We’ve suspected it for awhile but the cancellation’s now official. ABC Family’s freshman series, The Middleman, won’t be back for a second year. As a network spokesperson tells PopWrap, “ABC Family has decided not to renew the series for a second season.” Fortunately for fans, the story’s not over just yet. The characters are returning to their roots.
Based on the graphic novels by Javier Grillo-Marxuach and Les McClaine, The Middleman centers around a young artist, Wendy Watson (Natalie Morales), who is struggling to stay afloat. She lives with her best friend Lacey (Brit Morgan) in an illegal sublet apartment and goes from one short-term job to another. While temping at a lab, Wendy’s life is thrown into turmoil when a science experiment goes wrong. She’s saved by The Middleman (Matt Keeslar), a handsome hero who recruits her as his assistant. Fighting outrageous villains, he needs all the help he can get — even from his annoying robot helper, Ida (Mary Pat Gleason). Other characters are played by Jake Smollett, Brendan Hines, Drew Tyler Bell and Sean Davis.
Middleman debuted on June 16, 2008 on ABC Family. Though the show quickly developed a devoted following, viewership wasn’t very big by network standards and didn’t even reach a million weekly viewers.
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Though 13 episodes were initially ordered, only 12 ended up being made — because of the low ratings. The producers agreed to cut the 13th episode and a portion of that money was put into making the 12th installment, about an alternate universe, even bigger.
Grillo-Marxuach talked about the situation on his blog and wrote “We are a fantastically well-reviewed series that the network loves and supports. ABC family is the one place that allowed us to do this show in all of its quirky glory, and in spite of the ratings, they continue to tell me “don’t change a thing. and about those ratings? well…while improving incrementally, they have not been stellar, so we — and by ‘we,’ i mean the network and myself — have made the decision to make and air a twelve episode first season of the middleman. it is a decision that allows us to conclude our first season on a great creative note, and to pool our resources to make our season finale the best and biggest it can be.”
By November, the co-creator expressed doubts that ABC Family would be ordering any new episodes, at least in the immediate future. The network refused to concede that the show was over and maintained they were looking for some way to continue the series.
ABC Family has now confirmed that the show has been officially cancelled. But, the story isn’t over just yet. In a deal with Viper Comics (publisher of the original graphic novels), a special Middleman comic book will be released in July, just in time for the San Diego’s Comic Con.
Based on the unfilmed 13th episode (series finale), The Middleman – The Doomsday Armageddon Apocalypse graphic novel will be written by co-creator/executive producer Grillo-Marxuach and Hans Beimler. It’ll be illustrated by Armando M. Zanker and co-creator/executive producer McClaine. If they stick to the original script, we’ll find out how Middleman developed his old-fashioned, upright persona.
The Middleman DVD set will also be released in July and will be chock full of extensive bonus materials. Grillo-Marxuach has hopes that a successful disc release will mean the show might continue in some way. “As was the case with shows like Firefly, and Family Guy, the sales of the DVD will truly be the barometer for the future of The Middleman.”
god i loved this show and i loved pushing dasyes tooo but of corse its GONE wahhhhhhhhhhhhh
this sucks i really like this show. It was funny interesting and just cool to watch. Now we have to go on and watch the same type of shows that have been done over and over again,
I cried when I read this. Middleman was so smart, it had that rare ability to make both the “grownups” and the kids laugh, because there was always a little something for everyone. Grillo-Marxuach has that rare ability to pull random pop culture references out of a hat, wrap them into dialogue and make them sound fresh and funny. I am going to truly miss the adventures of Wendy and Lacey, her boss, and the other wacky characters that found their way into each episode. Another show with great potential flushed away before given half a chance.
I am with all of you. My mom said that this show would probably be cancelled because we loved it too much!! We also loved Pushing Daisies and it’s gone. I just found out Reaper is back so I am not going to off myself yet.
I say bring on the DVD, I cannot wait, maybe if enough of us buy it they will reconsider!!!
I feel that this is a complete outrage! Someone finally creates a program that is not only entertaining but inspiring! A television show that didn’t need to use profanity or have a “male actor” be a complete fascist pig! What a horrible decision on behalf of ABC Family! I will certainly not be watching any other programming that this channel shows!
I am really bummed. I lust got online to see when it was coming back this season, and found this. That show was really refreshing and I enjoyed it alot. I just saw the actor who plays the middleman as a villan on Dollhouse, and I thought of wendy and lacey. bring it baaaaack….
I’m beginning to think ABC has it out for me. I used to be an NBC gal until ABC got life on mars, the middleman (yes, it’s abc fam but still abc), and pushing daisies. If they get rid of Samantha Who I won’t have to worry about the tasteless suits who keep canceling genius.
Now that just sucks!
This was one of the few decent shows of the last season. Bright, witty, and just a blast to watch.
I’ll be in line for the DVDs as soon as they’re available.
This news is extremely disappointing. I also suspected it wouldn’t be renewed, but all the same, it would have been nice. It’s such a shame that clever, well written, and well acted shows like “The Middleman” are being canceled while programs like “Secret Life of the American Teenager” (which is an overdone, uninteresting concept with truly atrocious acting) are renewed.
I am, however, pleased to hear about the special comic, and to finally have a release date for the DVDs. I will definitely be purchasing all of the above.
Man this sucks, ALL of my favoriot shows keepin gettin cancelled. Flash Gordon, the riches, the middleman, and even pushing daisies which won awards.
Man. that sucks. this was a great show. Freaking ABC Family…… -shakes fist at them-
THE PERSON OR PERSONS AT THE TOP OF TV CHAIN ARE IDIOTS. PERIOD.
THEY PUT ON REALITY TV (WHICH TOTALLY SUCKS).EVERY GOOD SHOW GETS CANCELLED.MAYBE THOSE TV HONCHOS SHOULD BE CANCELLED AND REPLACED . I WAS WAITING FOR MINUTE MAN TO COME BACK ON, NOW THAT THEY CANCELLED IT, IT WILL BE THE LAST TIME I WATCH ABC FAMILY. (I ONLY WATCHED FOR MIDDLEMAN)
That was the only show on ABC Family I’ve ever had the urge to watch. They didn’t advertise it enough. I accidentally came across it over the summer and missed the first 3 episodes. After the first one I saw, I was hooked. Of course they cancel it….. because it was too witty for their usual dumb teen drama viewers. Maybe a smart and interesting network will pick it up. No one with a brain watches ABC Family, so I can see why ratings were low. It never had a chance on that channel.
again the idiots are left running the place, all based on eth fact that we all record and watch, and miss the commercials!
content means nothing, add space means everything
This is the saddest news I’ve heard since Xfiles got canceled the first time, and since FireFly was canceled maybe space will pick up Middleman a middleman movie would be cool too. All i have to say is they need to find a way to keep that kind of humor on the air.