Rupert Grint not starring in ‘Super Clyde’ 2.0; ‘The Middle’ star signs up
How about this as a meaty story for a Saturday? There are a number of different issues at play here, and it’s best to just dive right in.
The subject of the story here is “Super Clyde,” the former CBS pilot that is getting another shot to become something special for the fall. The original version of this starred Rupert Grint of the “Harry Potter” films as a fast-food worker who decided to take on a double life as a superhero. It had a similar feel in a way to “My Name Is Earl,” another Greg Garcia show about a character trying to do good for others.
First, we should tell you per Deadline that Grint is not returning to star in the retooled version. (The original was previously released online by Garcia.) There is no reason given for the change; it could be scheduling, a decision to star from scratch, or a variety of other factors.
This is really only the beginning of the intrigue here. The site also reports that Charlie McDermott, who has appeared in more than 120 episodes of “The Middle” as son Axl Heck, will be brought in as the replacement. This is a huge surprise given that the ABC sitcom is still going strong, and our expectation was that it would be renewed for a seventh season. However, McDermott was not under contract for next season, and since the House of Mouse is taking their sweet time with renewals this year, studio Warner Bros. had not approached him or many other actors to get new deals.
If “Super Clyde” is picked up, it’s possible that McDermott could leave “The Middle” entirely or simply make just a couple of appearances. We don’t really blame him for the switch; this is a chance to become the lead on a new show, and one where he would have a ton of material potentially for a long time. However, we would be rather annoyed at ABC if we are some of the cast and crew of “The Middle.” We do think that the show could go on without him, but it would not quite be the same.
What do you think about this news as a whole? Share with a comment.
kevin
February 15, 2015 @ 8:15 am
the middle may have run out of plots for Charlie. he has not been credible as a college football player, but his story line with girl friend devin has its moments. there is less interplay with the family esp. neil Flynn and it undermines the show. they have not done as much with brick this season either. show drifts at times. good luck Charlie. this seems to be a good move.