The Middle

71
Metascore
2009-2018
9 seasons
ABC
Comedy, Family
TV-PG

Forget about athletes, movie stars and politicians. Parents are the real heroes—but we think Frankie Heck, must be some kind of superhero. A loving wife and mother of three, she's middle class in the middle of the country and is rapidly approaching middle age.

71
Metascore
2009-2018
9 seasons
ABC
Comedy, Family
TV-PG

7 Family Sitcoms Like Young Sheldon to Watch While You Wait for the New Season

These will hold you over until Season 6 goes back to school this fall

Tue, Aug 2, 2022

7 Family Sitcoms Like Young Sheldon to Watch While You Wait for the New Season

So That The Middle Spin-Off Isn't Happening After All

Way to kick off the holiday season with a broken dream, ABC

Fri, Nov 23, 2018

So That The Middle Spin-Off Isn't Happening After All

The Middle Spin-off Details Revealed by Sue Heck Herself

Eden Sher says the pilot is happening

Fri, Jul 20, 2018

The Middle Spin-off Details Revealed by Sue Heck Herself

ABC Might Replace Roseanne With This The Middle Spin-Off

OMG a thousand times yes!

Wed, May 30, 2018

ABC Might Replace Roseanne With This The Middle Spin-Off

The Middle Gave the Hecks the Send-Off They Deserved

Here's how the show said goodbye

Wed, May 23, 2018

The Middle Gave the Hecks the Send-Off They Deserved

Here's when Once Upon a Time, The Middle and More Will End

The end is near for some of your favorite shows

Thu, Apr 12, 2018

Here's when Once Upon a Time, The Middle and More Will End

The State of the Union Is Bumping This Is Us and These Other Shows

Find out how your favorite Tuesday shows are affected

Fri, Jan 26, 2018

The State of the Union Is Bumping This Is Us and These Other Shows

How ABC Is Planning for a Comedy Future Without The Middle and Modern Family

ABC boss Channing Dungey weighs in on what's next

Fri, Jan 19, 2018

How ABC Is Planning for a Comedy Future Without The Middle and Modern Family

ABC's Boss on Why The Mayor and Ten Days in the Valley Failed

And what the future of Kevin (Probably) Saves the World is

Mon, Jan 8, 2018

ABC's Boss on Why The Mayor and Ten Days in the Valley Failed

ABC Extends the Final Season of The Middle

The Hecks will say goodbye later than we thought

Fri, Nov 3, 2017

ABC Extends the Final Season of The Middle

The Middle Cast Reflects on the Show's Legacy

The comedy series' upcoming ninth season will be its last

Thu, Aug 10, 2017

The Middle Cast Reflects on the Show's Legacy

The Middle Creators Explain Their Decision to End the Show

And tease an extra long series finale

Mon, Aug 7, 2017

The Middle Creators Explain Their Decision to End the Show

The Middle Is Ending After 9 Seasons

The upcoming season will be its last

Wed, Aug 2, 2017

2016 Was the Year ABC's Comedies Left the Other Networks In the Dust for Good

The network's comedies thrive through their themes and cohesive aesthetic

Tue, Nov 22, 2016

2016 Was the Year ABC's Comedies Left the Other Networks In the Dust for Good

8 Comedy Showrunners Reveal the Serious Secrets to Making Funny TV

ABC=Always Be Comedy-ing

Thu, Aug 4, 2016

8 Comedy Showrunners Reveal the Serious Secrets to Making Funny TV

ABC Announces Fall Premiere Dates

Find out when Grey's, Once and more return!

Tue, Jun 28, 2016

Here's ABC's Full Fall 2016-17 Schedule

Which shows are on the move?

Tue, May 17, 2016

ABC Announces Finale Dates for Scandal, Once Upon a Time and More

Find out when your favorite shows are ending this season

Mon, Apr 4, 2016

ABC Announces Finale Dates for Scandal, Once Upon a Time and More

ABC's Fall Schedule: What Night Is The Muppets Airing?

Check out the full lineup

Tue, May 12, 2015

ABC's Fall Schedule: What Night Is The Muppets Airing?

ABC Sets Season Finale Dates for Grey's, Scandal, More — Plus, Dancing Results Shows!

Plus: What's getting super-sized?

Thu, Apr 16, 2015

ABC Sets Season Finale Dates for Grey's, Scandal, More — Plus, Dancing Results Shows!

Ask Matt: In Praise of Walking Dead's Carol, Scandal's Mellie, Face Off, ABC's Wed Comedies, Gotham

Send questions and comments to askmatt@tvguidemagazine.com and follow me on Twitter! Question: I thought this might be the year when The Walking Dead would finally be represented among the Emmy nominations, at the very least for Melissa McBride as supporting actress for last season's devastating "The Grove" episode. But the noms came and went with nary a Dead mention. I thought this show was among the most-watched basic cable shows, often posting numbers to rival some of the highest-rated broadcast programs every week. I know that its genre is already one strike against it, but is this show also a victim of its own success regarding recognition, where the more popular a show is, the more it provokes attitudes from voters that "normal" people might see as snobbish or anti-populist? While it's true that the dispersal of everybody into smaller groups during the second half of last season was seen as less than successful, and the quality this season appears to have roared back with a vengeance, I'm still thinking there will probably be no difference next year, recognition-wise.

Mon, Oct 27, 2014

Ask Matt: In Praise of Walking Dead's Carol, Scandal's Mellie, Face Off, ABC's Wed Comedies, Gotham

ABC Orders More Episodes of Grey's Anatomy, Modern Family, Once Upon a Time and More

This may end up being the kindest fall TV season in recent memory. Not only have the broadcast networks not canceled a single new show, but one of them is already adding episodes to its existing hits.

Fri, Oct 24, 2014

ABC Orders More Episodes of Grey's Anatomy, Modern Family, Once Upon a Time and More

Ask Matt: Big Bang, Homeland, Utopia, Mysteries of Laura, Midseason TV, Sons of Anarchy, and More

Send questions and comments to askmatt@tvguidemagazine.com and follow me on Twitter! Question: Let me preface this by saying The Big Bang Theory is one of my favorite shows, and I have been with them since Day 1, but after watching the premiere episodes on the first Monday of the season, I see a very disturbing trend. Sheldon is rapidly becoming the next Fonzie/Urkel. In the early days of the show, Sheldon was odd but likeable, and you always rooted for him. Now as he is being written, he is becoming more and more obnoxious, as evidenced in the way he treated Amy and the others in the two episodes last week. When shows have a breakout star like Jim Parsons, that person becomes the go-to guy in almost every episode, at the expense of the remaining cast members. Am I wrong in my assessment, or do you think a little less Sheldon and maybe a little nicer Sheldon would be better for the show and the audience? — Terry

Mon, Oct 6, 2014

Ask Matt: Big Bang, Homeland, Utopia, Mysteries of Laura, Midseason TV, Sons of Anarchy, and More

Exclusive: Check Out The Middle's New Poster

The Hecks are in The Middle of nowhere — at least they are on their new poster.Fall TV: Familiar faces in new placesIn the exclusive first look at the Season 6 key art below, the Hecks are ...

Wed, Sep 3, 2014

Exclusive: Check Out The Middle's New Poster

Ask Matt: Men Getting Married, 24, Blacklist, TNT Shows and the Emmys

Send questions and comments to askmatt@tvguidemagazine.com and follow me on Twitter! Question: I have never been a fan of Two and a Half Men (tried to watch it years ago, but the only thing I found funny was Conchata Ferrell) and never understood how it has stayed on the air for so long. I saw that creator Chuck Lorre is planning on the main storyline next season to be about the two main characters (Walden and Alan, both heterosexual) "marrying" each other in order for Walden to achieve his goal of adopting a child. To me, I find this appalling on so many levels. Gay men and women (and their straight allies) have fought for so long for equal marriage rights, so having two straight men "marry" just seems like a mockery for those fighting for marriage equality. I am a little ashamed of Lorre even coming up with this idea (particularly as his biggest star, Jim Parsons, on his biggest show, The Big Bang Theory, is gay). Your thoughts? — Tim in Atlanta

Mon, Jul 21, 2014

Ask Matt: Men Getting Married, 24, Blacklist, TNT Shows and the Emmys

ABC Announces Fall Premiere Dates for Scandal, Grey's and More

Mark your calendars, Gladiators: Scandal will kick off its fourth season on Thursday, Sept. 25. ABC announced its full list of fall premiere dates Tuesday for new and returning shows, including Grey's Anatomy, Nashville and Shonda Rhimes' new series How to Get Away With Murder.

Tue, Jul 15, 2014

ABC Announces Fall Premiere Dates for Scandal, Grey's and More

Ask Matt: Emmy Snubs, Sweden, 24, Dome and Extant, and More

Send questions and comments to askmatt@tvguidemagazine.com and follow me on Twitter! Question: Once again, this year's Emmy nominations are predictably boring. What was the bigger snub: No Good Wife nomination for Best Drama (especially with a weak Downton Abbey season in its place) or no nomination for Tatiana Maslany for her web of roles on Orphan Black? (I already know the answer: Both snubs were egregious.) — Erin

Mon, Jul 14, 2014

Ask Matt: Emmy Snubs, Sweden, 24, Dome and Extant, and More

Upfronts: ABC's 2014-15 Fall Schedule

Below you can find ABC's new fall schedule along with a list of pilots the network has picked up to series for the 2014-15 season. Click here for CBS, Fox, NBC and The CW.

Tue, May 6, 2014

Ask Matt: Hannibal Revisionism, Race Redemption, Blacklist In-Joke, and More

Send questions and comments to askmatt@tvguidemagazine.com and follow me on Twitter! Question: I've been enjoying the insights into the early Hannibal Lecter and Norman Bates on Hannibal and Bates Motel. I know that both shows are just based on the original works and can certainly invent stories for the characters. However, I expect the TV series to at least honor the future stories that we're so familiar with. What I mean: Bates Motel is terrific at bringing young Norman along where we can understand the Norman in Psycho and how he got that way. The taxidermy and now the blackouts are both critical, as is the relationship with Mother. However, I was very upset that they killed off Dr. Chilton in Hannibal since he is an important character in the novels. We can accept that what we see in Jack, Will, Bloom, Lounds, etc. are consistent (genders aside) with what we see later in Red Dragon and Silence of the Lambs. But now, there is no place for Chilton in the future stories. Am I out of line and the only one who has complained? — Jerome

Mon, Apr 28, 2014

Ask Matt: Hannibal Revisionism, Race Redemption, Blacklist In-Joke, and More

Wednesday TV: Psych Finale, Family Goes to Vegas, Live TV on TV Land

As USA Network's Psych hangs up its pineapple after eight seasons of tomfoolery — or should it be called Shawn-foolery? — mystery takes even more of a back seat to comedy than usual in the series finale (Wednesday, 9/8c), ominously titled "The Breakup." While there is a murder to be solved (frequently referred to as "our last case"), it's a perfunctory distraction at best to Shawn's main concern: how to tell Gus that their bromantic partnership may in fact be over.

Wed, Mar 26, 2014

Wednesday TV: Psych Finale, Family Goes to Vegas, Live TV on TV Land

Ratings: The 100 Opens Strong; Idol, More Hit Lows

The 100 got off to a good start for The CW.The drama premiered Wednesday to 2.7 million viewers and a 0.9 in the adults 18-to-49 demographic, posting The CW's best numbers in the time slot since ...

Thu, Mar 20, 2014

Ratings: The 100 Opens Strong; Idol, More Hit Lows

ABC Announces Season Finale Dates for Grey's Anatomy, Scandal, Modern Family and More

ABC has unveiled the season finale dates for its prime-time shows, including Scandal and Grey's Anatomy. Scandal will conclude its truncated third season on Thursday, April 17, while Grey's will wrap up on Thursday, May 15.

Wed, Mar 19, 2014

ABC Announces Season Finale Dates for Grey's Anatomy, Scandal, Modern Family and More

Ratings: Mixology Premieres Low; Survivor Returns Up

Another day, another low premiere for ABC.Mixology bowed Wednesday to 5.2 million viewers and a 1.8 in the adults 18-to-49 demographic, making it the lowest-rated premiere following Modern Family  ever. It also posted the worst retention rate (58 percent) out of ...

Thu, Feb 27, 2014

Ratings: Mixology Premieres Low; Survivor Returns Up

First Look: Casey Wilson Gets Caught in The Middle

The prayers of Happy Endings fans have been answered — Casey Wilson is back on TV, guest starring on ABC's The Middle in mid-March. She plays...

Wed, Feb 12, 2014

First Look: Casey Wilson Gets Caught in The Middle

Ratings: Idol on Top; Chicago P.D. Grows Again

Fox topped Wednesday led by American Idol.The two-hour show pulled in 12.4 million viewers and a 3.8 in the adults 18-to-49 demographic, down two tenths from last week.NBC was second with Revolution (5.1 million, 1.3), which tied its ...

Thu, Jan 30, 2014

Ratings: Idol on Top; Chicago P.D. Grows Again

Wednesday Review: Crime (Melo)Drama on SVU, Chicago PD

The original Law & Order seems like such a distant, and classy, memory these days. Dick Wolf's mini-empire within NBC now runs on a higher octane of lurid overkill. While Chicago Fire is a harmless enough, though largely forgettable, soap about telegenic first responders, its no-brainer (and brainless) spinoff, Chicago PD, is the most arrogantly conceived display of bare-knuckled hooey since the mercifully short-lived Ironside reboot, which polluted the same Wednesday 10/9c time period last fall.

Wed, Jan 8, 2014

Wednesday Review: Crime (Melo)Drama on SVU, Chicago PD

Matt Roush's Top 10 of 2013

1. Breaking BadWhat a way to go out — with a bang, on a tragic yet triumphant high, at the peak of popularity and notoriety. What could be more satisfying than that? There wasn't a wasted moment or unexplored opportunity for suspenseful conflict in the intense last chapters of AMC's masterful thriller, charting Walter White's ultimate descent into criminal infamy. Bryan Cranston brilliantly captured the character's mood swings, from wounded pride to murderous rage to sorrow over the family he lost due to his dark machinations. No maddening ambiguities in this grand finale...

Wed, Dec 18, 2013

Ask Matt: Race on Sleepy Hollow, Person of Interest, plus Grey's, Glee, Good Wife

Send questions and comments to askmatt@tvguidemagazine.com and follow me on Twitter! Question: What are your thoughts on the awareness of people in the TV industry regarding the perception that it's always the non-white characters that are killed off shows? It seems impossible to me that those in charge don't see this phenomenon as a problem, and yet, consistently, that seems to be what happens. That reality is so pervasive for me that when I watched the pilot for Sleepy Hollow, my thought as what looked to be the two main characters — a well-known white, male actor (Clancy Brown) and a young, unknown-to-me African-American actress (Nicole Beharie) — approached the spooky, abandoned farm house was, "Seriously, Show? Already you're going to kill off the black actor?"

Mon, Dec 9, 2013

Ask Matt: Race on Sleepy Hollow, Person of Interest, plus Grey's, Glee, Good Wife

Ratings: Criminal Minds, CSI Match Season Highs; Modern Family Hits Low

CBS topped Wednesday, led by Criminal Minds and CSI, both of which matched season highs.Minds drew 12.3 million viewers and a 2.8 in the adults 18-to-49 demographic, up a tenth, while CSI followed with 11 million and a 2.1, growing two tenths. Survivor: Blood vs. Water (10.1 million, 2.4) was down ...

Thu, Nov 21, 2013

Ratings: Criminal Minds, CSI Match Season Highs; Modern Family Hits Low

Ratings: Criminal Minds, SVU, X Factor Rise; Modern Family Down

CBS topped Wednesday, led by a href="http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/criminal-minds/192244" target="blank">Criminal Minds.The drama drew 11.6 million viewers and a 2.7 in the adults 18-to-49 demographic, up 17 percent from last week. Survivor: Blood vs. Water (9.8 million, 2.4) dropped ...

Thu, Nov 14, 2013

Ratings: Criminal Minds, SVU, X Factor Rise; Modern Family Down

Ask Matt: Good Wife, Sleepy Hollow, Spinoffs, S.H.I.E.L.D., Chicago Fire

Send questions and comments to askmatt@tvguidemagazine.com and follow me on Twitter! Question: Last Sunday's "Hitting the Fan" episode of The Good Wife lived up to the hype. It was a game changer, but I guess it left me feeling slimed. Alicia has always taken a righteous position and walked a fine ethical line. On Sunday, I feel like she fell off a cliff — not only was she a party to trying to download files which I'm not sure is illegal but certainly not ethical (notwithstanding the ends-justify-the-means argument), but she also seemed gleeful about Peter using his political position to her gain. As Will seemed so right to point out, she seems to have no idea how bad she has become. This is not the good wife that I have been watching. What were your thoughts? — Megan

Mon, Nov 4, 2013

Ask Matt: Good Wife, Sleepy Hollow, Spinoffs, S.H.I.E.L.D., Chicago Fire

Ratings: CSI's 300th Episode Rises Against World Series

Game 1 of the World Series dominated Wednesday, but that didn't stop viewers from catching CSI's 300th episode.The drama drew 10.2 million viewers and a 2.1 in the adults 18-to-49 demographic for the milestone hour, up a tenth from ...

Thu, Oct 24, 2013

Ratings: CSI's 300th Episode Rises Against World Series

The Wednesday Playlist: Milestones for Middle, CSI; World Series Begins

Aw, heck. Is it really worth making a fuss over The Middle's 100-episode milestone? It hardly seems in character for a family like the Hecks of Orson, Indiana. When she's reminded that they volunteered to drive a giant cow float in Orson's centennial parade, Frankie (Patricia Heaton) whines, "This is what happens when we drink: We sign up for stupid committees. Or get Brick." But as Orson itself expresses in a self-deprecating new town motto: "Why not?" This episode (Wednesday, 8/7c, ABC) truly is cause for celebration, as TV's most heartfelt and hilariously relatable family sitcom reflects on what brought Frankie and Mike (Neil Flynn) to Orson in the first place, while giving their lovably imperfect offspring a chance to shine in clever-to-wacky subplots. (Sue's attempt to make Darrin jealous by cozying up to her flamboyant BFF Brad is especially genius.)

Wed, Oct 23, 2013

The Wednesday Playlist: Milestones for Middle, CSI; World Series Begins

The Middle Exclusive Sneak Peek: Orson Turns 100!

The Middle is hitting a huge milestone — and so is the town of Orson.9 bubble shows: Which will last?On Wednesday's episode (8/7, ABC) — the show's 100th — Orson will celebrate its centennial, and you can bet ...

Mon, Oct 21, 2013

The Middle Exclusive Sneak Peek: Orson Turns 100!

Ratings: Super Fun Night, Ironside Drop; Arrow Returns Down

Super Fun Night took a super big hit.The Rebel Wilson comedy slipped to 6.7 million viewers and a 2.5 in the 18-to-49 demographic Wednesday, down seven tenths from last week and more than a point off Modern Family (10.4 million, 3.8). The rest of ABC's shows The Middle (8.1 million, 2.2), Back in the Game (6.4 million, 1.7) and ...

Thu, Oct 10, 2013

Ratings: Super Fun Night, Ironside Drop; Arrow Returns Down

Ratings: Super Fun Night Opens Strong; Ironside Weak

Super Fun Night had a solid, though not super, debut.The Rebel Wilson comedy premiered Wednesday to 8.2 million viewers and a 3.2 in the adults 18-to-49 demographic, becoming the season's No. 2 new comedy behind The Crazy Ones. Though it dropped a full point from lead-in Modern Family (10.9 million, 4.2), Super Fun Night had better retention ...

Thu, Oct 3, 2013

Ratings: Super Fun Night Opens Strong; Ironside Weak

Ratings: Revolution Plummets; X Factor, SVU Rise

NBC isn't starting a Revolution on Wednesdays.Without a lead-in from The Voice, the drama kicked off the night with 6.8 million viewers and a 1.8 in the adults 18-to-49 demographic, down more than 50 percent from ...

Thu, Sep 26, 2013

Ratings: Revolution Plummets; X Factor, SVU Rise

The Wednesday Playlist: ABC's Got Family Game, Broadchurch Finale, SVU

ABC's innocuous new sitcom about likable underdogs, Back in the Game, could just as easily be called "Luck of the Draw." This Bad News Bears-lite gets a major assist right out of the gate with an enviable time period (Wednesday, 8:30/7:30c) sandwiched between TV's best family comedies, The Middle and Modern Family. Which could always backfire, of course, if the show doesn't live up to ratings expectations, and while this Little League comedy doesn't quite measure up to the big leagues, we shouldn't be surprised if family audiences rally around the team, turning a solid base hit into something potentially worthy of extra innings.

Wed, Sep 25, 2013

The Wednesday Playlist: ABC's Got Family Game, Broadchurch Finale, SVU

Ask Matt: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Face Off, The Middle, Suits, True Blood

Send questions and comments to askmatt@tvguidemagazine.com and follow me on Twitter! Question: My question is about the new Joss Whedon show that has one of the most convoluted names I've ever heard: Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. I am a Whedon fan to the max, having watched every episode of every TV (and Internet) show he has ever done, and enjoyed them thoroughly. I am not, however, a moviegoer nor a comic book reader. I cannot remember the last theatrical production I've seen, and the only comics I read are the Buffy/Angel follow-ups. And that leaves me concerned about S.H.I.E.L.D. Every article I read, and even the just-released preview, mentions events that happened/people who existed in one or more theatrical movies, and many articles mention future movies that will tie into the events on the show. Since I never watched those movies — and most likely won't watch the future movies — am I going to be totally lost when the television show premieres?

Mon, Aug 26, 2013

Ask Matt: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Face Off, The Middle, Suits, True Blood

Ask Matt: Grey's Anatomy, Broadchurch, Killing, Longmire

Send questions and comments to askmatt@tvguidemagazine.com and follow me on Twitter!Question: I just read the news that Sandra Oh has decided to leave Grey's Anatomy at the end of the season. I'm sure a lot of fans will be upset or disappointed, but I actually respect her choice to leave and am grateful she has given so much notice to the writers so that they will be able to find a way to write her out effectively, which Grey's has not always had in the past. However, the broader question here is how much longer the show should run. I can't really imagine right now what it will be like without Christina, but there was also ...

Mon, Aug 19, 2013

Ask Matt: Grey's Anatomy, Broadchurch, Killing, Longmire