I love this show. The plots are ridiculous but fun. I’m especially fond of the dialogue. I can’t imagine how many takes they go through trying to say all thatso fast without screwing up or cracking up.
I liked the alternative middle-sidekick a lot. I’m glad to hear he will be making another appearance.
Wasn’t a fan of Lacey’s antics but she’s growing on me.
Also, despite the fantasy nature of the show and expectations of deus-ex-machina as par for the course, Dub’s sudden revelation of the ability to fly a jet still was jarring.
I’m a little disappointed that after being in a while episode, Master Ping is still around but never seen. I loved the Asian martial arts master with Mexican wrestling mask bit tho.
It seems like Dozer and Dub are playing a game where they have a conversation using song lyrics. But only once or twice have I been able to recognize them.
Although it wasn’t as good as last week’s Puppet Vampire/True Love adventure, this week’s John McClain tribute (“It’s like Die Hard in a building”) was a lot of fun–plus, who can complain if Dub-Dub needs some thorough, underwear-shedding quarantine scrubbing? I wonder if the Nanobots will make another appearance, and if Wendy’s boyfriend’s new job forces him to cross paths with the Middlemen. One episode left! (I think)
Liked the episode, especially the Doctor Who references:
The head NASA guy was named Lethbridge-Stewart.
The containment devices was named after the Vygons.
The Periperpugilliam Agreement.
I love that sort of obscure references to other shows. A few weeks ago, for instance, the Middleman introduced himself as Alexander Scott with Wendy as Kelly Robinson.
The plots are silly and fun, but there are so many subtle in-jokes that you need to pay attention to every line.
The show continues to impress me. This latest one, “The Palindrome Reversal Palindrome” was too cool. Matt Keeslar, the actor who plays The Middleman seems to enjoy acting all over the map. The mirror universe Middleman/Kurt Russell he played was hilarious.
I’ve only seen the last few episodes (I hope they re-run them soon) so I’m still a bit shaky on the backstory. But I like the references that they throw in (1997 Plissken Rd!!) and will probably pick it up on DVD if it comes out. Especially if it has commentaries and a gag reel.
Sort of like Men in Black for the 21st century. Instead of just aliens, the Middleman fights just about ever comic book/science fiction menace you can name.
There’s no story arc. Wendy does get involved in a romance, and there is romance between the Middleman and Wendy’s roommate Lacey. There are hints of things (Wendy’s father disappeared mysteriously when she was a child), but nothing more.
Basically, it’s a monster-of-the-week with funny dialog and a real understanding of pop culture. There are plenty of references, but this isn’t a reference comedy – the references to culture are generally offhanded and never explained or commented on. If you get them, great. If not, it doesn’t matter – the show is still funny.
Just saw this - so the wormhold-opening device was made up of 3 things:
a Beryllium Sphere - what sci-fi story/movie uses that?
an Oscillation Overthruster - that’s from Buckaroo Bonzai, Across the 8th Dimension (which this TV show is probably the most like)
and some chemical - probably no reference
Keesler’s Snake Plissken was hilarious - and jeez, that dude works out! I guess the mains are expected to offer a little cake of the beef and cheese varieties - no complaints for Natalie Morales, either…
I have settled into really enjoying it - the light touch and Get Smart meta-humor approach work. I can do with out the Weekly Big Talk about Friendship and Love - a lot; but otherwise, doin’ nicely…
What about their secret identities as Agent Van Cleef and Agent Russell? Also nice Escape from New York references. I also enjoyed the Star Trek references.
I do have a little bit of a gripe though…I do not see any purpose for the Tyler character other than to irritate “ABC Family” because the two are “living in sin”, which I suppose is as good a reason (any time you can tweek the nose of a television network started by Jerry Falwell is fine by me) as any. All the rest are great. I love the non character of Noser and I swear I dated two or three incarnations of Lacy and at least one Dub Dub (actually, I think I may have married her) and as for the receptionist, I think I had a toaster oven with that same attitude.
In case it isn’t clear, I am still loving the show. It is absolutely the only show I try to be home to watch.
Oh, I think they’re going somewhere with that. Tyler was supposed to be the next Middleman trainee, but now he’s taken his potential to Manservant Neville, who might be a sort of anti-Middleman.
Also, there needs to be another man in Dubby’s life, to keep us guessing what Middleman meant when he said, “[Lacey] is not the only woman I love.”
I wonder if the Nanobots will make another appearance, and if Wendy’s boyfriend’s new job forces him to cross paths with the Middlemen. One episode left! (I think)
