Each week, we will be taking an in depth look at some of the best sitcoms and comedy shows from both the UK and the USA.

Earlier this week we looked at a family based sitcom in the UK that as done really well and today we look at a sitcom in the US that is all based around a family – The Middle 

Opening Titles / Theme Tune

About the Show

Summary of Plot

The daily mishaps of a married woman and her semi-dysfunctional family and their attempts to survive life in general in the town of Orson, Indiana. – IMDb

Number of Seasons / Episodes

8 Seasons

Characters:

Patricia Heaton – Frankie Heck

Neil Flynn – Mike Heck

Charlie Mcdermott – Axl Heck

Eden Sher – Sue Heck

Atticus Shaffer – Brick Heck

Trivia

+ A house is constantly shown to the left, across the street, from the Heck’s home. This is the set house used in Bewitched. To the right of the Heck’s home is the house used for “The Partridge Family”.

+ Frankie mentions that Axl only knows a lot about astronomy because he watched Hot Tub Time Machine (2010) a lot. Charlie McDermott (Axl) played Chaz in the movie.

+ The original pilot episode starred Ricki Lake as Frankie Heck. Most of the cast was replaced after that production, with Atticus Shaffer (Brick) being the only actor remaining.

+ Greer Grammar, who plays Axl’s love interest April, is the daughter of Kelsey Grammar. Patricia Heaton had earlier costarred with Kelsey Grammar on the TV series Back To You.

+Marsha Mason who plays Frankie’s mother, played Paula McFadden in The Goodbye Girl(1977). In an updated version of the movie – The Goodbye Girl (2004) – Patricia Heaton plays the same character.
Classic Clips

Best Moment

Brick and law 

Axl Heck