<Table> <Tr> <Th> No . overall </Th> <Th> No. in season </Th> <Th> Title </Th> <Th> Directed by </Th> <Th> Written by </Th> <Th> Original air date </Th> <Th> Prod . code </Th> <Th> U.S. viewers ( millions ) </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> `` Pilot '' </Td> <Td> Todd Holland </Td> <Td> Linwood Boomer </Td> <Td> January 9 , 2000 ( 2000 - 01 - 09 ) </Td> <Td> 10012 - 99 - 179 </Td> <Td> 22.4 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td colspan="8"> 12 - year - old Malcolm ( Frankie Muniz ) lives with his dysfunctional family : neurotic father , Hal ( Bryan Cranston ) , control - freak mother Lois ( Jane Kaczmarek ) , dim - witted bully 13 - year - old Reese ( Justin Berfield ) , and odd 8 - year - old Dewey ( Erik Per Sullivan ) . His favorite elder brother , 16 - year - old Francis ( Christopher Masterson ) , has been packed off to military school for chronic misbehavior . At school Malcolm tries to keep his head down and avoid the school bully Spath , but his teachers spot his intelligence and testing reveals his I.Q. to be 165 . When Lois forces him to join the school 's gifted class , Malcolm objects because he does n't want to be bullied for being a `` Krelboyne '' . Frustrated at being ostracized by the regular kids , Malcolm lashes out at Spath , and with some help from his new friend Stevie , fortuitously humiliates Spath and becomes the nerds ' hero . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> `` Red Dress '' </Td> <Td> Arlene Sanford </Td> <Td> Alan J. Higgins </Td> <Td> January 16 , 2000 ( 2000 - 01 - 16 ) </Td> <Td> 06 - 99 - 103 </Td> <Td> 23.3 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td colspan="8"> Lois is supposed to meet Hal at an expensive restaurant for their anniversary date , but Lois forgets to go after she finds her red dress burned and flushed down the toilet , sending her into a violent rage . She spends the night punishing Reese , Dewey , and Malcolm , trying to figure out which of them burned her dress . Meanwhile , Hal makes friends with a member of the restaurant staff while waiting for Lois . Malcolm , seeing that he and his brothers can not fight Lois alone , calls Francis for help against Lois . It is later revealed that Hal burned the dress by accident . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> `` Home Alone 4 '' </Td> <Td> Todd Holland </Td> <Td> Michael Glouberman & Andrew Orenstein </Td> <Td> January 23 , 2000 ( 2000 - 01 - 23 ) </Td> <Td> 06 - 99 - 106 </Td> <Td> 19.3 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td colspan="8"> While Hal and Lois are away for the weekend , Francis comes home from military school to babysit Malcolm , Reese , and Dewey . Malcolm overhears Lois and Hal 's discussion about Francis and believes he will be allowed to return home permanently if he does a good job , so he convinces the other boys to be on their best behavior . This all turns out to be for naught when Francis ' delinquent friends come over and trash the house . Although they manage to fix it , Malcolm gets a head injury from broken shelves ( thanks to Hal buying cheap ones ) and they try to find a way to pay the medical bill of $400 for him so Hal and Lois ca n't find out , so he convinces Malcolm 's teacher Caroline Miller ( Catherine Lloyd Burns ) to pay him off . Seeing the good work Francis has done , they send him back for military school because they realize how much he is `` improving '' there , much to the dismay of the brothers . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> `` Shame '' </Td> <Td> Nick Marck </Td> <Td> David Richardson </Td> <Td> February 6 , 2000 ( 2000 - 02 - 06 ) </Td> <Td> 06 - 99 - 107 </Td> <Td> 16.8 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td colspan="8"> Fed up with his constant abuse , Malcolm beats up a huge bully named Kevin who wo n't leave him alone , only to learn that Kevin is a 7 - year - old brat who uses his strength to bully others , allowing the bully to walk away unpunished . Malcolm feels guilty and tries to clear his conscience by signing up for a charity run , but fails when he trips on his untied shoe at the beginning of the
malcom in the middle season 1 episode 3
Home Alone 4