Commandant Edwin Spangler is a fictional character portrayed by Daniel von Bargen in the TV series Malcolm in the Middle.
In the first episode they appeared in, titled Shame (season 1), they were 49 years old.
They appear in 16 episodes out of a total of 151 aired and have accumulated 28 positive votes.
The character of Commandant Edwin Spangler is mainly associated with Francis.
Episodes16
Shame
episode S1.E4 february 2000Malcolm finds himself being antagonized by a new bully, Kevin. This kid was always mocking him, teasing him, at lunch he cut right in front of him. On pizza day! But after Kevin taunted him about it one time too many, Malcolm loses it and attacks the kid, but deeply regrets it after learning his bully was 7-years-old; Hal cuts down the huge tree in the front yard, and he and the boys have just a little too much fun with the wood chipper.
Stock Car Races
episode S1.E10 april 2000Hal takes the day off and the boys to the stock car races, while Francis gets into trouble with Commandant Spangler which leads to troubles with his fellow cadets, but that can not stop Francis from aiming for the next big possibility to screw up - this time it involves a Dog and a Snake. As Lois is searching for a check, she discovers more and more dirt on each family-member, hidden in the dustiest corners of the house, which she piles up for later use. Meanwhile the boys get bored at the tracks fast and get into problems on their own.
Cheerleader
episode S1.E12 april 2000While we have a chance to see the world from Dewey's very special point of view, Reese acts weird. As it turns out, he is interested in a girl and does not know how to show her how he feels. Following a misunderstood advice from Malcolm, Reese joins the cheerleader-squad. As a consequence Hal has to have "the talk" with his sons. Meanwhile in the military academy Francis gets to know Commandant Spangler on a very personal level.
The Bots and the Bees
episode S1.E14 may 2000Lois takes off to visit Francis at the academy, which might make his recent appendectomy just a little more painful. Without Lois, Hal devolves to his former bad boy personality, which turns the robot Malcolm builds with his Krelboyne colleagues into a much more destructive power than expected.
Water Park
episode S1.E16 may 2000The family takes a day vacation at the water-park. All except Dewey, who has to stay home with an overage babysitter, which turns out to be more fun than expected. While Malcolm and Reese get into a loop of revenge-pranks, Hal and Lois try to enjoy the day off. As Dewey's babysitter hits the dance-floor, in more than one way, the youngest member of the family sets off on his own.
Dinner Out
episode S2.E4 november 2000Commandant Spangler announces his mother's visit and Francis uses the opportunity to organize a dance, for which he invites some local girls, which ends up to be a very different experience then the cadets expected. Meanwhile the Kenarbans invite the whole family to a nice dinner that turns into an evening of conflicts, as the families get to know each other better.
High School Play
episode S2.E9 december 2000Lois finds an amazing and cheap massage table at the grocery store and manages to become so relaxed that she doesn't even care about Hal and Dewey's LEGO city.
Old Mrs. Old
episode S2.E11 january 2001Malcolm accidentally hits a ball into grouchy old Mrs. Griffin's yard, and when he goes to retrieve it, he has a run-in with the elderly lady that accidentally makes her fall and break her arm. As punishment, he must go over to her house every day after school to help her out. Meanwhile, Dewey begins to carry a purse to school instead of a backpack; and Francis must deal with his screw-up friend Richie at military school.
Krelboyne Girl
episode S2.E12 january 2001Lois and Hal try to end Dewey's dependence on his stuffed animal Domingo by convincing him that it is too dirty. Strangely attracted, Malcolm finds himself in emotional confusion about the new weird Krelboyne girl Cynthia. At the academy Commandant Spangler re-institutes old Hickory into the school's disciplinary system and Francis tries to convince his father Hal to lie for him to avoid punishment.
New Neighbors
episode S2.E13 january 2001A new family moves into the next house and the family tries to make friends with them. As it turns out, all but the two men despise each other, which leaves them living their new-found friendship in secrecy. Francis finds Commandant Spangler emotionally devastated, questioning his own accomplishments, comparing himself to a prominent visitor to the academy.
Surgery
episode S2.E17 february 2001Francis organizes a hunger strike to get back the academy's TV, taken away by Commandant Spangler. Meanwhile Malcolm has to go to the hospital, leaving him in the children's ward and the family without their genius middle son.
Mini-Bike
episode S2.E22 april 2001In this episode Craig still lives in Lois and Hal's house, because his one had been burnt down. That costs a lot of things on the whole family. Meanwhile, Malcolm and his brothers find a mini-bike in the garbage. At first they argue with each other, but after their mother banned the use of the bike, they join forces against her. At the same time Hal goes to Allabama to visit his son Francis for the Fathers-and-Sons meeting, where he expects some great achievements from his son. But what will happen after all that ?
Houseboat
episode S3.E1 november 2001The family takes a vacation with the Kenarbans, sharing a houseboat. And while Steve's parents are caught in a fight, Reese and Steve socialize with some cheerleader from a nearby spirit camp, Malcolm is stuck with Hal fishing. At the military academy, Eric turns eighteen and leaves for Alaska, inspiring Francis to do something about his situation too.
Emancipation
episode S3.E2 november 2001Being fed up with military school, Francis gets himself legally emancipated so he can go north to Alaska with his friend Eric and become a logger. This does not sit well at all with the family.
Dewey's Dog
episode S3.E17 april 2002Upon coming home from school, Dewey adopts a dog named Marshmellow and decides to hold Malcolm and Reese hostage for all the things they did to him while he was growing up.
Clip Show #2
episode S4.E17 april 2003As Lois and Hal write their wills in preparation for the baby's birth, they recall various colorful incidents with their four current children.
- Shame
- Stock Car Races
- Cheerleader
- The Bots and the Bees
- Water Park
- Dinner Out
- High School Play
- Old Mrs. Old
- Krelboyne Girl
- New Neighbors
- Surgery
- Mini-Bike
- Houseboat
- Emancipation
- Dewey's Dog
- Clip Show #2
Best moments9
- Malcolm finds himself being antagonized by a new bully, Kevin. This kid was always mocking him, teasing him, at lunch he cut right in front of him. On pizza day! But after Kevin taunted him about it one time too many, Malcolm loses it and attacks the kid, but deeply regrets it after learning his bully was 7-years-old; Hal cuts down the huge tree in the front yard, and he and the boys have just a little too much fun with the wood chipper.
- While we have a chance to see the world from Dewey's very special point of view, Reese acts weird. As it turns out, he is interested in a girl and does not know how to show her how he feels. Following a misunderstood advice from Malcolm, Reese joins the cheerleader-squad. As a consequence Hal has to have "the talk" with his sons. Meanwhile in the military academy Francis gets to know Commandant Spangler on a very personal level.
- Lois takes off to visit Francis at the academy, which might make his recent appendectomy just a little more painful. Without Lois, Hal devolves to his former bad boy personality, which turns the robot Malcolm builds with his Krelboyne colleagues into a much more destructive power than expected.
- The family takes a day vacation at the water-park. All except Dewey, who has to stay home with an overage babysitter, which turns out to be more fun than expected. While Malcolm and Reese get into a loop of revenge-pranks, Hal and Lois try to enjoy the day off. As Dewey's babysitter hits the dance-floor, in more than one way, the youngest member of the family sets off on his own.
- Commandant Spangler announces his mother's visit and Francis uses the opportunity to organize a dance, for which he invites some local girls, which ends up to be a very different experience then the cadets expected. Meanwhile the Kenarbans invite the whole family to a nice dinner that turns into an evening of conflicts, as the families get to know each other better.
- Lois finds an amazing and cheap massage table at the grocery store and manages to become so relaxed that she doesn't even care about Hal and Dewey's LEGO city.
- Malcolm accidentally hits a ball into grouchy old Mrs. Griffin's yard, and when he goes to retrieve it, he has a run-in with the elderly lady that accidentally makes her fall and break her arm. As punishment, he must go over to her house every day after school to help her out. Meanwhile, Dewey begins to carry a purse to school instead of a backpack; and Francis must deal with his screw-up friend Richie at military school.
- Lois and Hal try to end Dewey's dependence on his stuffed animal Domingo by convincing him that it is too dirty. Strangely attracted, Malcolm finds himself in emotional confusion about the new weird Krelboyne girl Cynthia. At the academy Commandant Spangler re-institutes old Hickory into the school's disciplinary system and Francis tries to convince his father Hal to lie for him to avoid punishment.
- A new family moves into the next house and the family tries to make friends with them. As it turns out, all but the two men despise each other, which leaves them living their new-found friendship in secrecy. Francis finds Commandant Spangler emotionally devastated, questioning his own accomplishments, comparing himself to a prominent visitor to the academy.
- Shame
- Cheerleader
- The Bots and the Bees
- Water Park
- Dinner Out
- High School Play
- Old Mrs. Old
- Krelboyne Girl
- New Neighbors