Welcome to a new Sitcom Tuesday! This week, I’m concluding my coverage of The Middle (2009-2018, ABC), which is currently available on DVD and streaming!
The Middle stars PATRICIA HEATON as Frankie, NEIL FLYNN as Mike, CHARLIE McDERMOTT as Axl, EDEN SHER as Sue, and ATTICUS SHAFFER as Brick.
The Middle went into its final season knowing that this was the end. This awareness is always a boon, as expectations can then be crafted and played upon in weekly story — with elevated emotional stakes as a result of encroaching finality and implied dramatic relevance. Indeed, Season Nine is a more enjoyable and satisfying collection than the last few. It’s not better by way of character or premise. But the show’s own internal sense of nostalgia is individualized and therefore narratively compensatory. That is, nobody is uniquely motivating fresh ideas anymore related to the attributes that make this show an embodiment of “the middle.” Even the great Sue Heck, who’s still off at college and trapped inside a season-long arc about her romantic maneuvers, is a shell of her former self. Yes, we continue to root for this once-underdog’s happy ending, but everything that happens to her is fairly rote and not truly personalized to the particulars of her once-helpful comic personality. The same is true for everyone else as well… And yet, despite the weakened state of the characters and the show’s diminished ability to use them to corroborate its broader premised trappings, Nine doesn’t disappoint. That’s because this year regularly trots out vital markers of the series’ identity one last time — a parade of “greatest hits” that nevertheless also exists as a carousel of delights special to The Middle. This renders most episodes situationally specific. And that’s enough to consider this year an improvement over its predecessor, and an okay swan song for this generally solid sitcom. Sure, The Middle has never been the sparkliest effort within the genre. But it wasn’t trying to be; it deliberately eschewed pomp and circumstance for consistency and affability. And those are key tenets for the situation comedy as an art form. In fact, I love that this show is proud to be a sitcom. That’s a nice change of pace, particularly within the sitcom-undermining Peak TV era. I still can’t pretend it’s a favorite, but I’m so glad I spotlighted it here. It’s been charming.
01) Episode 194: “Meet The Parents” (Aired: 10/17/17)
Frankie and Mike meet Lexie’s wealthy parents.
Written by Jana Hunter & Mitch Hunter | Directed by Lee Shallat Chemel
As a love interest for Axl, Lexie has been one of the blander ones personality-wise. But, as we learned when she first became Sue’s roommate, her family is significantly better off than the Hecks. And that’s a valuable detail that can spark premise-related conflict, calling attention to the middle-class lifestyle that is vital to this series’ situation. This installment benefits from it directly as Frankie and Mike finally meet Lexie’s parents (played by Lisa Rinna and Gregory Harrison), and Mike, in particular, feels insecure — a notion that, again, plays to a main distinguishing factor about his sitcom family, making this series-specific sitcommery.
02) Episode 195: “Halloween VIII: Orson Murder Mystery” (Aired: 10/24/17)
Brick and Frankie investigate a mystery while Sue is a third wheel with Axl and Lexie.
Written by Rich Dahm | Directed by Phil Traill
Holidays have always been part of The Middle’s seasonal calendar, with Halloween serving as a staple since Season Two. Accordingly, the show’s last entry in this subcategory stands out as the last example of something that it had otherwise routinized. Meaning, it’s inherently a reflection of its identity. As for the stories, what I most appreciate is Sue being a literal “third wheel” with Axl and Lexie — there’s a self-awareness that indicates or perhaps acknowledges evolution away from her original depiction as an awkward, somewhat unknowing loser. So, it’s an interesting idea to explore here in this final season with her — portending possible growth.
03) Episode 198: “Thanksgiving IX” (Aired: 11/14/17)
The family drives to Frankie’s sister’s house for Thanksgiving.
Written by Jana Hunter & Mitch Hunter | Directed by Phil Traill
The Middle’s final Thanksgiving is one of its sweetest, as it knows to keep the family together for as much as possible. They spend much of this half hour on the road to a relative’s house. On the way, the kids are arguing about which one of them should voluntarily agree to be axed from Spudsy’s (where they all currently work) — a setup for conflict that’s not particularly clever or unique but at least is attached to a series-specific detail. And the end, with the family stuck in a traffic jam and eating their Thanksgiving food on the road with the community, is a play to the corny but kind Midwestern idealism that the series has often cultivated in its premise-backed projection of self, warmly honoring people that TV was increasingly ignoring.
04) Episode 200: “The 200th” (Aired: 12/05/17)
The whole town celebrates when it finally makes a statewide list.
Written by Roy Brown | Directed by Lee Shallat Chemel
Just as the series’ 100th episode featured a small-town celebration, its 200th features a similar tribute, as Orson finally makes a list of Indiana’s 200 friendliest places. That’s a funny idea — a small victory and so insular, but therefore perfect as an amusing representation of this location and the series’ premised trappings. In other words, it speaks to the setting and one of the many ways The Middle indeed encapsulates “the middle.” It’s something we don’t see often from the series at this late juncture — at least, not in a fresh story — so it’s innately valuable. Also, there are some appreciated character moments between Axl and Sue as well.
05) Episode 201: “The Christmas Miracle” (Aired: 12/12/17)
Frankie invites the Donahues over on Christmas Eve while Sue bonds with Sean.
Written by Ilana Wernick | Directed by Lee Shallat Chemel
There’s a lot to like about The Middle’s final Christmas, but one thing that’s been generally consistent throughout the years is that they’re often deliberately simple, evading trite shenanigans in favor of more relatable fare that supports a core part of the series’ premised and tonal identity. That’s definitely true here, with a slight but reliable setup for comedy with the Donahues coming over for a Yankee Swap, and a subplot about Axl telling his mom that he’s not interested in religion anymore. That’s a common conflict in church-going families, and the Hecks have been unusual in that their show has defined them as religious. It’s thus another key attribute that helps this series stand out, with related stories ideal for sitcommery. Of course, Sean and Sue also share a kiss in this outing — a big romantic moment that certainly makes for a major stop in their season-long arc. Now, as with the last few weeks, there’s no great MVE pick this year (Most Valuable Episode), but aside from the finale, I think this is the sample that I’ll remember most, and the most fondly as an example of the series. (No, it’s not the show’s best Christmas — as MVE, it’s just a symbol of this year’s quality.)
06) Episode 202: “New Year’s Revelations” (Aired: 01/02/18)
Frankie and Brad try to ensure that Sue and Sean kiss again on New Year’s.
Written by Tim Hobert | Directed by Lee Shallat Chemel
The show’s third and final New Year’s offering is another delight, building from the season’s Christmas entry with regard to Sue and Sean specifically, as Frankie and Brad team up to ensure that the pair has another smooch at midnight. It’s fun to see these two important people in Sue’s life — her mom and her best friend — conspire to help her get something she wants, especially because they’re a naturally unusual pairing. And the whole rom-com arc is elevated by this joyful plotting, which aids us in rooting for Sue and Sean’s inevitable coming together by the finale. As for the rest of the installment, John Cullum is back — another stop on the carousel of finality.
07) Episode 206: “Toasted” (Aired: 02/27/18)
Frankie and Sue celebrate the latter’s 21st birthday while Mike takes Brick to a convention.
Written by A.J. Blum | Directed by Lee Shallat Chemel
Frankie celebrates Sue’s 21st birthday here in this outing. It’s a wonderful excuse for Patricia Heaton and Eden Sher — The Middle’s two funniest regulars — to play drunk, as that’s exactly what happens: Frankie and Sue get schnockered. It’s fun because it’s so unlike them, making this a memorable sample, particularly in terms of laughs. Meanwhile, I also enjoy the subplot, as Mike takes Brick to a Planet Nowhere convention — Mike is the perfect regular to subject to all the nerdy weirdness of this fictional but well-established sci-fi franchise with which Brick is obsessed. And it’s therefore a great display of both their characterizations.
08) Episode 208: “Hecks Vs. Glossners: The Final Battle” (Aired: 03/20/18)
After the Glossners steal Sue’s car, the Hecks and their neighbors mount an attack.
Written by Tim Hobert | Directed by Elliot Hegarty
This is the final showing for the neighborhood menaces known as the Glossners, headed by Brooke Shields as mom Rita. And the stakes are appropriately inflated for this so-called “final battle,” as the Glossners steal Sue’s car, necessitating a targeted campaign against their house. This ends up involving the rest of the neighbors too — including the Donahues — and it’s a big physical centerpiece, much broader than The Middle is used to offering, and with winking allusions to war films that certainly don’t feel at home on this otherwise more traditional, internally focused sitcom. However, the fact that this is the final season gives scripts extra license to play, and since the action is both rooted in the show’s personalized continuity and sufficiently amusing, I’m not going to complain. Rather, it’s a standout half hour here in Nine.
09) Episode 211: “Great Heckspectations” (Aired: 05/01/18)
Brick plans to ask Cindy to go with him to the prom.
Written by Roy Brown | Directed by Lee Shallat Chemel
Brick has his last big episode here, as he attempts a grand gesture when asking his long-time girlfriend, fellow weirdo Cindy, to prom. It’s been amusing to see this socially awkward character navigate relatable interpersonal scenarios like this (although it’s always been a bit incredible that he should have a girlfriend at all), and what I most enjoy about this installment is that it’s appropriately reflective. It knows that Brick has come a long way but smartly uses the return of kids from his old social-skills class to impress the idea that he’s still quirky and atypical in his own right. This is an attempt to reinforce his characterization while also indicating growth, and I appreciate that as a place to leave his character (even if I think he has been diluted as well).
10) Episode 215: “A Heck Of A Ride (II)” (Aired: 05/22/18)
The Hecks hit the road to drop Axl off in Denver.
Written by Eileen Heisler & DeAnn Heline | Directed by Lee Shallat Chemel
The Middle’s finale is a two-part affair that originally aired in an hour-long block. But it fortunately doesn’t play as overinflated as most double-length series-enders are. And even though it features a big development that disrupts the regulars’ status quo and therefore justifies the cessation of the series — Axl’s move to Colorado — the writing minimizes the grandness via a simple storytelling that prioritizes the regulars and their interactions. In fact, Part II — the better of the two halves — sees the five main characters on the road. That’s been a common way to force a focus on their interplay alone, and to see the show rightfully choose that as an intentional emphasis suggests a self-understanding that I can truly commend, especially as a reflection of the situation as a whole. Also, the rom-com stuff with Sue and Sean is predictable and unsurprising, but it works because we care so much about Sue, and it makes for a very feel-good ending — exactly the kind of thing we want from this feel-good show, whose charm existed in these warm, relatable characters about whom we came to care.
Other notable episodes that merit mention include: “Vive La Hecks,” the season premiere that’s sort of clichéd in its central idea, even though it’s got some aspects of the series’ identity inherently reinforced in the process, “Please Don’t Feed The Hecks,” which has a couple of amusing subplots (the best being Frankie’s bartering system with Nancy Donahue), and “The Royal Flush,” the last Mother’s Day excursion where Brick and Sue attempt to win a prize at trivia for Frankie. I’ll also take this space to cite “Thank You For Not Flushing,” for the funny idea of Brick and Cindy getting in trouble for making out too much at school, “Split Decision,” which sets up the finale and has an amusing Brick subplot with lawn chairs, and “A Heck Of A Ride (I),” the literal first half of the two-part finale spotlighted above.
*** The MVE Award for the Best Episode from Season Nine of The Middle goes to…
“The Christmas Miracle”
Come back next week for more sitcom fun! And stay tuned tomorrow for a new Wildcard!