The Middle - anyone watch it?

Right after Hank was this single-camera comedy starring Patricia Heaton (Everybody Loves Raymond) and Neil Flynn (the janitor on Scrubs). Anyone catch it, or did too many people bail early on the Kelsey Grammar dud to give this one a chance?

I thought it was OK and funny enough in parts to give it a chance. It’s obviously taking its cues from Malcolm in the Middle, though with a heavier emphasis on the flyover state aspect (the show is set in Indiana). They’re not quite blue collar like Roseanne but they’re still trying to make ends meet in thankless jobs and the concessions around parenting and running a household with both parents working (dinner, school commitments, etc.) were handled pretty well.

While I’ve always liked the two leads, they haven’t shown the chemistry that made the other two shows I mentioned so priceless. But I like that all the kids are semi-losers in their own way, but still fairly likable (since it seems like in these shows, one kid is always a genius). And most of the supporting players didn’t devolve into lazy charicatures (yet)–and even Chris Kattan showed restraint!

We’ll see, but I’m willing to stick it out for another ep or two (though I hope the ABC product placements stay isolated to the pilot).

I hulu’d it last night. The first three minutes of Hank were nearly unbearable, while this was solidly mediocre with a laugh here or there. It bothered me a little that they were trying to ride Glee’s coattails.

I intend to give it another try. Coming after the execrable “Hank”, this may have seemed much funnier than it actually was. I might keep coming back just to watch Brick. That kid is a scream.

I recorded both - not sure when I’ll watch them, but before Sunday I’m sure.

I liked it. I actually made it through the whole episode of Hank (not that I enjoyed any of it), but this was quite funny, IMO. Brick is a scream, and I like the daughter too. Neil Flynn is funny in everything, so it’s great to watch him again. I’ll watch more. I thought the show after was pretty funny too…

I had no idea show choirs were so popular, but they apparently are. Show choir - Wikipedia

There’s a whole show about them on another network.:smiley:

This show totally stinks of Malcolm in the Middle (even half the title), but in this case it’s not a bad thing, since I loved MITM. Hard to judge by 1 episode, but this show has potential to be great.

Just get rid of Chris Kattan.

Think of it as Malcolm without the annoying (season 3 and on) Malcolm and jumping straight into The Dewey Story, which had legs.

I didn’t finish it. Didn’t catch me at all. They tried too hard to make the youngest kid quirky and he just came off annoying. The teen may have been portrayed accurately, I don’t know since I don’t have any, but if so teens are annoying too. How do parents not beat them more? The running joke about bringing home Burger King and saying “I made dinner” wasn’t funny enough to run with. I don’t think I’ll watch again.

Hope this isn’t old enough to be a “zombie.”

I just started watching this a few episodes ago. I continue watching it, mainly because of Brick. He kind of reminds me of myself at that age (though I wasn’t half as cute), so he’s the only character I find interesting . . . though I can see how some people find him annoying. The real annoying one is the girl; I can’t stand her. The other characters are like 2D place holders. They have no recognizable characteristics, and exist to provide a context for the Funny Little One and the Annoying Loser Sister. And every time I see Patricia Heaton, I can’t stop noticing how round-shouldered she has become since she did Raymond. She always did have posture issues, but now she’s practically a hunchback. Is she always like that, or is that part of the character? I also wonder why they give her a hairdo that all but completely covers her face.

I love this show because it’s so out there compared to almost every other family sitcom.

Brick is a downright crazy person complete with a tic that causes him to drop his head and whisper the last word he said at odd times. The sister is a nutcase and the brother is a doucebag who walks around in his underwear for 75% of the show. Then you throw in the mom from Raymond, the Janitor from Scrubs and Chris Kattan and it’s somehow well written enough to be really funny.

I think this show is outstanding. Sorry to disagree with panache45, whose opinion I respect, but I think Sue Heck is one of the greatest characters on TV right now. I never liked Patricia Heaton, but she really works in this show. I have never seen either Raymond or Scrubs, so I have no frame of reference for either. I just love how the parents get each other and are mostly a united front against the insanity of raising kids.

Why? I know we’re supposed to be all “Yay nerds!” around here (after all, I’m a proud nerd myself), but Sue Heck goes beyond nerd into the “Are we she’s not retarded?” category.

I think it’s just the consistency of the writing, plus there isn’t another character like her that I know about. Most other teenage girls on TV are either tramps or introverted geeks not there’s anything wrong with that, but Sue just keeps trying. I love Glee, but one week Rachel is angsting because Idina Menzel adopted Quinn and Puck’s baby and the next week she’s sucking Puck’s face. Sue seems real to me.

Are we complaining now that a character in a sitcom are too over-the-top for purposes of humor? All three of the kids are over the top crazy in one way or another; Sue and Brick moreso than Axl.

Given what we now know went on behind the scenes at The Brady Bunch, who thinks Axl and Sue are going at it in their trailers during filming breaks. The actress is quite comely…if I were 25+ years younger, I’d be working it (and failing, but that’s beside the point).

His constant state of undress is really the only thing I like about the character (well other than accidently getting into homoerotic situations with his 2 jock friends) and even that’s getting borring. Maybe if they had him switch to briefs or just start walking around naked (Austin Powers style). At least do one episode where he get’s locked outside naked. Charlie McDermott’s a month shy of his 21st (& 19 when the show started) so it’s not as skeezy as it sounds.

Sue’s not a nerd, she’s a loser. Nerds are smart, I don’t think it’s ever been established that Sue’s particularly smart.

I do love that due to lazy parents, her name is literally Sue Sue Heck.

I watch it, and I enjoy it. Maybe because I lived in Indiana for a while.

I love this show too. Maybe because I’m sick of big-city or LA suburb shows. I also think all of the child actors are great. They really put themselves out there. Although I’m getting sort of tired of Brick. He doesn’t seem to be as believably weird anymore or something.

I think it’s great that the girl who plays Sue is willing to act like such an idiot on television.