David Bianculli

And after Breaking Bad ended, Bryan Cranston, waking up as Hal in bed next to his former TV wife, had a similar experience.

You cooking anything?

In Malcolm in the Middle, Life Still Unfair, the comic chemistry remains, though times have changed.

Lois still shaves Hal's body hair at the breakfast table, shearing them like a sheep, but now Hal's hair is white.

And at the table on this particular morning is a member of the family who is new to us, Kelly, a teenager who identifies in a way that Hal struggles to understand, at least in how to address her.

We're going to go shopping later.

Do them want to come?

The middle one was nice.

Thank you.

I've seen all four episodes of Life's Still Unfair, and they're full of laughs and surprises in equal measure.

All but one of the former child actors are back for this sequel.

There's a new actor playing Dewey.

And other characters are added, including Malcolm's high school-aged daughter, Leah, played by Keely Carston, who's as humorously anxious and observant in this show as Malcolm was in the original.

And Munez, as the grown-up Malcolm, is terrific.

So is Kaczmarek as Lois.

And Cranston as Hal goes through so many broad comedy pitfalls and pratfalls that he's like a Tex Avery cartoon character.

Put it this way, what he did as the Hollywood executive in HBO's The Studio, that's nothing compared to what happens to him here.

And in both cases, coincidentally, massive amounts of pharmaceuticals are involved.

Ken Coapas, a director on the original Malcolm, directed all four episodes of Malcolm in the Middle, Life's Still Unfair.

And the final result is a show that's ultimately about family and tolerance and love.