(S01E07) "8660 Hawkins Lane, Apt 9. God am I underpaid." Ida and then the very next scene caption
Paul will be pleased to see that the continuing theme of opening each episode checking out hot Wendy and hot Wendy's hot roommate continued in this installment. And once again, it was hot Wendy's hot roommate who was wearing less and heating up the screen more. But then we got a bonus edition of the hotness on board the Titanic. Even the Middleman changed his suit for that one.
I think this episode returned the show to form, keeping the humor and lightness, but adding a real sense of emotional attachment to these characters and their various situations. Sure some things hit better than others, but The Middleman is really starting to hit its stride and stand as a pretty damned good series.
It'd be a shame if the news of The Middleman's season order being cut is a sign of its ultimate doom at the end of this run. It's a bit of an odd fit for ABC Family, as I think it talks about sex and sex stuff more than you'd expect on a "family" network, but it's still great fun television.
The idea of The Middleman taking actual time away from work to see a western makes perfect sense. He's the living embodiment of the manly values that ran rampant through classic westerns. Running into Lacey there set up a very nice sequence in which we got to see The Middleman thrown off balance. She still wasn't able to get any information from him about just what it is he and Wendy do, but she was able to see him flummoxed and besmitten. Apparently the crush between Middleman and Lacey is a two way street.
And this week we got to see them give a try to expanding on that relationship. I'm not sure if I'd like it if they wound up together, as the Middleman works better as an almost beyond human personality for me. The idea of him settling down, taking off that suit and doing normal stuff seems just so ... wrong somehow. Bonus points for keeping the suit on while on his "date" with Lacey.
As such, it was genuinely saddening the way their burgeoning relationship ended. It's too bad Noser and Lacey got pulled in a little closer to Wendy's chaotic "temp work." It would be a huge disservice to the show if they wound up fully immersed and became part of Wendy and the Middleman's "Scooby gang." I think it's important that Wendy is able to juxtapose a relatively normal life with the insanity of her work.
It was fun to see the return of Roxy Wasserman and her harem of fashion succubi. These expansions of the Middleman universe are good for the show as they help to flesh out the greater universe these characters live in. Cecil Calloway Rogers is a cool character that I thought could be a good recurring fit; but then I have a fascination with all things Titanic. Cecil is cursed to live forever for having selfishly saved his own life on the Titanic, along with his tuba. If it is damaged or destroyed, so is he. I liked that Cecil wasn't living in eternal torment and regret but rather enjoying his extended stay. Too bad he was the villain.
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- The nod to the most recent big-screen Titanic by cuffing the Middleman and Wendy to the pipes below deck was a cool touch. I'm sure there were more nods to the Titanic throughout, as The Middleman is always full of in-jokes and nods to everything and anything, but I'll leave you to fill those in in your comments.
- Ida continues to bring most of the humor highlights for me. Her offer to style Wendy's hair complete with a Swiss army hand of whirling and whizzing blades. Her "I got a hit" monologue on all mentions of the word tuba over any phone lines. And her constant belittling of Wendy keep things light and moving along.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-29-2008 @ 6:31PM
Toby OB said...
Just a minor correction - the address was Hawks, not Hawkins, in keeping with the Western director in-jokes (Peckinpah, Kennedy, Boetticher).
I know the chances of this series being picked up by Sci-Fi are slim. (But they should have had it in the first place!) However, I'd love to see at least Ida do a Munch-like transfer over to 'Eureka'. She'd be perfect in that town!
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7-29-2008 @ 6:32PM
nickmagoo said...
lots of great little references in the episode you might have missed - edward j smith high school (ed. smith was the captain of the titanic), peckinpah hotel and hawks (both great western directors), and a couple of other references i forgot...
btw, ride lonesome is a great flick (dir. by the underapreciated budd boetticher) - not just with randolph scott, but also lee van cleef, james coburn, and james best (rosco p coltrane!)
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7-29-2008 @ 7:18PM
Chris Muir said...
I'm really looking forward to the second season. I thought that the only weak link in the first season was a dubious Irish accent, which was dispatched post-haste.
Love the voice-over trade craft.
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7-29-2008 @ 7:25PM
Chris Muir said...
How can you not mention the ASCAP joke -
Middleman: We're agents Boetticher and Kennedy from American Shrimp and Crab Amalgamed Processors. Law enforcement branch.
Baddie: ASCAP?
Middleman: We avoid using the acronym for copyright reasons.
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7-30-2008 @ 2:55AM
maestro610 said...
This is my new favorite show and I hope that they do not get cancelled. Seriously if this show was on a non-"family" network it would have a much bigger following.
Also, Lacey and MM's little side meetings at the theatre were awesome. My only hope is that she goes back to calling him "sexy boss man" instead of "pillow lips".
I actually found myself kind of torn in that MM and Lacey should get an opportunity to get together. I know he can't let her into his world because then it removes the effect of Wendy Watson keeping her double life separate, but that doesn't stop me from actually wanting to see them get the opportunity.
This is a great show and I am already planning on buying the dvds as soon as they come out.
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7-30-2008 @ 9:01AM
Eirik said...
Another cute referece was when MM introduced themselves as agents Harland and Wolfe. That's the name of the shipyard that built the Titanic.
Yes, I am a Titanic geek. I'm sorry that I didn't get an invite for the cruise.
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7-31-2008 @ 12:08AM
Kevin said...
I absolutely love this show and everything about it!! I have a smile plastered on my face from start to finish. I also love the opening credits.
The idea that they dropped an episode makes me nervous. Everyone makes such a big deal about The Office -- which I never cared for (British or US versions) -- but I think this is MUCH more enjoyable.
In fact, I'm pretty sure fans of The Office's subtle, good natured humor would love this one if they gave it a chance.
I'm hoping ABC Family doesn't pull a "Fox" and cut the show if the ratings don't go sky high in the first few episodes. They need to give it a chance and let it find it's audience. Or do a better job of marketing it to other people.
They are marketing their Juno knock-off "Secret Life of the American Teenager" much harder than this, and this is a much better show. Everyone can enjoy Middleman, not just teenage girls like with SLOTAT.
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7-31-2008 @ 3:13PM
JJKulow said...
Middleman is my new favorite as well. I've made all of my friends watch it, and I haven't done that with a show since Buffy.
I'm not too worried about the episode reduction (yet). The way I see it, and I hope this is the same way the studio does, is that 12 episodes fit evenly on three DVDs. 13 would take four. With the importance of DVD to TV, and the need to cut costs, a 13 episode order just doesn't make much sense anymore.