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 Heck, NEIL FLYNN as Mike Heck, CHARLIE McDERMOTT as Axl Heck, EDEN SHER as Sue Heck, and ATTICUS SHAFFER as Brick Heck. With CHRIS KATTAN as Bob.
This is a strong season of The Middle. The show has come to understand its characters well but still has a lot of runway to explore them in fresh ideas, with their enhanced definitions starting to expand the narrative horizons. And for those who prefer the earlier, more Frankie-focused conception of the show that we saw in Season One, Two boasts the second-best version of that Middle, rendering this a potential favorite for anyone who craves lots of Patricia Heaton, and yet also appreciates more accrued character wisdom. We’re no longer going to Frankie’s job very often, but she’s still the center of most stories, existing more squarely in the context of the ensemble as she tries to fight battles for her kids. As for the kids, they continue to be featured more and more, and a clear hierarchy is clarified in terms of who adds the best situation comedy. It goes Sue > Brick > Axl. That stems from their respective individualizations, which tracks the same. However, all three will continue to become more prominent, and in fact, Three in particular offers their strongest usage as a collective. Accordingly, the best of The Middle is mostly still to come — with, yes, a calibrated ethos more in the direction of the kids, thereby away from the adults, but not yet meaningfully to the series’ detriment (as will be the case later). For me, Two is a peak-adjacent-year — the series’ second-best overall, with a handful of classics. On a macro level, I’m still favoring 30 Rock, Parks And Rec, and Community in 2010-2011. But it’s closer now to both Modern Family and The Big Bang Theory. And it’s in better shape than The Office by this point. So, I’m eager to spotlight another solid collection of this solid sitcom — a fine, underrated example of the genre here at the dawn of the ominous 2010s.
01) Episode 25: “Back To School” (Aired: 09/22/10)
Frankie intends to be on top of everything as the new school year begins.
Written by DeAnn Heline & Eileen Heisler | Directed by Wendey Stanzler
Most seasons of The Middle are shaped by the corresponding school year. This structure makes sense — like many moms, Frankie Heck’s schedule revolves entirely around her kids’. And since school provides regular markers of progression, The Middle can use these to its advantage — aligning them with the kids’ personal evolutions as well. However, Two’s smart opener is still more Frankie-focused, as her efforts to get ahead of the year’s forthcoming chaos prove futile. Especially given the messes that are Sue and Brick — the latter of whom has a new teacher played by Doris Roberts. This Everybody Loves Raymond matriarch recurs in Two as a nemesis for Frankie, but while her entire existence is one big wink to these actresses’ shared sitcom history, the series never devolves into tacky meta about the gimmick. Enjoyment isn’t predicated on the link, and this teacher is an earnest obstacle — a personification of the trouble Frankie causes when she’s, like so many moms, overbearingly intrusive with her kids. That’s a recurring theme for this year in particular, making Roberts’ presence perfect for Two, specifically.
02) Episode 26: “Homecoming” (Aired: 09/29/10)
Frankie and Mike are torn when Axl and Sue have sporting events on the same day.
Written by Rob Ulin | Directed by Ken Whittingham
As discussed, Sue Heck is this series’ breakout character because she’s the ensemble’s best embodiment of what The Middle represents conceptually — the plucky, oft-overlooked underdog. The show is right in its element when it derives comic story from her — how she constantly fails and yet refuses to give up, an admirable quality that ultimately renders her lovable. And she accordingly allows for personalized situation comedy — like here, when Frankie agrees to accompany Sue to her event with the “no-cut” track team on the same night as Axl’s big Homecoming football game. Frankie would naturally prefer to celebrate her son, the better athlete, but somebody’s got to be there with Sue, whose terrible performance at the track meet guarantees a late arrival to the game. That’s a relatable conflict earned by the very funny Sue character — the kind of thing tailored for her and The Middle.
03) Episode 27: “The Diaper Incident” (Aired: 10/06/10)
Frankie feels old after a clerk assumes that she needs adult diapers.
Written by Vijal Patel | Directed by Wendey Stanzler
This almost feels like a first-season episode, given how concentrated it is on Frankie as the nucleus of both the family and the show itself. Here, her usual stress is compounded by angst over aging when she goes to buy diapers for the kid that Sue is babysitting — true to this year’s theme: Frankie is a helpful mom! — and she’s taken to the adult diaper section by the clerk. Things then go from bad to worse when Frankie gets stuck in a bubble bath after throwing out her back — a comic notion with some physicality that allows Patricia Heaton to shine. Also, this entry is fun and notable for introducing Sue’s crush on Axl’s friend Sean (Beau Wirick) — a notion that not only accentuates her characterization. but will also grow in narrative importance, rendering this a seminal outing for her in terms of the series’ overall trajectory.
04) Episode 30: “Halloween” (Aired: 10/27/10)
Frankie tries to get Mike in the spirit of Halloween as the kids do their own separate things.
Written by Roy Brown | Directed by Jamie Babbit
Like so many sitcoms — including The Middle’s spiritual godmother Roseanne and its ritzy neighbor Modern Family — The Middle loves Halloween, making it an annual tradition from this point forward. Now, I must admit, although holiday segments are helpful for gathering characters and/or uniting stories with shared thematic underpinnings, Halloween is not one of my favorite sitcom subjects, for I think its samples are too often about the gimmickry of either the costumes or the spooky, pranky gags. However, I appreciate that this is a relatable suburban event for most families and therefore ripe fodder for this particular series. Also, The Middle’s first Halloween submission is a pretty good showcase for each of the leads — i.e., the kids all have experiences that speak to their individual depictions, while the Frankie/Mike story is essentially about her attempting to draw him out of his un-emotive, unenthusiastic shell — a recurring notion that’s built on his established characterization and is thus tailored to them.
05) Episode 33: “Thanksgiving II” (Aired: 11/24/10)
Frankie tries to get Mike to talk about his feelings with his brother and father.
Written by Rob Ulin | Directed by Ken Whittingham
Although not my favorite of the series’ many Thanksgivings, the second entry in this particular subcategory is notable for introducing Norm Macdonald as Mike’s brother Rusty. He’ll recur throughout the series in stories that highlight the Mike characterization, often by forcing conflicts that again refer to the latter’s central trait: his difficulty in expressing emotion. That’s the whole thrust of this one, as Frankie tries to get Mike to be more open with his brother and their father (played by John Cullum). Theirs is the kind of mild but relatable family dysfunction that makes for ideal holiday fodder, in evidence of The Middle’s identity as an amusing sitcom that nevertheless keeps its feet planted in actual realism, as these characters are meant to represent average folk. In general, the series will broaden as it ages — for better and for worse — but this is a snapshot of its typical tenor here in the second season.
06) Episode 34: “A Simple Christmas” (Aired: 12/08/10)
Frankie tells her visiting parents that she wants to do a simple Christmas this year.
Written by Jana Hunter & Mitch Hunter | Directed by Elliot Hegarty
Jerry Van Dyke joins the previously introduced Marsha Mason in this offering as Frankie’s parents. It’s good casting — starry, yet not beyond the bounds of the genre — and they fit in with the series’ amusing but not cartoonish ethos. As for this installment, its themes are relatable but ever so slightly heightened for the purposes of comedy, as Frankie deals with the intrusion of her well-meaning parents while endeavoring to have a quiet, simple Christmas, and not the big, all-out, stressful affair it usually is. This is the kind of holiday-related tension that, again, is a common familial experience. The Middle captures it well — evidencing the series’ distinguishing averageness in an affable and situation-reflecting way, and with just enough uplift from the characters and their world to make it an above-average sample in the context of this season.
07) Episode 35: “Taking Back The House” (Aired: 01/05/11)
Frankie and Mike decide to stop living their lives for their children only.
Written by DeAnn Heline & Eileen Heisler | Directed by Barnet Kellman
My choice for this season’s Most Valuable Episode (MVE), “Taking Back The House” stands out because it’s a fun and deliberate break from the characters’ norm. As we know, Frankie and Mike Heck are like so many parents — they do everything for their kids. This year, especially, has highlighted that fact during many entries where they try to fight their children’s battles. That’s why a temporary break from that modus operandi is a perfect play to the situation — reiterating it by playing against it — as these two parents decide that they’ve had enough. No more living their lives for their children — solving all their problems, letting them dictate what they do. Of course, this upsets the whole equilibrium of the household, and neither Frankie nor Mike are truly able to abandon their children when in need — namely Sue, who so desperately wants a specific umbrella for her “Lunch Room Follies” routine, an appropriately lame and utterly Sue Heck pursuit. Indeed, this is a great character showing because of the established dynamics. And although the logline maybe isn’t the most original — that is, many family sitcoms could do something similar — it works particularly well here on The Middle, given its established continuity. What’s more, it’s vitally demonstrative of the series’ narrative identity. Meaning, this is not necessarily a special sitcom, aiming for bold differentiation. It’s aiming to reflect the middle, or the average, intentionally. And when it does that well — with personalized support from the elements that it’s created and cultivated (like Sue) — it’s living up to its situation and being the best version of itself. So, I celebrate this as one of the best displays of The Middle that you’ll ever find, not to mention the quintessential display of this exact season.
08) Episode 36: “The Big Chill” (Aired: 01/12/11)
Frankie is forced to take a second job after spending too much on makeup.
Written by Rob Ulin | Directed by Lee Shallat Chemel
Stories about the family’s economic pain tend to work well, for they accentuate the premised detail that this is a middle-class crew who can’t afford to splurge on anything that’s not a necessity. Especially with three kids who all have varying needs. Oh, the finances are not quite as vital to the series’ situation as they were on, say, Roseanne (for which creators DeAnn Heline and Eileen Heisler also wrote), as The Middle is more interested in spotlighting the media’s forgotten man (or family) in a way that speaks to their plucky underdog lovability rather than the harsh struggles of their blue-collar existence. But it’s helpful in asserting their non-sophisticated, non-glamorous, day-to-day “average” lives. Therefore, this story — where Frankie gets a second job after buying a non-refundable 200-dollar cosmetic item (thinking it was only 20 dollars) — is a great symbol of this series, particularly in the TV landscape of 2010-2011, where the Hecks were among the few sitcom families able to believably play this conflict.
09) Episode 41: “The Math Class” (Aired: 03/02/11)
Frankie has another encounter with Brick’s stern teacher.
Written by Jana Hunter & Mitch Hunter | Directed by Alex Reid
The second of Doris Roberts’ three appearances as Brick’s teacher and Frankie’s foe, “The Math Class” is not a definitive example of The Middle like both this year’s premiere and finale manage to be. But it’s the funniest utilization of her — again, a personified device to examine the consequences of Frankie’s overbearing meddling. It also starts with the naturally comedic idea of having the parents come get a math lesson from their kids’ teacher — exploring what these adults may have been like as students. More fun then comes when Frankie gets drunk and sends an embarrassing complaint email about the teacher — a missive that backfires and gets Frankie in proverbial hot water. It’s one of Patricia Heaton’s best performances this season — and a great narrative display of a primary recurring conflict, entirely motivated by her character and the clear, relatable objective that works beautifully in these premised trappings.
10) Episode 48: “Back To Summer” (Aired: 05/25/11)
Each kid scrambles to complete something as the end of the school year approaches.
Written by DeAnn Heline & Eileen Heisler | Directed by Ken Whittingham
Two’s finale is a smart bookend to the premiere, as the school year again winds down. As usual, it’s a mad scramble to the end — as Axl must complete some community service, Brick has to finish a journal (for the teacher played by Doris Roberts, in her last appearance), and Sue desperately tries to find formal proof of her perfect attendance so that she can win an award at her upcoming middle-school graduation. That last idea is terrific for Sue — as her pride in being present is now a well-established bit of continuity. Also, it emphasizes her basic craving for any “win,” even if that means just showing up. It’s therefore a charming victory — in this half hour that communicates a clear understanding of the series’ sophomore season, with the quirky kids all having troubles, and their parents scrambling to help them in ways that sometimes make things worse. It’s textbook sitcommery. Not always flashy. But generally reliable.
Other notable episodes include: “The Quarry,” which has a fun story about Frankie praying to be free of Sue’s cross-country obligations and then regretting it when the club is cancelled, “Royal Wedding,” where Frankie’s fascination with British royalty becomes a great detail about her character and how she likes to escape from her middle-class life, “Mother’s Day II,” where Frankie’s push-pull about wanting both closeness and distance from her family is examined, and “The Prom,” another solid entry where each kid is simply well-used. I’ll also take this space to cite two Sue Heck subplots in “Errand Boy,” where Mike overhears Sue’s friends excluding her from a party, and “The Legacy,” where her perfect attendance trophy is stolen by the Glossner boys. (Incidentally, I opted not to highlight several memorable outings that break the show’s sense of internal realism and thus the premise of reflecting an average family. The most glaring are “Hecks On A Plane,” which is both broad and cliché-filled, and “A Birthday Story,” which isn’t anything a typical family would face. At least when Dick Van Dyke explored a similar idea in 1963, it was mining comedy from its lead character’s specific neuroses, not from the outrageous and unmotivated circumstances that, again, just don’t feel emblematic of The Middle or what it claims to be. Oh, and I’m afraid I don’t love “Spring Cleaning” either — its solid narrative setup is wrecked by a trite Frankie/Mike conflict.)
*** The MVE Award for the Best Episode from Season Two of The Middle goes to…
“Taking Back The House”
Come back next week for Season Three! And stay tuned tomorrow for a new Wildcard!