ABC's Modern Sitcom Masterpiece Surges As A Major Streaming Hit 9 Years Later

Published Sep 17, 2026, 5:08 PM EDT Hannah Gearan (she/her) is has been writing for ScreenRant for over three years. Her deep cinema love traces back to age 11, when she equipped herself with a spiral-bound notebook, rated all the films she watched, and declared herself a critic. About a decade later, she received a BA from Wesleyan University, where she studied Film, Environmental Studies, and Writing. Hannah’s short film, Toxic Faucets, has screened at numerous film festivals, including the Independent Film Festival of Boston (IFFBoston). As a Movie News writer now, she draws upon her vast experience studying, making, and analyzing film as she approaches dynamic breaking stories. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Sitcoms are a mainstay of major cable and network television, and ABC had one of its best ones almost a decade ago. The network continues to have successful sitcoms, including the currently airing Abbott Elementary. Soon to start its sixth season, the show has reached popularity and awards show praise alike. While this is arguably ABC's most notable show currently running, they have also been gaining steam with newer shows such as the Tim Allen-led Shifting Gears. The network had a great show wrap up nearly a decade ago with The Middle. The series was a family sitcom that covered the daily joys and mishaps of the Heck family, centering around mother Frankie Heck (Patricia Heaton) and her attempt to wrangle her family. Said family includes Mike (Neil Flynn), Sue (Eden Sher), Axl (Charlie McDermott), and Brick (Atticus Shaffer). The series ran for 9 seasons from 2009 to 2018, and still has fans today. ABC's The Middle Is Back As A Streaming Sensation The Middle's prolonged viewership has been recently proven through its resurgence as a streaming hit. The series has begun trending in the United States on Peacock, reaching top 5 status for TV shows. At the time of writing, The Middle is sitting at the no. 4 slot among TV shows, beaten out only by Below Deck Mediterranean, The Paper, and The Real Housewives of New York City. While there is not one completely direct line to the current moment and The Middle's resurgent success, there are factors that point to the sitcom's lasting appeal. For one, Sher has gone on to make a stand-up comedy career for herself after wrapping up her tenure as Sue Heck on The Middle. Between this and her decently popular YouTube channel, some of her fans may be finding The Middle. Furthermore, it is easily one of ABC's best comedies from the 2010s, so it makes sense why sitcom fans would still enjoy the series. Despite being a successful sitcom during its run, The Middle never got a follow-up series — but it almost did. A Sue Heck related spinoff series called Sue Sue in the City was pitched with a pilot. Despite the pilot getting a decent response, changes on ABC's executive level led to the series being cancelled by the network. So, fans may never get to see more content from The Middle team, but at least they are still appreciating the nine seasons they do have.