Knowing the decision to end "The Middle" was mutual between the cast and creators, it's natural to wonder how the show's actors felt about working on the longstanding series. For Patricia Heaton, who starred as the Heck family matriarch, the show's ending was a chance to try a new type of role.
Prior to portraying Frankie Heck on "The Middle," Heaton played television mom Debra Barone on the hit show "Everybody Loves Raymond" for nine years. As "The Middle" came to an end, Heaton expressed a desire to move away from sitcom mother roles. "I would like to play something different," she told People, adding, "Listen, most everybody is a mom, but anything that doesn't make that the focal point of the show."
In 2019, Heaton got her wish when she starred in the short-lived series "Carol's Second Act," playing a woman with adult children. When asked about what drew her to the titular character, Heaton told Watch! Magazine, "I didn't want to play another TV mom — I wanted to do something new and interesting."
