UPDATES throughout with official ABC announcement, quotes: There will be no tenth season for ABC’s The Middle. The veteran comedy series, produced by Warner Bros. TV, will end after the upcoming ninth season, ABC announced Wednesday.
The series scored an early ninth season renewal in January. It moved to Tuesdays last season, from its longtime slot as the anchor for ABC’s Wednesday night comedy block. That spot was taken over last season by The Goldbergs.
“The Heck family has been part of the ABC family for almost a decade. It’s rare for a series to have this type of longevity, and we are proud to have been its home,” saids Channing Dungey, President of ABC Entertainment “We’ve watched Axl, Sue and Brick grow up right before our eyes under Frankie and Mike’s unique parenting style. I’m looking forward to the fitting and happy ending the producers will give the Hecks and our viewers.”
In its move to Tuesday night, The Middle improved its half-hour by 22% year to year with Total Viewers. It is ABC’s most watched comedy in the Tuesday time period in 5 years – since 2011-12 with the debut season of Last Man Standing.
Warner Bros. Television Group President and Chief Content Officer Peter Roth said, “For eight remarkable seasons, Eileen Heisler and DeAnn Heline have crafted a wonderfully relatable, honest, funny and authentic world of middle class life in the heartland of America. The writing, acting and craftsmanship have been superb, and the show has been vividly brought to life each week by the incomparable Patricia Heaton, Neil Flynn, Charlie McDermott, Eden Sher, Atticus Shaffer and a creative team that has poured its heart and soul into each and every episode. We look forward to a memorable final season for ‘The Middle,’ and we thank our passionate and loyal fans!”
Two-time Emmy-winner Patricia Heaton stars in the single-camera comedy about raising a family and lowering your expectations. Middle-aged, middle class and living in the middle of the country in Orson, Indiana, Frankie Heck is a harried wife and mother of three who uses her wry wit and sense of humor to get her family through each day intact. Frankie works as a dental assistant, and her unflappable husband, Mike, is manager at the local quarry and her sardonic partner in the daily grind that is raising their average – yes, most definitely average – family.
The Middle stars Heaton as Frankie, Neil Flynn as Mike, Charlie McDermott as Axl, Eden Sher as Sue and Atticus Shaffer as Brick. The series was created and is executive produced by Eileen Heisler and DeAnn Heline.
“Last year we sat down with our cast and made the bittersweet decision together that in this ninth season it is time to bring the Hecks’ story to a close. It’s been an amazing run, a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and we’re looking forward to having an entire year to say goodbye,” said Heisler and Heline. “Plus, we wanted to go out before too many people knew we were on the air.”
The ninth and final season premieres Tuesday, October 3 at 8 PM.
Heaton tweeted “We love our fans and we’re bringing you the most epic final season ever!”
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