In the premiere of the Malcolm in the Middle revival, Hal and his poker buddies performed a choreographed version of Bruno Mars' 'Locked Out of Heaven' in a big-box store. Bryan Cranston, who plays Hal, described the challenging rehearsals for the number. Creator Linwood Boomer highlighted the song's shift from romantic to sexy as key to its humor.
The four-episode revival 'Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair!' kicked off with Lois preparing a 40th anniversary party for her and Hal. Hal showcased his love through doves, roses, and oversharing, but the standout moment came when he and his poker friends— including Abe Kenarban (Gary Anthony Williams), Trey (Alex Morris), and Steve (Jonathan Craig Williams)—danced to Bruno Mars' 'Locked Out of Heaven.' Dressed in matching red suits, they used balloons, toilet wands, macaroni and cheese, and shook open cereal boxes across the store floor. Bryan Cranston told TVLine the sequence was demanding. 'We did all the singing beforehand and recorded it back in Los Angeles,' he said, noting most filming occurred in Vancouver. 'All of us are either in our late 60s or 70s, so it took some time for all these codgers to... get it together... but we knew that if we could get this, it was going to be really fun.' Creator Linwood Boomer praised the poker buddies for their energy and humor. The performance, overseen by two choreographers over weeks, aimed for 'stupid, but precisely performed,' Boomer explained. He chose the song for its arc: starting sweetly romantic before turning 'inappropriately sexy' with lyrics like 'Your sex takes me to paradise.' Executive producer Tracy Katsky Boomer recalled tightening the aisles during rehearsals to heighten the absurdity in the cramped store setting. Jane Kaczmarek, who plays Lois, noted the filming challenges: 'The placement of everyone in a song and dance number, to be seen in a camera over and over... that's really hard work.'
