The Middle
on ABC
By
Ally Matteodo
ABC’s new sitcom The
Middle (Wednesdays, 8:30 p.m. ET) centers on the trials and tribulations
experienced by the Heck family of Indiana. A traditional, earnest and wholesome
comedy, The Middle has earned the title of Best TV Show of the Week.
Frankie Heck, played by Patricia Heaton, is the matriarch of the family, and is
married to Mike Heck, played by Neil Flynn. Their three children consist of Axl,
an edgy teenage boy; Sue, a teen girl with a flair for the dramatic; and Brick,
a precocious seven-year-old. Mike works as a manager at a quarry, and Frankie
works in sales at the local car dealership, in addition to being a homemaker.
Although at times mild language such as “damn,” is used, the overall theme of
the show is that of a close-knit family that will go the distance for each
other. In the January 6th episode entitled “The Jeans,” Sue is
desperate to own a pair of Citizens of Humanity jeans -- what all the
cool kids are wearing. Sympathetic, Frankie decides to buy them for her
daughter and give her some much-needed confidence. When husband Mike takes a
look at the receipt for the jeans, he’s incredulous at their cost. However, the
tables are turned when Axl asks for a car. Mike decides a boy needs a car,
especially after seeing what a pretty girl Axl dates. Mike manages to find a
car for the same cost as the jeans, and father and son work on it together.
However, the car ends up breaking down while Axl is on a date with Kate, and
Frankie accidentally shrinks Sue’s jeans. Both teens are angry with their
parents, but their anger dissipates by the end of the episode when Doris, the
dog that Brick is watching, has puppies in the laundry room. All’s well that
ends well.
While everything is not
always peaches and cream at the Heck household, The Middle creates a
realistic portrayal of family life, complete with two responsible parents and
three well-intentioned kids. Frankie and Mike Heck are very involved in their
children’s lives, from Frankie shopping with Sue to Mike working on the car with
Axl. In addition, both parents are able to remember what it was like to be a
teenager, and through this sympathy are able to better understand and
communicate with their children. Rather than depicting life as idyllic, The
Middle gives us shades of sarcasm and teenage rebellion, but also gives us
prescriptions on how to deal with these things in a mature and loving way.
Best TV Show
of the Week
The Parents
Television Council -
www.parentstv.org
