Patricia Heaton and Co. Offer Smart Sitcom in ‘The Middle’
by S.T. KarnickThe smart new sitcom The Middle presents a positive but realistic view of Middle America’s pursuit of the American Dream.
Set in the fictional small town of Orson, Indiana, The Middle (8:30 EDT) follows Hank in ABC’s new Wednesday night lineup and like the Kelsey Grammer program, it features a big sitcom star, Patricia Heaton, in a lead role. Also like Hank, The Middle takes a comic but sympathetic look at Middle America, described by central character Frankie Heck (Heaton) as “One of those places you fly over on your way from Somewhere to Somewhere Else but you wouldn’t live here.”
The writing of the pilot episode is particularly strong, and it even uses a couple of symbols to very good effect: a jet flying overhead, and Frankie’s new drivers license with its grossly unattractive photo documenting how badly life has been beating her down. Heaton’s willingness to make herself look silly and physically unattractive is used to great effect in the pilot episode and shows great sense on her part and that of the show’s producers.
As in the late, great Malcolm in the Middle, the entire family is fairly messed up, and their lives are largely awful. They live on fast food, and Frankie’s days are a perpetually hectic blur. The youngest child, Brick, is described by his teacher as “Maybe clinically quirky,” and his best friend is his backpack. Their oldest, a son named Axl, is a surly jock. The middle child, Sue, is an appearance-challenged teen who fails at every extracurricular activity she tries.
Yet despite all the comic horrors of their lives, they really do love one another, and in the end that makes their crises endurable and the show enjoyable. While showing the troubles of people who are striving to achieve the American Dream but not making it, the pilot episode of The Middle doesn’t make fun of their hopes and ambitions.
As such, it’s ultimately a positive view of American aspirations while remaining realistic in acknowledging that the dream includes an ever-increasing list of material things that continually remains outside many people’s grasp. It also points us back toward the importance of personal relationships and the real source of happiness in familial love. This kind of comedy, tough but never cynical, is rarer than one would wish.
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42 Comments
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Cathy Dianne and Michael Ozman. Michael Ozman said: Big Hollywood: Patricia Heaton and Co. Offer Smart Sitcom in ‘The Middle’ http://bit.ly/3ZP4Es #BC [...]
Sounds like a great program!
Just wondering: in your review above you mention Mike, the husband and father clearly featured on ABC website pages for the show, how many times?
You know, the same pages on which husband and dad Mike Heck is prominently featured as a vital component of his family, deeply involved in their daily lives?
Just wondering how you managed to make not one mention of this exemplary Dad, this virtually archetypal 'Good Dad' character for so many years thought MIA in TV wasteland, in your review above.
Best Regards,
Scott Ragland
San Antonio, TX
I've enjoyed the first two episodes immensely. Heaton projects a real soul under the quirky slapstick, keeping the human touch in the midst of all the absurdity. Love the husband character; he was the best thing about SCRUBS.
Hoping that the suits have the good sense to keep this running.
Forgot to mention that Mr. Karnick did so well at hiding the very existence of husband and dad Mike in his review, that I had to visit ABC website to ascertain whether this was just another one among the tsunami of shows about the travails of single moms.
Turns out ABC site has Mike Heck featured in every single storyline, plot, episode, about which info is offered on the ABC site.
Just wondering how Mr. Karnick managed to write a review containing data on each family member but for that of the father and husband….
Scott Ragland
San Antonio, TX
I'm a fan of "The Middle" as well. I agree that it does invoke "Malcom in the Middle" (the character Brick is very "Dewey-like") without being a clone. It's not nearly as over-the-top as "Malcom" was. It treats this Midwestern family with simple respect not some false "salt of the earth" elevation and certainly without condescending to them. I'm a big Patricia Heaton fan primarily for her talent but it doesn't hurt that she falls to the right of center on the political spectrum. The supporting cast is fantastic. Neil Flynn (The Janitor from Scrubs) is endearing without being stupid baffoon of a father. Her boss is played with gruff splendor by Brian Doyle-Murray and SNL alum Chris Kattan plays a small role as a co-worker with Heaton's character, that I see growing should the series survive…and I hope it does.
Love the show. Unfortunately, it's on ABC (Already Been Canceled) so it being a chance to grow and find an audience is about the same as that for the Goode Family.
I'm sure it's great, but will be surprised if it lasts long.
I'm surprised that Heaton still keeps getting work in Hollywood, being conservative and all.
I thought it was boring.
Good to see some reviews back up. As much as I enjoy reading political commentary, I really wish the Big H would do some more reviews of shows from a conservative/non-political angle.
Hollywood only *likes conservatives if you make them money.
*tolerates.
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I agree that this review is remiss in not mentioning the dad. While the show may center on the mom and her efforts to support her family in a myriad of ways, she clearly relies on her husband for all types of support as well. In other words, it's a marriage! What a concept. Extra pluses for them not looking like the Hollywood sitcom stereotype family–overweight, bumbling white dad married to an impossibly hot woman, who can do no wrong, with disrespectful, generally unlikeable children. I enjoyed both episodes and think the show has more potential than Hank. I also agree that the show has a strong Malcolm in the Middle feel to it.
Ive read before that Patricia Heaton turns down a lot of roles if she doesn't like the morals the show or movie portrays.
Have you watched "Modern Family?" That show makes me laugh out loud. It definitely has a focus on "untraditional" families and perhaps has a more liberal bent since one couple is gay. But part of it is how the extended family deals with the gay partner and the dad is played by Ed O'Neil (Al Bundy) which is very funny.
I have seen the Middle and liked it. I hope the show has a chance to grow. I can also say I have seen Modern Famly and think this show is a winner already. The writing is much better but the camera work can be a bit jarring. Both shows deal with the reality of Family life in modern times. The Middle takes a more traditional Sitcom approach while Modern Family tries to cross somewhere between sitcom, documentary, and reality show. I hope both survive a while so that we can all see where they go.
Being a 48 year old mother of 4 I can so relate to this show. I laughed until I cried during the first episode. From Frankie telling her teenage son Axel she can't hear him unless he has pants on to driver's license photo, I couldn't stop laughing!
Last weeks episode with Frankie completely losing it and not being the mother who can do it all really hit home too. Please ABC keep this show going, a true sitcom that many families can relate to and can watch and laugh together.
I avoid anything with Patricia Heaton in it. I find her to be shrill and irritating, and just generally unlikeable. This could be the greatest show ever to air on television, and it wouldn't matter. I can't stomach her enough to sit through an entire episode of anything she's in.
I believe the show has actually been picked up for the full season. Hank hasn't been so lucky.
I tried watching "Hank," being a huge fan of Kelsey Grammer. The writing was incredibly poor, however. Not gut-wrenching bad, simply boring. The jokes about him never having done anything for himself wear pretty thin, especially since his character supposedly worked his way up from nothing, and should therefore have a wealth of practical experience. Grammer does not look comfortable in the role. And Jordan Hinson, absolutely brilliant on Eureka, is wasted in this role. I slogged through the pilot, but 5 minutes into the 2nd episode I just gave up.
I'll have to give "The Middle" a try, though.
Happened to catch this show (by accident) and I can honestly say it is, by far, vastly superior to the two dreary new sitcoms that sandwich it.
Heaton is fantastic as is the all the cast. There is a quirky pathos that runs through each episode that gradually melts into a wonderful mixture of love, joy and sweetness that is both refreshing and thoroughly enjoyable.
I urge everyone to tune in and promote the show.
Just wanted to second this! Of course, Mr. Karnick is already the best blogger here for posting TV reviews, but I hope to see even more from him and see some others follow his lead.
I must have been watching a different show. Couldn't stand it.
i watched the show and laughed my head off…
After reading all these comments maybe I missed something, but I agree with Huckabee. I did not really like it. I'm not sure why exactly, but it did not thrill me. I guess I can try and watch it again and see if I missed something the first time.
I cannot tell you how much I loved this show. I actually thought I would like the Hank show better, but the casting of these parents is perfection. The storyline is just something I live daily, praying over a dryer only to have it die and the hot water heater die two weeks later. When you money for neither, it is a very funny realistic view of the life most of us live!
Loved both the pilot and the second episode. Love the actor who plays her husband, as well!
Kelsey Grammer should just go back to playing Frasier Crane…. I know actors loathe being typecast but that character was so good that an exception could be made.
Personally, I hate the laugh track. People cracking up laughing at every little thing. KILL THE LAUGH TRACK. I am willing to give it a shot, though, because I love Kelsey Grammer.
I thought I'd love it since I'm a mother of 4 – most of my mothering years spent in the Midwest, but I didn't. I wanted to like it, but thought it was boring and forced myself to watch the entire pilot. I'll stick with Modern Family
Finally got a chance to catch this show. It's not bad.
It should be noted that The Middle is available for viewing on HULU.
http://www.hulu.com/the-middle
Count my family in as fans of "The Middle". How many times have my husband and I said the exact same things that the mom and dad say in this show? Lots of laughs. Good gentle humor with a strong bond of affection holding the parents together as they navigate life with three quirky kids. Hmmmm….this really IS my family!
Not entertaining to watch people have messes. (Not to say I don't have 'em myself-I just don't think its that funny or entertaining to watch for relaxation in my spare time.)
That part of the first episode about the jellybeans was not written by a mom. What non-stoned mom wouldn't have realized not to do it OUTSIDE where it's WARM???
Great episode though. Lots of laughs!
Sarah Nichole, just so I know where you are coming from, would you consider yourself more liberal or conservative?
I have a feeling I know, but I don't want to jump to any conclusions.
It was actually written by two moms.
I have not seen the show but reading the review above it seemed obvious to me the family did not include a father. Shame on you for not detailing the father in your review. Rather pathetic.
Then what the hell? I'm a lazy 20 something with no kids and I saw that one coming five miles away. Still a cute show. Might watch it again. Didn't expect the way the new dryer arrived.
Love her and her political views, but God, this was about the most unfunny POS I've ever seen! And that kid- "Brick" was it? , would make me want to abort him, even at his age especially! !!!
I understand your being reluctant to watch The Middle because of Patricia Heaton. In her last 2 series, she played an often angry character. In this series, she is a more mild-mannered wife and mother, struggling, with the low-key good-humored support of her husband, not to be overwhelmed by her over-scheduled life. You should give it a try.
I have to disagree with Mr. Karnick's review of "The Middle." I found the show to be painfully unfunny with uninteresting and unappealing characters. I guess they were going for "quirky," but it was just weird. Coupled with "Hank" and the rest of the crapfest that passes for "Comedy Night," it's a good night to miss all of Wednesday night on ABC. I doubt that any of these shows will remain on the air for more than two seasons (if that). Oh, and Modern Family's obligatory gay couple to show they're normal? Um, no they're NOT.
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