The Middleman

"The Middleman" was a delightful, campy series that faithfully brought beloved comic book characters to life. It was full of quirkiness, enjoyable predictability, and good old down home humor that was refreshing amidst the doldrum selection of TV viewing currently available to viewers who just wish to be entertained. Kudos to the writers, creator, special effects crew, and the talented actors that made this series so full of happy moments and tongue-in-cheek humor. The story lines were full of surprising variety interspersed with unexpected twists and turns. The dialog was sharp, witty, and included the right amount of clever references to past sci-fi classic shows that gave even the nerdiest viewer a satisfying taste of nostalgia throughout this top notch series.

I do hope it will return for a second season since the 1st season finale left us wanting more,more,more!

I was a little hesitant at first to watch this show, there's just not enough time in my busy life to waste watching a lame show. But I recorded it on the off chance I might get a moment of free time. It just so happens that I did get that moment and I'm glad I did. So much so, that I watched the 2nd episode right after the first, and if there was another, I would have watched it too. I really enjoyed the show.

I don't need to go into details that were already covered, but if you like Eureka or liked Wonderfalls or any other light, entertaining fictional show, then this is the show for you. Besides the great reviews it received from the NY Times and the TV Guide, it's just fun to watch. There is so much going on that I'm going to watch them both again tonight just to see what I missed.

If there is one thing that makes me want to kick a cat it's when I find out a TV show that I've fallen in love with has been cancelled in its first year. Lucky for me and the cat I don't own any pets. Animal cruelty aside, it is very frustrating when a TV network cuts short something as wonderfully odd and brilliant as The Middleman.

Based on the graphic novels by Javier Grillo-Marxuach it's the story of Wendy Watson, played by Natalie Morales, a young attractive artist who finds herself working for The Middleman (Matt Keeslar) a square-jawed all-American hero who saves the world on a daily basis from supernatural forces while not even uttering a curse word.

Taking in elements of Men in Black, The X-Files and a host of other past sci-fi classics, it manages to be a light-hearted entertaining comedy drama. While clearly a low budget show – most of the set pieces are played off camera; it rarely feels cheap and if anything, that's part of the joke.

There is great re-watch value too, with each episode filled with in-jokes, nods to other sci-fi references and the obligatory Wilhelm scream. In the current climate of TV channels that are filled with near identical crime or medical dramas with Brits playing Americans, spending most of their 43 minutes sarcastically mouthing off to a group of near identical supporting cast members, it seems crazy to let something as original as The Middleman join the likes of Firefly, Wonderfalls, Odyssey 5 and American Gothic as one season gems. We should however at least be grateful for the few fine episodes made.

I just stumbled over a DVD with the full session 1, it was not broad casted in Germanistan,like most good TV-shows. I bought it mostly for the nice screen shots on the back and was totally surprised. This show was not only really funny, it had (I'd never believed to find this in a US serial)esprit. It's what 'Austin Powers' and the unspeakable 'Avengers' movie tried to be and failed, a parforce ride through popcultur. I love it because it is made by people who love their characters and their world. They took every superherostereotyp, from marvel comics, over Kung Fu flicks,up to Mexican wrestlers added a dash of MIB, Avengers, shook (not steered)and added a cherry of good sitcom figures. They make fun on all this, but it's obvious, that they always keep their sympathy for this figures and the values they represented, as they have been a part of their childhood and are still a part of the western collective sub-conscience. It's like rereading Your old comic books and realizing, that they had formed Your view of the world. Some other IMDb-users wrote, that they had missed a background story . . . I have to say to this, that they didn't make the step the scriptwriters did. A background story is just a McGuffin. So it is only consequent to do, as Sir Alfred Hitchcock did,in "Nort by Nortwest", just skip it. It is sad the serial was discontinued, but it was foreseeable. Only a minority would see the hidden anarchistic humor behind the slick surface.

Odd, Weird, Strange and Campy........but the more you watch it the more it grows on you and you begin to love it. An snappy, well written comedy that's unlike anything on TV now. Watch it for that reason alone. It's different and highly entertaining. Don't know if it will carve out an audience sufficient enough to stay on the air long, but it will surely gathered a devoted audience, like other offbeat and short lived shows (The Tick, The Dresden Files and Wonderfalls for example). The comic acting is spot on and the supporting cast is extremely strong. I promise you, if you watch it, you WILL be hooked, if you have any imagination at all.