Malcolm in The Middle - Surname

Surname

The surname of the family is not made clear throughout the series. In the pilot episode, Francis wears the name tag "Wilkerson" on his school uniform (it can be seen best in the scene in which he is talking to his family on the phone). Also, although unaired, the name appears in a joke from the original pilot script. In that script, Malcolm is walking to school when a neighborhood boy comes running up to him, shouting, "Malcolm, Malcolm, Malcolm. I was talking to my parents last night – I was listening to them talk, and what's your last name?" Malcolm replies, "Wilkerson. Why?". The boy then says, "Oh. Who are the Pariahs?" The joke was eventually cut. The last name is spoken in the series finale, when Malcolm is being introduced for his graduation speech, but is not heard due to feedback from the microphone. A special feature on the season 1 DVD stated that their surname is Wilkerson. A trailer on the UK channel Sky One in Early 2006 advised the viewers to "spend time with The Simpsons and The Wilkersons". Another trailer was released to advertise the last episodes of 24 and Malcolm in the Middle, calling viewers to "say goodbye to the Wilkersons". In the episode in which Reese runs away and joins the army, he is addressed and referred to as "Private Jetson". However, it is implied that Reese is under an alias, having used a fake or stolen ID when enlisting, as he is too young to join the army.