The Middle

TV Show • 2009  

Report
The daily mishaps of a married woman and her semi-dysfunctional family and their attempts to survive life in general in the city of Orson, Indiana.
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Your Triggers
Does the dog die?
1 supporters
Yes
0
No
4
1
ChloeMLHM
The dog, Doris, must pass away eventually in the show, but it’s never discussed to my knowledge.
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Unanswered Triggers
Is there copaganda?
40 supporters
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Yes
0
No
0
Are needles/syringes used?
40 supporters
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Yes
0
No
0
Is there a large age gap?
40 supporters
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Yes
0
No
0
Is a mentally ill person violent?
39 supporters
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Yes
0
No
0
Is a child abandoned by a parent?
37 supporters
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Yes
0
No
0
Does a non-human character die?
37 supporters
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Yes
0
No
0
Is an LGBT+ person outed?
33 supporters
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Yes
0
No
0
Are there fat suits?
33 supporters
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Yes
0
No
0
Yes
0
No
0
1
ChloeMLHM
Kind of??? Frankie and Mike accidentally take the wrong baby home from the hospital and don’t realize for a month.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
0
Abandonment
0
Samyra
En varios capítulos los padres abandonan a sus hijos por descuido u olvidan ir a buscarlos
1 comment | Add comment
Is an animal abandoned?
120 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Abuse
Is someone gaslighted?
37 supporters
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Yes
2
No
2
Are there abusive parents?
62 supporters
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Yes
0
No
4
Is a child abused?
125 supporters
Yes
1
No
3
1
MickeySam
No but there is an episode (The Scratch) where a beer bottle is accidentally tossed at Brick, and Brick unknowingly implies to a teacher that he’s being abused. A social worker investigates the family
2 comments | Add comment
Is a woman brutalized for spectacle?
108 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Is there domestic violence?
92 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Yes
0
No
3
Is someone abused with a belt?
32 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Addiction
1
ChloeMLHM
The occasional Tylenol PM or Advil is taken.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
3
No
0
0
NiceGirl
Frankie and Mike are alcoholics
1 comment | Add comment
Is there addiction?
27 supporters
Yes
3
No
2
0
ChloeMLHM
Frankie and Mike have a beer sometimes, but I wouldn’t go as far as to call them alcoholics. The only addiction that comes to mind in this show, is Frankie’s frosting addiction and the cookies in her nightstand
3 comments | Add comment
Animal
1
Throughout the show all of the animals are totally fine unless they get sick and die on their own, this is pretty much just a comedic and happy show so nothing really bad like murder or animal abuse takes place
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Does a horse die?
122 supporters
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0
No
4
Does an animal die?
(besides a dog, cat or horse)
210 supporters
Yes
4
No
2
0
ChloeMLHM
S3
 E18
Limestone the cat from the quarry dies. Not shown, just discussed.
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Are animals abused?
249 supporters
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Yes
0
No
4
Yes
0
No
4
Yes
3
No
0
0
ChloeMLHM
Not on-screen to my knowledge. Please correct me if I’m wrong.
1 comment | Add comment
Is an animal sad?
105 supporters
Yes
4
No
0
0
ChloeMLHM
Doris cries and begs to go back to the Donahues’ house.
2 comments | Add comment
Are rabbits harmed?
95 supporters
Yes
0
No
3
0
ChloeMLHM
The bunny eventually stops being discussed or shown in the episodes, but nothing bad ever happens to it on-screen.
1 comment | Add comment
Does a cat die?
211 supporters
Yes
7
No
1
1
BrittSimply
Mike’s work cat, Limestone, dies in his arms offscreen and the tale is shared with his family after he comes home from work. This happens in the same episode that the cat is first mentioned and the cat itself is never seen on screen in Season 03, Episode 18, “Leap Year.”
1 comment | Add comment
Does a pet die?
201 supporters
Yes
3
No
1
0
Mike’s work cat Limestone, who was never shown on camera and his death was never shown Mike just tells us, but that’s it
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Does a dragon die?
43 supporters
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Yes
0
No
6
Are there spiders?
57 supporters
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Yes
0
No
4
Are there snakes?
23 supporters
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Yes
0
No
4
Are there bugs?
43 supporters
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Yes
2
No
1
Assault
Yes
2
No
1
0
ChloeMLHM
Sean dunks Sue under water when they’re swimming. They’re playing and it’s brief.
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Is someone drugged?
35 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Is someone restrained?
32 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Is rape mentioned?
0 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Is there pedophilia?
143 supporters
Yes
4
No
2
0
DJHyperfresh
In one episode, Frankie (a middle aged married mother) starts hitting on her son’s teenage friend named Finn
2 comments | Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Yes
0
No
6
1
Ep 5, Dad approaches mom, says kids are asleep, implies wanting the hanky panky. Mom says she's exhausted, as many women do to say no. He starts pressuring, she goes "eh, ain't worth the fight." This isn't outward sexual assault, but it is coercion and pressure til she gives in, which I thought was disgusting.
1 comment | Add comment
Bodily Harm
Yes
3
No
1
0
ChloeMLHM
Frankie shaves her legs.
1 comment | Add comment
Is there decapitation?
50 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Is there throat mutilation?
49 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Does a head get squashed?
61 supporters
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Yes
0
No
4
Is there cannibalism?
41 supporters
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Yes
0
No
4
Is someone crushed to death?
41 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Is someone choked?
24 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Is someone burned alive?
54 supporters
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Yes
0
No
4
Is someone buried alive?
42 supporters
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Yes
0
No
4
Is there body horror?
72 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Is there amputation?
37 supporters
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Yes
0
No
4
Does someone have a seizure?
16 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Is there a hanging?
39 supporters
Yes
0
No
4
1
NiceGirl
No hanging but Axl does a hanging gesture while Sue is talking which could trigger some people
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Does someone struggle to breathe?
33 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Yes
2
No
1
0
ChloeMLHM
Frankie’s tooth gets chipped at one point and Sue’s teeth start shifting when her braces get taken off too early
1 comment | Add comment
Is there genital trauma/mutilation?
96 supporters
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Yes
0
No
5
Yes
4
No
0
0
ChloeMLHM
Correct!
2 comments | Add comment
Is there finger/toe mutilation?
66 supporters
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Yes
0
No
4
Is someone tortured?
101 supporters
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Yes
0
No
4
Is there eye mutilation?
109 supporters
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Yes
0
No
4
Is someone stabbed?
19 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Yes
2
No
1
0
ChloeMLHM
You hear thudding which implies Brick fell down the basement stairs.
1 comment | Add comment
Does someone fall to their death?
17 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Yes
0
No
3
0
ChloeMLHM
Absolutely not
1 comment | Add comment
Children
Does a kid die?
79 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Is a minor sexualized?
119 supporters
Yes
2
No
1
0
Axl tells his little brother that his 7 yo max girlfriend is a little hottie. I'm sure there's more, this show isn't exactly the best in terms of outdated tropes.
1 comment | Add comment
Creepy Crawly
Are there bedbugs?
19 supporters
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Yes
0
No
4
Disability
Is the r-slur used?
33 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Family
Yes
0
No
3
0
MickeySam
No but Brick’s toys are taken from him as a child and hidden
1 comment | Add comment
Does a parent die?
28 supporters
Yes
2
No
1
0
ChloeMLHM
Mike’s mom passes away before the show. It’s discussed often.
1 comment | Add comment
Does someone cheat?
0 supporters
Yes
2
No
1
0
ChloeMLHM
It’s implied that one of Sue’s boyfriends cheats. It’s also sometimes discussed in the show.
1 comment | Add comment
Is someone kidnapped?
13 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Fear
Yes
2
No
1
0
ChloeMLHM
Some bathtub scenes. Nothing sexual, gory, or graphic.
1 comment | Add comment
Are there jump scares?
72 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Is someone possessed?
17 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Are there ghosts?
9 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Gross
Is someone eaten?
38 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Is there audio gore?
52 supporters
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Yes
0
No
4
Does someone vomit?
1 supporters
Yes
14
No
0
12
ChloeMLHM
Here’s a detailed list of all the spots to avoid:

In S1E8, at 20:20, Grandpa Big Mike says, “Here comes the gravy.” Then Frankie covers her mouth & says she’s going to go cry in the toilet & asks Mike to come hold her hair. NOTHING is seen or heard. You just see her laying on the bathroom floor to end the episode.

In S1E15, at the very start of the episode, Brick’s head is in the toilet & there’s audio. Skip 11 seconds to 20 seconds to avoid.

Beware of S1E22. Sue & Frankie are in the car driving to see grandma & Sue starts telling Frankie that she stole a magnet. Mute it right after that! A minute later, Sue throws up twice from the guilt. Keep it muted because they pull over & Sue continues getting sick on the side of the road. You literally don’t see anything! You can hear her gagging, so make sure it’s muted. You can unmute it when they arrive at grandma’s house. To avoid entirely, skip 10:00-11:43.

In S2, “A Simple Christmas,” it’s said Brick gets sick behind a chair after eating too much fudge. NOTHING is shown, but Frankie talks about it briefly & cleans up the mess not visible behind the chair. Short scene.

In S2E20, Sue vomits at the beginning of the episode. Very triggering & has audio. To avoid, skip 0:43-0:56.

In S2E24, Sue vomits in her locker. Brief, no visual. Audio is heard. Skip 1:07-1:14.

In S3, “The Test”, Axl says he threw up on his shirt from nerves at school. You do NOT see this happen. There’s a tiny stain on his shirt, but it just looks like spilled water. His shirt is bright red making it hard to see.

Sue is trying to get Mike’s attention in “The Last Whiff of Summer Pt. 1.” In doing so, she does something “rebellious” that she confesses to Mike. Overcome with guilt in the car, she sticks her head out the window to be sick. Gag is heard, NOTHING seen, & then the scene cuts back to Mike driving. Skip 30:03-30:13.

In S3, The Super Bowl episode, some kids are mentioned to have caught a stomach bug, but nothing ever happens.

In S4E17, there’s a scene where the kids lie about who broke their front window to avoid punishment. Sue acts like she may be sick in this scene, but she is NOT! She just gets nauseous when lying. Axl even says to her “trick your brain so you don’t barf” & she doesn’t get sick. She puffs up her cheeks & makes a sound like she’s holding back, but don’t worry about this scene! If you’re concerned, skip 3:33-3:37.

In S5, episode “The Drop Off,” where they take Axl to college, fast forward or mute right when they arrive on campus. It’s a totally unexpected scene where a random college kids gets sick. To avoid entirely, skip 16:05-16:25.

In S6E8, Sue gets sick in a jewelry box when she realizes she lied on her college paperwork. Skip 6:54-7:08 to be safe.

Axl gets a graphic stomach bug in S7 “Homecoming II: The Tailgate.” I’ve never watched the whole episode because of this. Just avoid it if you’re an emetophobe.

Frankie eats a bad corn dog in the S9, episode “Meet the Parents” & says she “spent the whole weekend sick” & the “bathroom I barfed in was unbelievable.” A photo is shown with her laying over the toilet, giving a thumbs up to the camera. It’s at the very end of the episode & nothing is visible.

There’s a scene in S9 at Sue’s college where she gets drunk on her 21st birthday in the episode “Toasted.” I think Frankie gets a little tipsy too & I know for sure that Sue gets sick on the couch while talking to Sean. I believe that’s the only time in that episode, BUT have someone else check this episode for you beforehand since I never finished it.
8 comments | Add comment
Does someone wet/soil themselves?
25 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
4
Is there farting?
12 supporters
Yes
3
No
0
0
ChloeMLHM
A few times.
1 comment | Add comment
Is there on-screen pooping?
44 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Does someone spit?
12 supporters
Add comment
Yes
3
No
0
Law Enforcement
Is there incarceration?
1 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
LGBTQ+
Yes
0
No
3
Are there transphobic slurs?
0 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Loss
0
ChloeMLHM
Axl’s one-of-a-kind signed jersey.
1 comment | Add comment
Medical
Is electro-therapy used?
1 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Yes
4
No
0
0
angesss
Sue gets her first period on a camping trip, we don’t see anything though
2 comments | Add comment
Is there a hospital scene?
15 supporters
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Yes
3
No
0
Is there a mental institution scene?
34 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Mental Health
Yes
0
No
3
Does someone self harm?
S.A.F.E. ALTERNATIVES® (1-800-DONTCUT)
1 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Does someone have a meltdown?
11 supporters
Add comment
Yes
2
No
1
Does someone suffer from PTSD?
1 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Yes
0
No
3
Yes
0
No
4
Is there a claustrophobic scene?
21 supporters
Add comment
Yes
2
No
1
Are there anxiety attacks?
0 supporters
Add comment
Yes
3
No
0
Yes
3
No
1
0
MUTTILATION
While it is unconfirmed, Brick is heavily implied to be autistic, and many of his stims and mannerisms are belittled and commented on as weird throughout the series. A specific example is in the season 1 episode, "Christmas". One of his stims, whispering, is withheld at the threat of him receiving no presents.
1 comment | Add comment
Is autism misrepresented?
47 supporters
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Yes
3
No
0
0
ChloeMLHM
I’m sure Axl says it at some point. He’s snarky and doesn’t mean it.
2 comments | Add comment
Noxious
Is there screaming?
18 supporters
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Yes
3
No
0
Are there sudden loud noises?
43 supporters
Add comment
Yes
3
No
0
Does a baby cry?
23 supporters
Yes
2
No
1
0
ChloeMLHM
A few times.
1 comment | Add comment
Are there flashing lights or images?
51 supporters
Add comment
Yes
2
No
1
Is there shakey cam?
55 supporters
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Yes
0
No
4
Paranoia
Yes
5
No
0
0
ChloeMLHM
Brick does this a couple of times.
2 comments | Add comment
Pregnancy
Are there abortions?
25 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Is there childbirth?
32 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
0
ChloeMLHM
Multiple babies.
1 comment | Add comment
Does someone miscarry?
33 supporters
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Yes
0
No
4
Does a pregnant person die?
30 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Is a baby stillborn?
42 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Prejudice
Yes
0
No
4
0
Nobody dies unless it’s really late into seasons and they are old or the actor dies
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
5
0
GoodDaysWithSunny
S1
 E2
Not a slur, but Axl calls swimming gay (Is probably not triggering for anyone, but I wanted to mention it)
1 comment | Add comment
Does an LGBT person die?
38 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
0
ChloeMLHM
About the football players dressing as cheerleaders.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
4
No
1
Are there fat jokes?
56 supporters
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Yes
4
No
0
Are there usages of the n-word?
41 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
4
Sex
Is there bestiality?
101 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Yes
0
No
3
0
ChloeMLHM
Absolutely not
1 comment | Add comment
1
ChloeMLHM
Axl does this to girls a lot.
1 comment | Add comment
Are there incestuous relationships?
National Sexual Assault Hotline 800.656.4673
0 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Yes
1
No
3
1
ChloeMLHM
Implied and talked about sometimes, never shown. No nudity.
2 comments | Add comment
Sexism
1
SamBassett
In the episode "Thanksgiving VII" Axl starts crying in a bar and tries to hide it. Courtney and Debbie even straight up tell him that his crying would be cute "if [he] were a girl."

Additionally the father, Mike, is shown to be stoic and doesn't like to be emotional about anything, which is a common theme throughout the show. Not sure if that fits here but I felt it was worth mentioning.
2 comments | Add comment
Sickness
Yes
3
No
0
0
ChloeMLHM
It’s implied Aunt Edie has some sort of dementia.
1 comment | Add comment
Social
Yes
2
No
1
0
ChloeMLHM
Rusty, Mike’s brother, a few times.
1 comment | Add comment
Spoiler
Yes
4
No
1
0
SamBassett
Every episode has a "tag" at the end, with the credits at the bottom of the screen. This is a standard for most network TV sitcoms now.
2 comments | Add comment
Yes
2
No
1
0
ChloeMLHM
I believe so! Correct me if I’m wrong.
1 comment | Add comment
Does it have a sad ending?
0 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
4
Vehicular
Does a car honk or tires screech?
9 supporters
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Yes
4
No
0
Does a plane crash?
20 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Is someone hit by a car?
1 supporters
Add comment
Yes
3
No
0
Does a car crash?
1 supporters
Add comment
Yes
3
No
1
Violence
Is there gun violence?
37 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Is there a nuclear explosion?
1 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Is there blood/gore?
62 supporters
Yes
0
No
3
0
ChloeMLHM
Very mild, maybe a small cut here or there.
1 comment | Add comment
Does someone drown?
33 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3