We all remember the days of watching Malcolm in the Middle on FOX and thinking, “what would this be like if it were from the mother’s perspective?” Wait…you weren’t thinking that either? Oh, well I guess someone was because that is exactly what The Middle is.

Patricia Heaton and Neil Flynn star in this comedy about a family of five and all the chaos that ensues. There’s Axl, the typical teen who if he isn’t in his room sleeping then he’s munching on some snacks, Sue, the socially awkward daughter who pretty much fails at everything she does, and then there’s Brick who is just the weirdest kid on the planet.

Personally, I was excited to see Neil Flynn, the Janitor from Scrubs, take his charm and humor to another level but after the first episode, I was a bit let down. He’s definitely funny but wasn’t used to his full potential. The same can be said of Patricia Heaton. She never really gets angry like she has in Everybody Loves Raymond. It’s only been one episode though so there is still hope. On the other hand, Atticus Shaffer who plays Brick is absolutely hilarious. His random and quirky actions out do everyone else on screen. Plus, he’s cute as a button, making it impossible to hate his character.

It’s difficult to differentiate The Middle from Malcolm; after all, they are so similar. I think we need to see Brick and Flynn utilized better in order for this to be a success. The show has to revolve are some adult situations and cater to more than just the kiddie and teen crowd. Oh, and the use of Jimmy Eat World’s song of the same name is just classic.