1.30 AM. I was tired, worn out at the end of the day and all I wanted was to sit back and watch something comforting, something warm, which is when I decided to watch The Middle. I’d watched the occasional episode with passing interest in the past, and it was a fun and light watch, which was exactly what I needed, so I told myself that I’d watch one episode to content myself and move on. Fast forward to a few weeks later, and I’d finished all nine seasons of it.
The Middle is the quintessential American sitcom, what with its football, its cheerleading, its Thanksgiving and college and the high school experience, and yet, even for someone as removed from the all-American experience as me, the show was relatable enough to be comforting.
The Middle is the story of a the Hecks, a family of five, who live in Orson, Indiana, quite literally in the middle. You have the tired, worn out, the father, quiet, calm, put together, the oldest son, the jock, the middle daughter, who constantly keeps trying, and the youngest son, the forgotten last child.
The show follows them as they navigate life from day to day, trying to pay bills, pass classes, deal with crushes, get into university, find jobs- just deal with the regular hassles of life. The Middle is the perfect balance of comedy, exaggeration and reality, such that it remains entertaining and engaging to watch while still maintaining the relatability that makes the show so endearing.
There’s a character for everyone- the mother, Frankie Heck, is frazzled, as she tries to help her family get through every day while still balancing her job. The father, Mike Heck, is quiet, no-nonsense, sensible. Their oldest son Axl is the dumb, popular jock. Sue is the eternal optimist, who tries out for team after team, and yet never seems to make the cut. Finally, you have Brick, the youngest of the family, the “weird” kid, who struggles with social cues, yet is astoundingly smart.
My favourite part of watching all nine seasons in one go (the show ran from 2009 to 2018) was quite literally watching the characters grow up right before my eyes. I watched time change, from the pre-2010s era of flip phones to the mid-2010s era of Justin Bieber and One Direction, to the late 2010s. I watched them grow up from middle schoolers to university going students, to them getting their first job after graduation. Each character was so distinct, so well thought out, and each underwent gradual yet consistent character development.
You do it for family
Frankie Heck
The Middle is a sitcom, primarily rooted in comedy, yet it had its moments of astounding profundity. The show was built on the idea of family, one of the most iconic lines being Frankie’s mantra- “You do it for family”. No matter how frustrating, you infuriation, how upsetting, you did it for family- you’re there for each other when it matters the most.
Everything about this show was just absolutely brilliant. You look back and you see a bit of yourself in every character- you carry a piece of all of them with you. The show’s a reminder that there are families, with the same everyday hassles, the same hiccups, the same dreams and aspirations out there, just like you and me, and the thought is oddly comforting, giving you the sense that we’re all in this together.