The Middle (TV series): Difference between revisions
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*'''[[Vicki Lewis]]''' as an ex-girlfriend of Mike and Social Services agent. (episode: "The Stratch") |
*'''[[Vicki Lewis]]''' as an ex-girlfriend of Mike and Social Services agent. (episode: "The Stratch") |
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*'''[[Brooke Shields]]''' as '''Rita Glossner''', a neighbor-nemesis of Frankie Heck. (episode: "The Neighbor")<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2009/11/18/exclusive-brooke-shields-aims-for-the-middle/ |title=Brooke Shields Guest Star on ‘The Middle’ |publisher=Entertainment Weekly|work=EW.com |accessdate=2010-01-17|author=Ausiello, Michael}}</ref> |
*'''[[Brooke Shields]]''' as '''Rita Glossner''', a neighbor-nemesis of Frankie Heck. (episode: "The Neighbor")<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2009/11/18/exclusive-brooke-shields-aims-for-the-middle/ |title=Brooke Shields Guest Star on ‘The Middle’ |publisher=Entertainment Weekly|work=EW.com |accessdate=2010-01-17|author=Ausiello, Michael}}</ref> |
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*'''[[Alexa Vega]]''' as '''Morgan''', Axl's girlfriend. (episode: "The Break Up")<ref>{{cite web|url=http://the-middle-abc.com/alexa-vega-finds-middle/ |title=Alexa Vega Finds The Middle |publisher=The Middle Fansite}}< |
*'''[[Alexa Vega]]''' as '''Morgan''', Axl's girlfriend. (episode: "The Break Up")<ref>{{cite web|url=http://the-middle-abc.com/alexa-vega-finds-middle/ |title=Alexa Vega Finds The Middle |publisher=The Middle Fansite}}</ref> |
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*'''[[Amy Sedaris]]''' as a spy sent to motivate Frankie and her co-workers. |
*'''[[Amy Sedaris]]''' as a spy sent to motivate Frankie and her co-workers. |
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*'''[[Marsha Mason]]''' has been confirmed to guest star in the Mother’s Day episode <ref>{{cite web |url=http://the-middle-abc.com/marsha-mason-guest-star-the-middle |title=Marsha Mason on The Middle |publisher=The Middle Fansite}}</ref> |
*'''[[Marsha Mason]]''' has been confirmed to guest star in the Mother’s Day episode <ref>{{cite web |url=http://the-middle-abc.com/marsha-mason-guest-star-the-middle |title=Marsha Mason on The Middle |publisher=The Middle Fansite}}</ref> |
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Revision as of 02:25, 8 April 2010
| The Middle | |
|---|---|
| File:The Middle.JPG The Middle title screen | |
| Genre | Sitcom |
| Created by | Eileen Heisler DeAnn Heline |
| Starring | Patricia Heaton Neil Flynn Charlie McDermott Eden Sher Atticus Shaffer Chris Kattan |
| Narrated by | Frankie Heck (played by Patricia Heaton) |
| Composer | Joey Newman |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 19 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | DeAnn Heline Eileen Heisler |
| Camera setup | Film; Single-camera |
| Running time | 30 minutes (20–22 min. without commercials) |
| Production companies | Blackie and Blondie Productions Warner Bros. Television |
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC |
| Release | September 30, 2009 – present |
The Middle is an American comedy television series which premiered on ABC on September 30, 2009.[1] The show features Frankie Heck (Patricia Heaton), a middle-class, Midwestern woman married to Mike Heck (Neil Flynn) who reside in a small town in Indiana. They are the parents of three children.[2] Chris Kattan plays Frankie's friend at the car dealership where they work.
The show was picked up for a full season of 22 episodes after airing just two episodes.[3] On January 12, 2010, The Middle was renewed for a second season by ABC.[4]
Overview
Frankie and her husband Mike have lived their whole lives in Orson, a fictitious small town[nb 1] in Indiana. Mike is a manager at a quarry and has a sarcastic streak and a tendency toward brutal honesty. Frankie is so far the least successful salesman at the local car dealership. She may not be a high-powered career woman, but when it comes to her family, she goes to just about any length to hold things together. With kids like hers, she often needs to do so. Axl, her rebellious teenage son, was conceived with Guns N' Roses playing a significant role; Sue, her awkward teenage daughter, struggles to get into something—anything—she tries out for, yet remains encouraged; and Brick is her incredibly smart but lonely seven-year-old son.
Production
The series was originally developed in the 2006–07 development cycle and was to star Ricki Lake.[2]
The pilot was directed by Julie Anne Robinson[1] under a blind directing agreement with ABC studios. On October 8, 2009, the show was picked up for a full season.[3] On January 12, 2010, ABC entertainment President Steve McPherson announced that he was renewing The Middle for a second season.[4][5]
Reception
The show has received mainly positive reviews from critics. It holds a score of 70 on the review aggregator website Metacritic as of October 23, 2009.[6]
The show has been described as "...a dead ringer for 'Malcolm in the Middle' with its realistic, wry take on regular family life."[7]
Cast and characters
- Patricia Heaton as Frankie Heck, a struggling housewife and car saleswoman
- Neil Flynn as Mike Heck, Frankie's husband, known for his blunt honesty and works at the quarry
- Charlie McDermott as Axl Heck, semi-nudist, athletic teenage son of Frankie and Mike. He is sarcastic, lazy and mean to his siblings. However, he has shown flashes of kindness to his family occasionally.
- Eden Sher as Sue Heck, socially awkward teenage middle daughter of Frankie and Mike. She seems to fail at anything she tried out for, but her optimism and determination keeps her trying again and again.
- Atticus Shaffer as Brick Heck, youngest child, an unusual boy who loves to read and loves to whisper to himself. He is very intelligent but seemingly forgetful about his homework.
- Chris Kattan as Bob, Frankie's best friend at work. He is often depicted as a lonely person.
- Brian Doyle-Murray as Don Ehlert, owner of the car dealership where Frankie and Bob work.
Recurring Characters
- Aunt Edie and Aunt Ginny are Frankie's elderly aunts who are heavy smokers. Aunt Edie used to be in Mike's quarry for bookkeeping whereas Aunt Ginny is wheelchair bound. They have a sickly dog named Doris.
- Brad is Sue's flamboyant ex-boyfriend. They dated during Thanksgiving but shortly broke up when Sue found out Brad is a smoker. Frankie and Mike both suspect he is gay, however both Sue and Brad seem oblivious of their suspicions.
- Carly is Sue's best friend. She used to wear glasses and braces, but later took them off and become more popular than Sue. However, their friendship remains strong despite Carly's makeover.
- Nancy Donahue is the Heck's neighbor and president of the booster club. The Donahues are often portrayed as a shining example of a happy family Frankie yearns for.
- Sean Donahue is Axl's friend and teammate in the football team. He is helpful, polite and friendly, who is a total opposite of Axl.
Guest stars
- Vicki Lewis as an ex-girlfriend of Mike and Social Services agent. (episode: "The Stratch")
- Brooke Shields as Rita Glossner, a neighbor-nemesis of Frankie Heck. (episode: "The Neighbor")[8]
- Alexa Vega as Morgan, Axl's girlfriend. (episode: "The Break Up")[9]
- Amy Sedaris as a spy sent to motivate Frankie and her co-workers.
- Marsha Mason has been confirmed to guest star in the Mother’s Day episode [10]
- Betty White has been confirmed to guest star in the the season finale [11]
Episodes
International broadcast
| Country / Region | Network(s) | Aired | Series Premiere |
|---|---|---|---|
 Australia
|
Nine Network | Mondays 8:00pm | |
 South Africa
|
M-Net | Wednesdays 7:00pm | |
 Italy
|
Joi | Sundays, 9.00pm[12] | January 17, 2010 |
Footnotes
- ^ The town Orson may be named after director Orson Welles, whose papers are archived at Indiana University Bloomington's Lilly Library.
References
- ^ a b ""The Middle" Pilot (2009)". IMDb. Archived from the original on January 17, 2010. Retrieved January 17, 2010.
- ^ a b "ABC Puts Patricia Heaton in 'The Middle'". Zap2it. November 19, 2008. Archived from the original on January 17, 2010. Retrieved January 17, 2010.
- ^ a b Abrams, Natalie (October 8, 2009). "ABC Picks Up Cougar Town, Modern Family and The Middle". TVGuide.com. Archived from the original on January 17, 2010. Retrieved January 17, 2010.
- ^ a b Porter, Rick (January 12, 2010). ""Modern Family", "Cougar Town", "The Middle" Picked Up". Zap2It.com. Archived from the original on January 15, 2010. Retrieved January 17, 2010.
- ^ "ABC bringing back 'Modern Family,' 'Cougar Town'". The Hollywood Reporter. January 12, 2010. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ "The Middle". Metacritic. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
- ^ Woo, Kelly (July 13, 2009). "'The Middle' on ABC – New TV Pilot Preview". AOL Television. Archived from the original on January 17, 2010. Retrieved January 17, 2010.
- ^ Ausiello, Michael. "Brooke Shields Guest Star on 'The Middle'". EW.com. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 17, 2010.
- ^ "Alexa Vega Finds The Middle". The Middle Fansite.
- ^ "Marsha Mason on The Middle". The Middle Fansite.
- ^ "Betty White on The Middle". The Middle Fansite.
- ^ "Anticipazioni Febbraio canali Joi e Mya Mediaset Premium". TeleBlog.it (in Italian). Archived from the original on January 17, 2010. Retrieved January 17, 2010.