The Middle

On the fourth season premiere, Frankie's plans to recreate the magic of her own childhood summers are foiled when Mike lets it slip that Axl is his favorite Heck child, and Frankie tries to coax the kids into telling them who their favorite parent is. Meanwhile, when Frankie and Mike discover that Axl failed English during the past school year, they force him to make it up in summer school, otherw

When Frankie is suddenly fired from Ehlert Motors, she embarks on a quest not to repeat mistakes from the past by taking any crummyjob that comes her way, deciding to go instead to tech school to secure a real career. Meanwhile, school has begun and Axl isstarting his Senior year in high school, Sophomore Sue takes on the task of mentoring new freshman Jenna (guest star BAILEY BUNTAIN- Bunheads),

Brick is given a bunny to help him overcome his quirky new tic that begins to overshadow his whispering, but the ill-tempered animal teaches the Hecks the true meaning of evil.

Trashy neighbor Rita Glossner (guest star BROOKE SHIELDS) returns and is about to rain fire upon the Heck household when she accuses Frankie of stealing her hose. Meanwhile, Sue takes a peek at Mike's paycheck and is so shocked at how little he makes that she decides to call off her first official road trip to Cincinnati for her school mascot duties in order to save money; and while Brick learns a

As Halloween approaches, the Hecks get quite the scare when Sue receives her learner's permit, and it's time for Frankie and Mike to teach her how to drive. But when a freaked-out Sue loses her nerve, she ends up running over Axl's foot, which could put an end to his high school football career and hopes for a scholarship. Meanwhile, Axl looks forward to voting in his first election, and Brick und

Frankie is made an example of in front of the entire class when she doesn't make a good impression on her first day of dentalassisting school with no-nonsense teacher Mrs. Armwood (guest star JANE KACZMAREK). Meanwhile, because Axl's broken foot may end anychance of him receiving a college sports scholarship, Frankie and Mike insist that he up his grades and get himself a tutor; and Sueand Brick t

Frankie attempts to do a good deed for Thanksgiving by inviting a couple of Marines (guest stars/former Marines WILLIAM FRANCOVASQUEZ and NICK JONES, JR.) to celebrate the holiday with her family. But with Frankie's parents, Pat and Tag (returning gueststars MARSHA MASON and JERRY VAN DYKE), constantly bickering, the good deed may not go unpunished. Meanwhile, while Axl grappleswith his growing fe

Christmas doesn't seem so merry to Mike when he helps brother Rusty (recurring guest star NORM MacDONALD) move some furniture into the Heck house garage and discovers that Rusty doesn't actually own the items. Meanwhile, Frankie hatches a plan to take a part-time holiday job in a department store in order to get an employee discount to buy presents; Axl turns the garage with the stolen furniture i

As their 20th anniversary approaches, Frankie begins to think that Mike may be tiring of her company and is purposely trying to avoid her. Meanwhile, Sue frantically tries to coax Axl and Brick into helping her set up an anniversary party for their parents; and Brick falls into a non-responsive state when Axl tells him the ending of a book he's been waiting years to read.

Axl is shocked to discover that he and Sue are enrolled in the same Life Skills class. And things only get worse for the "Ax-Man" when he is assigned to work with his sister on a big class project. Meanwhile, Brick's school therapist, Dr. Fulton (recurring guest star DAVE FOLEY), attempts to teach him how to reach out to his fellow students in order to make some friends; and Frankie and Mike find

Feeling guilty over not being able to spend enough quality time with each of their kids, Frankie and Mike decide to dedicate each day of a three-day weekend to one of their offspring. Unexpected revelations emerge when Axl takes them to a paintball range, Sue talks them into an exhausting itinerary consisting of 17 separate activities, and Brick attempts to bring them to a "Planet Nowhere" sci-fi

Mike is upset with Frankie when he discovers that she set him up on an adult playdate with a new neighbor who shares the same interests. Meanwhile, when the school cheerleaders announce that they're taking over cheering for the wrestlers - thus putting Sue and her Wrestlerettes out of business ? a determined Sue demands a cheer off; and Brick makes a lovesick Axl begin to question whether he's int

Frankie and Mike begin to worry that Axl's chances of getting a scholarship have passed him by, while Sue is determined to prove that smiling is contagious for a science project.

As Valentine's Day approaches, Axl and partners Sean and Darrin (recurring guest stars BEAU WIRICK and JOHN GAMMON) take Boss Co. to the next level by offering their services to help guys break up with their girlfriends. Meanwhile, Brick becomes upset with Frankie when he discovers that she has thrown out all of the school artwork he has made over the years, Sue is thrilled when ex-boyfriend Matt

Frankie frets when Brick informs her of his three-day school bus trip to Chicago, while Sue tries to find out if Axl's friend, Darrin (JOHN GAMMON) has actual feelings for her.

Frankie and Mike try to get the kids to confess to a transgression by spinning the "wheel of pain," that's filled with consequences, putting Sue's "Sue-weet 16" Party at risk.

Frankie's sister, Janet (guest star MOLLY SHANNON), comes to the rescue and offers to help run the Heck household while Frankie studies for her dental assisting school finals. But the sheer amount of disorganization in the house throws perfectionist Janet for a loop. Meanwhile, when Cassidy's ex-boyfriend pays an unexpected visit from college, Axl tries to take the high road and not act like a jea

Frankie can't hide her disappointment over who "The Bachelor" chooses to marry and ends up moping around the house for days about it; Mike attempts to toughen Sue up when she joins the school's tennis team and continually compliments her opponents during their matches; and Axl and Cassidy try to figure out where their relationship stands after their big fight. The Bachelor's CHRIS HARRISON provide

Frankie struggles to land a dental assistant position with a potential boss (JACK McBRAYER), while Sue offers unsolicited advice to Darrin and Axl's band.

After discovering that Sue's life, as defined on Facebook, is pretty pathetic, Frankie creates an online alias (or two or three) and attempts to make her daughter as popular as possible. Meanwhile, after having read Tuesdays with Morrie, Frankie's healthy dad, Tag (recurring guest star JERRY VAN DYKE), coerces Mike into listening to his long-winded life stories on a weekly basis; and Axl and Brick

As Mother's Day approaches, Frankie wants to ensure that Mike gets her something she actually wants for a gift and informs all of the kids of her wish so that at least one of them will clue in a clueless Mike. Meanwhile, Sue asks Reverend TimTom (recurring guest star PAUL HIPP) for advice when she begins to resent her friends' happiness over getting their driver's licenses after she has repeatedly

Caught in a lie, Frankie tries to convince a patient that she's a full-fledged dentist, leaving her new boss, Dr. Goodwin (guest star JACK McBRAYER) completely perplexed.

As graduation day approaches, tension begins to build between Frankie and Axl when he ignores her requests for answers about the graduation party she's planning for his special day. Meanwhile, Sue hopes that the sixth time's the charm as she once again attempts to pass her driver's test; and during his final days of elementary school, a forgetful Brick is reminded by Vice Principal Dunlap (guest s