The first season of the television comedy series The Middle aired on ABC from September 30, 2009 to May 19, 2010.

The show revolves around Frances "Frankie" Heck (Patricia Heaton), a working-class, Midwestern woman who resides with her husband Mike (Neil Flynn) in the small fictional town of Orson, Indiana.

Frankie and Mike are the parents of three children, Axl (Charlie McDermott), Sue (Eden Sher), and Brick (Atticus Shaffer).

After airing only 2 episodes, ABC gave the show a full season pickup.

It beat out the CBS sitcom, Gary Unmarried, and the NBC drama, Mercy, both of which aired in the same timeslot.