Best TV Show of the Week
The Middle
on ABC
In a world where prime time
is flooded with “comedies” like Family Guy and Two and a Half Men,
ABC’s The Middle is a breath of fresh air – a truly family-friendly, and
truly funny, comedy which proves that sharp, well-observed satire and wholesome
content are not mutually exclusive. The May 18th episode of The
Middle (8:00 p.m. ET), “The Bridge,” earned the program the title of
Best TV Show of the Week.
The episode opens with the
Heck family trying to get to their favorite restaurant before it closes.
However, Brick seizes up, terrified by the thought of the family car crossing a
bridge. Father Mike agrees to go around the lake rather than across it; but one
speeding ticket later, an exasperated Mike vows to cure Brick of his phobia
(revealed in flashback to be the result of the young Brick watching a TV
documentary called “When Bridges Collapse!”, as Frankie and Mike frantically try
to figure out the parental controls on their TV remote.)
Meanwhile, oldest son Axl
decides to try out for a job as lifeguard at the community pool – only to
discover that golden boy Sean Donahue, who consistently defeats him in every
competition, is also going for the job. And daughter Sue, with the exaggerated
sense of drama most teenagers possess, is convinced that the opening of the
community pool is “the most important thing in my LIFE! I will just DIE if I
can’t go!” But an even bigger challenge awaits: Sue’s desire to purchase her
first two-piece swimsuit leads to total exasperation for Frankie. Patricia
Heaton’s humorous explanation of women’s universal hatred of swimwear comes on
top of Sue’s repeated cries of, “MOM! You just don’t GET it!” which will be
familiar to every parent who has ever lived through their children’s teenage
years.
Ultimately, Sue finds a
suit that satisfies her and makes it to the opening of the pool, while Axl
finally beats Sean – only for Sean’s one-upping mother to inform Frankie that,
since Sean is serving as a Senate page this summer, he couldn’t have done the
lifeguard job anyhow. And when both Frankie and Mike each try their own versions
of loving compassion, impatient demanding, bribery, cajolery, and threats to get
Brick to cross the bridge, both fail…only to cluelessly convince themselves that
they have in fact succeeded as parents, by raising an independent son who will
be a leader.
Happily, ABC has renewed
The Middle for next year, ensuring that families in search of laughs will
have at least one haven in prime time. With only the mildest language and no
violent or sexually explicit content, The Middle is a delightful and
hilarious commentary on parenthood and family life, fully deserving of the title
of the Best TV Show of the Week.
Best TV Show
of the Week
The Parents
Television Council -
www.parentstv.org
