The Middle (on ABC)

So the "remake fever" that has totally infected the Hollywood Big Screen (isn't almost everything a remake lately?  Creativity has pretty much died) has now H1N1'd its way onto the small screen.

We watched The Middle tonight on ABC.  Wow, what a piece of cr@p. 

But it's only that bad because its a direct rip-off of Malcolm in THE MIDDLE ("MitM") that ran on Fox from 2000-2006.  In almost a hat-tip to Malcolm, the writers have the Mom's name on The Middle is named FRANKIE (Malcolm was played by actor Frankie Muniz).

Is the American viewing public that stupid?  Oh, yeah, we are.  Feel free to click on the links of the actors names that follow and even see how their headshots look alike to a point.

The youngest child on MitM was Dewey (nice name, wrong spelling) but awkward kid with big ears.  The Middle has Rick, who they call Brick and who is an awkward kid with big ears.

• Mom Jane Kaczmarek is recreated by Patricia Heaton (almost to the hair style)
• Dad Bryan Cranston is now played by Neil Flynn (they could almost be twins and are both clueless self-absorbed dads)  Neil was the Janitor on Scrubs
  
• Older brother Christopher Masterson who reigned terror on the younger boys is replaced by Charlie McDermott who is a clueless athlete who walks around in his underwear and is named Axl?
  

The new "twist" for The Middle is that there is a daughter who is a collosal failure at everything but the show doesn't focus on her, as it does for Malcolm.  The show basically focuses (at least in the Pilot) on the Mother since frankly, she's making the most money out of this cast given her Everybody Loves Raymond success.

Appearances by SNL alums Chris Kattan and Brian Doyle-Murray don't help save this show.  There WERE funny moments, but I can't get MitM out of my head when watching this, its just too close that's pretty weak from ABC.

While I'm at it, Modern Family (also on Wednesday Night ABC) is looking like it's going down the Arrested Development (also showed on Fox) route already.

If I'm Rupert Murdoch (and thank god I'm not) I'd make sure the viewing public knows that these are just a tad too similar.  Although even Rupert can figure out that these shows should be showing up in Seattle Grace's ER with barely a sign of life in the next 5 weeks.