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Parents' Guide to

The Middleman

By Will Wade, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 11+

Comic book-based action series is quirky and fun.

TV Freeform Comedy 2008
The Middleman Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

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age 11+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Dangersaurus
Dangersaurus Parent of 7 and 9-year-old
September 17, 2014
age 12+

Sexualized insult comedy

There are many sexual references in the constant banter. They use "lesbian" and "homosexual" as if they are slurs. Most of the banter is insult comedy. Trying very hard to be hip and impress... who? No positive role models in the 5-10 minutes before we got disgusted and binned it.
Mike Weston
Mike Weston Parent of 8, 9 and 11-year-old
August 18, 2009
age 10+

Kids under 11 should NOT watch this show

I have a hard time thinking of an age group for which this show would be appropriate. Adults are above the cheesy outfits and content, and there's too many sexual references for me to justify subjecting my 8 and 9-year-olds to it. In the first episode alone, there was the unnecessary use of the words 'homosexual' and 'lesbian' (there's no need for that in a TV show for kids. There was also a "strip club" featured in it (not ACTUAL stripping was going on in the show, but the dancer was highly suggestive, if not raunchy). In my role as a parent, I have to be the one suggesting shows for my kids to watch, and nothing in this first episode makes me want to affirm this show to my kids. There is nothing "family" about this show except fot the name of the TV station (i.e. ABC Family). Sorry.
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

As an office temp, Wendy Watson (Natalie Morales) has many useful skills. She's a speedy typist and great with a multi-line phone system. But perhaps her best talent is simply that she's good under pressure, able to fend off a gloppy, multi-tentacled creature when someone's DNA experiment at her latest job assignment goes very, very bad. Wendy's ability to keep her head when faced with the unbelievable and amazing (from talking animals to surly robots) catches the attention of THE MIDDLEMAN (Matt Keeslar), a mysterious hero who recruits her to become his sidekick. Their mission: to quickly and quietly resolve situations that the regular cops can't handle and usually refuse to believe.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (1 ):

This action show intentionally skirts the line between quirky and silly, setting up one crazy situation after another. If it feels a lot like a comic book, that's no coincidence -- executive producer Javier Grillo-Marxuach created the Middleman character in a series of popular graphic novels. On the spectrum of action heroes, this show falls much closer to the wacky tone of Men in Black (also based on a comic book) than the thrills of Superman; it goes more for laughs than excitement.

The Middleman seems self-consciously aware of its position in the pop-culture pantheon; the character is deliberately trying to be a very different kind of hero, and the show often quotes well-known lines from well-known films likeThe Godfather and Independence Day. These references go by quickly, as if the writers are challenging the viewers to spot them. The people who can are probably the ones who will enjoy this show the most.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about comic book heroes. The Middleman isn't your average super hero -- do you think that makes his character less interesting than heroes who fall closer to the Superman/Spider-man/Batman model? Do you think there's room for more than one kind of hero in comic books or on screen? Why are so many comics made into movies or TV shows? There are many kinds of comics -- do some work better than others on the screen? Why?

TV Details

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