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The Middleman

The Obsolescent Cryogenic Meltdown

Season 1, Episode 9, Aired 8/11/08

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Episode Summary

A former Middleman, Guy Goddard, is revived from his cryogenic slumber to do battle with his arch-foe, The Candle.

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Cast & Crew

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Matt Keeslar

The Middleman
Natalie Morales (II)

Wendy Watson
Brit Morgan

Lacey Thornfield

Fan Episode Reviews (2)

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Two Middlemans?

6.5

"Fair"

By VGFreak8, Aug 14, 2008 Report Abuse

When an archnemesis of the long line of Middlemen arrives named The Candle, Ida unfreezes a Middleman from a previous era. The Middleman seems to be jealous of the older Middleman. Wendy's relationship with Tyler grows and Wendy doesn't feel like it will end, which both scares her and makes her happy. The old Middleman seems to be loopy, so The Middleman retires him. The old Middleman goes to Wendy and they go on a secret mission, but The Middleman comes to the rescue after a sticky situation. The old Middleman leads The Middleman and Wendy to an island where he attempts to melt The Middleman with The Candle's machine. He realizes how wrong he is, so he sacrifices himself to save The Middleman.

This episode was so-so. I didn't really like "The Middleman plot". I sort of liked the Tyler and Wendy plot, but I do not believe in sex before marriage, so that let me down a little, but I do like Tyler and Wendy together! This was maybe the worst episode of the season so far. I give it a 6.5 out of 10.moreless

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0 2
A terrific guest turn also shines new light on MM and Wendy.

9.2

"Superb"

By SWERJ321, Aug 12, 2008 Report Abuse

Having Kevin Sorbo as the new Middleman was a fine choice as he has a ball with the quirky throw-back cool fighter of a different era. That Ida was so much friendler to him was just a brilliant touch and surprised the throw-down with him and MM came so quickly but it was a good direction for things. I saw it coming a mile off that the first MM was the villian but it was good that he saw the light at the end to redeem himself with a sacrifice. The stuff of Wendy and Tyler was fun as it's so obvious to everyone but her why Wendy can't see how things with Tyler will end. It was fun seeing her in the leather outfit and bikini and loved the whacky card game with its bizarre rules. Guy and Lacey hitting it off was good as well and interesting how Wendy changes her uniform at the end. Overall, another great installment with the usual comic book humor mixed with some real character development to show why this series works so well.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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Trivia
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- Trivia: The name "Guy Goddard" is an homage to the two male leads in a '60s science fiction television series, Lost in Space: Guy Williams and Mark Goddard. Edit
- Trivia: An ångström is a measure of length (equivalent to 10^(-10) meters). Nonsensically measuring a fuel source in terms of length was a deliberate reference to Star Wars: A New Hope (1977), when Han Solo boasts of making the Kessel Run in "less than 12 parsecs". Edit
Notes
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- The name "Guy Goddard" is an homage to the two male leads in a '60s science fiction television series, Lost in Space: Guy Williams and Mark Goddard. Edit
- "He cut off my leg!" and "Tyler Ford shall smite you!" are lines from a Javier Grillo-Marxuach-written episode of Jake 2.0 (2003), "The Good, The Bad, and The Geeky". The latter line was dubbed "too geeky" and he wasn't allowed to keep it in the script. Edit
- The name of Ricky/Raviv Ullman's character is Derek, according to a casting call. It is never mentioned on-screen. Edit
Quotes
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- The Middleman: Fire and brimstone! We do not smoke in the Middlemobile! Guy: Why not? Is there something combustible in here? The Middleman: Only my temper, when I see a man willingly invite cancer into his body! Guy: Cancer? Everyone knows the Surgeon General is a red dupe. Edit
- Wendy: I just wish I wasn't having such a difficult time of this. Lacey: Sex, waffles and video games? What am I missing? Wendy: Can you keep a secret? Lacey: Have I told anybody about that thing with the blueberry pudding pops and the elliptical machine? Edit
- Wendy: The Batter of the Bulge Pancake House? Well, in the pantheon of places I like to be taken to by a gentleman caller… Tyler: You don't find the promise of Luftwaffles and Panzer cakes irresistible? Wendy: While I do admire the culinary genius who thought to forge the human drama of the Allied struggle against Nazi Germany with the tasty goodness of all-day breakfast… Edit
Allusions
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- Titanic Gogol's stake in the game of Shibumi is the necklace Le Coeur da la Mer, seen in the movie Titanic (1997). It's the necklace that Cal (Billy Zane) gives to Rose (Kate Winslet) and that she keeps with her until dropping it into the sea near the end of the movie. Edit
- Action-Thrillers Numerous spy movies and television series are referenced throughout the episode: * Klebb's Fine Jewels refers to Rosa Klebb, the SPECTRE villainess in From Russia With Love (1963). * The Middleman's IDs of Alexander Scott and Kelly Robinson refer to the two main characters of I Spy (1965), starring Bill Cosby and Robert Culp, respectively. * The Candle's alias, Lloyd Cramden, is the name of Derek Flint's superior (played by Lee J. Cobb) in the two Flint movies (1966-67). * The boy's name is Derek, alluding directly to Derek Flint, portrayed by James Coburn. * The alias "Harry Lime" refers to the villain in the movie The Third Man (1949), played by Orson Welles. * A fifth of Fleming's Commander Jamaica rum refers to James Bond creator Ian Fleming and his fondness for Jamaica. * Govinda alludes to Gobinda, the henchman in the James Bond movie Octopussy (1983). * Guy and Wendy's aliases of Harry Rule and the Contessa Caroline di Contini refer to the character played by Robert Vaughn and Nyree Dawn Porter in the British action-adventure series The Protectors (1972-74). * The villain named Anatol Gogol refers to the recurring KGB head played by Walter Gotell in five James Bond movies. * Count Manzeppi refers to the villainous magician in the Wild Wild West Western/spy series of the sixties played by Victor Buono in two episodes. * The odd cheek-poking gesture Guy does to Vilma Schnipp is taken from the spy parody Top Secret! during a dance between Val Kilmer and Lucy Gutteridge. * As noted, Wendy's bikini is the same one worn by Ursula Andress in Doctor No (1962). * Shibumi references the 1979 spy novel of the same name by Trevanian (aka Dr. Rodney William Whitaker). * Lord Jeremiah Purcell references the Destroyer novels featuring Remo Williams and Chiun. Purcell is the protégé of one of their opponents, Nuihc. * "You bet your sweet Brioni" references James Bond's preferred tuxedo manufacturer. Edit
- Guy: I do have a plan: the DSV-4600 Middlesub. Referencing seaQuest DSV (1993-1996). The series follows the adventures of first Nathan Bridger (Roy Scheider) and then Captain Oliver Hudson (Michael Ironside) and his crew aboard the seaQuest DSV 4600. Javier Grillo-Marxauch's first Hollywood script was for the episode "Destination Terminal". Edit