BWW Interviews: Jack McBrayer Returns to THE MIDDLE for Thanksgiving

Jack McBrayer makes his return to The Middle today in the Thanksgiving themed episode "Thanksgiving V." After a two episode stint in the fourth season as Frankie's boss, Dr. Goodwin, he has returned to the ABC hit. The Middle is in its fifth season and stars Patricia Heaton as Frankie, Neil Flynn as Mike, Charlie McDermott as Axl, Eden Sher as Sue and Atticus Shaffer as Brick. The comedy deals with the daily issues of the family as well as their antics as the years of their lives progress.

The very popular and extremely humble actor was most recently heard in the animated hit Wreck-It Ralph as Fix-It Felix. He also recently completed his seven season run on the hit series 30 Rock as Kenneth Parcell. He also has had roles in hit comedies like Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, The Campaign, The To Do List, and They Came Together. He can also be heard in the new Disney Channel animated comedy series, Wander Over Yonder.

The actor spoke exclusively to BWW about his love of the show and his admiration of co-star Patricia Heaton.

So you're coming back to The Middle, and are you very excited about that?

Always am!

Your character was in the April and May episodes of season 4, and is now coming back for Thanksgiving. You've said before that you would love to meet [the Heck family]. Did you have any involvement with the writers to get in the Thanksgiving episode?

No I didn't. I kinda just... ya know just always trust the writers. But I was so thrilled that it did work out that way. I mean, good lord, if they just made me work with Patricia Heaton from now till the end of time, I would have died a happy man! But the fact that I get to go and work with Neil Flynn and Charlie McDermott and Eden [Sher] and Atticus [Shaffer], it's been real fun.

Do you think that there will be a lot of controversy with your character coming in for Thanksgiving? It seems like he doesn't know a lot about Frankie. Maybe he'll be a bit surprised?

Well that is true. I think it is kinda a crash course in familial get-togethers. But I know that Dr. Goodwin was just thrilled to be invited to Thanksgiving. It is fun how he interacts with everyone, the family as well as some uninvited guests that join.

Do hijinks ensue?

Hijinks ensue as per usual.

And you've said that you relate to their family. Is their Thanksgiving a little like your Thanksgiving at home or is it completely different?

Well, just in terms of not having enough of a side dish or if the turkey gets burnt or that kind of a thing. Just the mishaps that happen at any Thanksgiving that happen to any of us really. But it's fun to see the ones that are happening to the Hecks. Oh yeah, been there!

Is this maybe the start of a reccurring character?

Well I'm definitely coming back for a few more, just based on how they contracted me and everything, but this is the first one where I'm able to interact with everybody. So who knows, maybe in the future all the family becomes patients of Dr. Goodwin. That'd be delightful.

Who is your favorite character when you watch the show?

Well I've always been a big fan of Neil Flynn who plays Mike Heck, the dad, and I've known him for years from "Second City" days. With that being said, I think that we relate more to Axl, played by Charlie McDermott. Just based on the relationships that he has with his sister, Sue, played by Eden [Sher], and how the parents deal with him and the changes that he has going from high school to college. That's the kind of stuff that really struck a chord with me. I'm like, "oh yeah I know exactly where this is coming from." I've been a fan of the show for so long I think that's a couple of the reasons why.

How did you get started with The Middle? Did you know somebody who was a writer or did you just ask to be on the show?

Well a little bit of both. I do happen to know a couple of the writers. Robin Shorr is a wonderful writer over there; I've known her since she was at Northwestern a hundred years ago. And then again, Neil Flynn I've known for years and years from his performances at "Second City" in Chicago. And of course just knowing Patricia Heaton's work.

About tonight's episode of THE MIDDLE:

"Thanksgiving V" - Thanksgiving finds the Heck family in turmoil when Axl tries to figure out the perfect time totell his parents that he dropped three out of his four college classes. Frankie's dad, Tag, admits to Mike that he lost a lot of money gambling online and won't be able to take his wife Pat on a planned cruise. Sue is hiding ashocking secret from her discount shopping excursion with Frankie, Dr. Goodwin and Uncle Rusty's wife and kids show up unannounced for Thanksgiving dinner, and Brick goes to extreme measures to have lime green jello salad during the feast, on "The Middle," WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20 (8:00-8:30 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

"The Middle" stars Patricia Heaton as Frankie, Neil Flynn as Mike, Charlie McDermott as Axl, Eden Sher as Sue and Atticus Shaffer as Brick.

Guest starring are Marsha Mason as Pat Spence, Jerry Van Dyke as Tag Spence, Jack McBrayer as Dr. Goodwin, Mary Birdsong as Marlene, Dorothy Lucey as newscaster, Sigi Gradwohl as Colleen, Bryan Lawrence as Louis Vuitton, Bunny Levine as elderly woman and Dallas Nevins as younger Brick.

"Thanksgiving V" was written by David S. Rosenthal and directed by Lee Shallat Chemel.

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About JACK MCBRAYER

Jack McBrayer is an Emmy nominee for portraying Kenneth Parcell on the multi-award winning and critically acclaimed series "30 Rock" for NBC. He starred in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" opposite Jason Segel, directed by Nicholas Stoller and produced by Judd Apatow for Universal.

He also appeared opposite Will Ferrell in "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby," directed and written by Adam McKay and produced by Judd Apatow for Columbia Pictures. He also played opposite Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis in "The Campaign" directed by Jay Roach for Warner Bros as well as opposite Bill Hader in "The To Do List," for CBS Films and "They Came Together" opposite Paul Rudd, directed by David Wain for Lionsgate .

Jack can currently be heard voicing the role of Wander, a free-spirited and fun-loving intergalactic traveler who, along with his loyal stallion and best buddy, Sylvia, trek across the universe happening upon one freewheeling adventure after another, in Disney Channel's new animated comedy series, "Wander Over Yonder."

He also voiced the lead role of Fix-It Felix in "Wreck-It Ralph," the Rich Moore directed and John Lasseter produced animated film for Disney. His other animated film voice credits include "Despicable Me," for Universal, The Simpsons on Fox and Archer on FX.

Also check out other episodes of the show here!

Photos courtesy of ABC

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