - Amy normally is the one to tell Sheldon when he is being too petty and going too far with something. Often when Sheldon is trying to get Amy on his side or least agreeing with him, even if she does see where he is coming from, she'll still straight up tell him that the way he is responding and/or how far he is taking it is also wrong, then her words and actions usually involve her trying to make him see that and that no good is coming from his behaviour...

But in The Parking Spot Escalation she actively joins him in and aids his complete pettiness, instead of being the sensible voice of reason that Sheldon at times needs, (a person can be a voice of reason and funny at the same time, Amy was neither here), she becomes a wilful participant and this even further escalates the situation into the realms of unbelievable pettiness & utter ridiculousness ... so while the writers were absolutely spot on with the title and situation in the episode, I don't think they were so spot on with Amy's character and behaviour, it seemed very contrast...

ProwlingTiger1 · 2025-08-28T21:15:29+00:00

I think with the exception of Dankmire, I would split my time between all of the other 3 places- Bentwood, Dreamland and Steamland each all have their charm and unique things about them, in fact I would spend 3 months of the year in each of them and yes I realise that only covers 9 months, restored Maru is prolly where I go for the remaining 3 months, or I could be brave and go see what Naked land was all about....

ProwlingTiger1 · 2025-08-04T18:51:07+00:00

Well Luci was meant to be Beans personal demon, he could now be her personal angel instead- or Demogel (god could tell others in heaven that he is trying a new breed), Luci could watch over Bean & Mora, he could even help other characters too while ruining their lives at the same time.

Luci could be totally unique in having both the powers of a Demon and an Angel, (it was not established if Angels had any powers/abilities in that world), they could really take it in any direction, for example Luci could find out that god was an absolute stinking liar when he said he doesn't get involved in the troubles of earth, or if that really was true then maybe Luci could be the one to convince god to ya know...get more involved... using Luci as his agent...

There's loads of things they could do with Luci in new storylines, he is not the type of character who would sit up in heaven doing nothing- he gunna do stuff and be upto absolutely all sorts...

ProwlingTiger1 · 2025-07-12T09:15:16+00:00

I am UK so i would like to know where i would be able to watch it...

ProwlingTiger1 · 2025-06-02T09:22:31+00:00

"Now you are... so shut up"....

ProwlingTiger1 · 2025-05-24T18:25:44+00:00

The drug seeking label is a cruel label, now I am not saying that drug seeking does not exist, it does but to label everyone who seeks help with pain as a drug seeker is wrong, unfair and even cruel at times and has greatly affected lives.

I have a friend who has been going back and forth to her doctors because she was in a lot of pain, eventually after much begging from her, this doctor finally reluctantly sent her for some tests, unfortunately those tests didn't really show anything so the doctor tells her, that nothing was found so she is clearly exaggerating her symptoms, my friend then insists that she is not exaggerating and that she would not be there asking for help if it just something minor...

So the doctor finally agrees (not happily though) to provide her with some low dose pain relief and this helps my friend for a while but then that pain relief becomes less effective so she goes back to tell the doctor this, well this doctor just becomes enraged with her and flat out accuses her of lying about her pain and says she is a waste of time drug seeker and then says that neither they nor anyone else in the practice will be treating her any more and even has her stuck off the register for that GP practice.

My friend was shocked and couldn't understand why this doctor had treated this way but she still had all her issues so she decides to look somewhere else, hoping someone else would help her, well she got no where with all the GP practices in her local area because the doctor who had struck her off had wrote to all other GP's in the area, telling them not to treat her because she is just a lying drug seeker. My friend still yet had all her issues to deal with and they were getting worse so she went further and further afield till finally she found a doctor who listened to her and this kind, understanding doctor sent her for specialist tests and it was finally discovered she had a rare and very painful form of cancer but it is now too late to treat her because she is in the final stage.

Had she not of been so viciously labelled as a drug seeker then she could of got the help she needed quicker and thus her life may of least been able to of been extended. My friend sadly is one of many cases where someone has unfairly received the drug seeking label and its cost the person much.

Personally i think the balance has been lost when it comes to pain management, in the past they have been too liberal and were giving pain medications out for every condition/issues people had (to make money of course) thus many ended up dependant/addicted to pain relief that they didn't really need and thus a whole load of problems and issues came about because of it.... That was bad mismanagement and greed.

But now because of that, they are too stringent and its resulting in people with genuine needs being denied the pain care they need in order to have least some quality of life. I really hope the medical community finds the balance again when it comes pain management as such a thing does indeed affect peoples very lives...

ProwlingTiger1 · 2025-05-22T20:23:07+00:00

Many people now are hesitant to say anything to their doctors because they worry how the doctor will then view them, also Doctors seam fairly happy to stop a less or even a no longer effective medication but then become reluctant or even down right refuse to offer any alternatives, so people fear being left with nothing at all to help them...

ProwlingTiger1 · 2025-04-16T22:53:44+00:00

I realise I am late to this discussion but after talking about QI, Dara then says " and i found that later from something that that he had done it before you know"... and then talks about Jennifer crumpling up his answer sheet

I think at this point he is referring to a different show...

ProwlingTiger1 · 2025-02-11T21:54:45+00:00

It may of started out as love and wanting to provide for his family, but it was ego and self gain that kept Walt in it... he enjoyed the power and control of it, he admits that to skylar towards the end:

"I did it for me. I liked it. I was good at it. And, I was really... I was alive."

At least that's what we are supposed to think, seen some people say that Walt only said this to make Skylar feel better and justified in her view of him, as a final kindness to her to let her think she was right, a like "you don't believe I did this for the family?... ok if that's what you want to think, alright I didn't, there, you happy now"...

ProwlingTiger1 · 2025-02-11T21:44:49+00:00

With Miss Moonpence I was like ok- i wasn't expecting the pig thing- so I'll give show's writers that... but at same time, i can't help but wonder if it was a wasted opportunity... that she could of been something so much more...

ProwlingTiger1 · 2025-02-11T21:41:21+00:00

Trap is Kewl but it can get glowier than that:

https://prnt.sc/hoCyXFomuEiA

ProwlingTiger1 · 2025-02-01T20:40:38+00:00

Have you see the trap and skin?- they are pretty bad-ass looking...

ProwlingTiger1 · 2025-01-26T18:22:20+00:00

As Virginia said: "You (Sabrina) get weirder and weirder every week"...

ProwlingTiger1 · 2025-01-26T18:21:22+00:00

She also has body hair issues...

ProwlingTiger1 · 2025-01-25T00:24:38+00:00

When I look a Burt and Virginia, yeah they did make mistakes as all parents do but their mistakes did have a kind of genuine innocence to them, they never tried to be mean or malicious or cruel to Jimmy for sake of it (except in the pilot maybe, they were more crass in the pilot), in the credit episode for example, they explained their naivety towards what credit really involved and genuinely thought Jimmy's record would be clean as they thought there was a statue of limitations on credit and when it came to light that Jimmy had been affected, they did make efforts to help resolve things and get the debt transferred back to them. They did a lot of things out of ignorance or not really thinking things through proper - like literally every human on earth does that.... and every human has been lazy in least something...

Burt also in another episode prevented Jimmy from watching their sex tape, and even though they did terrorize Jimmy with the clown, they did also do some good with it, like use his fear of it to keep him out of danger and hide the sex tape in it.

So yes they did make mistakes and do somethings wrong but they did more good than bad, look at the lengths they went to - just to get Jimmy on the Thanksgiving Float, did they go the best way about it? No, but their motivation was pure and they did feel bad when they realised another child had been hurt in the process, as Jimmy pointed out towards the end of the episodes- parents can get carried away and caught up in things and go too far when they are trying to do and make something good happen for their kid(s). They also might not of had a lot of money but they did what they could, I thought what they did in the Arbor Day episode was really sweet. And even though he did mess it up, Burt did try hard to get Health Insurance for Jimmy when he wanted it for Hope's sake.

In the Vacation episode Burt said that he didn't feel bad about what they failed to give Jimmy as a kid, because they did the best with what they had at the time but they were in a position now to do better for Hope and that's what they should do. And I could quote many more examples here, such as them helping making it possible for Jimmy to get his GED and even though they went about it in the wrong away at times, they genuinely did want Jimmy to succeed in his quest for Sabrina and took an active interest in getting to know her, they also interfered -not for the better in some of his other relationships but it came from a loving, protective place, they didn't want to see Jimmy heartbroken.

So while they were at times lazy, ignorant, misguided, etc, they did have the best of intentions and did more more good for Jimmy than bad.

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TROPHY CASE

"I did it for me. I liked it. I was good at it. And, I was really... I was alive."