The marriage bed

TV: Malcolm in the middle
Dewey's Opera

I love shows where elements of fantasy blend into the action. In this one, Dewey watches an opera on TV and is reduced to tears. He is inspired to write his own -- his snoozing special needs teacher gives him plenty of opportunity to do this. But he needs a plot worthy of his music -- and Hal and Lois' quarrels over a new bed is perfect. When they argue, they gradually slip into song, then into costume and finally on to the stage, complete with supporting choruses.

In between, baby Jamie has his own opera going on -- he conducts a silent love affair with the toddler next door based on glimpses on her eyes over the windowsill.

And as if that's not enough, Malcolm and Reese take up street luge (a craze so dangerous that the police are nostalgic for crack) and find themselves humiliated again and again by a mysterious rider -- who turns out to be wheelchair bound Stevie. This was revealed to the viewers early on.