The first season of Malcolm in the Middle premiered on January 9, 2000, on Fox, and ended on May 21, 2000, with a total of sixteen episodes. Frankie Muniz stars as the title character Malcolm, and he is joined by Jane Kaczmarek, Bryan Cranston, Christopher Kennedy Masterson, Justin Berfield, Erik Per Sullivan and Catherine Lloyd Burns. Episodes Cast and characters Main Frankie Muniz as Malcolm Jane Kaczmarek as Lois Bryan Cranston as Hal Christopher Kennedy Masterson as Francis Justin Berfield as Reese Erik Per Sullivan as Dewey Catherine Lloyd Burns as Caroline Miller Recurring Craig Lamar Traylor as Stevie Kenarban David Anthony Higgins as Craig Feldspar Daniel von Bargen as Commandant Edwin Spangler Karim Prince as Cadet Stanley Drew Powell as Cadet Drew Merrin Dungey as Kitty Kenarban Dungey also plays Malcolm's teacher before he transfers to the Krelboyne class in the pilot episode Landry Allbright as Julie Production Development Malcolm in the Middle was created by Linwood Boomer and originally based at UPN. Four months later, the network passed on the series as it did not fit their target demographic; it was soon after picked up by Fox Broadcasting Company. Boomer based the series on his own life. He called the central family a "gigantically exaggerated and self-serving version" of his family and childhood: "My mother was very no-nonsense [...] Who could blame her? She was working while trying to keep up with four destructive and always hungry boys." Casting The title character Malcolm was initially written as being nine years old. While auditioning, Frankie Muniz, who was 13 at the time, thought that he would not get it, believing he was "too old". However, the producers were impressed with Muniz, so he was cast, and the character was aged up. In the season, Malcolm's age is intentionally not mentioned, with the revelation only that he attends middle school, "not the actual grade level." Aaron Paul was interested in auditioning for the role of Malcolm's eldest brother Francis, but the producers were not interested in casting him; instead, the role went to Christopher Kennedy Masterson, who was cast after a single audition. Jane Kaczmarek initially did not want to play the matriarch of the family Lois, even after receiving the script, but then wondered, "Wow, they really love me [...] Maybe I should read this." After reading the script, she found that "there was something undeniably quirky and endearing