Image Credit: Everett Collection; Fox; Bob D'Amico/ABCThis week’s Modern Family featured a subplot about middle-child Alex slavishly studying for a test. It’s not the first time we’ve seen Alex go into geek mode, but between her nerdery and this cast breakdown that made the rounds this week that compared Alex to the great Darlene Conner, one thing became clear: Alex is the new torch-bearer in the noble tradition of middle daughters on sitcoms.
Most often, these middle daughters are geeky, nerdy, or somehow socially maladjusted. The most iconic example is of course Jan Brady, but in more contemporary terms, the gold standard is Lisa Simpson, who once sang herself “happy birthday, overlooked middle chiiii-iiild.” There’s Darlene Conner, too, and although she’s more of a comic-book fan than a traditional bookworm nerd, she fits the model of “opposite of older sibling” just right. Stephanie Tanner was the neurotic one, Carol Seaver was the overachiever, and Vanessa Huxtable went off to college a year early. (Fourth of five/practically six still counts as middle.) Laura Winslow on Family Matters, Sarah on Charles in Charge, Mallory Keaton on Family Ties, Heather on Mr. Belvedere, Kyra on Reba, Sue on The Middle, heck, even the dinosaurs on Dinosaurs had a middle daughter. Middle daughters are sitcom gold.
Let us now praise famous middle daughters, PopWatchers. Whom did I forget — and who’s your favorite?
It’s not a sitcom, but the West Wing follows closely in the “awkward middle daughter,” mold. Ellie Bartlet was the geeky Ph.D student when we first met her and definitely the most uncomfortable with all the media attention! She never had Elizabeth’s political savvy or Zoey’s cool demeanor.
Does Laura Winslow really count? Remember Judy went upstairs one day and we never saw or heard about her again.
You forgot the most “famous” middle daughter — Jan Brady!!! Poor girl, not popular like Marcia or cute like Cindy.
Re-read the post. Jan was not forgotten.
MARCIA! MARCIA! MARCIA!
What about Kerry (or was Bridget the younger?) on 8 Simple Rules?
Kerry was the ultimate sitcom middle daughter!
Yep socially awkward, outspoken, dislikes bimbos (yet secret yearns to be one), and very scholarly.
Overlooked as always is “The Middle” and it’s very Jan Brady-esqu character Sue Heck. Eden Sher is one of my favorite parts of the show and while Modern Family may have the new Darlene Conner, the Middle definitely has “the NEW Jan Brady”
Sue was mentioned
Sue on The Middle is what got me coming back to the show. Now, we love it, but Sue kept us watching until we grew to love the style of humor.
Yes, Sue was mentioned.
Darlene Connor was far and away my favorite. She had some of the best lines ever on Roseanne.
How about Kerry from 8 Simple Rules… she was the epitome of the middle child! And really funny.
even the dinosaurs on Dinosaurs had a middle daughter.
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what was her name-Charlene???
Yep you forgot Stepheie Tanner
No she’s there.
“Stephanie Tanner was the neurotic one, Carol Seaver was the overachiever, and Vanessa Huxtable went off to college a year early.”
Come on people! The article is only 2 paragraphs and 1 sentence long and you are still throwing out these “How could you miss _____?!?!” when they are clearly mentioned! Read the article, then comment.
Two I automatically think about (because I’ve been watching their reruns a lot lately) are Lauren Miller from Still Standing and Kerry Hennessy from 8 Simple Rules. I liked them both a lot.
In only a season and a half, Modern Family’s Alex has become – and probably always will be – my favorite middle sis. Like all middle kids, she needs to be special to stand out in the family, and she goes the opposite way of Mallory Keaton: Alex is the only smart one of the children; Mallory was the only dumb one. Love ‘em both to bits!
Isn’t Meg in the middle on Family Guy? Chris is the oldest I think…
No Meg is the oldest.
Gotta love Darlene Conner!
Love Kerry from 8SR and Sue Heck. Both of them give a great representation of the real insecurities of every teenage girl. Kerry downplays her desire to be the “It Girl” and Sue is shameless in hers. Absolutely genuine!!