It's a go for ABC's "The Middle."
After closing a deal with Patricia Heaton for the lead role, the network has greenlighted the comedy pilot about a middle-class Midwestern family as seen from the mother's perspective. The role is conceivably not a big stretch for Heaton, who played Ray Romano's long-suffering wife in CBS's sitcom "Everybody Loves Raymond."

ABC, which originally developed "The Middle" during the 2006-07 development cycle when it was picked up to pilot and starred Ricki Lake, resurrected it in the summer with a pilot order contingent on casting Heaton. Production is slated to begin in February.

Source: REUTERS