Comedy genre sitcoms usually lighten up the mood with their witty dialogue, humorous plot twists, and characteristic performance by actors. Moreover, when comedy blends with family drama, it creates a hilarious ride. These two shows, The Middle and Modern Family, share a primary motif–complexities, dysfunctions, and enduring bonds of family life. Let us look at these two shows in close-up.
The Middle
- The name signifies the subtle essence of the show, where actors are stuck in the middle of a situation and finding a way out, failing which leads to complicated circumstances. Designed by Eileen Heisler and DeAnn Heline, the show became predominantly famous among middle-class families. With these underlying nuances, The Middle revolves around one dysfunctional family– The Hecks– consisting of five members: Mike, played by Neil Flynn, as a construction worker; Frankie, played by Patricia Heaton, as a car salesperson, later a dental assistant; Sue, played by Eden Sher; Axl, played by Charlie McDermott; and Brick, played by Atticus Shaffer.
- Set against the backdrop of the fictional town of Orson in Indiana, the show portrays the daily struggles of home life, work, and raising children. The main story captures Mike and Frankie, who have been married for 18 years and are raising three children each with distinctive features and unique personalities. Throughout the show, Frankie narrates the story. However, additional characters signify the impact on Heck’s family, while building a strong depth to the story and enhancing the plot.
- Apart from humour, the show shed light on dating, family responsibilities, women’s empowerment, and social indifference among different economic tiers.
- The first season premiered on September 30, 2009, and the last season premiered on October 3, 2017.
Modern Family
- Modern Family, set against the canvas of L.A.’s suburban landscape, captures the essence of a majestic lifestyle experienced by the Pritchett-Dunphy, Delgado, and Tucker families. Although navigating through financial insecurities, love life, family challenges, and children’s upbringing, this show stands out as one of the most sought-after for its compelling storytelling and resonating characters.
- The Pritchett family consist of Jay, played by Ed O’Neill, as the CEO of Pritchett’s Closets; Gloria Delgado-Pritchett, played by Sofía Vergara, Jay’s wife; Manny Delgado, played by Rico Rodriguez, Jay’s stepson; Joe Pritchett, played by Jeremy Maguire, Gloria and Jay’s son; Mitchell Vincent Pritchett, played by Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Jay’s eldest son; Cameron Tucker, played by Eric Stonestreet, Mitchell’s husband; Lily Tucker-Pritchett, played by Aubrey Anderson-Emmons, Mitchell and Cameron’s adopted daughter.
- The Dunphy family consist of Claire, played by Julie Bowen, Jay’s daughter; Phil, played by Ty Burrell, Claire’s husband; Haley, played by Sarah Hyland, Claire and Phil’s oldest childr; Alex, played by Ariel Winter, Claire and Phil’s younger child; and Luke, played by Nolan Gould, Claire and Phil’s youngest child.
- The show creators, Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan, deserve special appreciation for handling exceptional themes of identity, gender roles, and growth. This crafted work led to the show’s success while gaining accolades for the screenplay and performance by the actors. The first season premiered on September 23, 2009, and the last season premiered on April 8, 2020.
Moreover, The Middle failed to gain much recognition from a widespread audience because of its traditional realistic portrayal of characters; on the contrary, Modern Family became the talk of the town due to its fresh and unique concepts, which provoked food for thought.
However, both shows have created a remarkable impression on viewers’ minds. It is a perfect blend of mixed emotions, while balancing the act of humour and portraying the realistic family dynamics. These shows improve quality of life even more when watched with family.
Written By: Tejaswini Prasad