Television series

The Middleman

Name: The Middleman
Genre: Drama, Comedy, Science Fiction
Released: 2008
Cast: Matt Keeslar, Natalie Morales, Brit Morgan, Mary Pat Gleason, Jake Smollett

Other titles called The Middleman: the 1976 film.

A brilliantly weird superhero comedy about a secret agent and his reluctant new partner fighting absurd threats while genuinely caring about each other. Tonally fearless—it shifts from slapstick to sincere without losing its footing. For people who want wit, heart, and villains with ridiculous names.

TVMaze rating

3.9

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you like cheerfully absurd sci-fi where the gadgets are as ridiculous as the villains and the banter lands between the sincere moments, the kind of show that treats its own weirdness with a straight face and a wink.

Skip it if you want a tightly plotted, grounded series; its episodes lean on goofy one-off monsters and loose, self-aware jokes that can feel scattershot if you came for character-driven mystery.

What it asks of you: Twelve hour-long episodes in one season, so it commits little time overall, but each episode moves at a brisk, playful clip and expects you to keep up with its quick asides.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Pushing Daisies2007

Same vibrant visual ingenuity, same whimsy wrapped around genuine emotion, same willingness to be earnest about strange things. Lee Pace's deadpan delivery matches Matt Keeslar's perfectly calibrated tone.

But The archness can feel performative if you're not in the mood. Some find it exhaustingly precious rather than charming.

Psych2006

Buddy comedy with detective work, constant jokes, and a partnership that drives everything. Both shows trust their supporting cast and find heart in absurdist scenarios without abandoning them.

But Nine seasons means filler. The show repeats itself more than Middleman ever did, and loses edge as it goes on.

Firefly2002

A ragtag crew against impossible odds, balancing comedy and danger moment to moment. Joss Whedon shares Middleman's gift for making you care about people while they do ridiculous things.

But Only thirteen episodes before cancellation. The incompleteness may haunt you more than satisfy you.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from The Middleman

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Community2009

Both are ensemble shows that understand that caring about people and being silly aren't opposites—they're the same impulse expressed differently. Both use genre conventions as scaffolding for character work.

Metafictional comedy that breaks its own rules, loves its characters genuinely, and finds absurdist joy in the mundane. Same playfulness with genre and format; same faith in earnestness beneath the jokes.

But Seasons 4-6 lose the thread badly. The show's self-awareness curdles into self-indulgence. Sixth season partly salvages it, but recovery is incomplete.

Grimm2011

Monster-of-the-week structure with an ordinary person pulled into extraordinary secrets. Uses gadgetry and absurdist threats while building real stakes and genuinely solid character work.

But Tonal inconsistency—it lurches between noir and campiness without Middleman's control. Later seasons lose their footing entirely.

The Librarians2014

Adventure-comedy about misfits protecting magical artifacts. Embraces its own silliness completely while delivering genuine thrills. Knows exactly what it is and commits without apology.

But The whimsy-to-plot ratio skews hard toward whimsy. Some episodes feel like sketches that forgot to resolve.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer1997

The template for everything: supernatural threats, steady character growth, a found family that actually feels earned. Season three especially shares Middleman's perfect tonal balance.

But It's seven seasons, and the quality is genuinely uneven. The first season is rough, and later entries can feel bloated.

The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.1993

Steampunk Western with impossible gadgets and villainous schemes. Cheerfully absurd but played with complete sincerity. Bruce Campbell's deadpan timing echoes Keeslar's approach.

But Only two seasons before cancellation. Unresolved ending might frustrate you more than intrigue you.

The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. poster

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.2013

Ensemble cast, gadgets, high-concept threats, and a genuine partnership at its core. When it hits, it combines action, comedy, and character work with surprising grace.

But First season drags significantly. Many episodes feel like obligations before the show finds what it actually wants to be.

The Tick2016

Deconstructs superhero tropes while loving them sincerely. Blue Bat and The Tick have the same easy chemistry as Middleman and Wendy, with surprising emotional depth underneath.

But Amazon cancelled it after one season. Also, the Amazon version is more melancholy than funny—tonal expectations may not match.

The Middleman1976

Direct source material adaptation. The film's central conflict—a man forced to choose between pragmatism and principle—is exactly what drives the show's best episodes.

Zeke Stane's graphic novel adaptation about a man caught between corporate espionage and genuine heroism. Stylized, absurdist, genuinely moving about what loyalty means.

But It's obscure for real reasons: pacing is odd, the plot meanders, and the indie budget shows. Also tonally inconsistent in ways that feel accidental rather than deliberate.

The Cabin in the Woods2012

Both celebrate the mechanics of the genres they're in while subverting them. Both ask: who's really in charge when the world has secret systems? Both answer: the people doing the actual work.

Deconstructs genre tropes with genuine affection while delivering actual scares. Behind-the-scenes machinery parallels Middleman's invisible infrastructure. Self-aware without being smug.

But Horror elements are real and disturbing. If you want purely comedic adventure without genuine dread, this pivots darker than expected.