Welcome to a new Sitcom Tuesday! This week, I’m continuing 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.
Season Three is the best year of The Middle. All the characters are (generally) well-defined and contributing regularly to weekly stories. And this is when the cast most feels like an ensemble, with the children carrying as much narrative weight as the adults. That is, the kids have clear personalities — at least, relative to each other (i.e., Axl is not ever super distinct, but he’s juxtaposable). So, they indeed deliver situation comedy like the actual characters this low-concept family show needs them to be. Sue, in particular, has many of her best showings in Three, as her character has become a vital part of the situation. What’s more, the premised notion of “the middle” — the Hecks’ existence as a middle-class, middle-west, middle or “average” family — is now so ingrained in both their collective depictions and the show’s ethos at large that it’s fundamentally implied in most episodes. And without the need for anything high concept or more explicit to hammer it home, I consider this implicit projection of self a huge testament to the show’s character work, which, again, is at its peak. Eventually, the kids will overtake the adults a little too much in weekly plots, thereby disrupting the balance. And in ideas that are not only less fresh, but also less specific to their characterizations and the show as a whole — as college increasingly comes to the fore, separating the ensemble, while more and more stories devolve into trite rom-com hokum, robbing the kids of their individualism. But we’re not there yet. In fact, although Four will start to see the kids and the adults more often apart as teenage rom-com maneuvers become a bit more pronounced, the show is basically solid for the next few years, with this being the most exciting. That’s right; this is the best version of The Middle, with the best, most comprehensive and reliable use of its elements on a weekly basis.
01) Episode 51: “Hecking Order” (Aired: 09/28/11)
Axl gives Sue bad advice as retaliation for embarrassing him.
Written by Roy Brown | Directed by Elliot Hegarty
Instead of opening with the typical “back to school” premiere, Season Three starts with an inflated flashback two-parter that boasts a stunty cameo by Ray Romano. It’s not terrible, but it’s not what we want from The Middle. Fortunately, things are back on track in the year’s third entry, which deals with Sue starting high school — at the same campus as Axl. That’s a great setup to explore just how generally embarrassing you can imagine she would be to him. And one of the main reasons Seasons Three, and even Four, are so good is because they’re the only two where both of these characters are living in the same house while going to the same school. As such, this is a strong half hour for both, but all the other characters are used well also — including Frankie, who’s chagrined to find that her kids think Mike generally has more control of what happens in the house than she does. That’s a fun family dynamic to examine.
02) Episode 52: “Major Changes” (Aired: 10/05/11)
Frankie gets fed up with the kids and goes home to her mother.
Written by DeAnn Heline & Eileen Heisler | Directed by Lee Shallat Chemel
Patricia Heaton’s best sample in Season Three, “Major Changes” is a throwback to an earlier version of The Middle that more prominently regarded its leading lady’s Frankie Heck as the central character, both structurally and in terms of narrative focus. However, signs of Three’s peak-era evolution come through in the elevated comedic quality of this material, along with the individual agency given to each of the three kids, even when they’re operating as a collective nuisance. Most notably, this is also the episode where Frankie accidentally eats Axl’s toenails and has a (justifiable) combustion — a memorable centerpiece that takes her home to her mother (Marsha Mason), forcing Mike to go and get her. It’s always fun to see Frankie especially frazzled — it highlights her hard-working nature and the series’ overarching middle-class ambassadorship, where stresses are badges that imply underdog-like relatability.
03) Episode 55: “Halloween II” (Aired: 10/26/11)
Frankie goes trick or treating with Brick’s social skills group.
Written by David S. Rosenthal | Directed by Elliot Hegarty
Season Three’s contribution to The Middle’s popular Halloween subcategory is the show’s best yet, with several ideas that spotlight the individual characters. In particular, there’s some amusing and well-earned sentiment in the subplot about Sue forsaking a silly costume — dressing like her peers for a change — which then impresses upon Mike just how much his daughter is growing up. Meanwhile, Frankie goes trick-or-treating with Brick and his social-skills classmates — a natural setup for comedy that this outing handles well, without veering into unmotivated extremes when Frankie teaches the kids how to stand up for themselves. Also, the Axl story — which includes his small posse of Sean and Darrin, two recurring players who will each become more prominent later as they become potential love interests for his sister Sue — provides them all a welcome affability, rounding out this solid entry with personalized laughs.
04) Episode 58: “Thanksgiving III” (Aired: 11/23/11)
The Hecks spend Thanksgiving with Frankie’s parents and sister.
Written by Tim Hobert | Directed by Elliot Hegarty
A candidate for the series’ best Thanksgiving, this season’s contribution notably takes the Hecks over to Frankie’s parents’ for the holiday. Marsha Mason and Jerry Van Dyke once again appear, while Molly Shannon is introduced as Frankie’s disingenuous and somewhat uppity sister Janet. She adds to our understanding of the centralized Frankie, so Janet’s very inclusion is illuminating. Additionally, Molly Shannon is quite funny — dare I say one of the funniest recurring players in The Middle’s extended universe. And though her characterization is broad — inviting a physical centerpiece that’s a bit bigger than the kind of familial holiday conflicts heretofore seen on this series — it’s incredibly memorable. And it’s hilarious, motivated by the obvious differences between the sisters, which are well-established. From there, the climactic set piece helps make the half hour stand out, offering the type of comedic boldness that, frankly, I wish The Middle more often engaged. So, I personally think this is a special addition to the series’ catalogue — it stands out amusingly, expanding our view of the family in the process.
05) Episode 60: “Year Of The Hecks” (Aired: 01/04/12)
The Hecks decide to give each other New Year’s Resolutions.
Written by David S. Rosenthal | Directed by Elliot Hegarty
The Middle, like many family sitcoms, really uses holidays to its advantage, benefiting from these inherent thematic trappings as an extra foundation to help tie together story threads. That’s certainly true here in the show’s first New Year’s segment, which presents a twist on the familiar “resolutions” logline by having the regulars pick goals for each other. That’s how we get them actually doing things that address their core flaws or weaknesses. For Frankie, who is always so harried with her duties as a worker, wife, and mom, this means devoting extra time to spend with Brick, whom she fears has been particularly neglected as of late. For Mike, this simply means smiling more — a notion that plays to his typical lack of emotionalism. And Sue has one of the best — she has to learn to call it quits if she doesn’t make a team. That goes against her typically plucky self-delusion, turning this into a very funny idea, and again, the kind of thing that only works with a character who’s been defined like she has. One of my favorites.
06) Episode 61: “The Map” (Aired: 01/11/12)
Frankie tries to celebrate life more while Sue discovers that a boy likes her.
Written by DeAnn Heline & Eileen Heisler | Directed by Lee Shallat Chemel
There’s a series-defining tonality in this installment — a warm, feel-good appreciation of life, and family, and the values expressed by The Middle in reflection of the type of people it’s consciously choosing to represent. The plot is ostensibly sparked by the passing of one of Frankie’s elderly aunts — and then becomes about appreciating small moments (an Our Town-like notion). But I’d be lying if I pretended that the appeal of this excursion didn’t stem almost entirely from the victory that comes to Sue Heck when she not only discovers that a boy likes her, but that he’s willing to show her in a grand gesture at school — delivering a specific cheer dedicated all to her, backed by the entire boy’s ensemble. It’s a winning moment for a character who, up to this point, has not had many triumphs. Eventually, she’ll get more wins than losses, which will be to the show’s comedic and narrative detriment, but here, this reversal of the norm still has much novelty, making this a joyful victory for the show’s finest character.
07) Episode 63: “Valentine’s Day III” (Aired: 02/08/12)
Sue discovers French kissing while Frankie tries to get Mike to be more romantic.
Written by Jana Hunter & Mitch Hunter | Directed by Lee Shallat Chemel
This year’s Valentine’s Day offering also delights by treating Sue Heck to exciting experiences heretofore new to her character. In this case, it’s French kissing her new boyfriend — an amusing notion that naturally displays her well-established depiction in all its glory. It’s memorable for that alone. However, I also appreciate the Frankie/Mike subplot, which is one of several conflicts in Three hinged on his central comedic trait — that is, his difficulty in expressing vulnerability via emotion. This upsets Frankie when she goes out on Valentine’s Day with their couple friends and Mike is the only one not to spring for a rose to give his wife — a small trinket that symbolizes so much more, including his particular depiction. So, again, this is a good character showing from a period in The Middle’s life where it’s most equipped for success.
08) Episode 65: “The Sit Down” (Aired: 02/22/12)
The kids attempt to prove that they deserve greater freedom by being more responsible.
Written by Tim Hobert | Directed by Lee Shallat Chemel
My choice for this season’s Most Valuable Episode (MVE), “The Sit Down” is a cousin to my favorite from last week’s list. That was “Taking Back The House,” which examined the well-entrenched dynamic between the Heck adults and their three kids by temporarily playing against it — setting up a brief status quo that reinforced the situation by exploring it in reverse. This year’s most memorable sample does the same thing, and with a similar idea at its core, only this time it comes from the kids. Meaning, last week Frankie and Mike decided to temporarily not prioritize the kids over themselves, thereby loosening the reigns and letting them figure it all out with less parental help. That was perfect for Season Two, which was so much about Frankie and Mike intervening on behalf of their children (even when they shouldn’t). In Three’s update, it’s the youngins who seek their own additional freedom by attempting to prove their enhanced responsibility. At first, this uneases Frankie and Mike (as expected), until they start to enjoy their alone time… all before, of course, their children need them and they must come running back — once again reiterating their closeness and the durability of their established interpersonal bonds. Only, now, in a way that’s even more tailored to the particulars of Season Three, where the kids actually do have added responsibilities, as they’re carrying more of the weekly narrative load — a meta-theatrical corroboration of their ongoing maturation. Thus, as an encapsulation of the year, I can think of no better “part” that’s as indicative of the whole.
09) Episode 66: “Leap Year” (Aired: 02/29/12)
Sue waits for a surprise party while Frankie tries to get Mike to open up after his cat’s death.
Written by David S. Rosenthal | Directed by Alex Hardcastle
The Leap Day holiday provides a cutely distinguishing but narratively peripheral backdrop to this outing that nevertheless smartly uses it in support of the notion that Sue, as a Leap Year baby, seldom has a birthday proper. That’s why she spends the whole half hour delusionally expecting a surprise party that’s obviously not coming… until, true to her lovable get-back-up-again spirit, she accepts her family’s clear makeshift plans as if they were the greatest thing ever. It’s another sublime display of her character. Also, there’s a fine subplot for Brick, whose social-skills class comes to the fore when a girl on whom he has a crush is added. And Frankie and Mike have a story that once again highlights his difficulty expressing feelings — a recurring problem sparked here by Frankie’s insistence that he be able to openly grieve the passing of a cat. (Incidentally, it’s the reverse of a first-season Cheers entry, which I mention because it was also a terrific exploration of well-defined characters and their fundamental differences.)
10) Episode 69: “The Guidance Counselor” (Aired: 05/02/12)
Sue forms a bond with her similarly weird guidance counselor.
Written by Jana Hunter & Mitch Hunter | Directed by Lee Shallat Chemel
Whoopi Goldberg makes a notable guest appearance as a quirky guidance counselor in this quintessential Sue Heck episode, bonding with the freshman weirdo because they share similar personalities and interests. It’s a fun match because they seem so different on the surface but are very much alike underneath, with Sue’s characterization accentuated throughout and as a matter of conceptual foundation. As such, this is another sublime sample for Sue, the show’s funniest character, in a season that’s filled with many of her top-tier showings. Additionally, I enjoy the Frankie and Mike subplot, which adds easy laughs as they go through the process of getting and then assembling their new bed. The writing gets a little gimmicky, but not in a way that breaches the show’s ethos. No, The Middle is always pretty true to itself, especially at its peak.
Other notable episodes that merit mention include: “The Play,” a stellar installment for plucky loser Sue that I wish I could have found room for above, along with “Bad Choices,” which plays with some key premised notions about the middle-class family and their relatable struggles (and has an amusing Axl story), and “The Concert,” which has two well-paired subplots about Frankie doing her best to help Sue, and Mike doing his best to help Brick. I’ll also take this space to cite “The Test,” where each of the kids’ characterizations are on display in their subplots, “Heck’s Best Thing,” a solid ensemble entry where Frankie tries to improve the household status quo, and “The Paper Route,” which memorably guests Ed Asner and is unforgettable because of the recurring image of Sue Heck in full-on headgear.
*** The MVE Award for the Best Episode from Season Three of The Middle goes to…
“The Sit Down”
Come back next week for Season Four! And stay tuned tomorrow for a new Wildcard!