The End Is Near for the Datalounge's Favorite Show, "The Middle"

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Good. Heaton is a massive cunt. I hope she never finds work again afterward.

They seem like family. Love hot mess Axel's treasure trail and skinny punk body. Love long tall BDF Daddy Mike, why no speedo scenes for either one? Sue is classic.

And here's Axl (Charlie McDermott) in his boxers:

Maybe Axl will take off the boxers this season.

Why exactly when Its still doing very well. Maybe just a negotiation strategy?

I had no idea this was a current thing. I've only ever seen evidence of it as what's scheduled before Golden Girls reruns every weeknight.

I like the show. Axel and one of his high school buddies should have sex.

9 seasons too long.

Good!

Malcom in the Middle > The Middle

I never watched it because of Heaton.

That's been on so long Su must be married by now.

Since Brick got older and Sue got pretty, it is not as funny as it used to be. Haven't watched it this season at all.

seasons 1-4 were excellent

and never saw a single episode...

I'm surprised it's still on. Heaton is a shrieking and cowardly social media harpy, but the show does have its appeal.

It's a shame Heaton is such a cunt. The Middle was never my cup of tea but I love Raymond.

Liked the show, despite Heaton. That family was very much like a friend/neighbor's: always messy, but nice people.

Patti Heaton is the worst, but I was always able to look past it for this excellent ensemble cast show. I'll miss it when it's gone.

I must confess that I refused to watch it strictly because Heaton was attached to it. Her love of all things Rush Limbaugh was a deal breaker for sure. I also have to grudgingly admit she is good in this thing.

Then I happened to catch an episode and i fell in love with the kids. Eden Sher is so dead on as a hopelessly optimistic teenager who gets her heart almost broken a lot of times. But, she always perseveres and sees some good in everything and usually winds up smiling through her tears.

The two boys are good too. Have they ever addressed the youngest kid's obvious physical difficulties on the show? I haven't seen any mention of it yet. The actor, Atticus Shaffer, was born with osteogenesis imperfecta which causes fragile bones.

Neil Flynn has been a major object of lust for a long time and he fills out his jeans to perfection.

me likey daddy slim legs big crotch and nice ass. puhleeze show mor Daddy and Axel skin.

R20 That's the first time I've seen him in a pose showcasing what I thought he was packing.

What R14 said. Seasons 1-4 were very, very good. I was so shocked I actually liked this show. I happened to catch a couple of episodes after it went into syndication.

Patty Heaton may be a republican piece of crap, but Charlie McDermott (Axl) from what I can tell, was always in Obama's corner, he said #imwithher, and was and continues to be firmly anti-Trump.

[quote]Why exactly when Its still doing very well. Maybe just a negotiation strategy?

Pay raises after nine years make the show quite expensive to produce. Also, ABC doesn't own it.

[quote]Charlie McDermott (Axl) from what I can tell, was always in Obama's corner, he said #imwithher, and was and continues to be firmly anti-Trump.

Funny if true. I wonder if he did it just to troll Patty.

I'll always thank that show for bringing a shirtless John Gammon to the TV screen.

He's entirely fuckable, a milky-pale fuck monkey, a sex stud, a doofy dork-suckable stud.

But isn't that true for Modern Fam too r24?

Yes, R27, but Modern Family is higher rated and has a richer audience so it rakes in a lot more ad bucks than The Middle.

Love Neil...

who dat in R22 foto?

R8 Axl first kiss was with one of male friends but he and his friend had forgotten it until recently when they remembered it.

I always thought Sean was gay

Whatever happened to being a top or a bottom?

r30, that's actor Ken Clark in the movie "South Pacific."

Axl should like the peen.

I can echo the many posters who said they initially resisted the show and then came to appreciate it quite a lot. I've described it to friends as "Napoleon Dynamite" meets early "Roseanne." There was a great review/essay in "The New Yorker" last year that sums up the show's charm and hidden depth.

Also, Eden Sher should have won an Emmy for her portrayal of Sue by now.

I enjoyed it in the beginning but stopped watching it a few years ago. Sitcoms about families wear out their welcomes for me once all the characters are adults.

I enjoy the show but with the kids getting older I guess the storylines run out and we don't need a cousin Oliver to join the cast.

I still watch but agree that it hasn't been as funny in recent seasons but that goes for any long-running series. Surprisingly, though, The Middle has stayed fresher than Modern Family, which has been shit for at least the last 3 seasons. I hope Eden Sher doesn't disappear after the show ends. She's hilarious and gorgeous. I'd love to see her try drama or even an action role. I can imagine her doing the types of parts Sandra Bullock did early on.

Eden Sher "pretty"? If she stands next to Mayim Bialik maybe.

The show had it's charm but when the kids grow up it's always hard to continue the storyline as inevitably everyone moves out of the house.

Count me in into the liking the series in spite of Heaton.

Love this show. Very refreshing with a great world of recurring/supporting characters (uber frau Nancy Donahue, Axl's cheerleader friends, Weird Ashley and the Wrestlerettes). The Hecks are not a cliche, zanily "imperfect" sitcom family. There's something very real behind the comedy. I love Patricia Heaton as Frankie. She's a mess but gets by on genuine charm And being a good person. Great, non-patronizing coming out scene with Sue's best friend Brad. And yes, shirtless wiry Axl with that beautiful creamy skin and treasure trail. It had a good run, best to end it on a good note.

My bf and I loved this show, but like any series - it has gone downhill and lost its luster after so many seasons. Axl's looks went bye bye a long time ago - he was beautiful when younger but now looks like a pudgy Ronald McDonald clown. He has for the last 4 years. Sue was the main comedic draw for the show IMO, but she can't seem to find any story-line in college. Brad is sorely missed and she needed him to play off of her crazy. Parricia Heaton was lovely, funny and perfection in the role at the start, but now looks really old, tired and bored. She is phoning it in and has been since season 4 or 5. It is a shame but the demise was entirely inevitable.

Patricia that is - sorry!

Back off r26, that milk monkey is MINE!!!!!

Never watched because I couldn't get past the exasperated housewife Heaton (is that all she does?!) and the oddball kid that looks like he should be in a David Lynch movie.

Okay you bitches hooked me. What station is it on? Meaning Netflix, Amazon or Hula.

Hulaaaaaaaa

I love Sue Sue Hecht!

Eden cleans up quite nicely, thank you. She would make the perfect sister for Amy Farrah Fowler.

Love the Hecks! if you think Axl is fat, you are probably fat yourself and projecting. Just might be the most real of any tv sitcom family ever. Nicer than the Roseanne family, not silly/surreal like Malcolm's family. Will miss this show. Why not give it an even ten years--even with maybe 16 eps rather than 22?

Axl is far from fat, but lost all of his tone and his face became "pudgy" and round. As he grew his hair longer and permed it, the effect grew worse still. He is not ugly, but is certainly far from hot these days.

I love that Sue's gay pal was fabulous and the parents' merely smirked or eyerolled at his obvious gayness.

I'll miss the show. The kids still look youthful, so it could probably go on another 5 years or so. The scripts never got stale. I'll especially miss all of Sue's fuck hot boyfriends....except for the weasel looking neighbor boy.

[quote]I love that Sue's gay pal was fabulous and the parents' merely smirked or eyerolled at his obvious gayness.

I liked the dad's reaction when he thought the gay kid was going to come out to him....

r51

I like that idea

Patty had the actors who play Axl, Sue, and gay Brad on her cooking show. (Sue's not in this picture.)

Oh I love this show where the cast seems real, and the guest stars also are so damn good. It should have won all sorts of awards. NEVER liked stupid Modern Family, what a SHITTY cast. and two stereotyped queens. Give me the Hecks, their neighbors, Al's buds, Sue's hot bf's, the quarry guys, the aunts Ehlerts and the great holiday themed shows. Eden Sher--EMMY in 2018, dammit! The Middle best sitcom Emmy dammit!

I preferred the hicks in Raising Hope. The Dad and son were hot.

Charlie never did a nude scene in any film, did he?

Would it be a surprise if Neil Flynn is gay? No mention of a wife, ex-wife, kids, or partner of any type in his bios. I did notice several articles that asked: "Gay?" No definite answer for this 57 year old. Things that make you go...hmmmmmm.

Neil Flynn is a tall drink of water. I'd love if he were.

I haven't watched the last few seasons, but Frankie/Patricia Heaton was by far the least convincing character and the weak link in this. Sue is clearly the star of this show and the very minor supporting parts made the show great at times. Didn't we all have neighbors like the Glossners or Donohues?

Neil Flynn is only 57? Yikes, he looks terrible.

What is wrong with the little boy?

I have looked for entire series streaming. Only found a few episodes on Hula and On Demand

The youngest kid has some sort of medical thing. Hollywood loves kids with medical things...

Whispering: (Medical things...)

Brick is just quirky. He was an adorable little kid at the start of the show but became an admittedly awkward teen. He will grow out of it. Just a tiny guy - not to mention a very rich one LOL.

Heaton is actually great in this. C'mon. Her politics are one thing (though she is pro-gay, at least) but this show would not work without her.

He has some disease with a long name he got from his mother.

Was there a hot guy that was on the early episodes?

Heston is such a terrible person but she is very good on the show.

Axl used to be the hot teen. And a few of the co stars were sort of hot but nothing to write home about really.

The one Sue Sue almost married was a sweet hot beast.

I love Axl's little bits of chest hair and treasure trail. And Eden Sher should have won an award by now.

You can tell as Axl gets older if he is lucky to get um, character roles.

Thanks guys. This is a sincerely funny show that sometimes pulls on the heartstrings.

That wonderful actress that plays the sister hasn't even been nominated for an Emmy??!!?? WTF!!!!

That Eden Sher sure is homely!

Atticus Shaffer, who plays little Brick, was born with a brittle bone disease called osteogenisis imperfecta. The show is very careful to see that he is in no danger of falling or getting injured in any way.

Eden Sher has indeed won an award for her Sue Heck. She won the Critics' Choice award for best supporting actress back in 2003.

Axl used to have two hot friends to pal around with and they were traded in for a very unhot PC friend. Oh, and some nearly faceless computer nerd who hardly speaks. Terrible.

Yes ti Eden Sher playing a sister or cousin to Mayim Bialik in TBBT. It would be hilarious.

Lightning in a bottle for this show. The only character I loathed was Kelsy Grammer's real life daughter (gee how did she get her job) playing Axl's wife. Not fond of the talentless bland PC college buddy either, but it is ABC. They could have found a hot, charming black guy to be the pal. I always wonder what happened to Darren and Carly. And why the actor who played Darren has not found other work? hot, hunky, just as good an actor as anyone else. Emmy people, give this the best comedy series award and Eden best supporting actress. Eden symbolizes 99% of gay kids everywhere, with how she was abused in junior and high schools. This is Heaton's best work and Mike is so much like so many straight befuddled dads I have known.

[quote]She won the Critics' Choice award for best supporting actress back in 2003.

That was some accomplishment, considering that the show didn't debut until 2009.

I looked and looked online for episodes and can only find the same 5 episodes. My dvr is recording the syndicated episodes but it looks like I will have to seasons on downloads or discs.

Syndicated re-runs are played every week day on at least 2 different channels. Also, select ones are available On Demand with ATT Uverse at least.

On Demand with Dish have the same 5 episodes.

Someone should write Mike/Axl fan fiction daddy stories. Add Darren and the Donahue guy for fun.

Ack, of course that should be Eden winning the CC award in 2013, not 2003. Sorry r79.

R83, I have only come across fan fiction where Mike gives Axl a spanking. Maybe Darren too - I don't remember. They were relatively hot but spanking has to be your thing to get into them. Here is one about the hot friend Finn who appeared in only one episode. They are out there - you just have to search for them.

An Axl one:

I don't understand what this show has to do with Trump but Heaton is apparently upset that they've cancelled it during the Trump era

(Now I'm not sure if Patricia Heaton is a Trumpster as she posts mostly religious and charity stuff)

She's not. She's old school conservative. Very pro-gay, btw.

Co-star Atticus Shaffer (Brick) added that the series remains focused on the connection between the characters.

“No matter what direction the country goes politically, our show is about family values and morals,” he said.

SHADE!

Great. Now if Modern Family can take the hint.

R87 I didn't get that she was upset about it; in fact I'm pretty sure she had a big say in the decision to end it.

Patty Heaton may be tired and want to hang up the wigs, but I wish this show could continue. Love Sue Sue Heck.

Heaton's star power still carries the show sadly. None of the other actors can stand on their own to perpetuate it. And yes, Sue is and always has been the best performance. In college she has slipped a bit though. It is so much easier to the geek in high school than in college where no one really cares. College is so much easier to fit in and find your own group than high school.

lasted a few seasons past its experation date so whatever.

Weren't Heaton and Doris Roberts supposed to be at odds during ELR? Did I read some bad info? Because Doris showed up in an episode as one of Brick's teachers and Heaton and Roberts had a nice little confrontational moment in a scene.

The guy who played the harried lawyer on "Scrubs" also showed up as a teacher in an episode. (thanks to Neil?)

Axl moves away spinoff maybe with Darren. Sue graduates and moves to LA or Columbus, OH and has a zany group of friends. Something. The Middle should run an even ten years. If Sue spinoff they must include Brad!!!!!!!!!!

Sue perhaps, but poor sweet Axl will never get a spin off series. And they dropped Darren years ago - so sad as he has such a cute butt.

This thread makes me happy because my love of this show has always been an embarrassment to me because I can understand why people would assume it's stupid. For years, I have despised Patty Heaton because of her politics, but that doesn't come into play in the show. We've never seen a ridiculous storyline put out simply because the (nominal) star of the show demands her politics be represented.

Here we have an oh-so-rare sitcom that doesn't revolve around the kids being adorable little comic geniuses. Everybody's a loser, like what we see in our own families.

And I take particular pleasure in the fact that Patty H. must find it especially painful to play along with storylines that don't match her agenda.

And more pleasure in Axl's propensity to strip whenever possible.

I did like that everybody is a lazy, a loser and not hollywood rich, kind of like Roseanne before it became complete shit and the actresses would show up with new noses.

R82, if you have cable, you probably have the Hallmark channel. They air reruns every week night from 9-11pm. Followed by the Golden Girls at 11!

Doris Roberts, Ray Romano, and Monica Horan all guest-starred on "The Middle." So that makes all of the major "Raymond" players except for the kids and Brad Garrett (and of course Peter Boyle, but he passed away shortly after "Raymond" ended.)

My dislike for Heaton goes back to her support for a Rush Limbaugh hate campaign against a lady who wanted to advocate for birth control being distributed through health insurance. Rush went into a fit and denounced the lady, her parents and anyone else who supported her views. Absolutely hateful insults and name calling as Rush is wont to do about anything and everything he doesn't like.

Heaton piled right on and also insulted the lady and her parents in a Tweet storm. Really foaming at the mouth outbursts that went on and on as long as Rush kept at it. She got such a blow back from people that she deleted all of the tweets and went dark for a while. I really haven't seen anything newsworthy from her Tweetwise since then. Learned a lesson?

BTW, the birth control that the woman was advocating for was meant as a remedy for some women's reproduction problems not just for preventing conception. She was called a worthless slut and her parents were taken to task for raising such a worthless slut by both Rush and Heaton because they thought she just wanted free birth control. Neither one of them took the time to read what she was advocating for before blasting her. It was truly despicable the way they went on and on about it. So, I still think about that when I see Heaton's face.

She wasn't always pro-gay:

From 2006 --

At her Boston show, Kathy Griffin read a KOOKY letter from Patricia Heaton that was emailed to her. Back Story: Kathy's gay friend has a daughter who was being teased and bullied in school because she had two daddies. The School wanted to do a little assembly about how there are many kinds of families... Well Patricia Heaton's kids go to the school and Heaton started a petition to make sure THAT did not happen. SO... Kathy was doing Fashion Police with Carson Kresley and during a commercial break she turned to Heaton's stylist who was a guest and said "you know that your client will let you dress her but does not believe you deserve the same right granted to others in the constitution." Kathy mentioned her Stylist, Makeup and Hair people are all gay. Well the next day she got two frantic calls from Heaton... and then an email! BIG MISTAKE! Heaton went on this tangent about not being homophobic and wants Kathy to clear that up with Carson and the E! crew who was there. HA! Then she went on to tell Kathy she didn't know what she was talking about and tried to educate her about Stem cell research... I guess Heaton and Mel Gibson are all in this cult together.

Later that year:

KATHY GRIFFIN 'GAY BASHES' PATRICIA HEATON By RICK EGUSQUIZA "I used to think Patricia Heaton was funny, but now I'm just grossed out by her!"

Those are the biting words of comic Kathy Griffin, who's been blasting the former "Everybody Loves Raymond" star in her new sold-out comedy tour. Griffin's taken the 48-year-old actress to task for her conservative views on subjects such as gay rights and stem cell research.

"The whole gay issue, I gotta tell you - when I hear Patricia talking her bull---- and saying it's not in the Bible that gay people should be together - those are the pieces of information that I can't forget about," said Kathy. The self-proclaimed "D-list" star, 46, slammed Patricia at a special charity event held at the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center on Dec. 7, where she made a $10,000 donation. "Kathy was ruthless about Patricia," an event attendee told The ENQUIRER. "She told the mostly gay audience that Patricia should not be trusted because she 'hates you gays.' The shocked audience gasped - it got very quiet."

Kathy went on to call Patricia a hypocrite because she hires gay hairdressers and makeup people.

"Patty Heaton has the gayest makeup person you've ever seen," Kathy told the audience. "I can't get beyond it. It's the hypocrisy."

Said the observer: "Kathy definitely opened up our eyes to what Patricia really thinks of her gay fans." I saw Patricia Heaton on the Conan rerun a few nights back and she got booed for saying she waits until her kids are asleep and then reads their e-mails and text messages.

Reads others' e-mail? I don't have to say anything more on my feelings about that...

I always feel saddened when I read these sort of stories. I used to know Patricia as Patti 20 years ago when we both worked survival jobs at the same company. We were both into theatre and typically, she was a very driven and ambitious person (and also very upbeat and friendly). We lost touch and I completely forgot about her till she did that TV version of THE GOODBYE GIRL and mentioned the place we worked together. I never made the connection and had been watching her on RAYMOND the whole time, thinking she was great (I still do).

Unfortunately, her strict Catholic upbringing has made her a reactionary harpie when it comes to politics -- R11

More DL, 2006:

I knew Patty Heaton about ten years ago. She was religious and was friendly with some other low-key Catholics in Hollywood, but she never seemed crazy or rabid, nor did she ever strike me as the type of person who might wish to deny others their fundamental rights. She was actually quite a fun and lovely person. I suppose she may have changed over the last decade, but I'm just saying....-R38

Patricia was actually one of the reasons I enjoyed the early seasons of ELR. She was sarcastic, but she also had a great deal of warmth underneath, and she really did seem to make it believable that Debra loved Ray. As the years passed, she became colder and harder. The whole show became very nasty and mean-spirited, and Heaton and the idiot who played Ray's brother both became huge asses in public. That's one of those shows where success really ruined any quality (the same happened to Seinfeld). Heaton isn't a total fool. She knows you can't make anti-gay comments in public and not face some payback for it in Hollywood. Apparently she is making those comments privately, and Kathy is calling her on it. I'm not a big Kathy Griffin fan, but kudos to her. - R43

She absolutely changed, R38. She left Catholicism to find something more scripture-based and judgmental. Google about it, if you like.-- R50

Hate for her because of her beliefs is like hating gays for eating ass, which most normal people do.

Patty is a wonderful lady.

Less talk about Patty, more about Charlie McDermott. Has anyone seen him naked?

I second R108.

I can't find anything on Charlie -- people seem to like him and don't dish.

There is NOTHING about Charley anywhere. He bought a house in the Hollywood Hills. Is he a member of our club? Is Neal? How do these stars manage to keep such a low profile? I will tell you about Charley on The View four years ago when the whole family was on. Eden had broken her leg; she and Charlie have volunteered on construction etc. in third world countries. Nice kids. Anyway, Eden was being very careful walking out and very, very subtly you saw Charley helping her. No diva look at me crap from these two.

Is this the same Kathy Griffin who talked about her straight friends Lance Bass and Matt Dallas?? Oh yeah, she's really honest.

The Terri Schiavo case was in 2005 and Heaton stuck her evil right wing self right in the middle of that. It was a private family matter and this bitch was out there saying this brain dead woman was really just fine and would wake up any time now. Heaton is a fucking moron and dangerous as any right wing moron.

Neil Flynn is straight. I have a friend who dated him for a couple years during his SCRUBS days.

R112 ? Kathy doesn't out friends...those two were closet cases back on her show!!

ABC no longer knows how to make a good sitcom. It will be blocked after 2018 if they yank The Middle.

I think that The Middle could bounce back with new writers. Of course all of the cast would need to stick with the show as well. And for heaven's sake outside of focusing on Sue which is a must - more Brad!!!! He is genius.

God, the stupid runs thick on this thread, as evidenced by R116 and r117.

Can't it be picked up by a different network like Cougartown was? Anyway I feel bad for the actor that plays Brick. The rest of the main actors should be able to find work but this could be it for him. He's okay for a child actor turned adult much better at acting than the abominations that play Manny Delgado and Luke Dunphy!!!

My sense is that both the creators and Heaton have decided that the show has run its course, R119.

Brick always was an excellent actor, even when the series first began. I'd like to see an even when years. This is the only sitcom that rings true and isn't stupid.

Manny delgado is the fucking worst, no acting ability ugly +short , cringe worthy to see the guy try to act like a straight /girl crazy teen, and not believable that he came from the vagina of sofia vergara and the sperm of Benjamin Bratt!!

Lots of dreadful acting on the over rated stupid modern family. Mwho watches this show. No gays i know do

This sitcom is based on a tv movie starring Ricki Lake as the mother. The actor who plays youngest son Brick was the only holdover from the tv movie. I've not been able to find the original movie, but I'd like to see it.

But the kids had very good writing. Axl and his guy friends piling up in the house (so true). Sue trying to be as fabulous as her gay friend. Brick belong to a "font" club is just classic nerd. The character and writing of these kids was so well thought out and written.

Brooke Shields did great work in this as the trashy next door neighbor. Also Broadway actor John Cullum as Mike's father.

I thought it was interesting that in Season 1, Frankie was a car salesman and some of the show centered around her work life. When they cut that storyline, they really focused more on the family. When she became the dental assistant, her work took up less storyline.

Oops, I was just reading the imdb entry and it says the Ricki Lake version was a rejected pilot. So I guess it was retooled with Patricia Heaton.

I love the way the Drawn Together movie eviscerated Heaton.

R122 - did your parents ever talk to you about the birds and the bees? A vagina and sperm doesn't get you a baby.

But six will get you eggroll

In the Ricki Lake version, the elder son was named Elvis instead of Axl.

I love Ricki but she would have been a flop in this show. Patricia nailed it - at least for the first 4 seasons or so.

Patricia is the worst thing about this show!

Bless you, R131!

Love her or hate her - she was and is the biggest star. She did well in the early years, but seems bored and phoning it in these days..

She was always terrible, acting like a lazy as fuck slob of a mother was never funny, The only times she was tolerable was when she was scared as shit of her hillbilly neighbor played by Brooke Shields.

The kids, especially Sue saved this show!

Yes, we have established that Sue is the best and funniest character in that series. She kills it....well, she did. She is not as hilarious in college sadly.

Last night was the rerun where she sees Darryl again and realizes she waited to long to repair their relationship after she put the kibosh on his wedding plans...

Neil Flynn is one of the undersung talents on the show. When he gets pissed off, it's hysterical.

R136 Who the hell is Darryl?

I think r136 meant Darrin.

Yes, I meant Darrin.

In a hilarious crossover episode with The Walking Dead, Sue and Darrell meet up and…

Surprise ending Axel realizes he is gay and he and Brad go to N.Y. to work in the legitimate musical theatre, Axel in the business end of theatre. Darren is living with a big Broadway star and the foursome live and love and tour the big apple. Sue ends up in pre med and finds romance with a dark sexy doctor. Brick is discovered to be a near genius and gets an early admission to college. The Glossners move to northern Virginia where Rita battles Muslims trying to take over (they nearly have.) Mike and Frankie move to Columbus, Ohio and Mike gets a job at a comunity college teaching mining. Frankie and her mother start an Betsy business selling frau stuff. Four possible spinoffs.

[quote]Surprise ending Axel realizes he is gay and he and Brad go to N.Y. to work in the legitimate musical theatre

Where they meet Rachel Berry and Kurt Hummel, Stars of Tomorrow.

D142, some of those ideas ain't half bad

Thank you R144.

How does one become a showrunner?

Heaton is old enough to be the kid's Grandma.

Tonight, the rerun where Darrin fills Sue's room with balloons and proves awkward in gift giving/taking.

The show has been hinting that Sue is going to wind up with Axl's other high school friend--the one who comes from the "perfect" family.

Sue must, like Lady Edith, have a perfect future. Axl needs to somehow show a lot of skin. Brick needs to drop that awful girlfriend. Bring back some of the funny past guest stars. Updates on Darren and Karly. THE GRANDPARENTS. Brad must have a cute butch bf. Axl needs to show front and back treasure trails. What happened to the car lot folks? Frankie's awful sister? Did I say Axl needs to show ass, hole, peen in a very special R rated episode?

R147, well there was an episode where a drugstore kid mistook Frankie for a grandma looking to buy diapers for herself (and not for the baby Sue was babysitting).

Heaton is 32 years older than McDermott, not quite grandmother age...

Axl just isn't as hot as once was. Season one through three were great. He is still cute but no longer hot.

Axl has tiny nips!

[quote]Heaton is 32 years older than McDermott, not quite grandmother age...

I take it you've never been to Mississippi.

[quote] Brad must have a cute butch bf.

Brad and Darrin!

You just know Darren would take good care of Brad and caress and kiss him. Good choice!!! Anyone know if Axel, Darren, Brad, Donahue are gay in real life? Axle is what 27 by now. No wifey in sight and I think he we raised all around girl's. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

McDermott has posted pictures of what I assume are his gf on his Instagram. Taking trips and saying "we." I know that the guy who plays Sean Donahue has/had in his IMDB bio that he was part of Campus Crusade for Christ in college. Ever come across one of those zealots? Not fun people.

You really need to ask if the actor who plays Brad is gay in real life? He's never confirmed on Twitter but yeah. He doesn't need to and he's not making up fake girlfriends or hiding support for the LBGTQ community either.

Charlie McDermott is just my type. Seems like a nice guy too.

Brad was a great character who worked well off Sue. Loved the episode when he is coming out of his house and says to Sue, "My dad was trying to show me how to change the oil in a car. That did NOT go well."

I loved that Brad (and Sue) went to work at Dollywood for the Summer.

Sue is the gay mans friend deserving of her own happy ending. Not since Rhoda have we queers had as good an ally. Charlie I think could go either way. He is not masculine but very sweet and seems very nice. The only sitcom I watch.

I love the idea that the above poster mentioned about Darren and Brad. I love them both and miss their absence. Great story line!

It would be like Jack and officer dougie ending up together -- something unexpected and yet when it actually happens, it just seems so right...

Little Charlie (on the right) in M. Night Shamalayan's "The Village."

Cute pic. While Charlie is likely gay in real life (or at least asexual), sadly I doubt that it would make any sense giving him a gay story line since his character is such a hetero horn dog on the show. Darren on the other hand barely showed interest in other girls outside of one short-lived girlfriend and of course Sue. Since we know that Sue never did anything more than kiss - she hardly counts. He was also the most game to do "gay" things with his two bros as the seasons went on (outside of Axl and Sean sharing a kiss that is). I think that we should petition the show to end the series with Darren settling down with Brad who could move into his tiny house and bedazzle it into next week. Brad could completely take care of all of Darren's pent up sexual needs. LOL I love it!

Yeah r166, all you have to do is get that storyline past Patty Heaton and you're good to go. Let me remind you that she is DEVOUT Catholic, so you might want to pitch the storyline to the Pope and have him do the heavy lifting where Pat is concerned.

She isn't even Catholic anymore, she left the Church and became a Protestant at one point.

[quote]She isn't even Catholic anymore, she left the Church and became a Protestant at one point.

Is Mel Gibson giving her the shit that Elisabeth Moss is giving me?

You gays should be grateful you got Brad. Now shut it about more gay characters on my show!

I believe that the actor who plays Darren is gay. No confirmation, but I did read in an interview that he majored in Spanish, and as a Spanish prof I can count on one hand the number of straight guys I've seen major in the language.

Axel had a nude scene in the season premiere

Not to mention a man-bun.

R171 I majored in Spanish too, so I guess I fit the stereotype as well. Unfortunately, I never looked as good as Darren.

Here's an exit interview with Eden Sher. Unfortunately, there's a picture of her.

Well brick is old enough, when are we going to see him in his boxers. Just curious whats under the trunk

I love Sue. She reminds me of a girl I knew at that age. The actress really captures the awkwardness of that age. I wonder if she’ll be able to branch out into other roles.

There's a divorce and possibly an abortion in Patty's past which is why she joined up with the more forgiving (for her) Protestants.

I'm another who doesn't watch because of Patricia Heaton. She's a horrible person, I can't get past it to watch.

R100 oh grow up snowflake queen

R171 ay carumba! Bring back papi showing some hot juicy pinga. Brad and Darren make the perfect couple. Yes give Sue a Lady Edith life. Have Brick with a hot nice girl who gets him, not that ugly bland foreign legion hat thing. This show screams for a good spinoff. Or two. I think Sean is cute in a Tebow sort of way. Make Axel a stand up comedian, maybe bisexual. Give him something to do. Whip him back into shape and have him model Speedos. ABC really has nothing but shit shows on except for The Middle. Dump Shonda and modern family and keep this.

Is Sue going to get on top of Sean and ride him to victory or what? Stop teasing out the storyline. There can't be many episodes left. It would be fun to have them get together and bring back Darrin for an episode and be like "Bro!"

R52, The family of "Father Knows Best" seemed pretty normal.

Spinoff needed!!!shows producers are very smart.

This is a legacy series that has plenty of steam and possibility...why not have A x l e and cute Hutch have a thing? Brick goes to college early. They could continue the series with just the kids and Nancy Donahue if the parents want a reduced schedule, we need more funny wise sitcoms!

R96 You may get your wish because the potential Sue spinoff has added Brad as a series regular.