In 2009, the pilot episode for ABC’s hit series, The Middle, was broadcast to over 8 million households worldwide. The show continued to run for 9 years, ending in 2018 after 214 episodes. Eileen Heisler and DeAnn Heline, the show’s creators and head writers, formulated a series that captured the minds and hearts of families all around the world. Set in the fictional town of Orson, Indiana, The Middle captured the same endearment factor as NBC’s The Office by celebrating the normal.
The middle-class family consisted of Frankie (Patricia Heaton), Mike (Neil Flynn), Axl (Charlie McDermott), Sue (Eden Sher), and Brick (Atticus Shaffer) in middle America, making it through the ups and downs of everyday life. While every character in the show had an endearing story, the middle daughter of Sue Heck caught my attention the most. But what, you may be wondering, made her character work so well? Today, we’re going to be diving into Sher’s character to understand what made her so special.
Character Design and Casting.
The first part in creating a memorable show is having a memorable cast. G. Charles Wright, the main casting director on the show, saw hundreds of girls for the part of Sue, but ultimately decided on 17-year-old Eden Sher. Playing a role significantly younger than her actual age, the actress had a unique challenge in front of her. When talking to Derby Gold about the first seven years on the show, Eden explained the awkward dynamic between her and the other girls auditioning. She explained,
“I was 17 at the time. The other girls were 11 and 12…I looked young, and I wore my own set of fake braces, which I am convinced is the only reason I got the job.”
While most actresses wouldn’t immediately run to fake orthodontia, Sher explained that she thought it would make her look younger, so she made the slightly odd decision and booked the role. Though unknown to the casting directors at the time, Sue’s 7-year stint of braces would go on to be one of the most iconic parts of her character. I guess Wright really did know what he was doing when choosing the young actress.
One of the most critical stages in casting is testing the chemistry of the actors. Sher explained that, before her, Charlie, Patricia, and Neil joined the cast, an entirely different family was created with only Atticus making it through to the final cut. After deciding to recast all but one of the original family’s actors, production reached out to Patricia Heaton, an insanely successful actress after her role on Everybody Loves Raymond.
Once Heaton signed on to the show, Neil Flynn was offered the role of Mike Heck. Charlie McDermott had a fairly similar casting experience to Eden. Both had auditioned for the original cast and were rejected; however, during the recast process, they ended up re-auditioning and booked the roles, respectively. After the conclusion of the show, Sher went on to create a one-woman traveling production called I Was On A Sitcom, directed by her on-screen brother Charlie and his wife, Sara Rejaie.
Costuming.
One of the most vital, yet often overlooked parts of designing a character comes from their costuming. Everything from character growth to personal desires and insecurities is displayed through the fabric that clothes them. If you watch the show, the outfits attributed to Sue are often eye-catching, in the non-complimentary meaning of the phrase, and entirely uncoordinated. The costume designer on the show, Julia Caston, used light and girly tones for the actress’s wardrobe. She stressed that, for the entire family, the design was to be intentionally non-impressive. An article from Entertainment Weekly quoted Julia when she stated,
“I would hate to have [viewers] in the middle of the country saying, ‘We don’t dress like that!’ I want people to see themselves in [the characters].”
With Sue specifically, Caston wanted her attire to reflect the incredibly bubbly and “shamelessly me” personality of the character.
Throughout the run of the show, it was important to display the character growth being portrayed on the set. With a character designed to retain her child-like mentality as she grew into an adult, it was important for the costume designers to keep some parts of little Sue when designing adult Sue. Later in the article, Carton explained the decision behind her color palette by saying,
“In the very beginning [she was] a wallflower, so we were asked to pick color tones that were [practically] invisible, palettes that were youthful and innocent,”
Despite the quieter tones, Sue’s dedication to loud prints and mismatched styles still gave that “this is what my toddler picked out” vibe, and we love her for it.
The Middle, season 1, episode 1, “Pilot,” directed by Julie Anne Robinson
The Middle, season 2, episode 1, “Back to School,” directed by Wendey Stanzler
The Middle, season 3, episode 1, “Forced Family Fun, Pt 1,” directed by Lee Shallat-Chemel
The Middle, season 4, episode 1, “Last Whiff of Summer, Pt 1,” directed by Lee Shallat-Chemel
The Middle, season 5, episode 1, “The Drop Off,” directed by Lee Shallat-Chemel
The Middle, season 6, episode 1, “Unbraceable You,” directed by Lee Shallat-Chemel
The Middle, season 7, episode 1, “Not Your Brother’s Drop Off,” directed by Lee Shallat-Chemel
The Middle, season 8, episode 1, “The Core Group,” directed by Lee Shallat-Chemel
The Middle, season 9, episode 1, “Vive La Hecks,” directed by Lee Shallat-Chemel
Throughout the progression of her looks, the color palette of soft pinks, purples, yellows, oranges, and various shades of pinkish-brown continues to plague her wardrobe at every turn. However, as the actor grew on the show, the silhouettes became more tailored and flattering to an adult woman. In the 7th, 8th, and 9th seasons, the audience got to watch as Sue began to learn and stumble through becoming an adult. Her wardrobe beautifully reflected the duality of her character’s childish outlook and newfound responsibility as a college student.
Additionally, Eden shared that her character’s dramatic haircut in the first moments of season 7 was a direct result of her desire for change in her own life. After wanting to make the chop earlier in the show’s run, Sher explained that the production team disallowed her from cutting it due to it changing a large lens of perception for the audience. When talking to Gold Derby, she said,
“So, then, after season six, I was like…’ would it be ok if I cut my hair?’ and they were totally on board…Now Sue’s going to college, and it’s going to be a change. She’s gonna mature.”
When the at-home middle-of-the-night haircut was portrayed on screen, the audience was allowed to see a physical manifestation of the attitude change Sue went on to experience throughout the rest of the episode.
Conclusion.
Throughout the run of the show, Eden Sher’s portrayal of Sue Sue Heck (not a typo) gave the audience a middle child to remember. Through her insane levels of physical comedy, to her cringeworthy stunts of embarrassment, you can’t help but fall in love with the situationally unaware goofball on screen. At every rejection she encounters, we cheer her on to hop up and try again.
Although talks of a spin-off series for both Eden and her on-screen and off-screen best friend, Brock Ciarlelli, called Sue Sue in the City, was pitched, nothing further than a pilot episode was ever filmed. The network decided not to pick up the show for production to the dismay of both actors. Although many die-hard fans of the show would have died to see the character on the screen again, we will have to settle for the fantastically romantic ending she got on The Middle.
While watching interviews of the actress talking about her experience in the industry, it’s easy to see an unimaginable amount of passion and dedication to her craft. It is undeniable that her contribution to the family was a large part in making the show what it ended up becoming- a beloved classic.
Sources
Eden Sher, https://www.edensherlive.com/. Accessed 29 April 2025.
“Eden Sher | this is just a sneak peak of what you’ll get on EP 0 of Middling where we spill FULL tea on Sue Sue in the City. July 31 y’all!!!!” Instagram, 16 July 2024, https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9f69XOyLD2/?hl=en. Accessed 29 April 2025.
Heisler, Eileen, and DeAnn Heline, creators. The Middle. ABC, 2009. Peacock, https://www.peacocktv.com/watch/asset/tv/the-middle/5225225821611903112. Accessed 29 April 2025.
(IMAGE) The Middle-Sue Heck
“The Middle season 1.” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Middle_season_1. Accessed 29 April 2025.
“The Middle (TV Series 2009–2018) – Full cast & crew.” IMDb, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1442464/fullcredits/?ref_=tt_cst_sm. Accessed 29 April 2025.
Scharf, Lindzi. “’The Middle’: Sue Heck’s style dos and don’ts.” Entertainment Weekly, Entertainment Weekly, 23 October 2013, https://ew.com/article/2013/10/23/the-middle-sue-hecks-style-dos-and-donts/. Accessed 29 April 2025.
Wright, Charles. “Eden Sher (‘The Middle) talks about playing Sue Heck for seven years.” YouTube, 25 April 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jg-lypKwW6Q. Accessed 29 April 2025.
