ABC has decided not to proceed with a planned comedy spinoff centred on Sue Heck, the beloved character from the long-running family sitcom 'The Middle'. The project, titled 'Sue Sue in the City', was ordered to pilot in August but will not be picked up as a series.
The single-camera comedy was to follow the twentysomething adventures of eternal optimist Sue Heck, played by Eden Sher, as she leaves the small town of Orson to navigate career and young adulthood in Chicago. The pilot also featured Chris Diamantopoulos, Brock Ciarlelli, Kimberley Crossman, Finesse Mitchell and Aaron Branch.
The spinoff was created by 'The Middle' creators Eileen Heisler and DeAnn Heline. According to reports, producing studio Warner Bros. Television may shop the project to other networks.
The decision marks the second comedy pilot centred on a young character from a popular series to be passed over by ABC, following 'Grown-ish' – which later became a hit for Freeform. ABC has few immediate comedy needs for midseason, having given back orders to its freshman comedies and the second season of 'Splitting Up Together', and already has another spinoff, 'Schooled', from 'The Goldbergs', slated for midseason.
Fans of 'The Middle' have expressed disappointment on social media, with many calling for another network or streaming service to pick up the show.
