THE MIDDLEMAN 1.12 - "The Palindrome Reversal Palindrome"

Writer: Jordan Rosenberg
Director: Guy Norman Bee

Cast: Matt Keeslar (The Middleman/Mirror Middleman), Natalie Morales (Wendy Watson/Mirror Wendy), Brit Morgan (Mirror Lacey), Mary Pat Gleason (Ida), Jake Smollett (Mirror Noser), Brendan Hines (Tyler Ford), Warren Sweeney (Factory Owner), Jonathan Kowalsky (Storm Trooper), Mike Disch (Old Man), Kevin Sussman (The Palindrome/Ivan Avi), Heidi Marnhout (Mirror Ida), Sean Davis (Mirror Joe 90), Mark A. Sheppard (Mirror Manservant Neville) & Drew Tyler Bell (Mirror Pip)

Wendy
Who leaves a palindrome?

The Middleman
Typical supervillain horse feathers. Can't wait to hear
this guy's monologue. "I am the Palindrome. Feel my
power. Power my feel. Palindrome the am I".
Peter piping weirdos.

This is probably the last episode of The Middleman, the low-budget sci-fi and comic-book mash-up that's given us likeable characters, imagination on a shoestring and blissfully knotty dialogue. The intended 13 episodes have been cut down to 12, allowing "The Palindrome Reversal Palindrome" to produce something of relatively epic scale.

The Palindrome (a.k.a Ivan Avi, played by Kevin Sussman) is this week's supervillain, a psychic Jew who discovered another dimension and exchanges places with his inter-dimensional opposite. Unfortunately, the wormhole he opens up drags Wendy (Natalie Morales) through, trapping her in a "Mirror Universe" dystopia governed by Manservant Neville (Mark A. Sheppard) and Fatboy Industries.

As The Middleman (Matt Keeslar) tries to devise a way to communicate and rescue his colleague, the Mirror Middleman (Keeslar doing a passable Snake Plissken impersonation) doesn't seem particularly interested in helping Wendy escape this Never-Never Land. Well, unless she pays him. The "alternate universe" clichés comes thick and fast, with all the other characters having a flipside duplicate (often sporting "evil" facial hair) -- from gun-toting bodyguard Noser (Jake Smollett) and vampish Lacey (Brit Morgan), to a bikini-clad version of Ida (Heidi Marnhout, doing a spot-on impression of Mary Pat Gleason.)

It's a lot of fun and a decent story to end the season on a high-note, even if it offers no closure to any recurring Middleman stories (the whereabouts of Wendy's dad, the Lacey/Middleman relationship, or Manservant Neville's plans for Tyler). Clearly, hope remains for a reprieve from cancellation, and ABC Family should definitely consider giving the show a second chance to find an audience. As I've mentioned before, there's no logic in airing this series after 9pm, as it screams out for an earlier timeslot. I know PVR's are becoming commonplace and kids stay up late these days, but I'm sure there's a big audience not even aware The Middleman exists!

Throughout the season, the feathering of the mythology and development of characters ensured The Middleman became more than just a weekly hour of increasingly weird plots and impenetrable in-jokes. It's definitely aimed at geeks and superficially resembles a kid's show, but its inventiveness and affable humour also makes it ideal family viewing.

"The Palindrome Reversal Palindrome" is a treat for whatever fans The Middleman managed to enchant, giving the actors a chance to craft different personalities. Although, to be honest, only Matt Keeslar has a true mirror opposite; face of stubble, exposed torso, leather chaps, greasy hair and greasier bike ("The MiddleHog"). It was actually a shame Mirror Wendy didn't look that different to the good Wendy, or that Mirror Lacey was the same good-hearted person, really -- just with darker hair and penchant for hot pants.

Still, forgiving a few missed opportunities, this was an enjoyable send-off crammed full of fun references (notably from Escape From New York). I really hope The Middleman returns with fresh adventures, a bigger budget and a better timeslot. If not, I guess it's back to the comics for Boss Man and Dubby.


1 September 2008
ABC Family, 10/9c pm

THE MIDDLEMAN 1.11 - "The Clotharian Contamination Protocol"

Writer: Margaret Dunlap
Director: John T. Kretchmer

Cast: Matt Keeslar (The Middleman), Natalie Morales (Wendy Watson), Mary Pat Gleason (Ida), Jake Smollett (Noser), Brit Morgan (Lacey Thornfield), Mark A. Sheppard (Manservant Neville), Brendan Hines (Tyler Ford), Chris Ufland (Mr. Lethbridge-Stewart), Leland Crooke (Chairman) & Alan Smyth (Maximum Aldwin)

The Middleman
Son of a monkey's uncle, Wendy Watson! Which
part of "this is an emergency" didn't you get?

Lacey
Wendy, why is your boss standing outside
our door wearing a hazmat suit?

In addition to fleshing out its characters, there are now enough episodes to inspire call-backs to previous villains and situations. "The Clotharian Contamination Protocol" takes full advantage of The Middleman's growing mythology, to push Tyler Ford (Brendan Hines) into intriguing new territory, as the Clotharians from "The Boyband Superfan Interrogation" return…

Wendy's (Natalie Morales) new boyfriend Tyler shoulders this week's B-plot, after assisting millionaire businessman Manservant Neville (Mark A. Sheppard) in a car accident. Manservant is impressed enough to invite Tyler for a job interview at his company Fatboy Industries, which somewhat echoes Wendy's recruitment by The Middleman (Matt Keeslar).

The central, sci-fi flavoured plot involves android Ida (Mary Pat Gleason) being infected by nanobots found on a NASA probe that crashed to Earth. The 'bots compel Ida to initiate a Middleman H.Q lock-down, trapping The Middleman and Wendy inside so she can nuke the area so more nanobots can breed. Cue the inevitable stream of Die Hard quotes, but also a surprising amount of Doctor Who references only die-hard Whovians will get.

It's all good fun, balancing character and jeopardy with relative ease. The only major downside is that Tyler's storyline drags slightly compared to the more invigorating nanobots plot. Still, the ubiquitous Mark A. Shepherd gets another creepy villain character to sink his teeth into, which is always welcome. Interesting to note that Shepherd was actually the basis for the Manservant Neville character from The Middleman comics, so the casting is fateful and perfect. To me, it seems that Tyler's being groomed to become the protégé of a company at odds with The Middleman's agenda -- but has the show left it too late for such a story? The next episode is the season finale, and likely the last ever episode owing to poor ratings.

There isn't much Lacey (Brit Morgan) this week, which is always a shame, but I'm just pleased to see The Middleman developing its own universe in interesting ways. The characters also continue to grow, despite their basis in two-dimensional archetypes, and the father/daughter vibe to The Middleman and Wendy's relationship is working brilliantly just now.

Overall, "The Clotharian Contamination Protocol" is a very entertaining episode that backs up the usual imagination (a Fantastic Voyage-style climax that reminded me of The Mighty Boosh's own recent parody), with some important developments for Tyler that will likely figure into the season finale. Incidentally, the scene at Tyler's interview panel -- where he correctly identifies inconsistencies that prove the interviewers are fakes -- was one of the season's cleverest.


25 August 2008
ABC Family, 10/9c pm

THE MIDDLEMAN 1.10 - "The Vampiric Puppet Lamentation"

Writer: Andy Reaser
Director: Sandy Smolan

Cast: Natalie Morales (Wendy Watson), Matt Keeslar (The Middleman), Mary Pat Gleason (Ida), Brit Morgan (Lacey Thornfield), Jake Smollett (Noser), Drew Tyler Bell (Pip), Annabelle Milne (Jamie), Boris Kievsky (Oliver), Fred Ochs (Chaplain), Scarlett Chorvat (Irena Dubrovna), Sadie Stratton (Elizabeth Rousset), John O'Brien (Newscaster), Gideon Emery (Vladdy), Sean Davis (Joe 90), Jason Chambers (Anvil), Steve Valentine (Nikolas Pherides), Vic Chao (Dr. Judd) & Rob Nagle (Renfield Rehnquist)

The Middleman
If you want to help Mr. Noser right now, you'll dedicate yourself
-- mind, body, and soul -- to preventing undead creatures of the
night from rising from the grave to suck him dry.

Wendy
You don't talk to other humans much, do you?

While it's still great to see The Middleman keeping its characters central -- the teaser finds Wendy (Natalie Morales) discussing Lacey's (Brit Morgan) sex dreams about her ex-boyfriend Pip (Drew Tyler Bell) -- "The Vampiric Puppet Lamentation" is unfortunately very muddled and doesn't do justice to a fun idea…

In this Child's Play-style episode, The Middleman (Matt Keeslar) is out to stop the spirit of Vlad The Impaler regaining physical form. It turns out the real-life inspiration for Bram Stoker's "Dracula" (evidently a real vampire) was imprisoned inside his ventriloquist puppet Little Vladdy after his death. Now, centuries later, he's making a bid for freedom by controlling the body of an auctioneer selling Vlad memorabilia.

The simple idea of a puppet controlling the body of its puppeteer is an enjoyable twist on the "haunted doll" idea -- most famously portrayed in Magic (1978) and the aforementioned Child's Play/Chucky films. Writer Andy Reaser definitely finds himself an imaginative, oddly humorous and slightly creepy idea -- but the script doesn't push much beyond your own imagination. There's not enough vampirism on display and the solution to the problem is too swift and easy considering we're dealing with "Dracula".

Most bothersome is how the sub-plots prove distracting, and strain to eventually connect with the A-story. I have a lot of affection for Brit Morgan's appealing performances as Lacey, but this episode asks us to accept she suddenly has a strange affection for Pip -- the dislikable ex-boyfriend of her best-friend Wendy, whose actions in previous episodes have been reprehensible. It all smacks of the writers being forced to hook up two characters (no matter how unlikely) because there just isn't time to introduce someone new for Lacey. Even worse, the Lacey/Pip coupling is over with by the time the credits roll, so the whole thing just made Lacey look silly and easily swayed by good-looks. To compensate slightly, the Lacey and The Middleman's "true love" is returned to in earnest, but it's too little too late.

The disappearance of Noser (Jake Smollett) is another aspect of the episode that didn't work -- as Lacey and Pip are trying to find out why the bohemian guitarist has vanished. Unbelievably, his story ties in with the Vlad storyline by revealing Noser's a closet ventriloquist of great fame. Sorry, but that just didn't click for me. I'm willing to bet Noser's convenient hobby is never mentioned ever again on the show, as it was purely in service to this episode.

Still, " The Vampiric Puppet Lamentation" has some memorable moments. The sudden possession of a kooky Tarot card reader at a party was amusing, there were the usual smattering of witticisms throughout, a sequence involving Little Vladdy transforming into a bat and dragging his puppeteer into the sky was delightfully bonkers, and the endearing performances continue to prevent The Middleman from becoming a bore.

After such a strong run of episodes recently, this is an unfortunate return to the haphazard tone that typified earlier stories, but its entertaining premise and several quirky moments keep it watchable.


18 August 2008
ABC Family, 10/9c pm

THE MIDDLEMAN 1.9 - "The Obsolescent Cryogenic Meltdown"

Writer: Tracey Stern
Director: Michael Grossman

Cast: Matt Keeslar (The Middleman), Natalie Morales (Wendy Watson), Jake Smollett (Noser), Brit Morgan (Lacey Thornfield), Mary Pat Gleason (Ida), Kevin Sorbo (Guy Goddard), Erick Avari (Lord Jeremiah Purcell), Brendan Hines (Tyler Ford), Natalija Nogulich (Rosa Krebb), Ricky Ullman (Derek), Matthew Morgan (Anatol Gogol) & Megan Lee Etheridge (Vilma Schnipp)

Wendy
Check this guy out: The Fabulous Face. He tries to
replace everyone in the White House with evil doubles.

The Middleman
And he succeeded, though
no one seemed to notice at the time...

The improvement continues, although the last half of "The Obsolescent Cryogenic Meltdown" is notably slacker than the first. The Austin Powers-like plot finds a former Middleman from 1969, Guy Goddard (Kevin Sorbo), defrosted from a cryogenic freezer because his arch-nemesis The Candle has resurfaced in 2008. Fortunately, the Austin Powers similarities are kept to a bare minimum, with Guy avoiding clichéd '60s stereotypes...

A lot of the comedy comes from the arrival of macho, roguish competition for The Middleman (Matt Keeslar), with android assistant Ida (Mary Pat Gleason) particularly enamoured with her ex-boss -- so much so that she reverts to wearing roller-skates and zipping around Middleman HQ like a love-struck teen! Wendy (Natalie Morales) is surprised to find that previous Middlemen aren't as starched as the current incumbent, but it soon becomes clear that two Middlemen are actually a hindrance to crime-fighting.

The problem with "The Obsolescent Cryogenic Meltdown" is that the professional threat posed by Guy is neutered half-way through by persuading him to accept official retirement. While this doesn't prevent Guy continuing his investigation in secret, by recruiting Wendy to help him in a high-stakes card game, it does slam the brakes on the enjoyable antagonism between Middleman '69 and '08. More comedy could have been mined from the Middleman rivalry; although it was admittedly exciting to see Keeslar's character beat-up Sorbo, with relatively no effort. It was one of the few times The Middleman came across as dangerous and cool, instead of an old-fashioned, reserved stickler. More, please!

The show's new-found emphasis on character has proven successful already -- and not only with the enjoyable Guy/Middleman/Wendy triptych. Wendy's new boyfriend Tyler (Brendan Hines) is still around, proving himself every bit the geeky equal to Wendy. He's actually perfect for her; which scares the ordinarily pessimistic Wendy, who admits to Lacey (Brit Morgan) she can usually predict how her relationships will fail. Will Wendy's romance continue to blossom amongst talk of violent arcade games and zombie movies, or will it all come crashing down? Well, dramatically, happily every afters are rarely fun...

After a confident start, helped by a surprisingly good performance from former Hercules actor Sorbo, the plot doesn't really develop into a particularly exciting finale. The comedy dries up once Guy is made a civilian and, while a late-twist concerning The Candle's identity works well, the cave-set finale is fudged by bad direction and poor FX. To compensate, we finally get to see Natalie Morales in her Emma Peel cat-suit from the opening titles, with the added bonus of a Honey Rider white bikini towards the end. So that was nice.

Overall, this was an enjoyable episode that neatly avoided aping Austin Powers too much, with a fun performance from Kevin Sorbo and more development of Wendy's social life. Indeed, I'm pleased the Middleman/Wendy relationship is more brother/sister than I expected when the series began. It's a shame the humour fizzles out half-way through and the episode doesn't really do full justice to the premise, but there's still plenty to enjoy -- particularly in the first 25 minutes.


11 August 2008
ABC Family, 10/9c pm

THE MIDDLEMAN 1.8 - "The Ectoplasmic Panhellenic Investigation"

Writer: Sarah Watson
Director: Michael Zinberg

Cast: Natalie Morales (Wendy Watson), Matt Keeslar (The Middleman), Jake Smollett (Noser), Mary Pat Gleason (Ida), Brit Morgan (Lacey Thornfield), Cassandra Jean (Dana Barrett/Sorority Ghost), Ashley Johnson (Eleanor June Draper), Rome Shadanloo (Janine Melnitz/Sorority Ghost), Darren Revitz (Fraternity Brother), Chrissie Marie Fit (Shannon Faris/Sorority Ghost), Anthony Di Palma (Fraternity Brother), Cindy Chiu (Kristen Lonner/Sorority Ghost), Kevin Sizemore (Campus Police Officer), Tyler Kain (Alley), Brendan Hines (Tyler Ford) & Jeremy Lelliott (Louis)

"It may all seem like light and magic at first, but
the next thing you know the walls are bleeding and
you've got 25 pregnant women running around
screaming 'Mary, Mary, Mary!' and clawing their
yes out with knitting needles, while your own hair
grows to 3 times its length and tries to strangle you."

-- The Middleman (Matt Keeslar)

"The Cursed Tuba Contingency" was the first time The Middleman's imaginative plotting dovetailed with decent character development. The return of the fashionista succubus' also gave it a sense of creating a "universe" and loose mythology. The best thing about "The Ectoplasmic Panhellenic Investigation" is how it continues on this stronger footing, showcasing another strange mystery, but finding time to stretch its characters and actors into new directions...

Ghostbusters is the primary inspiration for this episode, as Wendy (Natalie Morales) helps The Middleman (Matt Keeslar) investigate sightings of ghostly sorority girls at Reitman University. The spectral witness, Louis (Jeremy Lelliott), recently underwent a brain operation, and the removal of his pineal gland has bestowed him with a sixth sense. Wendy is given a pair of ghost-seeing glasses and told to go undercover as a sorority girl -- enabling Morales to ditch her faux military attire for a slinky blue dress, and bust some ghosts...

Elsewhere, with 7 episodes under its belt, The Middleman is starting to reference and continue its own storylines and ideas. Tyler Ford (Brendan Hines) is back, last seen helping Wendy in "The Sino-Mexican Revelation" before having the two-day experience wiped from his memory. This throws up complications when Tyler mistakes Lacey (Brit Morgan) as the "soul mate" he half-remembers meeting during his "missing time". To prevent Tyler regaining his memory of top-secret Middleman activities, Wendy's forced to keep her true feelings a secret and give Tyler and Lacey her blessing to start dating..

It's great to see The Middleman balancing its storyline in this manner, and "The Ectoplasmic Panhellenic Investigation" is undoubtedly the most successful episode at keeping you engaged with the characters, whilst ensuring the imagination and creativity of the main plot doesn't suffer. While it's mildly annoying to see Lacey move onto Tyler (after professing her love of Middleman in episode 7), it's a minor blip in an otherwise engaging character-based storyline.

Of course, the university haunting is the driving force behind this episode, and Sarah Watson's script made a few creative leaps -- beginning with the revelation that the mute sorority spooks are "ghosts of the living". Most memorably, the story engineers the possession of The Middleman with the geeky villain's spirit -- enabling Matt Keeslar to drop his stiff hero shtick and flounce around the screen as a malevolent teenage girl. Good fun, and an enjoyable way for Keeslar to flex more acting muscle.

In the humour stakes, there are the usual densely-written statements, protestations and comebacks, but this episode did cram in far too many allusions to Ghostbusters for my taste. Most were fairly obscure, but easy referencing is something The Middleman tends to lean on rather too heavily. Still, this was an easy episode to get swept along by and there were more hits than misses. I still find Brit Morgan a particular joy as Lacey (such an exuberant and likeable performer), hopefully Morales' relationship with Hines will continue developing in the weeks to come, and Keeslar had some chances to shine. The eponymous do-gooder still doesn't grab my attention (he's intentionally more stilted than everyone else), but it's definitely an assured performance.

Overall, The Middleman looks to be developing rather nicely now. The early crazy-for-crazy's-sake tone is being tempered by an emphasis on character and a slow-build of The Middleman's off-kilter universe. A few episodes ago I wouldn't have cared if The Middleman was cancelled (in the face of very poor Stateside ratings), but I'm revising that opinion...


4 August 2008
ABC Family, 10/9c pm

THE MIDDLEMAN 1.7 - "The Cursed Tuba Contingency"

Writer: Hans Beimler
Director: Jeremiah Chechik

Cast: Matt Keeslar (The Middleman), Natalie Morales (Wendy Watson), Jake Smollett (Noser), Mary Pat Gleason (Ida), Brit Morgan (Lacey Thornfield), Lance Barber (Johnny John), Mario Quinonez Jr. (Arturo Arroyo), Elaine Hendrix (Roxy Wasserman), Jim Paddock (Arthur Mendelson), Joey Kern (Cecil Rogers) & Michael Gier (Bearded Petersen Guy)

"Let this be a lesson to you. The next time we trap
a rampaging pig-insect hybrid from another galaxy
that accidentally gets loose in custody, you should
shoot after it gets out of the car."

-- The Middleman (Matt Keeslar)

Former Star Trek scribe Hans Beimler pens this seventh episode, and I doubt it's coincidence the quality is raised several notches. While most Middleman episodes have a ragged feel to the plot (leaning heavily on zaniness and pop-culture allusions), "The Curse Tuba Contingency" actually balances its bonkers narrative with worthwhile character development...

The story concerns a tuba, the only surviving musical instrument of the Titanic disaster, which is now supposedly cursed. Consequently, whenever the tuba's played anyone who hears it immediately die of drowning. The Middleman (Matt Keeslar) and Wendy (Natalie Morales) are soon on its trail, although a rival called Cecil (Joey Kern) is also eager to get his hands on the instrument, for far stranger reasons...

Integrated into the story is a welcome sub-plot for The Middleman, who takes time-off to visit a cinema showing his favourite western: Ride Lonesome. His extracurricular trip is interrupted by Lacey (Brit Morgan), who's fast becoming smitten with her best-friend's boss, and they form an agreeably tender bond over the film.

In fact, it's Morgan who really stands out in this episode. She's been quietly doing excellent work as Morales' cheerful friend, but it's here she's finally given meat to sink her teeth into. Likewise, Keeslar gets to flesh-out his intentionally two-dimensional do-gooder a little, and both characters benefit enormously from their liaison. It's just a shame the status quo is returned to so quickly, but I have hope the emphasis on character will continue on The Middleman thanks to its success here.

Morales has become a little stuck in her platonic partnership with Middleman -- still spewing quips to fine effect, but otherwise going through the motions. They wisely avoided the cliché of Wendy fancying Middleman from the start (even if the last shot hints Wendy's jealous of her friend snuggling up to her boss), but they need to give her character another facet. What about bringing in her parents? Or maybe just drop the pretence and let Wendy's friends in on her secret soon?

For a low-budget TV show, this episode is the first to really capture a sense of budget and scale. It may include stock footage of a black-and-white Titanic movie and bad greenscreen for a villain's splashy fall into water, but it's otherwise less reliant on cartoon-y CGI.

Overall, writer Hans Beimler's script provides ample evidence that The Middleman should tone down some of its freewheeling craziness and remember to service the characters and their relationships. The cast are enjoyable to watch and, while amusing to have them guide us through oddball stories about cursed musical instruments and suchlike, audiences primarily have to feel there's something going on with these people. "The Cursed Tuba Contingency" is a strong indicator The Middleman's about to start combining heart and emotion with its nutty ideas -- and that can only be a good thing.


28 July 2008
ABC Family, 10/9c pm

THE MIDDLEMAN 1.6 - "The Boyband Superfan Interrogation"

Writer: Jordan Rosenberg
Director: Norman Buckley

Cast: Matt Keeslar (The Middleman), Natalie Morales (Wendy Watson), Mary Pat Gleason (Ida), Brit Morgan (Lacey Thornfield), Jake Smollett (Noser), Eden Sher (Cindy Marshall), Drew Tyler Bell (Pip), Billy Beck (Hipster), Alan Smyth (High Aldwin), Matt Winston (Dr. Eliott Marshall), Arloa Reston (Reporter), Stephen Holland (Critic), David Brandt (Himself), Thomas Fiss (Himself), Jayk Purdy (Himself), Drew Richards (Himself), Bobby Edner (Himself) & Sean Davis (Joe 90)

"Pip is about to reap the whirlwind. That
means we're gonna do bad things to him."

-- Lacey (Brit Morgan)

The gauge of a good Middleman episode is determined by how imaginative and consistent the week's mystery-adventure is, and how well its sub-plot supports and enhances that entertainment. With that in mind, "The Boyband Superfan Interrogation" works very well -- marrying a creative storyline about a stalker of a world-famous boyband, with the close-to-home villainy of Wendy's ex-boyfriend...

Varsity Fanclub are the boyband in question; a clichéd fivesome being stalked around their US tour by Cindy (Eden Sher), an obsessed teen using high-tech "warp-hole" technology to jump to Varsity's interstate gigs. The Middleman (Matt Keeslar) and Wendy (Natalie Morales) get involved after discovering one of Cindy's warp-holes in mid-air -- lodged open by an unfortunate duck!

Jordan Rosenberg's storyline is amusing and the internal logic stronger than usual, meaning it's easier to get drawn into the nutty mystery. As usual, there are some duff moments and the nudge-nudge references are beginning to irritate, but the story overcomes these slip-ups thanks to an inventive back-story to Cindy's obsession and a humorous twist on Varsity Fanclub themselves.

The sub-plot again focuses on Wendy's private life. This time, her unscrupulous ex-boyfriend Pip (Drew Tyler Bell) returns to plagiarise her paintings and palm them off as his own at "The Gate" art exhibition. Wendy's unable to protest, because Pip's father could throw her out her apartment, much to a disgruntled Lacey's (Brit Morgan) disgust.

For once, the sub-plot is just as entertaining as the main story. It helps that the characters surrounding Wendy are being used and developed quite nicely now -- Noser (Jake Smollett) is freed from his "cameo" role, Morgan still gives one of the Middleman's better performances as emotional Lacey, and now evil boyfriend Pip earns some credence. The way the sub-plot concludes was also rather snug and satisfying.

In fact, while this episode wasn't especially exciting or funny, it was more unified and the storyline developed agreeably. The only notable downer was a weak story element involving cantankerous android Ida (Mary Pat Gleason) malfunctioning and having to be replaced. It just slowed the story down too much and might have worked better as the emphasis of a different episode.

Still, this is a fairly minor complaint in an episode that showed signs The Middleman's beginning to find surer footing. I can't imagine ever really embracing it, and its summer scheduling without much competition is perhaps the best place for it -- but it's at least refusing to sink without a trace. It's just a shame that, like Chuck, the credits sequence has twice the energy and verve of what follows. And, y'know, it's still the only place to see Natalie Morales ditch that dour military jacket for a skin-tight cat-suit.


21 July 2008
ABC Family, 10/9c pm

THE MIDDLEMAN 1.5 – "The Flying Fish Zombification"

Writer: Andy Reaser

Director: Allan Kroeker

Cast: Matt Keeslar (The Middleman), Natalie Morales (Wendy Watson), Mary Pat Gleason (Ida), Brit Morgan (Lacey Thornfield), Jake Smollett (Noser), George Williams (Deputy Commissioner), Sherry Mattson (!!!! Promo Girl), Tina Joy Manera (!!!! Promo Girl), Melanie Hawkins (Bonnie Blue), Timothy Josefy (Fishmonger), Todd Stashwick (Head Guard/Mr. White), Al Damji (Rod Argent), Drew Tyler Bell (Pip), Michele Nordin (Heidi) & Joshua Levine (Dave)

A zombie outbreak clashes with Wendy's promise to attend Lacey's "Art Crawl"...

Wendy: And I get the feeling you don't share my enthusiasm.
Ida: Then I'm wearing the right expression.

Ratings are low for The Middleman, meaning ABC Family have ordered the producers to ditch an intended thirteen episode. That's not a great sign for the longevity of this comic-book series, but while The Middleman has been sporadically amusing, there's just not really enough to ensure your commitment...

Half the jokes are aimed at knowledgeable geeks, with the other half dealing in slapstick and cartoon-y visuals to keep kids happy. Consequently, there's not much sustenance for anyone over the age of 12 who don't have an obsessive knowledge of genre TV/film. Imagine if Doctor Who didn't cater for general audiences, and instead focused on making a minority of viewers giggle over jokes flying over the heads of everyone else? It just wouldn't work.

That said, "The Flying Fish Zombification" is actually one of the better episodes, as writer Andy Reaser ensures the storyline isn't wholly reliant on the usual insanity of The Middleman's (Matt Keeslar) latest mission. Instead, there are two sub-plots that focus on the characters: Wendy (Natalie Morales) aces her martial arts training with Sensei Ping (sadly, off-screen due to Mark Dacascos' absence), and doesn't believe The Middleman's sincerity over her physical superiority to him; and Wendy's double-life once again intrudes on her home-life with artistic best-friend Lacey (Brit Morgan).

Both subplots give rise to annoyances, however. It's frankly ridiculous to find that Wendy can get the better of Sensei Ping, whose Bruce Lee-like prowess was a big part of a recent episode. I understand her bettering of the martial-arts guru was itself a joke, but it undermined the Sensei Ping character and didn't sit right with me. Wendy's supposed to be an everygirl character, not someone with hidden Kung Fu abilities.

Elsewhere, I really like Brit Morgan's performance as best-friend Lacey, particularly because there's a genuine chemistry between her and Morales, but the whole "double life" aspect to The Middleman is already overplayed. It would be more entertaining if Lacey and chilled-out neighbour Noser (Jake Smollett) were aware of her activities, in my opinion.

The main story involves zombies who crave trout over human flesh, apparently the bite victims of flying pike (CGI fish with just the right level of rubbery silliness to them). As usual, the investigation to prevent a mass zombie outbreak takes The Middleman and Wendy down some interesting avenues, but the mystery is typically a bit silly and washes over you.

What keeps "The Flying Fish Zombification" ticking along is the improving chemistry between all of the actors and sub-plots that mix with the A-story to much better effect. It was also nice to see a bit more expansion of The Middleman's universe, with Wendy's "Middlemobile" being taken out on a mission (hiding a rather snazzy rooftop turbine engine), and the story includes quite a few amusing distractions – from a sexy zombie trio chanting "trooout" to the ridiculousness of a company being named "!!!" ("pronounced" as a silent bodily reaction).

However, while certainly a confident episode and huge improvement over the execrable "The Manicoid Teleportation Experiment", the series is overall beginning to feel a bit stale. The imagination is definitely there to see on screen, but it lacks a sense of sophistication -- beyond its in-jokes, that require a three decade education in sci-fi/fantasy programming.

It might help if there was a recurring mystery lurking in the background of the show, or just a sense of direction for the season, but The Middleman seems content with its simple crime-fighting set-up and standalone episode format. Even if everything about the show is stolen or spoofed from far better films and television shows.


14 July 2008
ABC Family, 10/9c pm

THE MIDDLEMAN 1.4 - "The Manicoid Teleportation Conundrum"

Writer: Tracey Stern
Director: Jeremiah Chechik

Cast: Natalie Morales (Wendy Watson), Matt Keeslar (The Middleman), Brit Morgan (Lacey Thornfield), Mary Pat Gleason (Ida), Jake Smollett (Noser), Clint Culp (Dr. Gil), Patrick Fischler (Dr. Rollin Newleaf), Allison Dunbar (Doris Schon), Timothy Thomas Brown (Manicoid Guard), Joseph Ferrante (Manicoid Guard), Melissa McCarty (Newscaster), Christina Ogunade (Dr. Gil's Guest), Blayne Weaver (Dean Schon) & Vincent Ward (Policeman)

Wendy and The Middleman investigate a decapitated body found in the street...

"There's acing it, and there's what you did.

Kind of like shooting a cow with a Howitzer."

-- The Middleman (Matt Keeslar)

It just occurred to me how similar this show is to The Avengers -- minus the equality in the Wendy/Middleman partnership, compared to Peel/Steed. For some reason it also passed me by that Jeremiah Chechik (a regular director here) once failed, spectacularly, to translate the surreal '60s spy series to the big-screen in 1998...

The Middleman's fourth episode is a nadir for the series, which is failing to build on its agreeable Pilot. Most of the effort seems to go on the blithe references to genre shows. To wit, "The Manicoid Teleportation Conundrum" fixates on Back To The Future, with The Middleman (Matt Keeslar) using BTTF character names as aliases during his investigation. Cute. But beyond the rib-poking, there's not much else going on of any interest...

It's training day for Wendy (Natalie Morales), which means she's asked random questions by her boss, and discovers her weapon's always had the safety on. It's a little disappointing, but the story really wants to get on with another crazy murder mystery -- this time involving people mysteriously vanishing and being returned without heads. The headless victims all have one thing in common: they were all clients of plastic surgeon Dr. Rollin Newleaf (Patrick Fischler) and consequently share inflated facial features.

Of course, the full story soon expands to involve a hunting-obsessed TV doctor Dr. Gil (Clint Culp), a race of immigrant aliens called Manicoids, and a teleportation beam -- that whisks victims to the Vasquez Rocks location famously used in an episode of Star Trek and Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey.

In retrospect, there's enough craziness to satisfy young kids, but Tracey Stern's script doesn't develop at a satisfying pace, and becomes laborious very early on. I've acclimatized to The Middleman's nutty vibe and shoestring FX, but nothing seems to be developing or getting more interesting. The plot lacks the depth and nuance of a Pushing Daisies episode (another series that deals with bizarre, credibility-stretching murders), and Keeslar's eponymous boy scout still isn't leaping off the screen. Morales remains a refreshing burst of smart-talking cool, but the required chemistry with Keeslar isn't there yet.

The supporting cast are surplus to requirement, but they crop up throughout the episode to stretch out the thin storyline. I like Brit Morgan as Wendy's "photogenic" housemate, and Jake Smollett makes me smile as chilled-out Noser, but both are on the outskirts of the action and the show crawls whenever Wendy interacts with the bland normality of her life outside of Middleman HQ. The secret life aspect to the series is terribly clichéd, but it should still work better than this. Was anyone interested in Wendy discovering her ex-boyfriend posted their break-up video on the internet?

The make-up for the inflated faces is amusing, weird and creepy (if not a seamless join on the actors' faces), but that's the only positive in an episode that didn't hold my interest. The explanation for all the goings-on was ridiculous and full of holes, too. Why teleport decapitated bodies back to the crime scene, when keeping and disposing of them would make the perfect crime? I know The Middleman is fundamentally a summer time-waster, not to be taken very seriously, but I just feel there's more potential in the concept than what we're seeing delivered.


7 July 2008
ABC Family, 10/9c pm

THE MIDDLEMAN 1.3 - "The Sino-Mexican Revelation"

Writer: Javier Grillo-Marxuach
Director: Jeremiah Chechik

Cast: Matt Keeslar (The Middleman), Natalie Morales (Wendy Watson), Jake Smollett (Noser), Mary Pat Gleason (Ida), Brit Morgan (Lacey Thornfield), Brendan Hines (Tyler), Benny Nieves (El Maestro De Ceremonias), Christopher T. Wood (Doctor), Guy Ale (Israeli Museum Curator), Armando Cosio (El Glotón) & Mark Dacascos (Sensei Ping)

Sensei Ping is abducted by a band of Mexican wrestlers thanks to Wendy, leaving The Middleman to embark on a solo mission to rescue his mentor...

After the disappointing "Accidental Occidental Conception", things gets back on-track with "The Sino-Mexican Revelation" -- although I'm now worried only creator Javier Grillo-Marxuach and Pilot director Jeremiah Chechik have a grip on this series. Episode 3 is still a bit forced in its execution, but the wackiness is more controlled and it features an amusing guest-starring role for Mark Dacascos as Sensei Ping -- channelling Kill Bill's Pai Mei, by way of Jack Black's Nacho Libre...

Sensei Ping is arriving in the US to train Wendy Watson (Natalie Morales), although she's disappointed The Middleman (Matt Keeslar) is already tapping up another potential sidekick -- waiter Tyler (Brendan Hines) -- should she fail to make the grade. With The Middleman is distracted by an investigation into a stolen diamond, Wendy is tasked to collect Sensei Pin from the airport -- and immediately finds him an obstinate, irritating pain in the neck. She's also unaware of Ping's long-running blood feud with a group of Mexican wrestlers -- who promptly arrive and kidnap Ping...

The curious thing about The Middleman is how it's superficially targeting the under-10s (square-jawed hero, wise-cracking sidekick, vibrant colours, cartoon-y aesthetic) while the dialogue scatterguns references and in-jokes only middle-aged geeks stand a chance of catching. I consider myself pretty well versed in Middleman's genre, but even I furrow my brow at a few gags and remarks. The show must be quite bewildering for youngsters yet to acquire a bedrock of knowledge in this genre.

The trouble is, while the dialogue is tangled in a Pushing Daisies-style and the references demonstrate Javier Grillo-Marxuach's comic-book smarts, everything else operates on a kid-friendly level that's mildly tiresome. I don't think a family-viewing balance is being achieved yet, as the intentionally silly storyline doesn't have the meat or texture to grab an adult's attention. Doctor Who is the best example of a family show that operates on multiple levels far better, with only a few lapses into kid-only/adult-only material.

There's fun to be had in seeing Mark Dacascos channel Pai Mei and Bruce Lee into a clichéd whole, beating up Mexican wrestlers in the chop-socky climax, but my enjoyment is still being sustained by the irrepressible sassiness of Natalie Morales -- whose comic timing, good looks, and deft handling of the material is a real joy.

Matt Keeslar also shows signs of improvement as The Middleman; softening his character's regimented stance and getting down-and-dirty out of his military-style uniform. He makes an appropriately hard-faced foil for Wendy (or "Dubby") and the two actors work well together -- although I sense their chemistry will develop once the characters accept and trust each other. There's the sense The Middleman has his new sidekick on a trial-run thus far, but that looks ready to change by the episode's end -- when Wendy is given a snazzy Smart car to replace her old banger. Hopefully her boss' generosity signals the beginning of a closer bond between the pair.

Elsewhere, Noser (Jake Smollett) might become a cult character -- lounging around in the hallway outside Wendy's apartment, guitar in hand, with the chilled-out expression of a stoner. "Heyyy, Wendy Watson..." He's like a throwback to the kind of hippy character you'd find on the outskirts of a '60s Hanna-Barbera cartoon. I'm not totally sold on Wendy's activist room-mate Lacey Thornfield (Britt Morgan) just yet, but a scene where it's revealed she fond of wearing an oversized teddy bear costume was endearingly daft.

Overall, "The Sino-Mexican Revelation" was a better effort than episode 2's misstep, but the plot wasn't as engaging as the Pilot's. I sincerely hope other writers will be successful at transplanting Javier Grillo-Marxuach's comic to the small-screen, as the underlying idea behind The Middleman is perfect material for light and breezy family viewing. They just need to develop the plots a bit, and make the dialogue less knotty for younger ears to grasp.


30 June 2008
ABC Family, 10/9c pm

THE MIDDLEMAN 1.2 - "The Accidental Occidental Conception"

Writer: Sarah Watson
Director: Michael Zinberg

Cast: Matt Keeslar (The Middleman), Natalie Morales (Wendy Watson), Mary Pat Gleason (Ida), Brit Morgan (Lacey Thornfield), Jake Smollett (Noser), Matt Funke (Trevor), Elaine Hendrix (Roxy Wasserman), James Hsu (Terracotta Warrior), Christopher May (Duncan's Father), Hymnson Chan (Busboy), Vincent Ward (Crime Scene Cop), Connor Price (Duncan), Tony Yalda (Underworld Clerk), Diane Sellers (Desk Officer) & Susan Ziegler (Jessica)

Wendy and The Middleman must stop a revived Terracotta Warrior from unleashing a hail of fire upon the Earth...

After a spirited start in the bonkers Pilot, things sadly nosedive with this dim follow-up. The premise sounds fun (sharing parallels with The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor), but the plot about stopping a Qin Dynasty Terracotta Warrior is incredibly laborious and dull. There's a Pushing Daisies vibe to the opening, as The Middleman (Matt Keeslar) and Wendy (Natalie Morales) investigate an unlikely death at a Chinese restaurant, where the owner was suffocated in a "mud slide", but everything soon becomes tedious...

The zany tone and playfulness that boosted episode 1 sits awkwardly here, as Sarah Watson's script is just sustained silliness that doesn't grab your attention, or make you care about the characters or situation. While the Pilot's low-budget FX were charming, the visuals for Terracotta Warrior (James Hsu) are just atrocious; resembling stop-motion play-do, as a distracting spoof of T2's liquid-metal nemesis.

The story also throws in guff about a reformed Succubus called Roxy Wasserman (Elaine Hendrix) who owns a fashion house, and can open a gateway to the Underworld -- which is where the Warrior takes a kidnapped boy (Connor Price) who's the Qin Dynasty's successor. There's also a weak sub-plot for Wendy's room-mate, political activist Lacey Thornfield (Brit Morgan), that sees her become the Succubus' new assistant, with little ramification on the main story.

I really didn't like this. It was everything the Pilot threatened to become, but avoided thanks to better writing and a more enticing storyline. It's early days, so this could just be growing pains for what must be a tricky show to get a handle on -- but, then again, it has a series of comic-books for guidance, so perhaps that's no excuse. On the positive side, things improve once Wendy and The Middleman arrive in the Underworld (a hotel lobby with a camp clerk), while the odd snippet of dialogue is snappy.

As before, it's Natalie Morales whose performance keeps the drivel mildly engaging, although she can't gloss over this baloney with simple enthusiasm. Matt Keeslar remains hollow in his portrayal of the straight-laced "superhero", with only a few hints of anything more exciting and amusing beneath his wooden veneer. I know the character is intended to be stiff and monosyllabic, but there needs to be something else lurking under the surface... but Morales is shouldering his weight.

For the very young, there might be some entertainment here -- but we're living in a TV world where The Middleman's peers are Pushing Daisies and Doctor Who, so it needs to pull its socks up. I enjoyed the Pilot (despite its flaws), but this episode's attempts at a madcap story is a real clunker. And, isn't it weird a US TV show aimed at families airs on a school night at 10/9 pm? Maybe the family-viewing culture is different across the pond, but aren't the target audience tucked up in bed by then?


23 June 2008
ABC Family 10/9c pm

THE MIDDLEMAN 1.1 - "The Pilot Episode Sanction"

Writer: Javier Grillo-Marxuach
Director: Jeremiah Chechik

Cast: Matt Keeslar (The Middleman), Natalie Morales (Wendy Watson), Britt Morgan (Lacey Thornfield), Mary Pat Gleason (Ida), Jake Smollett (Noser), Colby Wilson (Firefighter), Dawn Chubai (Reporter), Mary Lynn Rajskub (Dr. Gibbs), Stephen Sowan (Ben Stanley), Emilio Salituro (Tino), Scott Patey (Eddie), Lorena Gale (Mrs. Johnston), L. Harvey Gold (Domenico Colfari) & Jennifer Jenei (Stripper)

A smart-talking temp worker is recruited by an enigmatic man to help him fight monsters...

"Tell the truth if you want, but if you do I'm going
to have to root you like a hog and kill you."

-- The Middleman (Matt Keeslar)

The show BBC Three's terrible Phoo Action wanted to be, former Lost scribe Javier Grillo-Marxuach adapts his comic-book series for the small-screen -- ironic, as The Middleman originated as a TV spec script JGM couldn't get picked up because of prohibitive costs and zero interest...

Newcomer Natalie Morales (a younger, shorter, wise-cracking Rosario Dawson lookalike) plays twentysomething heroine Wendy Watson, a temp worker whose encounter with a tentacled monster in a laboratory brings her to the attention of the man tasked to clean up the mess: the eponymous Middleman (Matt Keeslar), a Joe Friday-style monster-slayer with a proclivity for milk and Country & Western, with the gosh-darn boy scout attitude of Clark Kent.

Wendy is later recruited by The Middleman (Men In Black-style), who's impressed by how she kept a cool head and accepted the crazy situation with hardly a raised eyebrow. So she's whisked off to The Middleman's secret H.Q (the Jolly Fats Wehawkin Temp Agency), where she meets his android receptionist Ida (Mary Pat Gleason) and is told the world is exactly like a comic-book -- full of monsters, robots, aliens and other critters to fight. He's the "middleman" in-between order and chaos, receiving missions and equipment from an unseen superior, and Wendy basically becomes his apprentice.

Their first assignment is to find the shadowy Tommy Gun-wielding assassin of various city gangsters, a mystery that leads them to a government research facility, run by Dr. Gibbs (24's Mary Lynn Rajskub), who has found a way to make gorillas super-intelligent -- so they can paint, play chess and even talk through an electronic voice box.

The Middleman is crammed full of references and in-jokes, most of which will fly over the heads of the show's target, young audience. I suppose they add another layer of comedy for people who still giggle over Charlton Heston quotes from Planet Of The Apes, but most are either obscure or unnecessary. Indeed, this show is comfortable with its own unoriginality -- with every character, situation, creature and joke reminding you of something else. Fortunately, creator Javier Grillo-Marxuach ensures the influences are of good stock -- so while The Middleman is definitely a melting pot of old ingredients, it cooks up something appetising.

Natalie Morales is the stand-out, which is quite remarkable considering this is her first proper acting job. She's sexy, a bit geeky, fun, spirited, clever, witty and has genuine screen presence. If there's one thing that'll tempt you back for more, it's to see Morales. Matt Keeslar is fine as the stiff Middleman, but I wasn't particularly excited by him. He was a bit two-dimensional here, but that's how the character was written. Hopefully he'll show some depth and interesting facets to his personality in the weeks to come. Still, I can see potential in the Wendy/Middleman dynamic, even if it's something we've seen countless times before in duo's like Streebeck/Friday or Agent J/Agent K.

The production values weren't terrible, although the opening monster attack featured some awful CGI and the general aesthetic isn't as slick and polished as you'd hope. But the low-budget vibe works in its favour at times (particularly with the comedy man-in-suit gorillas), and it will hopefully force the creators to be more creative. The jokes aren't laugh-out-loud stuff, but there were plenty of amusing moments sprinkled throughout: the way a location legend accidentally typed some dialogue, Wendy's censored swearing, Wendy's reaction to seeing android Ida's opened-up face, etc.

It's a middling start, but balancing sci-fi with comedy is harder than people think, and The Middleman does a better job than most. For families; kids will enjoy its cartoon-y atmosphere, funky visuals and appealing leads, while parents will grin at quotes from Scarface/The Godfather, and soak up the amusing banter and sprightly pace. At the moment, The Middleman is clearly trying too hard to please, doesn't have any ideas to call its own, and features too much knotty dialogue and pop-culture references -- but there's definitely potential for Pushing Daisies-style imaginative entertainment, and Morales makes a great heroine.


16 June 2008
ABC Family, 10/9c pm