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30 Days of TV - Day 08
( The Days )
Day 08 - A show everyone should watch
I've spent the past three days of this meme pimping Hamish MacBeth which I love because it's so quirky. It's quirky in a very British way.
Today I'm going to recommend a show that's quirky in a fandom-geeky way. That show is The Middleman. It only lasted one season, but while it's a tragedy that there'll be no new episodes, what's out there stands alone perfectly well. Aimed at a "family" audience, but jam-packed with in-jokes and references only the older generation will pick up, it's funny, exciting, heartwarming, optimistic and all-round brilliant. When I'm miserable and depressed, I used to turn to Ally McBeal, because the way she builds mountains of depression out of molehills puts my own issues in perspective. Now I turn to The Middleman first because watching a couple of episodes of Wendy Watson being awesome has yet to fail to lift my mood.
The basic concept is this: all those mad scientists and supervillains in comic books with plans to take over the world? They're really out there, they're really crazy and they really do want to take over the world. While there's no corresponding superhero in cape and tights, there is the Middleman: backed my a mysterious organisation which supplies his beyond-the-realm-of-science equipment and grumpy robotic secretary, the Middleman tracks down mad scientists, aliens, creatures from parallel dimensions and suchlike, keeping the world safe from threats it would never believe in.
It's a very cartoon-like show, both in concept and look. Dialogue is snappy and delivered fast: it shouldn't work, but somehow it does, once you get into the rhythm of it. And it's got geek references galore - the obvious comic superhero stuff, and nods to cult sci-fi old and new. But you don't need to get the references to enjoy it - I'm sure I miss a bunch of them.
The characters:
The Middleman (we never learn if he has another name) is a caricature of the super-hero. His morals are those of Superman or Kevin Sorbo's Hercules. His suit is oddly reminiscent of a Nazi uniform, to my eyes at least, but entirely without the negative connotations. He's always perfect: clothing pressed, never a hair out of place. But as we get to know him, we find his human side, too. The guy who is pleased as punch to have recruited a sidekick who may exceed him. The guy who is focussed on the mission, but can still recognise that other things are sometimes just as important. The guy who prepares for everything, even his own doom, with a spring in his step.
Wendy Watson is recruited by the Middleman to be his new sidekick aka Middleman-in-training. Wendy is awesome. She's awesome even when she's screwing up. She's smart and witty, she's totally loyal to her friends and she adores zombie movies. The cartoon-ish nature of the show doesn't lend itself to real depth of characterisation, but we still get to see how Wendy's personal life matters to her. Her long-standing boyfriend breaks up with her and films the break up "for an art project", then posts the video online to make money. The emotional impact on Wendy is clear. But it's not all angst. She's completely loyal to her friends and we get to see how her relationships with them shape who she is. She's also good and moral and courageous just like a superhero should be.
Ida, the aforementioned robotic secretary is deliciously cynical and dedicated to the organisation.
Lacey, Wendy's best friend and room-mate, is an artist and political activist. Their friendship is one of the best things about the show. She totally "gets" Wendy: showing up at her office to offer support when she knows Wendy is upset, accepting Wendy's rejection of the offer, but then kicking back to watch Italian Zombie movies when Wendy needs it. Likewise, Wendy is totally supportive of Lacey's crackpot notions and understands her need for support when her mom can't attend her art show.
Noser, musician friend to Wendy and Lacey, is laid back and speaks mainly in lyrics, but with surprising insight at times.
The show is worth watching for the guest characters, too. In particular, Kevin Sorbo's guest appearance as a past-Middleman who was cryogenically frozen so he could follow his nemesis through time is fab. I love Kevin anyhow, but this role intentionally recalls his heroic roles as Hercules and Dylan Hunt, with a twist you sorta see coming but is no less genius for that. Mark Sheppard makes a guest appearance in a couple of episodes toward the end of the season, too, as a Middleman 'verse equivalent of Steve Jobs - inventor and wealthy business magnate.
All that said, I'm almost glad The Middleman was cancelled, because I think it would have had difficulty staying this awesome. Don't get me wrong - another season would have been amazing! But six of them...I don't see that working. Stuff gets in the way, writers move on, network bosses start to interfere or show-runners start to think they can do no wrong and end up doing little right. Middleman ended while it was still awesome and that's why it's a show everyone should watch.
Day 08 - A show everyone should watch
I've spent the past three days of this meme pimping Hamish MacBeth which I love because it's so quirky. It's quirky in a very British way.
Today I'm going to recommend a show that's quirky in a fandom-geeky way. That show is The Middleman. It only lasted one season, but while it's a tragedy that there'll be no new episodes, what's out there stands alone perfectly well. Aimed at a "family" audience, but jam-packed with in-jokes and references only the older generation will pick up, it's funny, exciting, heartwarming, optimistic and all-round brilliant. When I'm miserable and depressed, I used to turn to Ally McBeal, because the way she builds mountains of depression out of molehills puts my own issues in perspective. Now I turn to The Middleman first because watching a couple of episodes of Wendy Watson being awesome has yet to fail to lift my mood.
The basic concept is this: all those mad scientists and supervillains in comic books with plans to take over the world? They're really out there, they're really crazy and they really do want to take over the world. While there's no corresponding superhero in cape and tights, there is the Middleman: backed my a mysterious organisation which supplies his beyond-the-realm-of-science equipment and grumpy robotic secretary, the Middleman tracks down mad scientists, aliens, creatures from parallel dimensions and suchlike, keeping the world safe from threats it would never believe in.
It's a very cartoon-like show, both in concept and look. Dialogue is snappy and delivered fast: it shouldn't work, but somehow it does, once you get into the rhythm of it. And it's got geek references galore - the obvious comic superhero stuff, and nods to cult sci-fi old and new. But you don't need to get the references to enjoy it - I'm sure I miss a bunch of them.
The characters:
The Middleman (we never learn if he has another name) is a caricature of the super-hero. His morals are those of Superman or Kevin Sorbo's Hercules. His suit is oddly reminiscent of a Nazi uniform, to my eyes at least, but entirely without the negative connotations. He's always perfect: clothing pressed, never a hair out of place. But as we get to know him, we find his human side, too. The guy who is pleased as punch to have recruited a sidekick who may exceed him. The guy who is focussed on the mission, but can still recognise that other things are sometimes just as important. The guy who prepares for everything, even his own doom, with a spring in his step.
Wendy Watson is recruited by the Middleman to be his new sidekick aka Middleman-in-training. Wendy is awesome. She's awesome even when she's screwing up. She's smart and witty, she's totally loyal to her friends and she adores zombie movies. The cartoon-ish nature of the show doesn't lend itself to real depth of characterisation, but we still get to see how Wendy's personal life matters to her. Her long-standing boyfriend breaks up with her and films the break up "for an art project", then posts the video online to make money. The emotional impact on Wendy is clear. But it's not all angst. She's completely loyal to her friends and we get to see how her relationships with them shape who she is. She's also good and moral and courageous just like a superhero should be.
Ida, the aforementioned robotic secretary is deliciously cynical and dedicated to the organisation.
Lacey, Wendy's best friend and room-mate, is an artist and political activist. Their friendship is one of the best things about the show. She totally "gets" Wendy: showing up at her office to offer support when she knows Wendy is upset, accepting Wendy's rejection of the offer, but then kicking back to watch Italian Zombie movies when Wendy needs it. Likewise, Wendy is totally supportive of Lacey's crackpot notions and understands her need for support when her mom can't attend her art show.
Noser, musician friend to Wendy and Lacey, is laid back and speaks mainly in lyrics, but with surprising insight at times.
The show is worth watching for the guest characters, too. In particular, Kevin Sorbo's guest appearance as a past-Middleman who was cryogenically frozen so he could follow his nemesis through time is fab. I love Kevin anyhow, but this role intentionally recalls his heroic roles as Hercules and Dylan Hunt, with a twist you sorta see coming but is no less genius for that. Mark Sheppard makes a guest appearance in a couple of episodes toward the end of the season, too, as a Middleman 'verse equivalent of Steve Jobs - inventor and wealthy business magnate.
All that said, I'm almost glad The Middleman was cancelled, because I think it would have had difficulty staying this awesome. Don't get me wrong - another season would have been amazing! But six of them...I don't see that working. Stuff gets in the way, writers move on, network bosses start to interfere or show-runners start to think they can do no wrong and end up doing little right. Middleman ended while it was still awesome and that's why it's a show everyone should watch.
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Now, I need to watch it. Yes, because I SO need a new fandom *headdesk*
Thanks God most of my shows had end/are ending its season, so I have room for a new one :P
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On the bright side - it's only twelve or so episodes. So it won't take you that long to watch :)
It's a brilliant show. I'd love to be writing about these characters, but it's too witty for me *g*. The dialogue is so unique to this show, I could never get the voices right.
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Wendy was all kinds of awesome. I don't even mind when they gave her a boyfriend because it didn't change her character and there wasn't a whole lot of angst about it. It helps that Tyler was made of awesome. :D
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I totally love Wendy Watson.
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Have you read the comic book Episode 13: The Doomsday Armageddon Apocalypse? It wrapped up some of the plotlines (and revealed the Middleman's real name). It's get-ability seems fluid. Sometimes issues are insanely expensive, sometimes Amazon has it for cover price. It depends on the day, I think. :D
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And...no. I don't do comic books. It's just not a format I can wrap my head around.
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