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The Middleman: The Pilot Episode Sanction
Wendy Watson is an ordinary temp secretary who gets fired when a genetically modified monster goes berserk. This brings her into contact with... the Middleman, a special agent who contracts to take out mad scientists and evil spirits. She tags along on his newest case: looking into monkey business in the Mafia.
| 6.9/10 (19 Votes cast) |
Episode Info
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Episode number: 1x1 Airdate: Monday June 16th, 2008 |
Main Cast
Recap
At A.N.D. Laboratories, Wendy Watson is working as a temp secretary and trying to convince her mother it’s a prestigious position. As she plays with her dead father’s Zippo lighter, she’s unaware that an accident in a laboratory has unleashed a genetic limb-monster. It grabs her and as she drops the lighter, she tries to stab it, and a handsome man shows up with a really big gun and shoots it. He asks Wendy to step aside and then tasers the creature, blowing it up. He tells her that he was never there and she has to keep his secret or he’ll kill her. When she says she will, he confirms she’s telling the truth with a wristwatch device and quickly departs as the emergency squads arrive, but not before saying he’s a Middleman...Read the full recap
Episode Notes
Filming Location: Vancouver, Canada
The episode was filmed in 12 days, at a cost of $2.9 million.
Stephen Sowan originally auditioned for the role of Noser.
Javier Grillo-Marxuach can be seen twice in the episode: he's the scientist teaching a gorilla to read, and his face is used on the Omerta Rat poster in Spanky's room
Spanky's gun is the actual prop used in the movie Scarface.
Episode Quotes
Wendy: Thank you for calling AND Laboratories, rescrambling your DNA, how may I direct your call?
The Middleman: Tell the truth if you want, but if you do I’ll going to have to root you like a hog and kill you.
The Middleman: So, what's it going to be: Keep the secret, or death?
Wendy: What do you think?
The Middleman: Ma'am, specificity is the soul of all good communication.
Wendy: Yes. Duh.
The Middleman: Outstanding. You're good under pressure.
Wendy: Are you hitting on me?
The Middleman: Just making an observation.
Wendy: Hellooo, nutjob, party of one.
The Middleman: No, ma'am. I'm just The Middleman.
Wendy: What do you think?
The Middleman: Ma'am, specificity is the soul of all good communication.
Wendy: Yes. Duh.
The Middleman: Outstanding. You're good under pressure.
Wendy: Are you hitting on me?
The Middleman: Just making an observation.
Wendy: Hellooo, nutjob, party of one.
The Middleman: No, ma'am. I'm just The Middleman.
Wendy: What kind of temp agency is this?
Ida: (deadpan) The kind that wants to put you in the satisfying and high-paying world of temporary employment.
Ida: (deadpan) The kind that wants to put you in the satisfying and high-paying world of temporary employment.
The Middleman: You know how in comic books there’s all kinds of mad scientists and aliens and androids and monsters, and all of them either want to destroy or take over the world?
Wendy: In the comic books.
The Middleman: Well it really does work like that.
Wendy: Get out.
The Middleman: You already forgot what you saw?
Wendy: And you’re the superhero?
The Middleman: I never wear tights.
Wendy: I’m crushed.
Wendy: In the comic books.
The Middleman: Well it really does work like that.
Wendy: Get out.
The Middleman: You already forgot what you saw?
Wendy: And you’re the superhero?
The Middleman: I never wear tights.
Wendy: I’m crushed.
The Middleman: What makes more sense? That a monster trashed a science lab or that a gas main exploded? If I hadn't planted your Zippo some pink skin normal would have still come up with a rational explanation. People want to believe reality's normal. The ones who don't are freaks and no one believes them anyway.
Wendy: What’s with the camera, are we making a movie?
Ben: I guess you could say that.
Wendy: Kinky. Should I bust out the feathered boa and the accordion?
Ben: I guess you could say that.
Wendy: Kinky. Should I bust out the feathered boa and the accordion?
Wendy: Oh, I don't do dress code after sundown.
The Middleman: It's bad apples like you who put J. Edger Hoover in a dress.
The Middleman: It's bad apples like you who put J. Edger Hoover in a dress.
Wendy: Well who do you work for?
The Middleman: I got recruited, the exact same way you did. When the last Middleman hired me, he never said and I never asked. Ida was already there, so were all the weapons and gadgets and things. Sometimes a box comes in with weapons and things and stuff. I don’t know where they come from. Maybe Ida runs the show, maybe it’s a conspiracy. Maybe it’s God. I’m just the Middleman.
The Middleman: I got recruited, the exact same way you did. When the last Middleman hired me, he never said and I never asked. Ida was already there, so were all the weapons and gadgets and things. Sometimes a box comes in with weapons and things and stuff. I don’t know where they come from. Maybe Ida runs the show, maybe it’s a conspiracy. Maybe it’s God. I’m just the Middleman.
Dr. Gibbs: This is Zippy. We had to boost his intelligence three times to get him to stop painting those damn soup cans.
Wendy: Not bad for a classical realist.
Dr. Gibbs: Art snob.
Wendy: Not bad for a classical realist.
Dr. Gibbs: Art snob.
The Middleman: (drinking milk) You know, that was some darn fine cow squirt.
Ben: I’m such a dolt. I thought that it would be art. Seemed like a good idea at the time.
Wendy: So did the Carter administration.
Wendy: So did the Carter administration.
The Middleman: I don't get it, why the Mob?
Dr. Gibbs: Money! Fast, tax-free cash money. This is a federally-funded lab. Every year the government is less and less interested in making smarter apes and every year they slash my budget. Without money, I will never fulfill my dream.
The Middleman: What dream?
Dr. Gibbs: To build an army of genetically engineered super-apes...
Dr. Gibbs/The Middleman: ...and take over the world.
Dr. Gibbs: Money! Fast, tax-free cash money. This is a federally-funded lab. Every year the government is less and less interested in making smarter apes and every year they slash my budget. Without money, I will never fulfill my dream.
The Middleman: What dream?
Dr. Gibbs: To build an army of genetically engineered super-apes...
Dr. Gibbs/The Middleman: ...and take over the world.
The Middleman: No more monologuing, or I'll Swiss-cheese you on principle.
Wendy: You're not gonna stop calling me "Dubbie," are you?
The Middleman: Not a gosh darn chance in heck!
The Middleman: Not a gosh darn chance in heck!
Cultural References
The Avengers
The black & white sequence where the Middleman and Wendy spar, dance, point guns, and hold an umbrella is taken from the 1960s British series The Avengers, featuring Emma Peel (Diane Riggs) and John Steed (Patrick Macnee). Director Jeremiah Chechik worked on the 1999 movie adaption.
The black & white sequence where the Middleman and Wendy spar, dance, point guns, and hold an umbrella is taken from the 1960s British series The Avengers, featuring Emma Peel (Diane Riggs) and John Steed (Patrick Macnee). Director Jeremiah Chechik worked on the 1999 movie adaption.
Other Episode Crew
| • Creator | Javier Grillo-Marxuach |
| • Executive Producer | Javier Grillo-Marxuach | John Ziffren |
| • Co-Executive Producer | Hans Beimler |
| • Supervising Producer | Jeremiah S. Chechik |
| • Producer | Jon Paré |
| • Co-Producer | Sarah Watson |
| • Associate Producer | Shane Keller |
| • Production Designer | Chris August |
| • Editor | Norman Buckley |
| • Casting | Amy McIntyre Britt | Michael Nicolo | Stuart Atkins | Sean Cossey |
| • Unit Production Manager | Michael Young (2) |
| • First Assistant Director | Peter Dashkewytch |
| • Second Assistant Director | Ryan Kosmynka |
| • Music Supervisor | Allison Clark | Peymon Maskan |
| • Costume Designer | Carla Hetland |
| • Key Grip | Kevin Black |
| • Camera Operator | Lou Gruzelier | Kevin Hall (1) |
| • Set Decorator | Louise Roper |
| • Location Manager | Danny McWilliams |
| • Transportation Coordinator | Robin Chibi |
| • Property Master | Dean Barker |
| • Construction Coordinator | Star Fields |
| • Production Sound Mixer | David Husby |
| • Script Supervisor | Natasha Young |
| • Production Coordinator | Jared Howitt |
| • Script Coordinator | Neil Levin |
| • Post Production Supervisor | Keith Patterson (2) |
| • Gaffer | Chris Meakes |
| • Director of Photography | Douglas Koch |
| • Art Director | Greg Venturi |
| • Based On The Works Of | Les McClaine | Javier Grillo-Marxuach |
| • Key Makeup Artist | Connie Parker |
| • Main Title Theme | Tree Adams |
| • Score | Tree Adams |
| • Key Hairstylist | Sanna Seppanen |
| • Assistant Costume Designer | Debbie Geaghan |
| • Special Effects Coordinator | Tim Storvick |
| • Production Staff | Michaela Meyers | Maya Toews | Sofie Dejus | Kim Sutton | Susan Murray | Sandi Envik | Sheila Goodman | Karen Grebinski |
| • Additional Editor | James Renfroe |
| • Special Effects Make-up | Bill Terezakis |
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