Movie/TV Show Being Reviewed:
The Middle

Reviewer:
Rachel Howard

Genre:
Comedy

Movies/TV Shows:
TV Show

Suggested Age Range:
Teen

Age Range Explained:
This show would be particularly helpful for adolescent females.

Subject Headings:
Anxiety disorders, Depression, Elementary school, Female lifespan development, Family dynamics, High school

Review:
The television show, The Middle, follows a family of five comprised of a mother, father, and their three school-aged children throughout their daily lives. The oldest son and only daughter are in high school, and the youngest son is in elementary school. The oldest child is popular and unmotivated in school while the middle child, Sue, is portrayed as a nerdy, eccentric, happy-go-lucky teenager. As such, she often faces interpersonal difficulties, but her resilience protects her ego, enabling her to not just overcome tricky situations but flourish. The youngest child is studious, inquisitive, lacks social skills, shows little interest in social connections, and is often forgotten by his parents. Counselors helping teenage girls who face teasing and social rejection may use episodes of this show as bibliotherapy.

Through this show, counselors can gain insight into issues commonly faced by young women today. Because the show’s tone is light and comedic, counselors should inform their clients that it is not intended to mock the client or invalidate the client’s experiences. Moreover, because both the middle child and youngest child in the show are objects of their peers’ ridicule, the counselor should not assume that all their female clients will identify with Sue. Counselors should stay out of the client’s way, allowing the client to determine who she most identifies with.