How Bryan Cranston Perfected Hal in Malcolm in the Middle

[@scarface5857]

The best compliment I can give to Bryan Cranston, is that no matter how much I see the two characters of Hal and Walter White, I can't grasp that it's the same actor. It's like watching a completely different human being. I just never see Bryan there. only the characters. Only a handful of actors can do this.

[@tedtawk2783]

Great point, they’re so distinctly different

[@Lucifronz]

I was just thinking that, myself. Sometimes when I'm watching Breaking Bad or even outside of his work in an interview he's doing and he makes a joke, I forget for a moment "oh right, he literally played the funniest dad on TV". In a show I loved and rewatched on several occasions, no less. He pulls you in so much with his dramatic performance and it sort of eclipses everything else, and that's saying something, because he was always great.

[@TheEtherny]

Im the contrary kinda, I saw Malcolm first so it was very hard to take Walt seriously at first, specially cause he had a similar haircut BUT Bryan is such a great actor that during that first episode I was sold on the idea of Walt and kinda errased Hal

[@DaNaviOG]

It's true

[@cmbaz1140]

Yeah ...exactly how i feel about it...

[@eturner141]

I love that somebody is finally giving Brian's performance as Hal the appreciation it deserves ❤

[@DeadCardinal]

There’s many videos on the topic

[@ns-sj7gi]

Bro said brian 😂

[@eturner141]

@@ns-sj7gi I know 😆 my phone did that

[@Epic_C]

Too bad he has severe TDS now

[@KeiGambit]

People have been giving his performance as Hal a lot of praise.... for 20 years dude..... What are you talking about??

[@nrrork]

It's poetic that the show whose central premise was "life is unfair" has somehow become so forgotten, despite being one of the most solid comedies ever made. It beat The Office and Arrested Development to the punch with its single camera, fourth wall breaking narration, no laugh track setup. There was PROBABLY a sitcom that did that before Malcolm, but I can't think of it. I'll leave that to a bigger TV geek than myself. (Edit: Pete and Pete did! Cable in the 90s was a good testing ground for innovation. They were so desperate to fill airtime, they'd greenlight projects the broadcast betworks wouldn't touch.)

[@t221000]

I believe Larry Sanders Show was the only sitcom before Malcolm do really break the fourth wall and forgo the laugh track

[@Devil-Made]

Oh Pete and Pete! Slightly before my time, but I saw reruns and had vhs episodes as a kid and loved it. That show probably primed me for Malcolm in the Middle, now that I think of it.

[@KevinDublin]

If I'm not mistaken, Frank's Place (1987) starring Tim Reid on CBS and cancelled after 1 season was the first to do it in the US, or maybe at least for a full season. Very underrated, nearly forgotten, and a very innovative show that I only learned about 15 years or so after it went off the air.

[@AllenGray47]

Pete and Pete was goated

[@katherinepfister4177]

Hal in Malcolm in the middle is the funniest character on that show. Thank you Bryan Cranston.

[@jackieec]

Agreed 😂he was my fav as a kid when i watched the show in real time as it was airing

[@ottomattix86]

Having watched Malcom and Seinfeld growing up....breaking bad was a shock. Hal is amazing .

[@Ninewave1]

My favorite Hal moment is when he is at Burning Man and the people think he's doing performance art and Hal doesn't realize it.

[@Steeze111]

Absolute gold haha

[@clay5649]

"GET OFF MY LAWN!!" Everybody cheers

[@katherinealvarez9216]

😆😊😂

[@drewjensen2798]

That episode is so good.

[@deborasrlopes5796]

The way I engage with KZbin has changed a lot over the years. I used to have over a dozen channels I'd watch religiously, I felt like I knew and cared about those creators, but over time I became saturated and most of the content became noise to me. Your videos remind me a lot of that golden age, each and every one of them is so interesting, well-done and engaging, they are truly one of my favorite things on the platform nowadays. Thank you for your incredible work!

[@JustanObservation]

Thank you so much, glad to hear it!

[@jerogomezrobledo]

I always laugh at his roller skating dances and his devastating meltdowns.

[@charmainen8475]

Thank you so much for making this. I loved Malcolm in the middle for Hal and Lois' marriage and how nice it was to see a couple that actually loved each other in a sitcom which was and is still rare to see on tv but i never really appreciated how skillful Brian is as an actor and how important his talent is to the show and to my enjoying the show

[@TheMilkyBarKid3]

Most underrated TV Dad of all time. This is the most underrated sitcom too!

[@poisondrinker343]

I love that this video has a lot more lighthearted tone than Ive seen from your other videos, just like Cranston, you too can flip from dramatic narration to a more comedic narration.

[@ThriftyPostcards]

this is going in my goated Malcolm in the Middle video essay playlist for sure

[@AllG98]

Still can’t believe he never won an Emmy as Hal. Also I love when the Hal mannerisms sometimes come through in Walter White

[@mousekill82]

“No half measures” - Bryan Cranston

[@skillet9141]

It is very rare for an actor to be masterfully convincing as both a comedic actor and a dramatic actor. Not surprised that Bryan Cranston is one of those lucky few, but a shame that it isn’t realized more. Hope to see him in more great roles.

[@gogetavsvegito]

And to think the fathers role was originally written to kind of just be there but it was Cranston who gave the character his personality that we all love

[@romanreignsforever2311]

FINALLY! Bryan Cranston performance as Hal is one the funniest comedy performances I have ever seen finally someone is giving this man the flowers he deserves for his role as Hal I’m shock he didn’t get a Emmy award for this role! thank you just an observation for doing this!

[@nihilismistheonlyway4680]

Amen! My favorite character has always been Hal... so horny, so sweet, so dumb... Hal 😂

[@t221000]

Cranston himself just impersonated Brad Garrett after he lost to him at the Emmys awards

[@jakec9522]

Had to re-watch this video a number of times because I kept laughing at the clips of Bryan Cranston's best moments as Hal. And it drowned out the incredibly thoughtful analysis.

[@nrrork]

It's funny you mention Mr. Bean because I always hold up Rowan Atkinson as another example of great talent who was able to master such differing kinds of humor. Blackadder where most of the humor came through clever, deadpan dialogue and historical satire. And then Mr Bean, which has almost no dialogue and the humor is entire physical and visual. And he was equally brilliant at both.

[@filmreviewer117]

Thank you. This show is truly unappreciated and Cranston was a big part of its success. It wasn't until I was much older I realised Hal was my favourite character on the show because you don't ever know how he's going to react to a situation, but know its going be funny.

[@JohnKay79]

Hal was an under rated character on an under rated show. Malcom in the Middle is going to live on for a long time.

[@jmz2144]

Final season could be great

[@YoannaPopova]

Maybe it would be also good to mention, I do not know whether it is script or from the actor himself, as a kid I loved his artistry part - the rollerscating, the radio, that cow beef, the bunker and all the passion he put there, all added so much to his character and I remember I wanted a dad like that in my life, who is so colourful by himself /explaining kids' pallete of interests as well/. Also, again I think from the actor, how mature and stable he behaved when he faced his dad on his birthday or how confident he was when explaining what was planned for each of the kids in the last episode, standing proudly to his wife. I started Breaking Bad because of Mr. Cranston, then I undersood what an actor truly is when devoted to his craft.

[@jmz2144]

Don't forget when he painted his masterpiece and got obsessed with dance dance revolution

[@A_Red_Pyramid]

One of the moments that best encapsulates Cranston's depiction of Hal is S3E6 - Health Scare. The heartfelt monologue quickly followed by the terrified freak out is one of the funniest moments in the series for me.

[@MrsUzumaki]

Sometimes I think about the scene where he breaks down in his car after finding out Lois is pregnant, and Malcolm was sitting at the back witnessing his meltdown. I laugh till I'm in tears every time I watch it. Genuinely one of the funniest TV moments.

[@williamv7772]

At the end of this video the first thing I thought was “this is a really good video” keep up the great work I’d like to see more and more

[@shyanneishot]

this entire video im just chuckling to myself because he's so funny; says it all right there lol

[@D0ctorf0ster]

I’ve recently watched MITM again and honestly Bryan & Erik Per Sullivan/Dewy are my favourite characters.

[@OmnipotentSpud]

I see Hal every time Walter hits the dirt in Ozymandias. It's haunting.

[@orangewhip7669]

I don't normally comment on videos, but I was incredibly impressed with that transition cut at around 8:20.

[@SIRDIXON-SD9223]

Right. That transition was clean

[@wyntonexisting]

Anybody else feel like those first few episodes of Breaking Bad Bryan was still shaking off a little bit of Hal?

[@Scramblefred2399]

When I first watched it I kept waiting for the comedic release

[@jdmintegra420]

@@Scramblefred2399same lol

[@Jray181818]

I remember right before Malcolm in the Middle, he was on King Of Queens as Doug and Carrie’s neighbor for a few episodes. The character was pretty much a pre Hal.

[@commanderkruge]

I remember watching the first episode of BB and thinking: Damn, after the divorce Hal REALLY fell into a dark hole! :D LOVED Malcolm's parents!

[@nihilismistheonlyway4680]

I'm so glad you're analyzing MItM and seeing the genius in Hal (Bryan Cranston)!! This is how I fell in love with Bryan as an actor! Imagine how I felt when I saw how spectacular Breaking Bad was 🥰

[@BangTamTranNguyen]

Bryan definitely stand among the few actors who i respect immensely

[@SBanas]

As much menacing as he was in Breaking Bad, I still couldn't take this entire series too seriously BECAUSE of him. To me he'll always be Hal, mainly because I've seen Malcolm in the Middle soooo many times.

[@strahljd]

Plus he did English dub voice acting in lots of anime in the 90s...Isamu Dyson in Macross Plus, Fei Long in Street Fighter II: the Animated Movie, Eddie Barrows in Armitage the III...truly a rennaisance man, would love to hear him in a current day anime role, a Ghibli movie perhaps!

[@TheEtherny]

The fact that many of the clips you used were unique, like there are so many great Hal moments!

[@Taudstein]

I think the thing that shows Cranston’s range off best is that episode of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia where him and Aaron Paul play themselves. Throughout the episode he plays an almost Hal-like character until near the end he switches on a dime and delivers a very Heisenberg monologue then immediately switches back without missing a beat. It shows off his insane acting prowess and is a hilarious episode as a bonus

[@SuperThegreatone23]

The scene where Hal keeps getting the wrong bag at the mall WILL NEVER NOT BE FUNNY!!🤣🤣

[@Ldbrma]

You literally took every word right out of my mind-it's crazy! Thank you so much; this is honestly one of the best videos on KZbin ever. As It perfectly describes one of the best comedic performances ever

[@mrturtletail3945]

Watching Hal and Walt side by side, comparing the difference in performance, is honestly amazing

[@therealseanw.stewart2071]

Breaking Bad is great but Malcolm in the Middle was one of the greatest shows from my childhood. Cranston is truly a talented actor for both drama and comedy.

[@SAPProd]

I have a similar love & appreciation for Mark Linn-Baker of Perfect Strangers. Everyone loved Balki’s fish out of water antics (and they were hilarious), but Larry Appleton was what I loved the most. The expressions and reactions he’d pull out would have me in stitches.

[@JR-gh8lp]

John Lithgow is also an amazing dramatic and comedic actor…. I absolutely LOVED the Hal character especially the roller skating bit

[@VRKyurem]

Cranston will always be Hal to me

[@msjsq1966]

Bryan Cranston is a goat. Love him. Thanks for showcasing!!

[@fishingfan1500]

His performance as Hal is hugely underrated IMO

[@varunl6948]

This was just great to watch!

[@LCR-iy6xq]

Always a treat to have your detailed analysis 🙌

[@Tahitison]

Just finished his autobiography and I loved it. He is iconic, love Cranston as an actor

[@charliejoseph6465]

My wife and I are both huge Friends fans so I was incredulous when she said she didn’t think Jennifer Aniston was a particularly funny comedy performer, as for me she has a strong case as the best on the show. I thought about make a Just An Observation style video to demonstrate it but I have neither the time nor the talent so I’m officially requesting you do the work for me. Thank you

[@gateofhate828]

In short: watch some of Brians Interviews and you'll be sure that he's an amazing actor who knows his trades... 😍👍🏻

[@fearlessjoebanzai]

The Roller Disco episode made me laugh as much as anything I've ever seen!

[@moodymamabuffalo]

Great. Now I have to watch the series for the 10th time.

[@jonathanbowling2904]

I'll join you 😄

[@Devil-Made]

I was thinking the same thing!

[@marjan1539]

Awsome video! Always a pleasant surprise to see your new video 😁

[@businesssecretsofthepharao8901]

This is a fantastic video!

[@LordStupido]

thank you for telling the world! finally!!! :D (Hal is my favourite role/perfomance ever)

[@ding9916]

Glad to see someone give this performance it's flowers. Cranston killed it as Hal. A true performer.

[@jojonarutoikari]

Im glad someone finally made a video about this.

[@stl1321]

Walt is a cartoon villain too imo.

[@lundylow]

I'm old enough to remember headlines describing Malcolm in the Middle as a live-action Simpsons. A lot of it is Cranston, but I think the camerawork and editing lent itself to that comparison too. Likewise, Vince Gilligan has a really good cinematic eye. Bryan Cranston elevates anything he's in, and he had the good fortune of collaborating with two separate projects who knew how to use him to make a great thing even better.

[@FluxyMiniscus]

The roller disco scene always my favorite

[@Devil-Made]

Thank you for focusing on Hal. You could’ve picked any number of his other characters, but Hal deserves all the praise you give him.

[@TheBoss-pb1gd]

Bryan Cranston is an incredible actor. And very humble. Bravo!

[@thealgerian3285]

The fact that folks would point at Breaking Bad to prove Cranston is an amazing actor instead of Malcolm in The Middle, proves people don't understand what amazing acting looks like. Not that he's bad or not as good in BB, but Walter White requires far less range and far less subtlety than Hal.

[@liamsoape2233]

I definitely agree, but I think what specifically makes him an amazing actor is the fact that he could go anywhere from Hal to Walter White, which are basically opposite characters in the first place. Frankly, almost anyone could've been Walter White, few people if anyone could've been Bryan Cranston's Hal (Mainly cause Hal wasn't even supposed to be a major character in the first place) but to be both is truly something only Bryan Cranston himself can accomplish

[@andu1854]

Comedy in general doesn’t get the respect it does, I think Kevin Kline is the only one to win a acting award for playing a consdic brain dead moron, albeit a total paycho path

[@wyatthill6252]

His performance as Hal is why I couldn't take him seriously as Walter White when I first watched Breaking Bad. He definitely had some Hal moments in Breaking Bad, and they were great

[@drewjensen2798]

Every character in this show FOILS each other, which is what makes this show so good imo. Dewey and Hal are both such complex and hilarious characters.

[@lucyhall5026]

wow, your videos are so great

[@JM-ql7mh]

Great channel, great content, instant click.

[@lbgonpokeit]

The roller skating episode was the funniest thing I've ever watched 😂

[@Superpartymarty]

Excellent video 👏

[@t221000]

I was ecstatic when I saw this video

[@MiniT2025]

The most memorable and possibly best Hal moment(s) for me will always be that one episode where he and a bee are at war.

[@jessosiyoway]

From Best Dad to Worst Dad

[@TwilightLimits-sk7kn]

True about the serious thing. Most actors are trying too hard to be funny while Bryan does it serious and the things he says and does just happens to be funny. When the actors are too involved in the joke, they don't always see whats funny about the joke

[@Markus-sk4jr]

You're goddamn right

[@Novastar.SaberCombat]

As with many incredible actors, they're only going to be recognized "if something *HUGE* happens". BB and BCS were his super-crazy, larger-than-life breakthrough shows which allowed him to truly shine, but... the shine was always there. ;) It isn't as though an actor magically becomes a genius when ONE role pops up. Nope. If they weren't ALREADY exemplary at their craft--meaning physical demands, psychological ones, understanding dramatic structure, character archetypes (and arcs), literary techniques, thematic underpinnings, etc.--then even if they were cast in the most popular franchise of all-time... they'd founder and fail.

[@JaylalaBear]

He's played a ton of other comedy roles too in movies. For example, he was a caster in Pitch Perfect and I didn't realize until I rewatched it when I was older even though I grew up watching mitm

[@cottonkeef5633]

Such an amazing performance

[@alyasfukename3355]

This show was always on in my household growing up

[@rab46290]

Malcolm in the Middle was a favorite of mine as a kid. Hal was the best character. When i watched Breaking Bad the first time i was shocked at his character, Walter. It was like nothing I've seen with Cranston. Malcom, Seinfeld, and How I Met Your Mother did not prepare me for it. A master of acting.

[@cannibalculture3016]

What a great show this was, all the characters were perfectly done.

[@cameronspalding9792]

@14:32 ‘No half measures’ is that a reference to Mike’s line in Breaking Bad?

[@JustanObservation]

Yes :)

[@reddragon4482]

I'm just laughing the entire time looking at him over act or at his facial expressions lmao. It's brilliant lol.

[@taun96]

I think my favourite scene of Hal is the one where he's trying to stay calm on the phone with Lois because she's gone into labor. But, at the same time, he's losing it and trying to find Reese, who is up to no good again.

[@anya9669]

No more half measures bryan - bryan cranstons surprisingly mike looking agent.

[@spartanf2192]

he will forever be Hal in my heart

[@keevunle]

Breaking Bad is one of my favorite shows ever, but Bryan will always be known as Hal in my eyes.

[@mattturner6017]

Bryan Cranston will always be Hal to me. This does not take away from any of his other great acting accomplishments, but it is just my perspecitve.

[@sebbvell3426]

One of the greatest living actors

[@Westa_ka]

Hal was comedy gold 😂

[@eariolinde]

The first time I saw Bryan Cranston on TV was The X Files episode Drive. He's only in that one episode and at the beginning is an unlikable character. The viewer's opinion of him is much more complex by the end of the episode, which is truly harrowing. It's one of my favourite episodes of the show.

[@emmetmcanulty-powell6324]

I am the one who knocks - Walter Hartwell White Sr.

[@keithkosmal]

My friend and I always talk about how amazing Cranston is in Malcolm in the middle. 2 scenes that come to mind is when he kisses who he believes is Reese and the balloon pops and he lets off that iconic horrifying scream that has to come from some legitimate place of fear in his life...and the other being when he tells Lois he's going to get ice cream and come back and they'll sort through their finances and figure out how to support another kid...and he proceeds to go in his car and have what I can only describe as an absolute meltdown of stress and anxiety while a confused Malcolm is hiding in the car because they had him living outside because there wasn't enough room for him in the house while Lois' mother was staying xD. I was a fan of the three stooges growing up, and im willing to bet that Cranston was too. We'll never see another actor quite like him.

[@takejujitsu]

Hell ya! This is how I remember Bryan

[@raswin8058]

Imagining how crazy it would have been to see Bryan as Walter white after seeing him as Hal for years in Malcolm. What a guy, what an actor

[@Lucifronz]

6:38 That expression gets me every time. Malcolm in the Middle was a great show in no small part thanks to Bryan Cranston's performance.

[@yvonne3902]

oh my gosh they're the same actor???? what the fuck this is like when I saw the back of the earth's head (the pacific ocean) for the first time

[@t_k_o_l]

now I wanna make a remix of Hal calling on the payphone and Skyler answering

[@RyanMcKennaGosling]

After Malcolm in the Middle ended, he went on guest starring in 2 episodes of How I Met Your Mother for Season 2, where he played Ted's boss Hammond Druthers before he filmed Breaking Bad. And here's another HIMYM X Breaking Bad fun fact: Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks) was created starting the 2nd season as Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk) was unavailable for one of the episodes for Breaking Bad, so he had to shoot for his role as Marshall's boss Arthur Hobbs in HIMYM.