'Grey's' Isn't Going Anywhere
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The Middleman: The Palindrome Reversal Palindrome (season finale)
by Jason Hughes, posted Sep 3rd 2008 8:38AM
(S01E12) "Can't wait to hear this guy's monologue. 'I am the Palindrome. Feel my power. Power my feel. Palindrome the am I.'" --The Middleman
Paul's out and about traveling; I think he's been recruited to the exciting world of temporary employment by the Jolly Fats Wehawkin Temp Agency; so I'm stepping in to cover the first season finale of The Middleman. I'm not even going to consider this as a series finale because it's just too smart and too good to end. ABC Family has yet to make a decision one way or the other about the future of the show, but apparently ratings haven't been great so it's riding the bubble right now.
The fact that they also haven't pulled the plug already means, however, that the network is maybe looking for a reason to bring it back. There's no word yet on a DVD set of the first season, but you have to figure there's one pending. This thing has cult series written all over it, and you just know that its fanatic fans would love to pick up a DVD set chock full of extras.
In tonight's finale, though, we got to look in a mirror to see what it is about each of our cast members that makes them so special. In an obvious, and stated, homage to Star Trek's "Mirror, Mirror" Wendy Watson finds herself trapped in a Bizarro version of our world. Each of the principal characters is revealed to be the polar opposite of their personality on this mirror world.
None more so than the Middleman himself, who's turned into a gun-toting Snake Plissken Middleman for Hire. In fact, Wendy has to hawk the diamond tennis bracelet Tyler gave her (and tell me that's not a sign of his imminent descent into the Fatboy dark side) just to get him to help.
I loved how virtually everyone was sporting those classice Mirror Universe goatees. Hell, I was a little surprised to see Lacey didn't have one. But she did have uncharacteristically on display cleavage. Which I guess was a fan service to the guys for not having Natalie Morales almost naked at all this week. That and having hot Ida in a bikini.
Okay, I know I said I wouldn't think of this as a series finale, but if it was there was a certain lack of closure for me. I want to know more about Manservant Neville and this Fatboy that Tyler works for. In the Mirror Universe, Neville was a force for good trying to give power back to the people after the company usurped it, while Wendy was the despot. Does that mean that real world Neville will try and take over the world?
Those who've read the graphic novels already have an idea of how this will all develop, but as we've yet to see any of it in the show, there's your larger plotline to drive a second season forward. Besides, Wendy's just too deliriously happy with Tyler for it to work out. The life of a Middleman is wrought with danger and even the Middleman himself has loved before and refused love with Lacey due to his Middleresponsibilities.
I think putting it on behind Kyle XY would be a smart way to improve its ratings. It's one of ABC Family's highest rated shows and it's sci fi tone and subject matter make it a perfect companion to the sci fi shenanigans of the Middleman and Dubby.
| Who is the Middleman? | |
|---|---|
| What happened to Wendy's dad? | |
| What's the deal with FATBOY Industries? | |
| Who's behind the Middleman organization? | |
| Will Lacey and the Middleman hook up? | |
| Will Wendy and Tyler last? | |
| Will Tyler become evil? |
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