ABC's hit comedy classic ABC sitcom portrays a lower-middle-class family experiencing pivotal issues in their everyday lives, reminiscent of other family sitcoms like Everybody Loves Raymond and Modern Family. Raymond star Patricia Heaton leads the hilarious cast of The Middle as s Patricia "Frankie" Heck, a loving, hard-working wife and mother of three children who always cares about her family and makes them her top priority.

Eden Sher's Sue Sue Heck, the middle daughter of Frankie and Mike. Sue has a bright personality towards everyone, despite being made fun of by her older brother Axl. Sue's elevation from school to college is explored, along with her relationships, including with Axl's friend Sean Donahue. Sue Sue in the City was meant to be an intended spin-off, but after The Middle concluded in 2018, ABC decided not to pick up the show due to other comedies in its line-up at the time and other networks refusing to air it.

Why The Middle Spinoff Focused On Sue Was Canceled By ABC

Sue Sue Heck's Spin-Off Series Wasn't Given The Green Light

Sue Sue in the City would have been a spin-off of The Middle, focusing on Sue Heck's departure from her family home in Indiana to pursue her adult life in Chicago. While the pilot episode was already filmed, The Middle spin-off was cancelled by ABC because the network already had a couple of new comedies lined up in its schedule, including The Office alum Jenna Fischer's Splitting Up Together and Schooled, a spin-off of The Goldbergs. However, both comedies lasted two seasons, and the popularity surrounding The Middle would've given Sue's show the proper momentum for success.

The spin-off series is set two or three years after Sue's college graduation in the series finale of The Middle. The show's beginning takes place in Indiana, where Sue lives at home and works at a bed-and-breakfast hotel in Orson, while her future husband Sean is training to be a doctor. When Sue gets an email from the general manager of Hotel Seville in Chicago regarding an interview for the assistant manager role, she decides to break up with Sean (for the time being) and move to Chicago to pursue an opportunity for a larger career away from home.

Sue Sue In The City Would've Been A Fun Way To Continue The Middle

The Middle Spin-Off Could've Explored Sue Heck's Adulthood

Sue Sue in the City would've been a fun and intriguing spin-off because Sue is one of the funniest and most engaging characters from The Middle. Sue's warmth towards her family and friends, along with her ascension from school to college, shows her fearless determination as a strong and intelligent woman. Despite money or personal problems, Sue has always been relentless in her pursuit to succeed in life. Aside from focusing on Sue, the spin-off would have allowed other characters to pop in, including her parents, Frankie and Mike, and her brothers Axl and Brick, for .

Given that The Middle series finale revealed Sean as Sue's future husband, his journey as an aspiring doctor and his complex relationship with Sue could've been explored further in the spin-off. Sue's best friend, Bradley "Brad" Bottig, also would've had a key role as an aspiring theater actor in Chicago and assisting his former schoolmate in her endeavors. Among the new characters in Chicago's Hotel Seville, there's the owner Nick (Chris Diamantopoulos from Silicon Valley), the bartender Hudson (Saturday Night Live alum Finesse Mitchell), the bellhop Otis (Aaron Branch from Unstable), and chef Remi (Kimberly Crossman from Creamerie).

Can The Middle Spinoff Still Happen?

Eden Sher Seems Intent On Bringing Sue Heck Back

With all the comedic talent involved with Sue Sue in the City, it's a shame that the spin-off wasn't immediately picked up by ABC to air its pilot episode after the conclusion of The Middle. A full season was warranted due to the popularity of The Middle and Sue Heck's beloved bubbly character. However, anything is possible, especially given that Sher is at least interested in finding a way to release the pilot that was filmed and perhaps continue Sue's story into her adult life.

The problem with trying to revive the spin-off now is that it's been seven years since The Middle ended and the filming of the spin-off's pilot episode, making Sher and her Middle co-stars a bit old to play their characters now. Despite this, there have been successful spin-offs and revivals in recent years, including The Big Bang Theory spawning two series, Young Sheldon and George & Mandy's First Marriage. Sher also guest starred on NBC's revival of Night Court, with that network recently introducing a spin-off of Suits called Suits L.A.

Sue Sue in the City has the potential to continue Sue Heck's story, albeit maybe for a brief time, and to provide closure for Sue's character as she continues to discover herself through her relationships and career aspirations.

Spin-offs and revivals are challenging to create, especially when following up their successful predecessor. However, Sue Sue in the City has the potential to continue Sue Heck's story, albeit maybe for a brief time, and to provide closure for Sue's character as she continues to discover herself through her relationships and career aspirations. Regardless of the spin-off's time cycle, it should be given a chance to place Sue front-and-center in her series after The Middle and see where her journey goes from there.

Source: TVLine

Enjoy ScreenRant's primetime coverage? Click below to sign up for our weekly Network TV newsletter (make sure to check "Network TV" in your preferences) and get the inside scoop from actors and showrunners on your favorite series.

SIGN UP NOW