ABC’s The Middle aired its last episode on May 22^nd of this year.  However, according to recent news, ABC will pilot a spin off of The Middle featuring Sue Heck as the main character.  This post will dive further into the depiction of Sue Heck on the original show and how this portrayal relates to the typical teenage girl.

News of the spin off appeared just recently.

Sue Heck contrasts with much of the show.  She is incredibly enthusiastic and cheery despite the bland environment surrounding her.  Unfortunately for Sue, she is also very awkward goes largely unnoticed with everything she does.  Much of her storyline consists of her struggles trying to fit in and find any talent through persistent rejection of clubs and activities.  She’s not concerned with, or aware of, what’s cool among her peers.  Often Sue gets very set on her goals and aspirations but goes to the wrong places for success and acceptance.

If there’s any message reminding us that it’s okay to fail, it surely lies within Sue’s story.  It seems as though Sue will never figure out life during her teenage adventures.  She still has her whole life ahead of her, though, and nothing will stop her from trying something and learning from it.  Although the number of failures may be a little bit of a stretch, Sue’s condition isn’t uncommon.  It’s unfair to act as if most teenagers don’t face challenges learning who they are and how life works.  The Middle really nails the parenting situation too, as it’s not easy to be the parents of kids that age.  The important thing to note is that Sue, like most kids her age, has her whole life ahead of her with every option to choose who she wants to be.

Sue always seemed to be on an emotional roller coaster but still somehow kept an upbeat personality.

I am looking forward to learning more of this new Sue Heck spinoff.  Many of today’s popular TV shows fail to capture a teenage girl’s life quite like The Middle does.  The new show will present Sue at an older age.  We know there will be struggles in her future life…how could the show go on without classic Sue screwups?  However, I am excited to see how ABC will illustrate the working life and adult successes of a grown-up Sue Heck, one who never really had life mastered as a teenager.

All great things must come to an end, but the legacy lives on.  Just as Sue will continue the legacy for The Middle, my experiences from this project will carry with me through life.  I’ve truly enjoyed analyzing the various aspects of The Middle.  Although I doubt I will write future blog posts, the way in which I evaluate shows is forever changed from this assignment.