EVIL MEETS ITS MATCH ON JUNE 16!

ABC FAMILY'S NEW ORIGINAL SERIES "THE MIDDLEMAN" IS HERE TO SAVE THE DAY!

Burbank, CA (May 6, 2008) � There are the strange occurrences that can never be explained�incidents with creatures that couldn't possibly be real�evil forces lurking in the dark, out of the sight of ordinary people�but there is one man out there who fights such evil every day so you don't have to: The Middleman. The wild and weird adventures of "The Middleman" begin Monday, June 16 (8:00 � 9:00 PM ET/PT) on ABC Family with the premiere of the new original series based on the graphic novels written by Javier Grillo-Marxuach ("Lost," "Medium"). The thirteen-one hour episodes star Matt Keeslar ("Snowglobe"), Natalie Morales ("CSI: Miami"), Mary Pat Gleason ("I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry"), Brit Morgan ("Buried Alive") and Jake Smollett ("Eve's Bayou").

Wendy Watson (Morales) is a 22 year-old art school graduate struggling to stay afloat at a series of dead-end temp jobs. Living with her best friend Lacey (Morgan) in an illegal sublet, she bounces from one temp job to another while putting off her mother's daily inquiries to what she is going to do with her life.

Wendy's situation takes a drastic turn during a routine temp assignment at a local laboratory, when she is thrown into the middle of a science experiment gone very wrong. If that weren't bizarre enough, who should show up to save the day, but a mysterious, handsome, gun-wielding stranger who introduces himself only as�The Middleman (Keeslar).

A covert hero who neutralizes any and all danger humanity isn't prepared to face, the milk-drinking, ruggedly wholesome Middleman is in need of a new colleague in the fight against otherworldly evil and thinks Wendy fits the bill. After a series of tests that would make grown astronauts weep and Navy Seals beg for mercy, Wendy is quickly recruited into the Middleman ranks.

Now fighting comic book-esque criminals under the guidance of her new boss, Wendy tries to wrap her head around the new and definitely weird situation. But the Middleman is sure she can do the job, even though his cranky robot assistant Ida (Gleason) questions his choice every step of the way.

Soon Wendy learns that there will always be another unfathomable peril to contain and focusing on her painting will be easier said than done. Now living a double life, can Wendy balance an undercover Middleman mission with "normal" life in her offbeat circle of artist friends?

"The Middleman" is created and executive produced by Javier Grillo-Marxuach, based on his Viper Comics Graphic Novels (illustrated by Les McClaine). The series is also executive produced by John Ziffren and co-executive produced by Hans Beimler. Director Jeremiah Chechik acts as supervising producer, with producer Jon Pare, co-producer Sarah Watson and supervising producer Tracey Stern.

Part of the Disney-ABC-TV Group, ABC Family, distributed in over 95 million homes, features original movies, series and specials reflecting today's families and entertaining and connecting with adults through relevant stories about today's relationships, all told with diversity, dysfunction, passion, humor and heart. ABC Family's programming is a mix of quality acquired series and theatricals as well as original movies and scripted dramas. ABC Family is also the destination for Holiday events with "13 Nights of Halloween" and "25 Days of Christmas" branded programming events. ABC Family. A New Kind of Family.