Imperfectly Perfect
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FINAL-1 Sat, Dec 2, 2017 6:56:02 PM Your Weekly Guide to TV Entertainment for the week of December 9 - 15, 2017 Imperfectly perfect Charlie McDermott, Eden Sher, Atticus Shaffer, Neil Flynn and Patricia Heaton star in “The Middle” Massachusetts’ First Credit Union Located at 370 Highland Avenue, Salem St. Jean's Credit Union 3 x 3 Serving over 15,000 Members • A Part of your Community since 1910 Supporting over 60 Non-Profit Organizations & Programs Serving the Employees of over 40 Businesses 978.219.1000 • www.stjeanscu.com Offices also located in Lynn, Newburyport & Revere Federally Insured by NCUA FINAL-1 Sat, Dec 2, 2017 6:56:03 PM 2 • Salem News • December 9 - 15, 2017 One Heck of a family: Creating a legacy with ‘The Middle’ By Kat Mulligan year of high school. Sue is a junior “Will people remember that the fans, who have only seen the show expressive about the impact of the TV Media at college, while Axl has found his Hecks were here?” increase in depth and popularity. It series and its relationship with its Video way home from Europe, greatly It’s an obvious thematic choice would seem that the main reason fans. While speaking with Enter- releases amily comedies are essential changed by the experience (well, for a final season, but, as the series for concluding “The Middle” at this tainment Weekly, she emphasized to prime-time television, somewhat). Frankie and Mike con- does so skilfully, Frankie’s ques- point is to end the show while it that, for the cast, the crew, the Fthough few manage to break front the realities of having their tioning and desire to know the still resonates with viewers, with- writers and the fans, closure is es- through the fourth wall and pro- adult children at home and the family has had an impact is ex- out experiencing a dramatic down- sential. “There are so many people vide a sense of genuine authentici- need for both of them, but espe- tremely relatable. Thankfully, the turn in ratings or interest. In an in- who have been so loyal ... and feel ty. It seems as if each decade grac- cially Axl, to contribute to keeping series is helping Frankie to find the terview on “Live with Kelly and like these characters are their fami- es us with one or two quality family the family afloat as they juggle dai- answer, by reflecting back on Ryan,” Heaton addressed this: “We ly,” she said, “so we’ll all go on this sitcoms, the highs and lows of their ly bills and expenses. memorable events of “The Mid- love the show, and we love each farewell journey together.” experiences so familiar that we be- Another notable element of the dle.” The credit scenes of the epi- other, but you get this sense of The journey of the Heck family come a part of the family ourselves. season thus far is its recognition of sode “Thanksgiving IX,” for in- when it’s time to leave the party. may be coming to a close this sea- Taron Egerton as seen in Such legendary series include “All the family’s journey — the lasting stance, reflect on the past nine You don’t want to wait until it’s son, but it will forever have a place “Kingsman: The Golden in the Family,” “Roseanne,” “Full impact of the Hecks in their own years of Heck family Thanksgiv- kind of already over.” amongst those legendary family Circle” House” and “The Fresh Prince of universe and the world beyond the ings. Montages such as this one The series, still extremely rele- sitcoms that weren’t afraid to Bel-Air.” screen. The season 9 premiere tug at the heartstrings of fans, vant in a time when many families serve a thick slice of reality along- Kingsman: The Golden Thankfully, the current genera- made this theme overtly clear, with who have shared these holiday find making ends meet increasing- side their humorous main course. Circle tion has found its own iconic family Frankie’s obsessing over the town’s moments for nearly a decade with ly challenging, could no doubt Reflect on the past eight seasons When a criminal mastermind to join, though sadly the time has time capsule project, stressing to “The Middle,” and now accept the have continued to have quite a and hold those memories close as once again threatens the come to say goodbye. The final sea- the family the importance of find- bittersweet conclusion to such a successful run, but leaving during you enjoy some holiday cheer with world, the Kingsman organi- son of “The Middle” is underway, ing just the right way to commem- relatable journey. this pivotal time ensures that the the Hecks. An all-new Christmas- zation springs back into ac- with a new, Christmas-themed epi- orate their presence in the town, The desire to end the series with Heck family will not be easily for- themed episode of “The Middle” tion. After Kingsman’s head- sode arriving Tuesday, Dec. 12, on because, as Frankie frantically asks: season 9 came as quite a shock to gotten. Heaton has also been very airs Tuesday, Dec. 12, on ABC. quarters is destroyed in an ex- ABC. plosive attack, surviving “The Middle” made its way into agents Eggsy (Egerton) and homes across North America back Merlin (Strong) head to the in September 2009. Throughout the pilot episode, mom Frankie, United States, where they played by Patricia Heaton (“Every- meet up with the members of body Loves Raymond”), provides Kingsman’s American counter- the rundown on the Hecks, her part, Statesman. With the family of five. There’s the eldest of head of the planet’s farthest- her three children, Axl (Charlie Mc- reaching drug cartel (Moore) Dermott, “Hot Tub Time Machine,” threatening to cause deaths in 2010), a carefree, athletic rebel; unspeakable numbers around Sue (Eden Sher, “The Outcasts,” the globe, the surviving mem- 2017), a klutzy yet optimistic and bers of Kingsman team up driven middle child; and Brick (Atti- with Statesman agents Tequila cus Shaffer, “Steven Universe”), (Tatum) and Whiskey (Pascal) the brainy, quirky youngest child to take her down and save the who juggles exceptional smarts world once again. with exhausting boredom. Director: Matthew Vaughn. Dad Mike, played by Neil Flynn Stars: Taron Egerton, Mark (“Scrubs”), rounds off the bunch Strong. 2017. 141 min. Action. with his towering height, level head and blunt honesty. As the family manages day-to-day strug- Home Again gles between breakfasts of frozen After she and her husband pancakes and fast food dinners separate, Alice (Witherspoon) around a glowing television moves back to California from screen, there is something incredi- New York with her daughter, bly raw and endearing about them. There’s no need to try to impress, where she moves in with her and no wanting for more than mother (Bergen) and recon- what is possible for them. As the nects with her old friends. Hecks straddle the line between While on a girls night out, she middle and lower class, there is a meets three aspiring young sense that a reflection is being sent filmmakers and winds up tak- back to millions of Americans who ing one of them, Harry (Alex- see their own reality playing out ander), home with her, despite onscreen, week by week. Perhaps the age gap between them. this is why the series has long en- After her mother invites the dured, as families have grown up three men to stay in their with, and alongside, the Hecks. guest room, a romance begins This growth is quite literal, with to blossom between Alice and season 9 finding the family shifting Harry, but things get compli- toward an adult majority: Brick is cated when her estranged now the sole teenager in the Patricia Heaton stars in “The Middle” house, and entering his sophomore Continued on page 16 FINAL-1 Sat, Dec 2, 2017 6:56:04 PM December 9 - 15, 2017 • Salem News • 3 8:00 p.m. CSNE (52) NBA Boston Celtics Thursday Friday Live EXTREME SKIING at Chicago Bulls 7:00 a.m. NBCSN (48) Pro Football 10:00 a.m. GOLF (69) Morning Drive 10:30 p.m. CSNE (52) Celtics Post- Saturday Talk Live Live Saturday game Live Live 2:00 p.m. WCVB (5) World of X Games (49) Live 12:30 p.m. NBCSN (48) Alpine Skiing Sports 1:30 p.m. ESPN NFL Live 5:00 p.m. GOLF (69) Father/ Son Chal- FIS this week 11:00 p.m. CSNE (52) Celtics Post- 5:00 p.m. ESPN2 (50) The Fantasy lenge Pro-Am World Cup Women’s Super-G Live FOOTBALL game Live Show 6:00 p.m. GOLF (69) Golf Central Sunday AUTO RACING Tuesday Saturday 5:30 p.m. ESPN2 (50) College Football 9:00 p.m. GOLF (69) Fan Favorites: 8:00 p.m. NBCSN (48) Alpine Skiing Live USSA Sunday 3:00 p.m. ESPN (49) NBA: The Jump 8:30 a.m. ESPN2 (50) NFL MatchUp Live Rounds of 2017 Grand Prix Big Air Live 9:00 a.m. ESPN (49) College GameDay 7:30 p.m. WBTS (10) Football Night in 4:00 p.m. NBCSN (48) Dirt Racing Lu- NBA Live America Live HOCKEY SOCCER cas Oil Late Model Series 7:00 p.m. ESPN (49) Los Angeles Lakers at New York Knicks Live (50) NCAA 8:20 p.m. WBTS (10) NFL Denver Bron- 5:00 p.m. NBCSN (48) Racer TV Noon ESPN2 Division I Tour- Live Saturday Saturday ESPN2 (50) NCAA Mississippi State Uni- nament Quarter-final Live cos at Indianapolis Colts Thursday Live 6:00 p.m.