ABC’s hit comedyThe Middlehas entertained audiences for nine seasons. Theclassic ABC sitcomportrays a lower-middle-class family experiencing pivotal issues in their everyday lives, reminiscent of other family sitcoms likeEverybody Loves RaymondandModern Family.Raymondstar Patricia Heaton leads the hilarious cast ofThe Middleas Frances Patricia “Frankie” Heck, a loving, hard-working wife and mother of three children who always cares about her family and makes them her top priority.
A star fromThe MiddleisEden Sher’s Sue Sue Heck, the middle daughter of Frankie and Mike. Sue has a bright personality towards everyone, despite being made fun of by her older brother Axl. Sue’s elevation from school to college is explored, along with her relationships, including with Axl’s friend Sean Donahue.Sue Sue in the Citywas meant to be an intended spin-off, but afterThe Middleconcluded in 2018, ABC decided not to pick up the show due to other comedies in its line-up at the time and other networks refusing to air it.
Why The Middle Spinoff Focused On Sue Was Canceled By ABC
Sue Sue Heck’s Spin-Off Series Wasn’t Given The Green Light
Sue Sue in the Citywould have been a spin-off ofThe Middle, focusing on Sue Heck’s departure from her family home in Indiana to pursue her adult life in Chicago. While the pilot episode was already filmed,The Middlespin-off was cancelled by ABCbecause the network already had a couple of new comedies lined up in its schedule, includingThe Officealum Jenna Fischer’sSplitting Up TogetherandSchooled, a spin-off ofThe Goldbergs. However, both comedies lasted two seasons, and the popularity surroundingThe Middlewould’ve given Sue’s show the proper momentum for success.
Why is Eden Sher so determined for audiences to see Sue’s The Middle spinoff?
Eden Sher, who portrays Sue Heck in The Middle, is once again discussing her character’s canceled spinoff. She has recently said that she wants to find a way for audiences to see it somehow, and while I admire her commitment, it’s worrying me. She is an underrated sitcom actress in my opinion, and while I’d love to see Sue’s spinoff eventually, I really hope that Sher doesn’t get so obsessed with this that other productions don’t want to cast her because she can’t let go of her biggest role.
The spin-off series is set two or three years after Sue’s college graduation in the series finale ofThe Middle. The show’s beginning takes place in Indiana, where Sue lives at home and works at a bed-and-breakfast hotel in Orson, while her future husband Sean is training to be a doctor. When Sue gets an email from the general manager of Hotel Seville in Chicago regarding an interview for the assistant manager role, she decides to break up with Sean (for the time being) and move to Chicago to pursue an opportunity for a larger career away from home.
Sue Sue In The City Would’ve Been A Fun Way To Continue The Middle
The Middle Spin-Off Could’ve Explored Sue Heck’s Adulthood
Sue Sue in the Citywould’ve beena fun and intriguing spin-off because Sue is one of the funniest and most engaging characters fromThe Middle. Sue’s warmth towards her family and friends, along with her ascension from school to college, shows her fearless determination as a strong and intelligent woman. Despite money or personal problems, Sue has always been relentless in her pursuit to succeed in life. Aside from focusing on Sue, the spin-off would have allowed other characters to pop in, including her parents, Frankie and Mike, and her brothers Axl and Brick, for support.
Bradley “Brad” Bottig
Brock Ciarlelli
Given thatThe Middleseries finale revealed Sean as Sue’s future husband, his journey as an aspiring doctor and his complex relationship with Sue could’ve been explored further in the spin-off. Sue’s best friend, Bradley “Brad” Bottig, also would’ve had a key role as an aspiring theater actor in Chicago and assisting his former schoolmate in her endeavors. Among the new characters in Chicago’s Hotel Seville, there’s the owner Nick (Chris Diamantopoulos fromSilicon Valley), the bartender Hudson (Saturday Night Livealum Finesse Mitchell), the bellhop Otis (Aaron Branch fromUnstable), and chef Remi (Kimberly Crossman fromCreamerie).
Can The Middle Spinoff Still Happen?
Eden Sher Seems Intent On Bringing Sue Heck Back
With all the comedic talent involved withSue Sue in the City, it’s a shame that the spin-off wasn’t immediately picked up by ABC to air its pilot episode after the conclusion ofThe Middle.A full season was warranted due to the popularity ofThe Middleand Sue Heck’s beloved bubbly character. However, anything is possible, especially given that Sher is at least interested in finding a way to release the pilot that was filmed and perhaps continue Sue’s story into her adult life.
The problem with trying to revive the spin-off now is that it’s been seven years sinceThe Middleended and the filming of the spin-off’s pilot episode, making Sher and herMiddleco-stars a bit old to play their characters now. Despite this, there have been successful spin-offs and revivals in recent years, includingThe Big Bang Theoryspawning two series,Young SheldonandGeorge & Mandy’s First Marriage.Sher also guest starred on NBC’s revival ofNight Court, with that network recently introducing a spin-off ofSuitscalledSuits L.A.
Sue Sue in the Cityhas the potential to continue Sue Heck’s story, albeit maybe for a brief time, and to provide closure for Sue’s character as she continues to discover herself through her relationships and career aspirations.
Spin-offs and revivals are challenging to create, especially when following up their successful predecessor. However,Sue Sue in the Cityhas the potential to continue Sue Heck’s story, albeit maybe for a brief time, and to provide closure for Sue’s character as she continues to discover herself through her relationships and career aspirations. Regardless of the spin-off’s time cycle, it should be given a chance to place Sue front-and-center in her series afterThe Middleand see where her journey goes from there.
The Middle
Cast
The Middle is a family sitcom that follows the lives of the Heck family in the fictional town of Orson, Indiana. Patricia Heaton stars as Frankie Heck, a harried mother of three trying to balance work and family life with her husband Mike, played by Neil Flynn. The show highlights the everyday struggles and humorous moments of raising a family in middle America.
