View source for Francis (Malcolm in the Middle)

{{MITM character
|character name = Francis 
|actor name = [[Christopher Masterson]]
|First Appearance = [[Pilot (Malcolm in the Middle episode)|Pilot]]
|LA = [[Graduation (Malcolm in the Middle episode)|Graduation]]
|status = Married six years
|occupation = Desk job (Exact position never specified)
|family = [[Hal (Malcolm in the Middle)|Hal]] (father)<br>[[Lois (Malcolm in the Middle)|Lois]](mother)<br>[[Reese (Malcolm in the Middle)|Reese]] (brother)<br>[[Malcolm (Malcolm in the Middle)|Malcolm]] (brother)<br>[[Dewey (Malcolm in the Middle)|Dewey]] (brother)<br>[[Jamie (Malcolm in the Middle)|Jamie]] (brother)
}}

'''Francis''' is a fictional character from ''[[Malcolm in the Middle]]''. He is played by [[Christopher Masterson]].

The oldest of the brothers and the biggest trouble-maker, Francis is a regular character on the show, though he has lived outside of the house since before season 1 began. His mother, [[Lois (Malcolm in the Middle)|Lois]], was in [[labor (childbirth)|labor]] with Francis in the middle of her and [[Hal (Malcolm in the Middle)|Hal]]'s wedding. Francis was a troublemaker from a young age; he broke curfew, drank, and slept around. Lois exiled him to a [[military academy]] after he was caught in bed with his girlfriend and crashed her car, which proceeded to burn up, though the last straw was when he got his nose pierced. From afar, Francis provides many fodder for many interesting subplots. 

During the first two seasons, at the military academy, rebellious Francis finds a formidable adversary in  Commandant Edwin Spangler, whose hook-for-a-hand proved a valuable comic device as Francis sows insurrection in the student ranks. After the second season, at only 17 years old, he legally emancipates himself with the help of forged signatures and an unscrupulous [[Alabama]] lawyer.  He then leaves the academy and heads to [[Alaska]] to find work as a logger.

<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Francis on Malcolm in the Middle.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Masterson as Francis in "Ida Loses a Leg."]] -->
While in Alaska, he marries a local woman, Piama, whom he had dated for three weeks. Lois reacts hysterically and continues to be somewhat hostile toward Piama for some time.  Piama, like Lois, is hot-tempered and does not shrink when Lois goes after her.  By season 4 he and Piama have left Alaska and Francis begins working as a farmhand at a [[New Mexico]] [[dude ranch]] owned by a German couple.  Here, Francis becomes more of a responsible adult: he even begins to discipline his younger brothers, who always regarded him as a rule-breaking [[role model]]. A little over two years after he begins working at the ranch, however, he is fired because the [[automated teller machine|ATM]] he used to deposit funds wasn't actually an ATM. 

For the remainder of seasons six and seven, Francis makes only occasional appearances, yet he is still credited in each episode. Later, we find that he has regressed and reverted back to his old ways, living in a cheap apartment without getting a job.  Here, he briefly takes a job as the agent for his friend's band and attempts to start his own business.

In the final episode, Francis and his mother fight over the fact that he remains unemployed.  Later, his father discovers that Francis has found a job with a large corporation called Amerisys Industries and has worked there for two months.  He explains that he enjoys the job immensely, but he kept the job a secret from his family because he equally enjoys frustrating his mother by telling her that he's unemployed. 

==Last name==
The family's last name was only revealed twice during the entire series run, both times on a nametag worn by Francis. In the first episode his military school nametag reads "Wilkerson" (in subsequent first and second season episodes his name tag simply read "Francis") but in the last episode his employee ID reads "Nolastname" (or "No Last Name" a joke referring to the fact that the family name was never spoken aloud). In this same final episode, the family's last name is indecipherable during Malcolm's introduction as valedictorian at his high school graduation.

{{Malcolm in the Middle}}

[[Category:Malcolm in the Middle characters]]
[[Category:Fictional businesspeople]]
[[Category:Fictional ranchers]]