feelsalike.comSign in
Malcolm in the Middle poster

Shows that feel likeMalcolm in the Middle (2000–2006)

A gifted young teen tries to survive life with his dimwitted, dysfunctional family.

If you loved Malcolm in the Middle, the closest series we have are Married... with Children (1987), Arrested Development (2003) and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005). All three share Malcolm in the Middle's witty and playful feel, which is what we rank on before quality.

Seen the big three already? The under-the-radar pick below is Vice Principals (2016).

★ 8.2 IMDb ↗TMDB ↗7 seasons · FOXcreated by Linwood Boomerwittyplayfuldarkly funny
12 of 12 streaming nowNetflix · HBO Max · Amazon Prime Video

If Malcolm in the Middle hit the spot, these will too

Married... with Children poster
Married... with Children
1987–1997 · 11 seasons · FOX
★ 8.1comedyPrime VideoHulu

A family that openly cannot stand each other and thrives on the friction

The difference: Studio-audience crudeness from an older era — no fourth wall, no heart

Al Bundy is an unsuccessful middle aged shoe salesman with a miserable life and an equally dysfunctional family. He hates his job, his wife is lazy, his son is dysfunctional (especially with women), and his daughter is dim-witted and promiscuous.

Arrested Development poster
Arrested Development
2003–2019 · 5 seasons · FOX
★ 8.6comedyNetflix

Densely written family chaos where every relative is a liability

The difference: Rich and layered with running gags, cynical where Malcolm is scrappy

The story of a wealthy family that lost everything, and the one son who had no choice but to keep them all together.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia poster
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
2005– · 18 seasons · FX
★ 8.8comedyHulu

Selfishness escalating until someone gets hurt, and staying funny

The difference: Adults with no dependents and no limits — nastier, and no family bond

Four egocentric friends run a neighborhood Irish pub in Philadelphia and try to find their way through the adult world of work and relationships. Unfortunately, their warped views and precarious judgments often lead them to trouble, creating a myriad of uncomfortable situations that usually only get worse before they get better.

Family Guy poster
Family Guy
1999– · 24 seasons · FOX
★ 8.1animation · comedyHulu

A family sitcom that keeps escalating past what sitcoms allow

The difference: Animated and gag-driven, with no affection underneath

Sick, twisted, politically incorrect and Freakin' Sweet animated series featuring the adventures of the dysfunctional Griffin family. Bumbling Peter and long-suffering Lois have three kids. Stewie (a brilliant but sadistic baby bent on killing his mother and taking over the world), Meg (the oldest, and is the most unpopular girl in town) and Chris (the middle kid, he's not very bright but has a passion for movies). The final member of the family is Brian - a talking dog and much more than a pet, he keeps Stewie in check whilst sipping Martinis and sorting through his own life issues.

Modern Family poster
Modern Family
2009–2020 · 11 seasons · ABC
★ 8.5comedyHuluPeacock

A big family comedy that talks straight to you between the disasters

The difference: Comfortable and affectionate — Malcolm's household is genuinely feral

The Pritchett-Dunphy-Tucker clan is a wonderfully large and blended family. They give us an honest and often hilarious look into the sometimes warm, sometimes twisted, embrace of the modern family.

The Office poster
The Office
2001–2002 · 2 seasons · BBC Two
★ 8.5comedyMaxHulu

Deadpan misery played for laughs, the camera catching every wince

The difference: Twelve slow, cringing episodes in an office — no kids, no mayhem

Nightmare boss. Tedious colleagues. Pointless tasks. Welcome to Wernham Hogg.

Vice Principals poster
Vice Principals
2016–2017 · 2 seasons · HBO
★ 8comedyMax

Witty where it counts, playful underneath

After North Jackson High's long-time principal steps down to tend to his ailing wife, Neal Gamby and Lee Russell, the school's vice principals, are forced to put their mutual disdain aside and form an unholy alliance in order to sabotage the newly appointed principal, Dr. Belinda Brown.

Russian Doll poster
Russian Doll
2019–2022 · 2 seasons · Netflix
★ 7.7comedy · dramaNetflix

One thread runs through both: family relationships

The difference: Leans harder into drama than Malcolm in the Middle does

Nadia keeps dying and reliving her 36th birthday party. She's trapped in a surreal time loop -- and staring down the barrel of her own mortality.

Weeds poster
Weeds
2005–2012 · 8 seasons · Showtime
★ 7.9comedy · crime · dramaParamount+

Suburban chaos where the family's schemes keep outrunning the fallout

The difference: The comedy curdles darker each season — the antics become felonies

After the unexpected death of her husband, a suburban mom resorts to selling weed to support her family.

The Simpsons poster
The Simpsons
1989– · 38 seasons · FOX
★ 8.6animation · comedyHuluDisney+

A smart kid, an exhausted mother and a household barely holding

The difference: Animated, gentler, and far more forgiving of everyone

Set in Springfield, the average American town, the show focuses on the antics and everyday adventures of the Simpson family; Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie, as well as a virtual cast of thousands. Since the beginning, the series has been a pop culture icon, attracting hundreds of celebrities to guest star. The show has also made name for itself in its fearless satirical take on politics, media and American life in general.

Parks and Recreation poster
Parks and Recreation
2009–2015 · 7 seasons · NBC
★ 8.6comedyPeacock

Big personalities bouncing off each other fast, with jokes stacked deep

The difference: Sunny workplace optimism — none of the poverty or family cruelty

In an attempt to beautify her town — and advance her career — Leslie Knope, a mid-level bureaucrat in the Parks and Recreation Department of Pawnee, Indiana, takes on bureaucrats, cranky neighbors, and single-issue fanatics whose weapons are lawsuits, the jumble of city codes, and the democratic process she loves so much.

Space Force poster
Space Force
2020–2022 · 2 seasons · Netflix
★ 6.7comedy · dramaNetflix

Comedy built on dark humor, twice over

The difference: Made in the 2020s, in a different era of the craft

A four-star general begrudgingly teams up with an eccentric scientist to get the U.S. military's newest agency — Space Force — ready for lift-off.

In the mood for more witty?

all witty shows →

The best-reviewed series that share Malcolm in the Middle’s defining feeling.