The Middle

:

Season 1
  • Network: ABC
  • Series Premiere Date: Sep 30, 2009
Season #: 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 177 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 139 out of 177
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 177
  3. Negative: 24 out of 177
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User Reviews

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  1. KimmyTee
    Mar 11, 2011
    10
    This show is great. It is always funny. The cast has great chemistry. They are just a working family with three very different kids. They are such a likable family that a lot of people can relate to.
  2. JL
    Nov 23, 2009
    7
    The show is funny. Patricia Heaton and Neil Flynn are great as the parents! Unlike Malcolm In The Middle, the show is more realistic, and deals with every day family problems.. Malcom was more exagerated.. Watch a couple of episodes, it kinda grows on you!
  3. bonniecrocker
    Nov 10, 2012
    10
    My entire family loves this show. All 3 of my kids watch each episode recorded by hubby over and over and over. I feel like it was based on our family. I always LOL at each episode and I think each character is very likeable. I have no clue why people are saying the family are losers. They aren't. They are a REAL family.
    Great show!
  4. joniw
    Jan 22, 2010
    10
    This show is so relatable and laugh out loud funny. We can also watch it with our kids which is refreshing!
  5. JudyL
    Dec 16, 2009
    10
    This is a great show, very funny. One thing I love about it is there is no "canned laughter". Very funny, well written episodes. I look forward to it every Wed. night. Thank you for a good comedy, finally.
  6. VinnieO.
    Oct 7, 2009
    7
    It's not something I'm going to make an effort to see, but I was pleasantly surprised by this show. It IS a little like Malcolm in the Middle, but I think there's more sweetness here. I was happy to see that Neil Flynn is well used playing another off-kilter character.
  7. KimA
    Nov 20, 2009
    9
    Funny and not crude. This is a show I can see me buying the DVD season one. Are they canceling is already? Why does ABC have the worst shows and cancel the good ones, like Pushing Daisies? And what is up with their lame website for watching videos? Keep this family show!
  8. VioletH.
    Oct 15, 2009
    10
    Funniest new show of the season! I love it!
  9. DarrinT.
    Oct 19, 2009
    10
    My family loves The Middle.
  10. SamH
    Nov 13, 2009
    10
    The show's been consistently funny and warm, quirky while staying grounded and focusing on real-life family situations in a way not many other comedies do these days. Totally worth watching.
  11. KMT
    Oct 3, 2010
    10
    I love this show! I think most of us with families can relate to the stories... So funny! I keep waiting for the ratings to catch up. I guess it will be like Everybody Loves Raymond, meaning it may take a while. I also like Modern Family. These are two shows I have to always record!
  12. amberjustice
    Jun 5, 2013
    10
    I absolutely love this show. It is one of my favorite shows on tv. It makes me laugh out loud every time it is on. Frankie Heck is hilarious. Sue is her daughter and her character is also just really funny. She usually has my whole family laughing. I just love this show all together. Its clean and great for the whole family. If this show doesn't continue on ABC I will be extremelyI absolutely love this show. It is one of my favorite shows on tv. It makes me laugh out loud every time it is on. Frankie Heck is hilarious. Sue is her daughter and her character is also just really funny. She usually has my whole family laughing. I just love this show all together. Its clean and great for the whole family. If this show doesn't continue on ABC I will be extremely disappointed. I hope this show will continue to brighten my Wednesday nights for years to come!… Expand
  13. Airwick
    Aug 21, 2010
    9
    The Middle is one of the most enjoyable shows on television. Witty, spunky, and charming, it is constantly churning out the goofy, quirkiness that is the average Midwestern family. I especially enjoy Eden Sher's Sue, who is just plain fun to watch. Definitely one of TV 's best comedies.
  14. BobSmith
    Dec 9, 2009
    3
    Show isn't terrible, and deserves more than 3 stars, but it is SUCH A COPY of Malcom in the Middle that watching the show is disturbing and uncomfortable. Sure, there are legitimate differences, but they don't overcome the fact that the show is such an obvious copy. Can't anyone come up with something original anymore?
  15. john1234
    Mar 2, 2011
    10
    This is the only show I can watch on TV, maybe because I don't feel like it is trying to push me into anything, but rather get me to feel I am understood by people like me who are going through what I am going through. Guess I'm in the middle. The network initially did so much to push the much touted show on "new" families, when in fact this was the gem all along. It is pitch perfect toThis is the only show I can watch on TV, maybe because I don't feel like it is trying to push me into anything, but rather get me to feel I am understood by people like me who are going through what I am going through. Guess I'm in the middle. The network initially did so much to push the much touted show on "new" families, when in fact this was the gem all along. It is pitch perfect to me, as someone who has three kids about those ages myself, and lives in similar circumstances.… Expand
  16. Malanthus
    Aug 15, 2010
    0
    Absolutely terrible. I watched this on Sky in the UK - this was billed as laugh out loud - after 20 mins turned it off - absolutely nothing to smile at never mind raise a giggle.
  17. MikeM
    Dec 1, 2009
    10
    I really like this show and watch it every wednesday, I would like to see more episodes surrounding the daughter, anyway, it;s good to see a situation comedy revolving around families once again
  18. Joe
    Oct 2, 2009
    2
    I wish all the best to Neil Flynn, but I'm not a Patricia Heaton fan. Besides, I think Jane Kaczmarek and Brian Cranston were much better in the roles, I'm not sure why they were replaced. I don't know why they turned Malcom into such a jerk, but having a girl take over for Reese could be a cleaver idea. The little kid who plays Dewey is the highlight of this all too self I wish all the best to Neil Flynn, but I'm not a Patricia Heaton fan. Besides, I think Jane Kaczmarek and Brian Cranston were much better in the roles, I'm not sure why they were replaced. I don't know why they turned Malcom into such a jerk, but having a girl take over for Reese could be a cleaver idea. The little kid who plays Dewey is the highlight of this all too self aware, over-the-top, rip off. (Note to the directors: extreme close-ups of goofy faces at weird angles do not make for a fun viewing experience).… Expand
  19. LorenzoG
    Nov 4, 2009
    3
    The Middle is poorly written, the effort for laughs are too obvious and often miss the mark. It is painfull to watch Heaton, she is much better than the scripts.
  20. roryporey1
    Apr 9, 2013
    0
    I can't put into words how much I dislike this tv show. The script is poorly written and not funny in the slightest. The worst thing about the show is the characters though, each one more annoying and dislike-able than the last, the most annoying of which in the daughter sue, who seems to have learning difficulties because of how bad she is at literally everything and I don't find thisI can't put into words how much I dislike this tv show. The script is poorly written and not funny in the slightest. The worst thing about the show is the characters though, each one more annoying and dislike-able than the last, the most annoying of which in the daughter sue, who seems to have learning difficulties because of how bad she is at literally everything and I don't find this funny. If you are a fan of Malcolm in the Middle you will be further sickened by how much of a rip off the Middle is and how awful it is in comparison.… Expand
  21. bgb75000
    Sep 8, 2010
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. the middle is fantastic, because is not the kind of serie to pretend teach us what is correct or not to do with our lives. Those people are loosers and know that, maybe they won at lottery, till there there is no hope for them in life, even if in the middle. there is no happy end, we have something like not
    #10 of 10    … Expand
  22. ncoulombe
    Feb 23, 2011
    0
    Horrible writing, obvious and over-exaggerated 'humor'. Not to mention, this is simply a format that has been done time and time again, and only gets less and less funny.
  23. VM28
    Sep 22, 2011
    0
    I was looking forward to seeing Patricia Heaton in another funny sitcom, but this aint it. It was so awful, it was embarrassing! Witty, spunky and charming someone wrote. Are we watching the same show??!The situations were just silly and the writing horrible.
  24. SamBlaize
    Sep 13, 2010
    0
    This is a truly atrocious program. Watched several episodes, and have not laughed. Characters are boring, and it's an obvious copy of Malcolm in the Middle.
  25. KellyV
    Nov 5, 2009
    4
    This show is pretty whiny-annoying. Not a real big fan. These people are losers....who wants to watch this?
  26. LoganZ.
    Sep 30, 2009
    0
    It blew!
  27. DianaH
    Nov 2, 2009
    9
    This show makes me laugh out loud. It's been a long time since a comedy has done that for me!
  28. ThomasS.
    Oct 2, 2009
    10
    I laughed so hard all the way through. It seemed spot on for a typical middle American family. The acting was great. Can't wait to watch next week.
  29. ColeF
    Oct 28, 2009
    1
    This show was very, very stupid and stereotypical. i live in Michigan and people don't ride around on tractors. This show makes everyone in the Midwest seem old-fashioned and stupid. It seems like all the set pieces came straight from the 70s.
  30. DeborahB.
    Oct 4, 2009
    10
    Life is repetitive and demanding. How fun to see such an old formula repeated in such a fresh way.
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Awards & Rankings

40
#40 Best TV Season of 2009
15
#15 Most Discussed TV Season of 2009
11
#11 Most Shared TV Season of 2009

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
70

Generally favorable reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 25
  3. Negative: 0 out of 25
  1. People Weekly
    Reviewed by: Tom Gliatto
    Dec 15, 2010
    75
    In its second season, Patricia Heaton's family sitcom seems to have found its natural resting point.
  2. Boston Globe
    Reviewed by: Matthew Gilbert
    60
    It's hard to know where The Middle will go after tonight's decent pilot. And that's part of the sitcom's promise, that it has the potential to blossom into a sweet if small celebration of a family of oddballs living distinctly unhip lives.
    Read full review
  3. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Paige Wiser
    88
    The Middle isn't the kind of sitcom you laugh at; it's the kind you laugh with.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »