The Middle - US [**Spoilers**]

Richard Dower

Season 3 opener now out, i gave up after watching all of season 1...it's not a bad show just not exactly my taste.

Richard Dower

Sold into syndication: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/syndication-community-comedy-central-the-middle-hallmark-300123

The Hallmark pickup comes less than two weeks after ABC Family picked up rights to the Warner Bros. Television comedy with plans to begin airing syndicated episodes in the fall of 2013.

Richard Dower

Season 4 kicks off tonight.

I really don't know why I keep watching this show. The laughs are thin on the ground and it does nothing a dozen others didn't but there's a sweetness to it that's hard not to embrace. Its trite, cliched, wholesome and unoriginal as hell but you it's sweetness does win you over.

Basq

Gave up early in season 3.

Just too formulaic.

Dozen Wicked Words

My daughter is the younger, Irish version of Sue Heck, so I feel I have to keep watching to plan ahead.

squonk

Ah I like it too. The thing with it is that it's like an old, comfy sweater now that I like to put on at times. It's sweet and I genuinely love the family. They're normal, a little eccentric at times and have moments when they're not the brightest bunch but in the end they're a great family, like all our families really I guess.

It's not laugh out loud funny, more quiet chuckle funny but I like that.

Also Starring LeVar Burton

I did have a few laugh out loud moments during that season opener - when Sue broke the swing and Axel spilled the milk on himself... I know that's slapstick, but it still works...
I agree there's far better comedies, but I do find The Middle endearing and I don't think I'd give up on it anytime soon. Also, who doesn't love Neil Flynn?

Jellybaby1

I loved the series from the start. I still enjoy watching the re-runs. Its reminiscent of Malcolm in the Middle. Series 8 has had a couple of duds though. Every character is quirky and they are all main characters in their own right. What I don't understand is that the media and TV guides all describe it as a 'middle class family'. From what I see, they are a lot less than middle class even though the dad is a manager at a quarry. If the manager can't pay his bills I don't know how his staff survive! Or does middle class mean something entirely different in the US? I always thought 'The Middle' referred to Sue who is the middle child and/or the fact that they live in 'Middle America', which Frankie often refers to in her introductions i.e. 'out here in the middle'. I'm not worried about any of the characters except Axl, life is gonna kick him in the teeth if he doesn't get some sense.

lertsnim

The youngest child always repeating himself was enough for me. I always thought if that was considered comedy then the writers will be awful.

Lorelli!

Maybe like the struggling middle? Yea it is very like Malcolm in the Middle too with very likeable characters.

I love Sue

ThisRegard

The middle is for middle America as far as I know.

pickarooney

lertsnim wrote: »

The youngest child always repeating himself was enough for me. I always thought if that was considered comedy then the writers will be awful.

Yeah, I couldn't get past the first episode. It's apparently very good but..

squonk

Yup, Middle for middle America. Good question OP. I wouldn't describe the Hecks as middle class. Lower-Middle really. I'm wondering if it's just a thing that, as two parents with unskilled jobs in a backwater part of the US, they wouldn't be rolling in the cash, and that might make them middle class. Live the show though.

_Whimsical_

They're definitely working class I would say. They go to pains to illustrate it, how long is their sink broken now? They still manage to send two kids to college which isn't very typical of working class families in the US.

It's a nice series, not very funny, I wouldn't compare it to Malcom in the Middle at alll other than the name. Innocence and middle America family values always seem to be at the core. I think it's intended to fill a niche for people who want a family show not hurling progressive values and politically correct life lessons at them.

Jellybaby1

I've no idea who the series is targeting but it makes me laugh, though I know its not everyone's taste. It has a lot of family values in it which has been discarded by a lot of more recent shows. When it ends I wonder if they will make a spin off with Brick? Just an idea.

Guy:Incognito

_Whimsical_ wrote: »

They're definitely working class I would say. They go to pains to illustrate it, how long is their sink broken now? They still manage to send two kids to college which isn't very typical of working class families in the US.

It's a nice series, not very funny, I wouldn't compare it to Malcom in the Middle at alll other than the name. Innocence and middle America family values always seem to be at the core. I think it's intended to fill a niche for people who want a family show not hurling progressive values and politically correct life lessons at them.

Did axl not go on a football scholarship? Think sue might have a full or partial scholarship too or else when Mike sold his business it covered the whole cost of hers.

LLMMLL

I think it's one of the best comedies out there. I used to see it out of the corner of my eye when someone else was watching it and think it was a lame lazy family values American sitcom. But it really couldn't be further from that. I think it pretty uniquely captures the comedy of a.famiky that are trying but mostly failing and is superior to Malcolm in the middle (which it's always compared to) and it's aged far better than modern family which started at the same time and got all the awards love.

squonk

Yup. It's one of those shows fir me that I don't laugh out loud at but I do find funny. The bigger draw is the family values Angie and all the main characters are slightly annoying at times, but mainly lovable. It shouldn't be my kind of show but I liked it from the get go and I'm still watching all these years later. I like that it pushes no particular agenda and isn't falling over itself to make a statement or be 'cool'. There are plenty of shows I doing those things and I like they some of these agendas are pushed but there's always a time when you just want to sit down and watch something easy and fun, that's The Middle.

Jellybaby1

squonk wrote: »

Yup. It's one of those shows fir me that I don't laugh out loud at but I do find funny. The bigger draw is the family values Angie and all the main characters are slightly annoying at times, but mainly lovable. It shouldn't be my kind of show but I liked it from the get go and I'm still watching all these years later. I like that it pushes no particular agenda and isn't falling over itself to make a statement or be 'cool'. There are plenty of shows I doing those things and I like they some of these agendas are pushed but there's always a time when you just want to sit down and watch something easy and fun, that's The Middle.

Yep, me too. Maybe I shouldn't mention this but heck, (no pun intended) what age group are you here that watch it? I'll fess up first, I'm 60-something!

_Whimsical_

squonk wrote: »

Yup. It's one of those shows fir me that I don't laugh out loud at but I do find funny. The bigger draw is the family values Angie and all the main characters are slightly annoying at times, but mainly lovable. It shouldn't be my kind of show but I liked it from the get go and I'm still watching all these years later. I like that it pushes no particular agenda and isn't falling over itself to make a statement or be 'cool'. There are plenty of shows I doing those things and I like they some of these agendas are pushed but there's always a time when you just want to sit down and watch something easy and fun, that's The Middle.

Yup I like that about too, no agenda thrust down your throat, it feels like something I'd have watched as a child and while I never find it laugh out loud funny I do find it weirdly comforting in its relative banality and in that they're all good people. I think they do life lessons nice and subtly too, like the dad opening up to Sue about how he didn't really slow emotion to family as a kid so still doesn't. It tends to be very relatable, not many magic happy ending moments, just more ordinary ones.

Lorelli!

I like how it's narrated by the mother, Frankie. I dont recall a show of that type doing that before so it's a bit different. Shes sort of a mess but very sweet and endearing.

737max

On the whole it is a nice good warm-hearted show but I still find it hard to forgive it for the 25 minute VW advertorial a few years ago or the 25 minute iPad advertorial after that especially as they were supposed to be a poor family who couldn't afford anything new.

Jellybaby1

Yes, we often wonder if a family is so skint, how can they afford a ride-on lawnmower!!

corks finest

LLMMLL wrote: »

I think it's one of the best comedies out there. I used to see it out of the corner of my eye when someone else was watching it and think it was a lame lazy family values American sitcom. But it really couldn't be further from that. I think it pretty uniquely captures the comedy of a.famiky that are trying but mostly failing and is superior to Malcolm in the middle (which it's always compared to) and it's aged far better than modern family which started at the same time and got all the awards love.

Agree, great family comedy.

squonk

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

Yep, me too. Maybe I shouldn't mention this but heck, (no pun intended) what age group are you here that watch it? I'll fess up first, I'm 60-something!

I'm 40 something. Started watching mid 30s though, from the premiere.

rubadub

LLMMLL wrote: »

is superior to Malcolm in the middle (which it's always compared to)

I prefer malcolm, but I see them as being quite different. At the start I thought it was going to be a ripoff, and wondered how on earth the name got approval with the premise being similar sounding.

But Malcolm is often very surreal & bizarre, its more like a real life version of the simpsons. There are odd bits I could not picture happening in the middle like Hal doing his speedwalking, or discovering a bomb shelter under their house, making Lois fat. Not sure if middle has ever had any standout episodes like Malcolms "if boys were girls" or "the bowling alley"

I like the middle, watch it when its on, i.e. I never tune in to it, just see it while flicking about (same with the goldbergs). I have only seen a small % of episodes but can honestly not even think of one offhand -and don't think I would watch any twice

While I would gladly rewatch particular Malcolm or simpsons episodes.

_Whimsical_

rubadub wrote: »

I prefer malcolm, but I see them as being quite different. At the start I thought it was going to be a ripoff, and wondered how on earth the name got approval being with the name being similar sounding.

But Malcolm is often very surreal & bizarre, its more like a real life version of the simpsons. There are odd bits I could not picture happening in the middle like Hal doing his speedwalking, or discovering a bomb shelter under their house, making Lois fat. Not sure if middle has ever had any standout episodes like Malcolms "if boys were girls" or "the bowling alley"

I like the middle, watch it when its on, i.e. I never tune in to it, just see it while flicking about (same with the goldbergs). I have only seen a small % of episodes but can honestly not even think of one offhand -and don't think I would watch any twice

While I would gladly rewatch particular Malcolm or simpsons episodes.

I agree, while it's pleasant viewing it's not particularly clever or captivating, that said there are not many sitcoms that are anymore.
Malcom in the Middle was very original and laugh out loud funny at times. I don't see the comparison at all with The Middle.

Lorelli!

_Whimsical_ wrote: »

I agree, while it's pleasant viewing it's not particularly clever or captivating, that said there are not many sitcoms that are anymore.
Malcom in the Middle was very original and laugh out loud funny at times. I don't see the comparison at all with The Middle.

I like both shows and think they are unique from one another but i can see the comparison. I agree the characters in Malcolm in the Middle are more eccentric but the families are very similar and facing similar obstacles.

Frankie is much more gentle than Lois but both are mother's trying to keep things together. Hal is more out there than Mike but both seem to take very supportive roles in the relationship with their wives and though Mike's character is more subtle, they are quite likeable for similar reasons.

Axl is a bit like a mix between Reece and Francis. And there are similarities between Dewey and Brick both the youngest and a bit odd.

Both shows are also narrated from the perspective of one family member and the look and setting of the show and even their homes are very alike too.

Jellybaby1

I doubt very much if we will ever see Mike dressed in lycra and doing a flamboyant roller skating routine a la Hal. I actually know someone just like Mike! I don't know anyone like Hal.