(S01E9) "He's looking at me all pervy, isn't he?" --Wendy Watson about Middleman 69Well, if anyone was going to bring the leather catsuit from the Avengers inspired intro sequence into the show proper, it would be a Middleman who'd been frozen since 1969. It was cool how the Middleman from 1969 was such a different, more hedonistic personality than the goofily straight-laced Middleman of our era. He carried himself more like James Bond ... well, more like Austin Powers, really. The casting of Kevin Sorbo in this role was just inspired as he really threw himself into the zaniness of the Middleman Universe.
It looks like the sexual innuendos are going to continue as there were again a few lines more explicit than you'd think ABC Family would be comfortable with ("I'm looking for some hooch!"). That said, the show is still relatively clean fun and there's a level of quality amidst the silliness and snappy dialogue that is sorely missed on most shows. The depth of the characters and the world they inhabit just continues to grow after each episode.
I give a lot of credit to Matt Keeslar for being able to play the Middleman so corny and chaste without coming across like a complete tool. And as much as it's fun that he's "all business" I enjoyed the bits of personal life we saw a few weeks back when he started to fall for Lacey and then again when he mentioned this week that he'd loved and been loved.
On the personal side of things, the developing relationship between Tyler and Wendy is still way too good to be true, but at least so far it is. With the backstory of his two-day amnesia and his having been a former Middleman candidate, I can't imagine the showrunners are going to just let her have a nice little romantic interlude without messing everything up down the road.
And for those of you with a hot crush on Natalie Morales, not only did we get to see that hot catsuit in use this episode, but we got to see her in that classically hot white James Bond bikini. Did anyone else notice that we didn't get to see her full body in it from the front. Is that a line the show won't cross? Because we saw Kevin Sorbo in his square cut speedo from the front. What a wasted opportunity, guys!
The TV Squad Podcast: Linda Purl talks about The Office, we talk spoilers, and more
Ask TV Squad: Ghost Whisperer and more!
The TV Squad Podcast: Bill Scheft of The Late Show, Cake Boss, Mad Men and more
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-12-2008 @ 2:27PM
DavidM said...
I thought the show went the easy cliche route. They should have kept Sorbo on, the resolution to the conflict was weak and it took out a great character they could use later on for comedic relief.
Hell seeing Sorbo's middleman out of work but successful and occasionally getting into the business again would be great. Too bad we won't get that chance.
Reply
8-12-2008 @ 3:12PM
Eric J. said...
I didn't like him so much that I'd rather see him again than another Middleman of the past. (In the unlikely event we'll get to see anything beyond the next 3 episodes.)
Besides, if they really want to bring him back, it wouldn't be hard. He was certainly egotistical enough to have frozen a couple of clones of himself too.
8-12-2008 @ 2:42PM
Claire said...
i stopped considering ABC Family to be a family channel when they showed Jawbreaker a few years back. i've been waiting for them to drop the family and start considering themselves to be the WB/CW-inspired alternative they have become. so the sex, etc doesn't surprise me much.
and there is something wrong about Tyler. he's too perfect, too understanding. something will go horribly wrong soon. i personally don't want to see anymore previous middlemen competing with the current middleman. 69 was annoying and i didn't particularly want to see him again.
Reply
8-12-2008 @ 9:15PM
Beinta said...
ABC Family cannot drop the 'Family' even though they would love to get rid of it. When the channel was started by Pat Robertson he inserted a corollary that stated that whoever bought the channel had to keep 'Family' in the title and run the 700 Club. That's why they show more risque programming, they are desperate to shed the wholesome image but they are forever stuck with the name.
8-12-2008 @ 5:18PM
nattyff said...
i loved these episode!!!,
Reply
8-12-2008 @ 5:19PM
nattyff said...
i loved these episode!!!
Reply
8-12-2008 @ 6:17PM
nickmagoo said...
it was a decent, not great, episode. lots of cute references that i've since forgoten - when keeslar was about to be zapped by the ray, it looked very star trekky, cheesey 60s sci fi effects (which is good)...sorbo was ok, but the character could've been so much funnier than he was. i did like the books of old archnemeses - reminded me of the venture brothers and all the complexities of arching. too bad there wasn't a flashback of '69 doing battle with the candle (and some ridiculous riddlerish outfit replete with cackling supervilain)...hope it gets renewed...
Reply
8-12-2008 @ 7:07PM
Max said...
Innuendo? It's more than that! In the first 5 minutes Wendy tells Tyler it's the third date, so he's likely to get in her pants. Then, after the video game, he gets to spend the night with her. The next MORNING, he leaves, and she is just wearing a t-shirt. The roommate says "sex and waffles (a third thing, I forget), it's a good thing".
That's pretty damn mature. The Simpsons use innuendo, this is pretty spelled out. It just seems a bit out of place on such a childish show.
I don't get the target audience for this show. It's on ABC Family. The basic plot, set design, and acting is like a kids' show. But then you've got her clearly sleeping with the dude.
Plus, as a plot device it's a bad idea to have the hot chick that all the nerds tune in for have a love interest.
And, as if that wasn't dumb enough, she gives up the nerdy outfit that actually made her hotter for a sluttier version of it.
I tuned in to check this out being a sci-fi fan, and since sites like this yammer on about it. But it's really not that good.
Reply
8-12-2008 @ 7:10PM
Max said...
Innuendo? It's more than that! In the first 5 minutes Wendy tells Tyler it's the third date, so he's likely to get in her pants. Then, after the video game, he gets to spend the night with her. The next MORNING, he leaves, and she is just wearing a t-shirt. The roommate says "sex and waffles (a third thing, I forget), it's a good thing".
That's pretty damn mature. The Simpsons use innuendo, this is pretty spelled out. It just seems a bit out of place on such a childish show.
I don't get the target audience for this show. It's on ABC Family. The basic plot, set design, and acting is like a kids' show. But then you've got her clearly sleeping with the dude.
Plus, as a plot device it's a bad idea to have the hot chick that all the nerds tune in for have a love interest.
And, as if that wasn't dumb enough, she gives up the nerdy outfit that actually made her hotter for a sluttier version of it.
I tuned in to check this out being a sci-fi fan, and since sites like this yammer on about it. But it's really not that good.
Reply
8-13-2008 @ 11:58AM
Beth said...
I don't think this show was ever intended for kids, nor do I think the acting and plots are childish. They are meant to appeal to the nerdy, geeky, sci-fi, cheesy, camp loving adults and teenagers out there. And boy, there are a lot of us. Why do you think Star Wars has been so popular? Kids? Ha. I'm 25 and I adore this show.
8-13-2008 @ 1:34AM
1iPete said...
As mentioned above, ABC is stuck with Family in the channel name and the 700 club. They have been way more overt than Fox (previous owner) in trying to drive Pat Robertson off the channel.
I find it curious that they moved Middleman to 10 when Greek is probably far more debauched with the underage drinking and pre-marital bedhopping (as it should be!) but still filled an earlier timeslot.
I thought Sorbo was great in an Austen Powers vibe and this was one of the funnier episodes though the villain/monster plot o' the week was one of the weaker ones so far.
Reply
8-14-2008 @ 5:45PM
Leah said...
Was the young guy The Middleman and Wendy brought in Ricky Ullman, Phil from Phil of the Future? He looked so familiar but had a lot of hair, so I'm not sure.
Reply
8-13-2008 @ 1:34PM
Beth said...
The dialogue for this show is genius. I love all the little allusions they throw into to classic geek films. Like in the episode they alluded to Dr. Strangelove, Empire, Flash Gordon, Star Trek, and Dr. Who. I like how if you catch them, it's like a little present and you feel all proud of yourself. Haha, or maybe that's just me.
Reply