ListNook

maooi Apr 11, 2026 +158

Big shoes to fill, but respect Erik Per Sullivan's decision to not leave education

158

AKAkorm Apr 12, 2026 +78

Given Dewey is barely in the four episodes and when he is, he’s on a video call without any other cast members by him for 20-30 seconds, I would guess Erik could have done this role without impacting his studies much at all if he wanted to. Have no issues with him just plain not wanting to do it. But that’s all this was.

78

jessnotok Apr 12, 2026 +115

It's also been stated he doesn't want to be in the spotlight anymore he likes his anonymity so it wasn't just his education.

115

dakowiml Apr 12, 2026 +91

It makes it so disgusting to me how TMZ tracked him down and posted pics of him doing his normal daily stuff. Former child actor: ''I'm done. I want my privacy. Acting and fame is not for me. Millions for a reunion special? I'll even pass on that.'' TMZ: TRACK HIM DOWN AND POST HIS PICS NOW!!

91

AKAkorm Apr 12, 2026 +10

Yea that is completely fair...he doesn't owe anyone anything. I just don't really think this is an education thing at all. He's not a college undergrad, he's 34 and studying literature because it's what interests him. If he had wanted to be in the revival in a role where he could have filmed from his own home or a hotel room for half a day and been done, he could have done it easily. But again, it's totally fine that he didn't want to do that.

10

geek_of_nature Apr 12, 2026 +30

I mean i imagine if he had wanted to return the part would have been written to be bigger. Having the new actor be on video call would have just been their way of acknowledging the character, while still keeping the reunion focused on the original actors.

30

beachedwolf Apr 12, 2026 +5

You know how much confidence it takes to put yourself in front of 100m people ….

5

GKnives Apr 12, 2026 +1

I think it's a good idea to say no even in that circumstance because it will really keep people off his back in the future

1

RecommendsMalazan Apr 13, 2026 +1

To my understanding, the role was specifically written that way for this reason

1

Mentoman72 Apr 12, 2026 +11

I was gonna say he’s 34, no way he’s still doing school and then I looked it up and found out he’s currently at Harvard. Good for him.

11

thatshygirl06 Apr 15, 2026 +2

older people can't go to school?

2

fkrmds Apr 15, 2026 +1

you can't grasp the difference between abnormal and forbidden?

1

1975hh3 Apr 12, 2026 +56

They did a good job at finding someone who at least looks like Dewey.

56

JonathanLarsonJr Apr 12, 2026 +43

He didn’t screw it up, but the written and directed interpretation of what Dewey would be like as an adult felt very out of sync with anything we knew previously. It was a good ‘new’ character I guess?

43

BrothelWaffles Apr 12, 2026 +19

I wonder if that was part of them trying to get the original actor back. I remember reading that he hated everyone just seeing him as this weird kid from a TV show, they could have written him to be more "normal" to show him he wouldn't just be the weird kid all grown up. Apparently they also really limited the character's screen time and only had him on video calls for that reason as well, they really wanted him back and tried to make it as easy as possible for him to do it with minimal disruptions to his private life. But then he still said no and they didn't have time to rewrite a bigger part for the replacement.

19

OfficeChairHero Apr 12, 2026 +7

I didn't really think it was "out of sync" at all. Dewey was a musical prodigy as a kid (although mostly in secret) and he videos in from in front of his piano because he's on tour. Seems pretty on par with how the original ended.

7

mulderc Apr 13, 2026 +1

idk, I think the new actor did a fine job but the tone and cadence of his line delivery just wasn't quite right. The writing was spot on but the delivery sounded like a different actors take on the character.

1

hardlying Apr 13, 2026

I thought it was funny how lois cuts his part off in the video when he goes to play the piano, still ignoring dewey.

0

dsfjr Apr 11, 2026 +15

He was barely even in it.

15

luxmesa Apr 12, 2026 +16

Yeah. I was wondering if they had written that part on the hopes that they could get Erik Per Sullivan to come back for a day of shooting, but then they couldn’t even get that.

16

af-fx-tion Apr 12, 2026 +23

I read on Twitter (don’t remember seeing a source) that that’s pretty much exactly what happened. They limited Dewey’s role as much as possible as an incentive to get Per Sullivan back but by the time they got a final no, it was too late to rewrite his scenes to incorporate him more.

23

Deviltherobot Apr 12, 2026 +1

Yea they could have just said he was on tour in europe or something. I wonder if they are trying to make it a full show.

1

Zentrii Apr 12, 2026 +1

My guess is that this is a test run to see if it's popular enough have another season, and they will definately want Dewey in it more if that happens.

1

mulderc Apr 13, 2026 +1

I would like to see more. I think this show sort of puts a nice end to Lois and Hall and they can move on to focusing on the kids as adults.

1

Kevinmld Apr 11, 2026 +23

I watched the whole show last night. There were multiple moments that I was laughing way too loudly.

23

ElSaboteur Apr 12, 2026 +21

When >!Kelly shows Reese that they found his channel full of videos of Hal being a goofball, and then it pans over to Hal wheeze-crying in the doorway after hearing the whole thing!< I was ROARING. Some really good laughs.

21

doctoranonrus Apr 12, 2026 +11

I grew up on Malcolm in the Middle, but after Breaking Bad I'd forgotten how funny Hal/Bryan Cranston could be lol.

11

mlavan Apr 12, 2026 +3

Please check out The Studio. The episode where they have to pitch their film slate to the different theater groups is one of the funniest episodes ever. It's like The Hangover but less crime-y

3

marccoogs Apr 12, 2026 +3

Its amazing how how his whole career, he always ends up shirtless, and in his underwear.

3

NowGoodbyeForever Apr 12, 2026 +2

If you've got it, flaunt it.

2

marccoogs Apr 12, 2026 +2

Hal was my favorite character in the OG series, and they gave me everything I wanted. Bryan is such a good physical actor.

2

Zentrii Apr 12, 2026 +3

I'll be watching it soon but i'm sad that it's only 4 episodes :(

3

Kevinmld Apr 12, 2026 +9

It’s almost like they cut a movie in four pieces.

9

IrrelevantPuppy Apr 12, 2026 +2

Yes. Have they talked about how many season they plan? It feels kinda like it’s going to one single wrap up season or something

2

schleppylundo Apr 13, 2026 +3

No they literally set out to make a movie then decided to cut it into four episodes. This is it for the revival.

3

Richard_Sauce Apr 12, 2026 +3

It's really not enough. They didn't need a full season, but six to eight episodes would have been perfect for this.

3

Nuo_Vibro Apr 11, 2026 +12

thankfully he didnt

12

[deleted] Apr 11, 2026 -43

[deleted]

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confusing_roundabout Apr 11, 2026 +8

But he doesn't want to act so he's not going to act. They offered him a lot of money.

8

[deleted] Apr 11, 2026 -24

[deleted]

-24

DookieFartz Apr 11, 2026 +8

Yeah but the point still stands. Doesn't want to act, even at home.

8

[deleted] Apr 11, 2026 -30

[deleted]

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Father-of-zoomies Apr 12, 2026 +4

Do you understand the point, really? Did you stop to think that the only reason the parts were small were because of Erik not returning and having to recast Dewey?

4

DookieFartz Apr 11, 2026 +10

I understand what you are saying. But there is no "phoning it in" if the guy just didn't want to act. Simple as that.

10

3RdRocktothesun Apr 12, 2026 -2

Idk why you're being downvoted and argued with. You're literally agreeing with the people arguing. The role, as it was written, could have been phoned in. You aren't arguing with the actor's decision. You're just pointing out how badly he *didn't* want to come back.

-2

OfficeChairHero Apr 12, 2026 -1

He doesn't want to be famous. He doesn't want to be an actor. I don't know why that's so hard to understand.

-1

3RdRocktothesun Apr 13, 2026 +1

Yes, we understand that. That's literally his point. He doesn't want to be an actor so badly he even turned down this very small role. We're not judging him for that; that's literally our point

1

OfficeChairHero Apr 13, 2026 -1

The person you're agreeing with has asked twice why he couldn't just phone it in because it was such an easy part. I don't think you're getting that.

-1

3RdRocktothesun Apr 13, 2026 +1

They didn't. They pointed out twice that the role was small and easy and the actor still, clearly, didn't want to participate.

1

recjus85 Apr 12, 2026 +3

He didnt want to do that. How hard is that to understand???

3

'Malcolm in the Middle' Revival Star Caleb Ellsworth-Clark On Replacing Dewey: " Didn't want to f*ck that up"

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