'The Middleman' goes old school
When you get Han Solo and Monty Python and the Holy Grail references in the first two-minutes, you just know you're in for a good episode of The Middleman.
Spoilers
So I've decided to start doing a little something different in my recaps - I'm not going to tell you that much about the actual plot. You know why? Because you should be watching the show. Yeah, I'm talking to you in the pajamas who missed the first few episodes and don't want to jump on board. To you I say nay. Nay! You put on your fluffy slippers and jump on this band wagon. There's plenty of room and the seats are comfy. And this would be a great episode to get your ticket punched on.
This week's case starts out with someone robbing a jewelry store with a melting ray. The modus operandi sounds familiar so Middleman and Wendy hit the Middlelibrary archives. Through research, MM figures out the villain is The Candle. When Ida finds this out, she ceases listening to MM and follows a set of archived orders. The Middleman from 1969 was cryogenically frozen and told her thaw him should The Candle return. Thus appears guest star Kevin Sorbo...in the implied nude.
Sorbo does a fantastic job as Throwback MM. He's charming and attractive yet smarmy and kind of gross with hints of misogyny. It's a fine line and only someone as well versed in parody as he can walk it. He gets the joke, which is so very important in parts like this. That being said, TMM is no one-note wonder. There are layers at work here. While pulling off the over-the-top portions of the personality, Sorbo also adds undercurrents of cynicism and frailty to make 1969 Middleman's bravado authentic. Also, he wears High Karate.
While the twists and turns of the plot aren't necessarily surprising, it really doesn't matter because the journey is so darn enjoyable. I thoroughly enjoyed this episode and laughed out loud several times - I'd have to say it's my favorite so far.
Assorted Bits & Pieces
- The Secret Identity Issue of the Week involves Wendy and her blossoming relationship with Tyler. She says her mutant power is that she can see how all her relationships will end. But she doesn't know with Tyler, she can't see the end, and that's freaking her out. She wrestles with it a bit but Middleman gives her some encouraging words that helps her sort things out. Which I'm glad about because I adore Tyler.
- For their third date, Tyler has Dubs meet him at a restaurant so they can play the arcade version of "Gut Wrencher 1," her favorite video game. Said restaurant is called "The Batter of the Bulge Pancake House" where Luftwaffles and Panzercakes are served. Tyler calls it a "bunker of maple syrup and mortar fire."
- The references in tonight's episode go all over the place but are primarily of the 60's flavored spy genre variety including I Spy, James Bond, and, of course, The Avengers (Wendy's undercover outfit, which she wears in the credits, is tres Emma Peel).
- Speaking of references, Throwback MM's real name is Guy Goddard. The name probably rings a bell with comic fans as a character with a similar temperament has a similar name - Guy Gardner of the Green Lantern Corp. There may be a veiled Aquaman reference in there as well...
- You know how the Middlewatches also serve as real-time situation recording archives? Well, when MM walks in on Ida spying on Wendy and Tyler...uh...celebrating their post video game victory, MM shields the eyes of the mannequin head he's carrying.
- Erick Avari (Dr. Terrence Bey, The Mummy) makes a guest appearance as Lord Jeremiah Purcell, host of the high-stakes card game Shboomie that Throwback MM and Dubby must infiltrate. They get the best guest stars.
Quotes of the Week
"Sweet mother of Nolan Bushnell!" - Dubs' exclamation upon seeing the
arcade version of Gut Wrencher 1 (he founded Atari and Chuck E. Cheese)
"The goriest side-scroller in history. Banned in 17 countries. The only
arcade game ever to be denounced by both Tipper Gore and the Dali
Lama." - Tyler extolling the virtues of Gut Wrencher 1
An exchange while Throwback MM changes into his uniform, Dubs and MM averting their eyes:
"He's looking at me all pervy isn't he?" - Wendy
"Of course not." - Middleman
"I can feel it." - Wendy
"Actually, I am. I bet you've got spectacular stems and I'm wondering why you don't show them off." - 1969 Middleman
"You fear men won't take you seriously. That's why you hide that shapely body of yours under that muu muu." - TMM to Dubs
"I'm working on a second verse. It goes something like [sung]'Monica left me for that d-bag bass player and I walked away from the band before they hit it big." - Tyler explaining his involvement in a one-hit wonder type band
"...[I]f only to prove no evil was ever thwarted by lounging on a pelt and sipping moonshine." - MM as he's about to do his own info search as '69 MM, well, lounges and sips on moonshine
How'd you dig this episode? Favorite parts? Favorite quotes? Did you catch any references that I missed?
Alas, the references flew by me at times, mainly because I was working on two projects at once while MM was on in the background. Deadlines, deadlines. In any case, I got the gist of the plot, and getting to see a slightly-paunchy (but still oh-so-manly) Kevin Sorbo as a previous Middleman was an absolute hoot. The only thing missing was the requisite smart-*** remarks from the various and sundry supporting characters, who were all but invisible in this episode. Then again, when you've got Hercules as a guest star, there's only so much room on the screen, yo.
Thanks for pointing out the I Spy citation, because Wendy and MM's code names were familiar, but weren't coming to me. This is why I really should tape these for future replays. Ah, well, hopefully we'll see the DVD set, if ABC Family wises up enough to bother to release one. I'm not holding my breath.
It's a real shame this show wasn't promoted more on ABC Family. It's cute and hilarious -- funnier than Eureka, which does phenomenally well on SciFi.
It sounds like this show is going off the air once its 12 ep run is complete. That's a shame, but as one of the 100,000 or so viewers this show actually has, at least I got to enjoy it while I could!
One question, though. Why does every episode make a reference to Natalie Morales' hispanic heritage? It just strikes me as awkward because she's supposed to be playing "Wendy Watson," which isn't exactly a hispanic sounding name. Or am I missing something from the comic book?
There are a lot of us half cuban girls out there who don't have very cuban names. Hence I'm rather amused. Mostly I let people guess at what I am.
But this show just keeps getting better and better!
the heritage thing:
since I live in Southern Cal.
It is not unusual to meet
a blond blue-eye person
with a spanish last name,
or a spanish looking person
with an irish last name...
so with a wendy watson name
and looking hispanic it not unusual,
chances are her mother
(wendy's) is hispanic,
who has married an englishman.
favorite moment of the ep:
dub dub coming out the water
in the white bikini and all
the james bond references
LOL
This is the best show on TV right now in my book.
Does it get any better than Ida in her red old fashioned roller rink booted roller skates floating around the office like a gently wafting breeze?
I think not!
The most clever moments I have seen on TV in quite a while are on this show.
Also, you missed the 86 and 69 (Get Smart) references. :)
What's not to enjoy? Camp, pop culture references, interesting relationships, action and a little romance. I hope ABC Family does the right thing and picks this show up for another season because of a dedicated fan base :)
I love this show and am looking forward to purchasing the dvd set when it comes out. It's a shame that it hasn't been better promoted. It's almost as much of a crime as Fox cancelling Wonderfalls, Firefly and Keen Eddie after four episode runs. (those shows are all treasured members of my dvd collection.)
I love this show! It has all of the fun of the old Batman series, but with better sets and effects. ABC Family would be insane to give it up, but if they do, Sci-Fi Channel should pick it up. It would be a fun companion to Dr. Who.
Nice idea, but if Sci-Fi didn't pick up Journeyman, which was on a major network, I doubt they'd do the same for The Middleman. I'd love to be wrong in this case, but I wouldn't hold my breath.
And Ida roller skating reminds me of a local elementary school principal who does the same thing. It seems like it would be out of place, and yet...it ain't.
The show just keeps getting better and better. I thought Kevin Sorbo was great in his role and it was nice to see Dub Dub in sexier clothes. Judging from all the responses, it sounds like the show most likely won't be renewed. That's a shame.
Also liked how 69 make a joke about all the old references the show does. Nice wink to the audience.