The Middle
Forget about athletes, movie stars and politicians. Parents are the real heroes—but we think Frankie Heck, must be some kind of superhero. A loving wife and mother of three, she's middle class in the middle of the country and is rapidly approaching middle age.
- Metascore71
- 2009-2018
- 9 seasons
- ABC
- Comedy, Family
- TV-PG
Forget about athletes, movie stars and politicians. Parents are the real heroes—but we think Frankie Heck, must be some kind of superhero. A loving wife and mother of three, she's middle class in the middle of the country and is rapidly approaching middle age.
Season 8 Episode Guide
23 Episodes 2016 - 2017
Episode 1
The Core Group
Tue, Oct 11, 2016 21 mins
Frankie and Mike are excited to meet Axl's girlfriend, only to discover she has a quirky personality trait. In the meantime, Sue wants to change her major to theater and Brick sets out to change his image on his first day of high school.
Episode 2
A Tough Pill to Swallow
Tue, Oct 18, 2016 21 mins
Sue's kicked out of college after forgetting to renew her financial aid, prompting Mike to visit the bursar. Meanwhile, Frankie struggles to teach Brick how to swallow a pill; and Hutch gets angry at Axl for taking the Winnebago without permission to visit his new girlfriend.
Episode 3
Halloween VII: The Heckoning
Tue, Oct 25, 2016 21 mins
Halloween looms near, as Frankie's surprised to hear the kids would rather live with Mike if they ever got a divorce. Meanwhile, Sue attempts to reclaim her bedroom from Brick; and Axl lashes out on his family after having to act nice around April.
Episode 4
True Grit
Tue, Nov 1, 2016 21 mins
Sue asks Axl for advice on how to break up with her boyfriend; Brick tries to fit in with his classmates; Frankie accidentally buys some racy underwear.
Episode 5
Roadkill
Tue, Nov 15, 2016 21 mins
Frankie and Mike realize it's Brick's 15th birthday and time for their youngest to learn to drive, but Brick ends up running down an Orson landmark when Axl lets him drive the Winnebago. Meanwhile, Sue tries to choose a college major before the deadline and learns a shocking secret from Frankie along the way.
Episode 6
Thanksgiving VIII
Tue, Nov 22, 2016 21 mins
Frankie ends up vying with April for Axl's attention by rearranging the timing for her Thanksgiving dinner.
Episode 7
Look Who's Not Talking
Tue, Nov 29, 2016 21 mins
Although excited to find a new store that sells oddly-shaped fruits and vegetables, Frankie is devastated when Axl refuses to talk to her or even answer her texts after she inadvertently admits how she feels about April in front of him. Meanwhile, Brick's new quirky tic lands him in detention; and Brad surprises Sue with a weekend visit to her college.
Episode 8
Trip and Fall
Tue, Dec 6, 2016 21 mins
Rita Glossner takes Frankie on a road trip. In the meantime, Mike takes a fall at the quarry and Sue tries to get Axl to end his estrangement with the family.
Episode 9
A Very Marry Christmas
Tue, Dec 13, 2016 21 mins
Sue keeps a holiday secret from the family. Meanwhile, Brick agrees to watch three kids, but later on regrets it. Also, Mike doesn't know how to react when Bill Norwood gives him a Christmas gift for the first time ever.
Episode 10
Escape Orson
Tue, Jan 3, 2017 21 mins
The Hecks find themselves spending New Year's Day attempting to stave off a zombie apocalypse in the Orson Escape Room, desperately trying to beat the Donahue's record of getting out with more than one minute, eight seconds to spare. Meanwhile, Brick is convinced that the mild mannered man assigned to the family's Escape Room group is really the famous author of the "Planet Nowhere" books, Sue divulges a secret about herself to Axl that's she's been keeping since childhood, and Mike is stunned when Frankie reveals that she had a romantic dream involving Frank Sinatra.
Episode 11
Hoosier Maid
Tue, Jan 10, 2017 21 mins
Frankie wins free maid service for a month. Mike and Rusty look into assisted living facilities for their father. Axl, Hutch and Kenny move in with Sue and Lexie.
Episode 12
Pitch Imperfect
Tue, Jan 17, 2017 21 mins
Axl begins to panic when he suddenly realises that he only has four months until he graduates. Brad agrees to lead Sue's no-cut acapella group. Brick asks Frankie and Mike for advice after Cindy says she won't date him unless he stops reading.
Episode 13
Ovary and Out
Tue, Feb 7, 2017 21 mins
Frankie is told by her doctor that she can't have any more children.
Episode 14
Sorry Not Sorry
Tue, Feb 14, 2017 21 mins
When the pipes burst in the basement, Frankie and Mike frantically attempt to shut off the water. They stress out and start fighting, so Axl, Sue, and Brick call a family intervention meeting.
Episode 15
Dental Hijinks
Tue, Feb 21, 2017 21 mins
Mike convinces Dr. Goodwin to help him fabricate a story about his teeth being okay in spite of his toothache.
Episode 16
Swing and a Miss
Tue, Mar 7, 2017 21 mins
Lexie decides to spend her spring break in Orson and admits to Sue that she has a crush on Axl, while simultaneously becoming more and more sick as she "adjusts" to the atmosphere in the house. Nancy Donahue speaks to Frankie and tells her that she should be so proud and Frankie says that she is; but the truth is that she has no idea what Nancy's talking about.
Episode 17
Exes and Ohhhs
Tue, Mar 14, 2017 21 mins
Axl runs into his ex-girlfriends at a St. Patrick's Day party, while Sean Donahue offers to take Sue to the Chancellor's Ball, unaware that she already has a date.
Episode 18
The Par-Tay
Tue, Apr 4, 2017 21 mins
Bill Norwood is so upset with Mike for poaching his plumber at a reduced rate that their friendship could be at risk. Meanwhile, after having a fun mother-daughter picnic, Frankie is crushed when Sue - who usually tells her everything - won't divulge who the mystery guy is that she has a crush on; and Brick convinces Axl to let him hang out with him at college over the weekend - not to visit the library but to have some fun and par-tay.
Episode 19
The Confirmation
Tue, Apr 11, 2017 21 mins
Brick meets his almost-brother at a religious camp and Sue and Brad attempt to set Lexie up with a guy, unaware that she is secretly dating Axl.
Episode 20
Adult Swim
Tue, Apr 18, 2017 21 mins
Mike wants to get rid of the swimming pool and Brick and Sue try to convince him to keep it even though they are no longer interested in using it. Frankie tries to teach Axl about responsibility to improve his chances of getting a job after he graduated from college.
Episode 21
Clear and Present Danger
Tue, May 2, 2017 21 mins
Frankie looks for the gift she bought for Axl's graduation; Sue decides to make a video for Mike's birthday; Brick asks Axl to help him get in shape after Cindy saves him from a bully.
Episode 22
The Final Final
Tue, May 9, 2017 21 mins
The Hecks notice that their luck has changed for the better after the Prairie Scouts accidentally paint the Donahue's address on their curb; Axl misses his final college test before graduation and pleads with his teacher to let him take it; Sue speaks to students at her former high school about college life; and a talk with Brad leads into an impromptu musical number about Sue's many accomplishments over the years.
Episode 23
Fight or Flight
Tue, May 16, 2017 21 mins
Axl graduated from college and tells his parents that he has opportunity to spend the Summer in Europe with his college roommate. While trying to figure out why he has been having backaches Brick discovers that he wants the lawn chair back that he has been using since he was in elementary school. Sue accidently scratches an SUV and obsessively worried about what the consequences will be.
