I am – Hercules!!
Javier Grillo-Marxuach, who served as writer and supervising producer on the Emmy-winning first season of “Lost,” has created a new sci-fi show, “Middleman,” based on his comic-book series and rocketing toward ABC Family tonight.

It’s about a (really hot) geek girl who finds herself sucked into a top-secret agency that contends with sci-fi menace. I’m all excited about it because my pal, the fabulous and fabulously talented Sarah Watson, has been hired as a writer-producer on the project and penned the first not-pilot episode. Others on the writing staff include the great Hans Beimler (“Star Trek: The Next Generation,” “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”), Tracey Stern (“Sports Night,” “Angel”) and Jordan Rosenberg (who wrote the Goth Claire episode of “Lost”).

Natalie Morales, whom I’d describe as 105 pounds of bonerjuice, plays the geek girl. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says:

… a highly watchable hour of entertaining, occasionally cheesy TV that's smart enough to engage adults but also enjoyable for kids and teens. …

The Boston Herald says:

… snarky, clever … Morales recalls a young Fran Lebowitz. “Did you skinny-dip in the stupidity pool?” she demands at one point. All that’s missing are some onscreen blurbs like “BAM!” and “POW!” “The Middleman” will entertain anyone who is 8 years old at heart.

The Detroit Free Press says:

… a neat blend of humor and action. Kids can take it straight; grown-ups can savor the dry wit. Natalie Morales is perfect as Wendy, smartly sarcastic; Matt Keesler is ideal as the stereotypical hero.…

The Los Angeles Times says:

… it is the sort of show that basic cable was invented for; in that venue, light, self-mocking, silly and narrowly aimed may be seen for the good qualities they are. This is good summer entertainment, like a Saturday afternoon B-movie matinee transposed to Monday-night TV. …

The Los Angeles Daily News says:

… a fun little romp of a show, a superhero action-comedy that's deadpan one moment and over-the-top silly the next. … viewers may be happily surprised at how charmingly goofy they find "The Middleman."

The Orlando Sentinel says:

The hero and the heroine of The Middleman are the fastest talkers since the mom and daughter on Gilmore Girls. If you love rat-a-tat banter, The Middleman will be screwball heaven. The oddball adventures start at 8 p.m. Monday on ABC Family. The special effects have wacky charm -- not surprising for a series based on graphic novels. Yet the dialogue is even more special. Javier Grillo-Marxuach, creator of the novels and the series, gives his characters witty, distinctive things to say .… the show needs to guard against turning too cute. But I have high hopes for The Middleman. When you can chatter with the best of them, you should have a future on television.

The Boston Globe says:

… so light as to feel almost weightless, and compared to much TV, that comes as a relief. If comic books are meant to be escape, there are far worse worlds to camp in for the summer.…

The Hollywood Reporter says:

… way offbeat, occasionally lame but not uncharming piece of merriment that lets it all fly in the quest to bring a graphic novel to television life. … The creatures are essentially designed as bowling pins for our protagonists to knock over with a well-placed shot and a quip, and Keeslar and Morales’ interaction is nothing if not playful and lively. But you’re left not really knowing if you want to come return and spend a whole lot more time with this quarrelsome twosome.

Variety says:

… There's an explanation why most "Men in Black" knockoffs have failed -- namely, because achieving that balance of comedy and sci-fi action is pretty damn hard. Yet ABC Family has accomplished just that with "The Middleman," a delightful adaptation of "Lost" scribe Javier Grillo-Marxuach's graphic novel that brims with clever pop-culture references and disarming wit. …

8 p.m. Monday. ABC Family.

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