'The Middle' Spinoff Officially a Go at ABC
As the middle child, The Middle's Sue Heck often got overshadowed by Axl and Brick, but she will [...]
As the middle child, The Middle's Sue Heck often got overshadowed by Axl and Brick, but she will not have to worry about them any more. ABC has ordered a spin-off pilot centered around Eden Sher's lovable character.
The new series does not have a title yet, but it will tell the story of Sue's adventures outside the fictional town of Orson, Indiana and heads to Chicago to start her new life as an adult, notes Entertainment Weekly. Hopefully the Windy City can handle Sue's brand of overwhelming optimism.
The Middle wrapped its nine-season run on ABC in May with 215 episodes in the can. Although the series was never a big hit with critics or at the Emmys, the series was a reliable performer for ABC during its run.
The series told the stories of the Heck family as they try to navigate life in the Midwest. Patricia Heaton and Neil Flynn starred as parents Frankie and Mike. Charlie McDermott played the oldest child, Axl, and Atticus Shaffer starred as the youngest, Brick.
Creators Eileen Heisler and DeAnn Heline will work write and executive produce the series. Both writers are veterans of Murphy Brown and Roseanne.
No air date has been given for the new show, but it could be ready for midseason.
Sher confirmed the pilot in an interview with TVLine last month at San Deigo Comic Con.
"We are shooting a pilot," she said. "I hope it gets picked up. I think it's going to be great."
The spin-off would also take place in the middle of the season finale. The Middle ended with a flash-forward, showing Sue eventually marrying Sean Donahue (Beau Wirick). Sher described the spin-off as "Sue being Sue as a young adult."
This is the latest spin-off for ABC. The network will also air Schooled, a spin-off of The Goldbergs, and the Roseanne spin-off, The Conners.
ABC ordered The Conners after Roseanne Barr was fired for a racist tweet. The new series will feature every member of the Roseanne cast except Barr, and will pick up after a surprising turn of events shakes up the Conner family. It will run 10 episodes.
Sher is also not the only member of the Heck family who will be on TV this season. The prolific Flynn will star in NBC's Abby's, a sitcom starring Natalie Morales as the owner of an unlicensed bar based in her backyard. The series will air during the 2018-2019 midseason.
Photo Credit: ABC