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.
The middle season of The Middle is actually its middle. It’s not as good as the prior four, but it’s better than the four ahead. Well, I suppose one could perhaps prefer this more confident collection to the tonally evolving first. But the less full and constant presentation of the series’ situation in Five is difficult for me to favor. That is, Axl goes off to college. And though he’s only 40 minutes away, and the premiere makes it known that he’ll still be around the house with frequency, the fact remains that the primary ensemble — the family — is more often separated. This is borne out in the scripting, as the kids now tend to exist inside their own stories, while the adults are either supporting players or on the periphery in much less relevant subplots. We started to see this in Four (relative to the peak of Three), but it wasn’t bad. Frankly, it’s not bad here either. This ongoing, unideal shift is just made more noticeable as a result of Axl’s move. Meaning, entries where the entire cast is together are now more likely to be valuable, for they’re no longer ubiquitous. This creates a more rigidly tiered system in terms of episodic quality. Additionally, there are more by-the-book rom-com maneuvers in Five that dilute the kids’ characterizations, as both Sue and Axl circle the proverbial block with their prior love interests (Darrin and Cassidy) but are now minus the character-based tensions that first made those pairings so initially interesting. Instead of ideas that emphasize their personalities, the beats are formulaic — plot for the sake of plot. And it’s particularly less enjoyable with Sue, the series’ best character and tonal ambassador, heretofore defined as the plucky loser… who’s now starting to win… a lot. What does that mean for her character? She’s less comedically and narratively effective, as humor is traded for warmth. Oh, okay, I shouldn’t be carping about that now. Again, she’s still fine and this is not yet a major problem. Not until next year at least — when The Middle undergoes its first real drop in quality. In the meantime, this is a respectable performance for a fifth season. And I reiterate, below is a solid list — representing the year in a favorable light, ignoring the lower-tier samples that reveal where the show is trending.
01) Episode 97: “The Drop Off” (Aired: 09/25/13)
The Heck family hits the road to drop Axl off at college.
Written by DeAnn Heline & Eileen Heisler | Directed by Lee Shallat Chemel
Because of what Axl going away to school means for both the situation and the weekly storytelling, this year’s premiere is conscious to insist that he’ll still be around, but we should also regard the occasions where the entire family is together as nevertheless special. That last point is the core appeal of this half hour, which mostly takes place on the stressful ride to Axl’s college… which is only 40 minutes away. But with arguing and side quests, it takes a lot longer — and there’s therefore a lot more interaction with the Hecks alone. That’s a winning setup, for we want to see the primary elements of the series’ situation used together in tandem. And this story is ideal for that, tracking the relatable journey of ushering the firstborn off to college. It’s emotional but not maudlin, and funny without being ridiculous. In short, it’s a terrific sample of The Middle and its ethos — an optimism-inducing opener to this transitional season.
02) Episode 100: “The 100th” (Aired: 10/23/13)
The Heck family participates in their town’s 100th anniversary celebration.
Written by David S. Rosenthal | Directed by Blake T. Evans
The Middle winks about its own 100th episode by celebrating the 100th anniversary of the family’s fictional Indiana town. That’s a smart way to guarantee some premise-rooted sitcommery, inherently reminding us of the middle-class, middle-west, flyover locale in which these fun, relatable characters live. And indeed, even though the parade devolves into chaos with a cow that catches on fire — a heightened sitcom centerpiece — it’s really a showcase for the series’ world, along with the regulars inside it. In particular, there are solid, character-revealing stories for each of the kids. The best of which is Sue’s — as she tries to use her bestie Brad to make her ex, Darrin, jealous. A sexy rendition of “Summer Lovin'” from Grease doesn’t quite do the trick, but it’s hilarious, and a sublime display of her characterization — including the strained self-awareness that helps Sue Heck be such a lovable underdog.
03) Episode 103: “Thanksgiving V” (Aired: 11/20/13)
Several family members are forced to make difficult revelations at Thanksgiving.
Written by David S. Rosenthal | Directed by Lee Shallat Chemel
Season Five’s Thanksgiving entry tries to present a version of the Hecks that’s perhaps a little more dysfunctional than usual. That is, the story is about several family members keeping secrets that inevitably explode on the holiday — like gambling losses that Frankie’s dad (Jerry Van Dyke) has kept from her mom (Marsha Mason), Axl’s bad performance in his first semester at school, and ultimately, Frankie’s embarrassing public display at a pre-Thanksgiving sale. It all comes out at the holiday, and this build-up structure — establishing expectations and then delivering catharsis — is naturally climactic and comedically clever, making for ideal ensemble sitcommery. It’s maybe a bit more manic than the family’s norm, but as the show is aging, it’s also getting more willing to indulge bigger centerpieces; there are a handful of offerings in this middle era predicated on exaggerated discord. At least this one has the holiday trappings to contextualize the tension as familiar and therefore relatable, just as The Middle intends.
04) Episode 105: “The Christmas Tree” (Aired: 12/11/13)
Frankie and Axl argue about his schedule over the holidays.
Written by Tim Hobert | Directed by Lee Shallat Chemel
Despite my commentary above on how Axl going to college negatively affects the state of the show overall, I do appreciate Season Five’s commitment to playing up the characters’ adjustment within its weekly stories. Not only does this allow the year to explore these characters in fresh ways according to their new status quo, but it’s also a chance to see some more relatable conflicts that so many “average” families face when they send a kid off to school. In particular, this Christmas story about Frankie insisting that Axl carve out specific time to spend with the family, when he’d rather be off with his childhood pals, is slice-of-life realness. And it’s thus an ideal idea for The Middle based on its premised identity. As for comedy, the whole idea of Sue developing an allergy to Christmas trees is a memorable hoot — she’s the unlucky but plucky loser of the bunch, and the show always does well to reinforce that fact.
05) Episode 107: “War Of The Hecks” (Aired: 01/15/14)
Sue seeks revenge on Axl after learning that he stole her mascot head last year.
Written by Robin Shorr | Directed by Lee Shallat Chemel
Admittedly, this installment is uneven. In particular, the story of Frankie bonding with her boss and then giving him the dog she recently discovered is not especially funny — it’s yet another reminder of how this show wastes the comedic possibilities of recurring 30 Rock alum Jack McBrayer. However, the other subplots are much more enjoyable, including Brick’s C-story about reading a biography of Debbie Reynolds. It’s amusingly quirky. Of course, the primary attraction is the feud between Axl and Sue when she learns what he did to her mascot head last year. This sparks a prank war — as you know, this is not a sitcom trope I tend to enjoy (it’s more story-driven than character-driven), but it thankfully develops some legitimate emotional stakes when Sue believes she’s gone too far and then tries to make it up to Axl. The juxtaposition of their two characters helps sell it, earning this entry a spot on my list.
06) Episode 108: “The Carpool” (Aired: 01/22/14)
Frankie participates in the school’s carpool program while Sue wants to spend time with Mike.
Written by Jana Hunter & Mitch Hunter | Directed by Julie Anne Robinson
Frankie is at her most “frazzled working mother” here in this episode that inflicts her hectic, sloppy antics on not just her kids, but on the neighbor kids as well. And with a relatable “carpooling” story that implies the middle-class, middle-west “average” family premise that speaks to the series’ conceptual identity. Okay, is Frankie’s terrible organization and sense of awareness a bit broad here? Yes. But that’s an example of the show’s sense of humor in this era, as it’s loosened in its effort to generate new ideas. And if it feels heightened, it’s nevertheless thematically on point, and not too far off from the kind of Frankie-focused fare we’d find in early Season One. What’s more, it’s well-balanced by a sensitive subplot for Mike and Sue as he realizes that he never voluntarily spends time with her. That’s a reflection of his difficulty in expressing emotion, and thus a great character idea, further exploring their dynamic in a way that emphasizes both of them, and with some trademark Middle heart. (Rachel Dratch guests.)
07) Episode 113: “The Walk” (Aired: 03/26/14)
Sue finds herself with five dates to prom.
Written by David S. Rosenthal | Directed by Lee Shallat Chemel
Everything’s coming up Sue in this installment that sees the underdog triumphant as she somehow manages to score five different dates to her upcoming prom — including her boss, Brad, future husband Sean, and her current beaus: the Glossner boy and, of course, Darrin her ex. Now, as I’ve previously noted, having Sue start to win more often than she loses is a fundamental change in the depiction of the character that indeed renders her less comedically effective. But it is joyful to see her victorious every now and again, especially when it’s still unusual. This particular entry succeeds because it really takes her on a journey — with the high of all these dates, then the low of having none, and finally the high of a reconciliation with Darrin. It’s simply built to make you root for her, and as the show’s best character, it’s hard to exclude an outing like this, crafted entirely around her. (Nicole Sullivan guests.)
08) Episode 118: “Heck On A Hard Body” (Aired: 05/14/14)
Sue competes for a car while Frankie parties with Axl at college.
Written by Jana Hunter & Mitch Hunter | Directed by Blake T. Evans
This offering has three separate subplots, but I find value in each. First, Norm Macdonald is back in his recurring role as Mike’s brother, who shows up to support Brick at a spelling bee and then is caught fixing it. It’s a silly idea, but comical, and one of the funnier uses of his character. Additionally, it’s fun to see Frankie partying with Axl at college — it’s a chance to observe Patricia Heaton doing something different for a change, and the bonding experience is both amusing and satisfying within their emotional arc this year. Lastly, the Sue subplot sets up the end of the season, but it features such a wonderful summation of her character that it’s truly valuable in its own right. In a nutshell, she tells her “hands on a hardbody” competition that she is someone who never, ever gives up, and that’s why she’s going to win, because she’s so used to failure and being uncomfortable that it no longer fazes her. How right she is — and this is one Sue win that I accordingly don’t mind, because it’s due exactly to what makes her special.
09) Episode 119: “Orlando” (Aired: 05/21/14)
The family drives down to Orlando for their Disney trip.
Written by David S. Rosenthal | Directed by Eileen Heisler
My choice for this season’s Most Valuable Episode (MVE), “Orlando” is the first half of what is essentially a two-parter, originally airing in a single hour-long block. And since the second half is literally set on-location at Disney World, that’s the much more notable of the two — the one that naturally stands out more and tends to be more celebrated. And yet, I find Part I to be so much more laudable as situation comedy. And not only because it’s less inherently gimmicky. But mainly because, like the season premiere, it traps the ensemble on a long car ride and therefore depends almost entirely on the interactions between the regulars, the primary elements of this series’ situation, which has seen them much more spread out this year than we’d ordinarily like. So, from design alone, this one is set up to be superior. Fortunately, it’s also got some great ideas. In addition to the relatable stuff — Axl’s grades, Sue’s awful driving (which has some always-appreciated physical comedy) — there’s a comedically heightened set piece where the family stops in North Carolina to visit a girl that Brick has been talking to online. She lives a more rural, lower-class life than the Hecks, and her family is a fun contrast to everything that we would define as being, well, “the middle.” This makes for an implicit way to empathize the series’ conceptual identity via a comedic juxtaposition. And it’s a surprising side moment — the kind of thing that you wouldn’t expect of The Middle, for even in this era where it’s willing to broaden itself for hahas, the pairing of big laughs with true situation-backed smarts is not terribly common. Thus, with all that, plus solid character stuff too, this had to be my MVE.
10) Episode 120: “The Wonderful World Of Hecks” (Aired: 05/21/14)
The Hecks have trouble maximizing their vacation at Disney World.
Written by Tim Hobert | Directed by Lee Shallat Chemel
Season Five’s finale is one big commercial for Disney World, as Disney owns ABC, The Middle’s network. And it’s just as shameless as you’d expect — the kind of on-location stunt that fundamentally exists as an atypical sample of the series. However, if the Hecks are going to travel anywhere, the most average middle-class American place to go is Orlando’s Disney. Which means, it’s not a stretch. What’s more, I think this half hour is a lot funnier and more character-specific than, in particular, Modern Family’s trip to Disneyland. That’s largely because it feels more cohesive — with the family’s gawky, untraveled disorganization (which allows for an amusing mix-up between -land and World) driving all the action, rather than a handful of disconnected subplots (as on Modern Family). As such, I really do enjoy this gimmicky offering. It doesn’t look like it, but it’s a fair representation of the series and its situation, with an extra bit of, well, pixie dust, giving it some sparkle. (Of note: Mindy Cohn guests.)
Other notable episodes that merit mention include: “The Jump,” which I would have liked to feature only for the amusing subplot of Sue making the volleyball team because the coaches are trying to avoid a lawsuit, and “The Smell,” which has a few small, fun, relatable ideas for several characters. I’ll also take this space to cite “Change In The Air,” the back-to-school entry that also deals with Frankie and Mike’s adjustment to Axl’s absence, “Hungry Games,” which is a loud but slightly discordant example of the show treating the Hecks as more dysfunctional than they actually are, and “Office Hours,” where Frankie temporally tries a new parenting technique before giving up, and Mike is overprotective with Sue and her boyfriend. Lastly, I just have to say that I appreciate the amusing subplot in “The Optimist,” where Brick asks Mike to apologize after erroneously confronting a perceived bully.
*** The MVE Award for the Best Episode from Season Five of The Middle goes to…
“Orlando”
Come back next week for Season Six! And stay tuned tomorrow for a new Wildcard!