Patricia Heaton and Co. Offer Smart Sitcom in ‘The Middle’

The 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.  (more…)

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Tags: "The Middle", kelsey grammer, Malcolm in the Middle, patricia heaton
Posted Oct 12th 2009 at 6:44 am in Reviews, Television | 24412242 Commentshttp://bighollywood.breitbart.com/stkarnick/2009/10/12/patricia-heaton-and-co-offer-smart-sitcom-in-the-middle/Patricia+Heaton+and+Co.+Offer+Smart+Sitcom+in+%E2%80%98The+Middle%E2%80%992009-10-12+13%3A44%3A30S.T.+Karnick