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Water Park is the sixteenth and final episode of Season 1 of Malcolm in the Middle and the sixteenth episode overall of the show that first aired on May 21, 2000.

Plot[]

Lois and Hal take Malcolm and Reese to the water park for a vacation. However, the boys prove to be extremely ungrateful and fight. After Malcolm and Reese ruins Hal and Lois's attempt at a tropical vacation, Lois screams at them at the top of the Liquidator.

After being arrested by the Alabama Sheriff Department for sneaking out of Marlin Academy to hustle pool at local bars, Spangler demands Francis to play his best game or face the consequences.

Meanwhile, Dewey is saddled with a stern, but kind babysitter named Mrs. White.

Summary[]

In the cold opening, Hal runs into the boys' room and asks who would like to make $5 for taking the fall for an unknown reason. Lois is then heard shouting "Oh, my God!" in shock and alarm, Malcolm tells him to double the amount to $10 and he'll do it. Hal agrees and tells him he is a good son before dragging him out to face his mother's wrath.

In the kitchen, Lois is prepping Hal for a family trip to the water park. Malcolm states that Hal got the tickets for free from work, and although it takes two days to prep him, it’s worth it. Lois puts a steaming washcloth on his back to smooth his skin for the water slide. She states they haven’t been on an outing in a long time and it’s nice that they can do something together as a family. Dewey comes into the kitchen and asks about what they’re doing together.

Unfortunately for Dewey, he can't go because of an ear infection. In the living room he becomes clearly upset about it and cries about it, claiming he never gets to go anywhere, while Lois tries to console him that it’s just for this trip, and previously taken trips to Disneyland and a chocolate factory tour. She soon mentions that he needs to stop sticking dirty things into his ears. When Reese comes over and teases him by trying to give him a wet willy, she smacks his hand away, reminding him not to make fun of Dewey. Lois points out that if she and Hal can't get a proper babysitter for him, they will go to the water park alone and leave Reese and Malcolm at home to be his babysitters. This thought alone scares him enough to behave himself.

Hal is on the phone with the babysitter agency asking them for a babysitter for Dewey, trying to reassure them that Malcolm and Reese will be nowhere near them. Unfortunately, the Wilkersons have a hard time hiring a babysitter for him. This is because each time Hal and Lois hires them and leaves town for their own vacation, the boys always misbehave themselves and chase the babysitters away. The babysitter agency is very wary of Malcolm and Reese because the two older boys are their previous babysitters' biggest tormentors with their pranks. As a result to their countless misbehaviour, the agency has effectively blacklisted the Wilkersons and refused their services. Malcolm starts to think maybe their misbehavior is why. He's likely concerned that Hal and Lois will make both him and Reese, Dewey's babysitters and leave them at home, while the parents go to the water park without them.

At Marlin Academy, Spangler is gloating after winning against Francis in a game of pool. However, he soon gets suspicious when he learns that his most rebellious student has been plotting something.

They eventually manage to hire a stern babysitter named Mrs. White and the next morning the family is off to the water park. Lois tells Dewey he will have a lot of fun with Mrs. White and he better not dare hurt her before they all leave as the sun comes up. Dewey asks Mrs. White if she'd like to play something but she refuses.

The next day, Spangler finds out from the Alabama Sheriff's Department that Francis was arrested by the sheriff. It turns out that he has been sneaking out of the academy at night and hustling at local bars in playing pool. Francis attempts to explain, but Spangler is upset that Francis has been holding back and letting him win. He tries to maintain that the reason he's been letting the commandant win is to protect the other cadets from his wrath should he attempted to play a real game of pool and win. He doesn't want to humiliate Spangler, have him take it out on the cadets and punish them for his infraction. Francis knows how much winning means to him and wants to do his best to obey his rules (in spite of being rebellious against them). Spangler claims he is not a child who would throw a tantrum over a simple game. He insists that Francis play his best game of pool against him and no more trying to throw the game or else he will be awakened at 4 AM and forced to raise the school flag and stand at attention 3 hours before reveille consecutively for the entire school year, and if he tries his best and still loses, he'll be even more miserable. This worries him enough to attempt to up his game.

At the water park, Lois and Hal are trying to enjoy themselves a nice "tropical" vacation, while Malcolm and Reese are at war. Hal reveals that he sneaked some alcohol in a suntan bottle. The pranks begin with Reese embarrassing Malcolm with his nose plug. Malcolm tells Reese he will get revenge on him but Reese claims he shouldn't be such a baby, forget about it and have fun instead. But Malcolm refuses to let it go and begins Malcolm embarrasses Reese in front of April (a girl he has a crush on) and their classmates. He tricks Reese into confessing the reason he likes her. He claims that she kisses with tongue and thinks of her as a tramp. April overhears this and is so humiliated that she calls Reese a jerk. Afterwards Malcolm attempts to go down the Liquidator waterslide but chickens out and is ridiculed for his cowardice. Reese in the lineup then uses his nose plug as a slingshot to even the score.

Back at the house, Dewey and Mrs. White sort out her collection of buttons until she discovers Dewey is eating them. Dewey defends that he wasn’t eating them he was saving that button since it was his favourite one, Mrs. White is surprised since that button is her favourite as well and after he shares his opinion on a button he dislikes she claims that Dewey is a smart little boy.

At Marlin Academy, Francis is practicing on the pool table. His fellow cadets appear before him having caught him practicing and are upset with him. Joe demands to know why Francis is training hard again despite being aware of Spangler's wrath. Joe and Eric, both reminds him that he can't win against the commandant in that rematch alone. Francis tells the group that he understands their concerns and confesses that Spangler is demanding for him to play a real game this time around after learning about his latest infraction. He's trying to learn a new technique to throw the game and lose. Eric and Joe remind Francis that he has to lose so Spangler doesn't get upset, due to last time a cadet named Hendricks beat him playing horse on a lucky shot the cadets could only watch PBS for a week. Francis tells them what will happen if he loses to Spangler but they emphasize if he wins, the cadets are going to beat him up and torture him with hours of educational programming on PBS.

Back at the water park, Lois and Hal have a make out session in the pool despite several other swimmers being unhygienic. Malcolm attempts to tell his mother about Reese but she tells them that she’s not open for business and to handle it themselves or be locked in the car for the rest of the day.

Malcolm sees Reese splashing around with a group of girls and then he tricks a lifeguard into believing that Reese is drowning. Causing a large man to give him mouth to mouth. The lifeguard asks the man to let the employees handle the life saving, leaving Reese in the sand traumatized as Malcolm claims now they’re even.

Back at the house, Dewey and Mrs. White have made a tent in the living room as Dewey tells her a story about how he was hit by Reese for playing with his imaginary friend. White states that Reese is a horrid little boy and there’s nothing wrong with having an imaginary friend since she has one herself named Harold who is there with them now. Dewey asks her if Harold would like a cookie and offers him one.

At Marlin Academy, Francis misses a shot much to the cadet’s delight but when Spangler takes his shot he scratches. Francis asks the commandant what he’s trying to do, Spangler’s answer is that he’s losing gracefully and that he’s going down whether Francis lets him or not. Spangler and Francis end up in a battle as to who can play a more spectacularly bad game of pool, pulling trick shots to scratch on the eight-ball. All the while the cadets get increasingly more confused over their motives while playing.

Back at the Wilkerson home, Dewey bonds with Mrs. White as they dance around in the kitchen to "Fernando" by ABBA. However while doing so, she suffers from a heart attack and is taken away in an ambulance, (Whether she died or not is clearly unknown) as Dewey waves goodbye to her he goes chasing after a red balloon that's being carried by the wind.

At the water park, Malcolm and Reese soon ruin their parents' tropical vacation with their constant fighting. Malcolm sits next to his dad after once again being too scared to go down the Liquidator. Hal tells Malcolm that he doesn't want to hear about him and Reese and wonders if he can't give him and Lois five minutes of peace without him and Reese trying to kill each other. Malcolm complies and says they can have the rest of the day to themselves because he is quitting since he is not going to have any fun anyway so he doesn't see a reason to try. Hal says as long as they’re on the same page before leaving. Malcolm claims that the trip was horrible and all he did was chicken out, get laughed at and fight with Reese. So, he resolves to sunbathe for the rest of the day until it's time to go home. However, Reese throws a jockstrap in his face to even the score, Malcolm decides to rejoin the war and goes too far.

The climax of the fight comes when Malcolm pulls down Reese's swim shorts to reveal his naked butt. Everyone laughs at him but Reese is more furious than embarrassed and chases after Malcolm intending to beat him up for the deed. While being chased they spill the nachos Lois and Hal were buying. A furious Lois chases after the boys to the Liquidator. Before Reese could pound Malcolm, she grabs his hand and shouts out a reminder the family's not wealthy. Lois goes in front of the Liquidator water slide to confront the two older boys. She yells at Malcolm and Reese for misbehaving and blames them for ruining not only their own time at the Wavetown's Water Park, but also her and Hal's as well. Lois mentions that wealthy families can afford to have their fancy things, air conditioning and heaters, go out to dinner anytime and even have their vacations ruined. She reminds Malcolm and Reese that she and Hal worked so hard and taken overtime just to have this vacation. Lois mentions the Wilkersons can't afford to have their vacation ruined because they're not wealthy. Instead of taking the time to appreciate it like good little boys, Malcolm and Reese demonstrated just how ungrateful they are to her and Hal's sacrifices by misbehaving and fighting with each other. Because of this alone, they have once more ruined their family vacation at the Wavetown's Water Park and Lois having to reprimand the two boys again wondering if they are aborigines. As she continues to yell, Malcolm looks at Reese and encourages him to push her down the slide. Reese refuses, knowing how angry Lois will further be at them. Malcolm encourages it anyway because he's sick of being afraid of her constant screaming at them for ruining her and Hal's tropical vacation. Lois comes to suspect something is wrong. Sure, enough Malcolm pushes her down the slide and she goes down the slide, with the lifeguard telling her to keep her arms and legs crossed at all times. Reese tells him that this was the bravest thing he's seen from his brother all day. He warns Malcolm that he would end up being grounded, but he doesn't care for the moment. However, Lois somehow manages to hold on to something, grabs both of the boys and they slide down the water slide together. As she continues yelling at both Malcolm and Reese, Hal is preparing to eat nachos on the bench. Lois tells the two boys it'll be the last she and Hal will take them anywhere. They come out of the water slide splashing Hal and everyone else in the process.

Francis sinks the final ball in the corner pocket and wins. Spangler loses due to having more penalties but doesn’t mind and he and Francis congratulate each other on a well played game and manage to gain a mutual respect for one another in the process. Eric asks Joe who won, but Joe and the rest of the cadets are so impressed by their game they end up not caring at the end and they really wanted Francis to win and were just scaring him.

Dewey finally catches the balloon which immediately pops and winds up being lost in a Chinatown. He then follows a paper bag that's also being carried by the wind with the words "To be continued..." ending the episode.

Cast[]

  • Jane Kaczmerek as Lois
  • Bryan Cranston as Hal
  • Christopher Kennedy Masterson as Francis
  • Justin Berfield as Reese
  • Erik Per Sullivan as Dewey
  • Frankie Muniz as Malcolm
  • Catherine Lloyd Burns as Caroline Miller (Even though she doesn't appear in this episode)

Guest Stars[]

Recurring[]

Cameos[]

  • Malakai Pearson as Cadet 1
  • Kevin Christy as Attendant
  • John Michael Miller as Lifeguard
  • Amanda Fuller as April
  • Marsha Clark as Babysitter 1
  • Laura Roth as teenage girl and Babysitter 2
  • Jared McVey as Elderly man
  • Adam Vernier as Babysitter 3 and large man

Quotes[]

Lois: [grabbing Reese's arm] DO YOU THINK WE'RE WEALTHY?!!!!!
Malcolm and Reese: Huh?!
Lois: (to Malcolm & Reese) Do you think we're wealthy?! Wealthy people drive fancy cars. They have fresh pasta. Do we do any of those things?! NO! Wealthy people can afford any of their vacations ruined, no big deal. They just pick up and go again. Your father and I worked so hard, so long. What IS WRONG WITH YOU TWO?! ARE YOU ABORIGINES?! Every time I turn around, I hear someone screaming and fighting. And I pray to God that's someone else's children, but it's not, it's always YOU! Sane children would appreciate this. Are you even thinking? No, you're always at each other like a couple of rabid monkeys. It is not enough you two do this every day, but you have to make me suffer. Well, help me....
[Comes to the realization that Reese and Malcolm are up to something.]
Lois: Don't you dare!
[Malcolm pushes Lois down the slide by the finger and she screams.]
Attendant: Arms and legs crossed at all times.
Reese: That's the bravest thing I've ever seen you do.
Malcolm: Yeah.
Reese: You're going to die.
Malcolm: I know. So, you think Mom's going to be, okay?
[Lois pulls the two of them down the slide as well. While going down the slide, she continues yelling at Malcolm and Reese. Hal is comfortably seated in the bleachers with some nachos]
Lois: THIS IS THE LAST TIME, I'M TAKING YOU BOYS ANYWHERE!
[Lois, Malcolm and Reese emerge from the slide, splashing everyone including Hal.]

Dewey: [sobbing] Why can't I go?
Lois: Dewey, we've discussed this. You have to stay home because of your ear infection.
Dewey: I never get to go.
Lois: Honey, I know it seems like a pattern. It's just this... and Disneyland... oh, and that chocolate factory tour. Maybe it's time you stop sticking dirty things in your ears.
Reese: Hey, Dewey. How's the ear?
[He puts his finger in his mouth and sticks it in Dewey's ear.]
Lois: (slaps Reese) Stop teasing him, Reese! You know, if your father doesn't find a babysitter, nobody is going anywhere and let's see who's crying then.

Hal: (on the phone with potential babysitters) Oh no, no, no. It's just the little one the other two won't be anywhere near you.
Malcolm: Ever since I can remember, we've always had trouble with baby-sitters.
[flashback]
Baby-sitter A: [cooing] Hello! Goochy, goochy, goochy, goo. Goochy, goochy— [screams as her finger is bitten]
Baby-sitter B: I don't know, sweetie; what do you have behind your back? [screams, running from the house]
Baby-sitter C: [a man is locked in the closet by Malcolm and Reese]: You little losers, I've had enough of this! You open this door right now! Look, I'm a little claustrophobic, okay? Just open the door! Let me out! Come on!
[back to the present]
Malcolm: I don't know. I'm starting to think it might be us.

Reese: (to Malcolm) Hey there, girly. Let me adjust your bra strap. (Grabs his nose plug and smacks him) Now, we're even.

Trivia[]

  • This episode originally had a darker ending involving Mrs. White kidnapping Dewey and heading down south of the border to Mexico. She dyes his hair black and renames him "Pepe".
    • Ironically, Mrs. White was originally supposed to be played by Cloris Leachman, who is a kind woman but very scatterbrained at times due to her suffering from dementia akin to Maw-Maw in Raising Hope. Originally, she would mistake Hal for her son, Anthony, due to their similar appearance. She would later go on to play Ida Welker, Lois's mother, Hal's mother-in-law, and the boys' grandmother.
  • This episode marks the first appearances of Cadets Joe and Eric.
    • After Stanley's disappearance in Rollerskates, Eric becomes Francis' new roommate and friend.
  • It has also been revealed that many babysitters refuse to take care of the boys whenever their parents go away due to their misbehavior.
    • This is referenced in both Season 4's Reese's Party and season 7's A.A along with a disastrous attempt to allow Ida to babysit the boys in Bride of Ida. Hence, it's the reason Lois has officially gave up on having someone babysit the boys whenever they leave town.
  • The song that plays during Francis and Spangler's final game of pool is "Mixed Bizness" by Beck.
  • Dewey is the only one of the Wilkerson boys that got along with his babysitter. This would be repeated in the next season's episode "Convention" and the season 4's Reese's Party when Craig becomes his babysitter.
    • Because of Dewey's good influence, Jamie started getting along with his babysitters.
  • Driving scenes for the way to the water park were filmed on this bit of Woodley Ave, Lake Balboa, CA 91406.[1] This location would be used several times, e.g., in Evacuation and Reese Drives.
  • The water park the Wilkersons visit is Wild Rivers Water Park, located in Irvine, California (As of September 2011, Wild Rivers closed as a result of an expired lease with The Irvine Company, but is scheduled to open a new, larger park in Temecula, California in May 2014). It's since been levelled to make room for a luxury apartment complex.[1]
  • Chinatown, where Dewey ends up after following the balloon, is a set street on the premises of the CBS Studio Center. It has previously been used as a Downtown setting in Sleepover.[1]
  • In the next episode, it is revealed that Lois, Hal, Malcolm and Reese are permanently expelled from the Water Park for rule violations (including sneaking alcohol and fighting).
  • Beatrice Arthur is the first actress from the Golden Girls to guest star on an episode of Malcolm in the Middle. Betty White will soon follow playing Victor's secret wife, Sylvia.
    • Originally, Arthur was going to play Sharon Wilkerson, Hal's mother, who lives next door to them and of whom has a recurring role in the show.
  • The song that plays while Dewey and his babysitter are dancing is "Fernando" by ABBA.
  • This episode establishes that Francis was arrested by the Alabama Sheriff for his underage gambling and hustling at local bars.
  • On the way down the Liquidator, Lois tells the boys this would be the last time her and Hal took them anywhere. However, they take them on several vacations and outings in subsequent episodes that follow so it's likely she wasn't being serious.
  • Irony: After Reese teases Dewey about being left behind with a babysitter, Malcolm states in the following episode he would've preferred that rather than to have gone on the trip.

Errors[]

  • In the widescreen version of first scene in the kitchen where Hal is being prepared for the water park, the camera crew can be seen filming the scene off to the right side of the screen.
  • In one scene, Malcolm is talking but his mouth is not moving. In another scene, where Spangler and Francis are playing pool, Spangler is seen in close-up with his eye patch over his left eye and his right eye intact. Usually, it's the other way around. However, the numbers on the scoring rack behind him are also reversed, which shows that this shot was flipped to match continuity with the wide shot.
  • In the shot where Malcolm comes up behind Reese to pants him, April is seen looking directly at them at the end of the shot. In the next shot, when Malcolm does pants him, it starts with April looking away and not looking back until Malcolm's pantsing of Reese gains her attention. Additionally, when Malcolm does pants Reese, the first shot between his legs should show his shins as he is facing away from the bleachers when the pantsing first happens. When the he turns around to face Malcolm, the shot between his legs shows his calves once again.
  • In one of the shots where Spangler attempts to lose, he sinks the eight-ball on a break. That would normally be considered an immediate win, not a loss.
  • In one of the shots were Malcolm is talking to the camera, a boy can be seen in the background looking at the camera while he is playing with the sand.

References[]

Malcolm in the Middle episodes
Season 1 PilotRed DressHome Alone 4ShameMalcolm BabysitsSleepoverFrancis EscapesKrelboyne PicnicLois VS EvilStock Car RacesFuneralCheerleaderRollerskatesThe Bots and the BeesSmundayWater Park
Season 2 Traffic JamHalloween ApproximatelyLois' BirthdayDinner OutCasinoConventionRobberyTherapyHigh School PlayBullyOld Mrs. OldKrelboyne GirlNew NeighborsHal QuitsThe GrandparentsTraffic TicketSurgeryReese CooksTutoring ReeseBowlingMalcolm vs. ReeseMini-BikeCarnivalEvacuationFlashback
Season 3 HouseboatEmancipationBook ClubMalcolm's GirlfriendCharityHealth ScareChristmasPokerReese's JobLois' MakeoverCompany Picnic (1)Company Picnic (2)Reese DrivesCynthia's BackHal's BirthdayHal CoachesDewey's DogPoker 2Clip ShowJury DutyCliquesMonkey
Season 4 ZooHumilithonFamily ReunionStupid GirlForwards BackwardsForbidden GirlfriendMalcolm Holds His TongueBoys At RanchGrandma SuesIf Boys Were GirlsLong DriveKicked OutStereo StoreHal's FriendGarage SaleAcademic OctathalonClip Show #2Reese's PartyFuture MalcolmBaby Part 1Baby Part 2Day Care
Season 5 VegasWatching The BabyGoodbye KittyThanksgivingMalcolm Films ReeseMalcolm's JobChristmas TreesBlock PartyDirty MagazineHot TubIda's BoyfriendSoftballLois' SisterMalcolm Dates a FamilyReese's ApartmentMalcolm Visits CollegePolly in the MiddleDewey's Special ClassExperimentVictor's Other FamilyReese Joins the Army: Part 1Reese Joins the Army: Part 2
Season 6 Reese Comes HomeBuseys Run AwayStandeePearl HarborKitty's BackHal's Christmas GiftHal SleepwalksLois Battles JamieMalcolm's CarBillboardDewey's OperaLiving WillTiki LoungeIda Loses a LegChad's SleepoverNo MotorcyclesButterfliesIda's DanceMotivational SpeakerStiltsBuseys Take A HostageMrs. Tri-County
Season 7 Burning ManHealth InsuranceReese vs. StevieHalloweenJessica Stays OverSecret BoyfriendBlackoutArmy BuddyMalcolm Defends ReeseMalcolm's MoneyBride of IdaCollege RecruitersMonoHal GrievesA.ALois Strikes BackHal's DentistBomb ShelterStevie in the HospitalCattle CourtMorpGraduation
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