**Justin Berfield Reflects on the Legacy of ‘Malcolm in the Middle’ at Miniseries Premiere**
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Justin Berfield, best known for his role as Reese in the beloved television series ‘Malcolm in the Middle’, returned to the screen during the premiere of the new four-episode miniseries, ‘Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair’. The event unfolded on April 7 in New York City, where Berfield, now 40, reminisced about the long-lasting impact of the show, which originally aired from 2000 to 2006.
One of the notable aspects of the series’ conclusion was the scramble among cast members to salvage props and memorabilia from the set. At the premiere, Berfield fondly recounted a memory from those chaotic final moments: “I remember when we were finishing the show, it was the last scene and everyone was kind of running around the set to grab something. Erik [Per Sullivan] and I both ran to try to grab the jar… if you remember in the boys’ bedroom, how we had the jars of formaldehyde, with the frogs or the brains or whatever, I can’t remember exactly what was in it.”
Much to his disappointment, Berfield lost that race to his co-star, Per Sullivan, who managed to collect the desired props. However, he did manage to take home a different memento that holds value beyond mere nostalgia. “There was a Le Creuset old school pot that was in the background of basically every kitchen scene,” Berfield explained. “It’s also where we used to hide our sides, which is like our mini scripts for each scene.”
Though he admits the pot is “kind of boring”, it remains a part of his kitchen today. “I’ve probably cooked with it a few times. It probably has some questionable sprays on it; I probably shouldn’t cook with it,” he added with a laugh, highlighting the quirky aspect of keeping a piece of the show’s history in his home.
‘Malcolm in the Middle’ emerged as a pivotal show during its seven-season run, celebrating its 25th anniversary last year. It featured an ensemble cast, including Bryan Cranston, Jane Kaczmarek, Frankie Muniz, and Christopher Masterson, all of whom contributed to the show’s beloved status. While Berfield expressed joy at reconnecting with the majority of his former castmates for the miniseries, he does acknowledge some aspects of his character’s portrayal that he wouldn’t want to revisit—namely, the frosted tips that were part of Reese’s signature look.
When quizzed about the possibility of reviving that hairstyle, Berfield remarked, “I don’t know if I could pull it off these days.” He shared a moment of levity, recalling how his children would likely react if he attempted to recreate the look: “They’d probably just laugh at me and say, ‘Dad, what is wrong with you?’”
The reunion of most of the original cast, with the notable exception of Per Sullivan, has been a gratifying experience for Berfield. He expressed that witnessing his peers, as well as the passage of time and their current roles as parents, adds a new dimension to their reunion. “Especially now that Frankie and I and Chris, we all have young kids. It’s kind of surreal that 27 years ago, we were just little kids getting to do this,” he noted. “And now we get to show up, show the new generation a couple of episodes of the show that a lot of people enjoyed.”
The significance of this new project extends beyond nostalgia; it provides an opportunity for the actors to share their experiences with their children, bridging generations and creating new memories. Berfield reflected on this sentiment, saying, “We get to bring our kids here. They get to savour in it as well. We get to show them what we used to do. It’s a whole different feeling for me now.”
The new miniseries, ‘Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair’, is set to begin streaming on April 10 on platforms Hulu and Disney+, promising fans both old and new a chance to reconnect with this iconic series. With Berfield and his fellow cast members back in action, the blend of nostalgia and new narratives is poised to capture the hearts of audiences once again.