Patricia Heaton steps to the front on 'The Middle'
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“The Middle” convinces me that ABC has found its sense of humor again.
The sitcom’s first episode (airing 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, WATE, Channel 6) has the right alignment — the perfect lead (Patricia Heaton), a solid premise (a harried, married and working mother of three) and just the right balance of heart and quirkiness.
Heaton plays Frankie Heck, a busy mom and wife living in a small Indiana town. She works — well, she’s tries to — in her town’s last car dealership. She has not sold a car yet, mainly because she’s always scurrying off to do something for her kids.
The only reason Frankie is keeping her job is because her best friend (Chris Kattan) does a lot of covering when the boss (Brian Doyle Murray) looks for her.
Frankie also has a loving husband (Neil Flynn), who doesn’t really take his share of responsibility when it comes to family duties.
This opener is a good first impression. “The Middle” has a gentle charm, reminding me of “Malcolm in the Middle.” However, the Heck household has a lot less screaming.
And while Frankie is an under-appreciated wife and mom, she, nonetheless, feels loved and needed. This comes through clearly and crisply in Heaton’s well-framed performance.
Besides having a well-stocked adult cast, “The Middle” has had luck with who they have placed as Heaton’s children.
Atticus Shaffer is as cute as they come as Brick, who is Frankie’s youngest son and her most peculiar. He whispers to himself and, as it is pointed out in this episode, his best friend is his backpack.
Charlie McDermott (as Frankie’s son, Axl) and Eden Shur (as daughter Sue) are equally appealing. The young actors aren’t the typical smart-mouth kids. Axl has a very normal 15-year-old attitude, but Sue is a geek and a bit of a lovable loser.
“The Middle” is charm. It can be an interesting comedy, though not always laugh-out-loud funny. ABC has winners with “Modern Family” and “Cougar Town.” With “The Middle,” the network’s new Wednesday night comedies are three for three.
© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel
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