The Middle - Season 1 (2009) (season)
Directed by:
Michael SpillerScreenplay:
Russ WoodyCinematography:
Blake T. EvansComposer:
Joey NewmanCast:
Patricia Heaton, Neil Flynn, Charlie McDermott, Eden Sher, Atticus Shaffer, Chris Kattan, Derek Waters, Brian Doyle-Murray, Peter Breitmayer, Riley B. Smith, Brock Ciarlelli, Bob Clendenin (more)VOD (3)
Plots(1)
Frankie wants Mike to force their slacker son Axl to, well, stop being such a slacker. When Axl doesn’t fall in line, Mike says the boy needs to be punished. Axl storms out of the house slamming the front door behind him.Thank goodness the Heck family living room doesn’t have hardwood floors. Otherwise, the sound of the front door falling completely off its hinges and crashing inward could have been a lot worse. Mike says the door will stay right where it is until Axl fixes it.The problem with not having a front door is that Jehovah’s Witnesses can now walk right into your house. This is just one of the reasons Frankie desperately wants Mike to cave. Nevertheless, she supports him in his stubborn attempt to teach Axl a lesson as she rakes away the leaves that drift into the living room overnight. Hey, it gets pretty windy over there in Orson. Mr. Ehlert tells his employees that whoever doesn’t sell a car within the week will be out on the street. No, they won’t be fired. They’ll literally be out on the street holding an advertising sign while wearing a giant dog suit. Frankie knows that she quickly needs to find a sales technique that works. Otherwise...woof!Brick is making a pyramid out of sugar cubes. Frankie worries that he waited until the last minute to do a school project. Brick assures her that his school project isn’t due until next week. After a lot of hard work (and a lot of stolen sugar cubes from the coffee station at Frankie’s work), the pyramid is complete. It looks fantastic. Unfortunately, Brick was only working on it for fun.Brick’s actual school project is supposed to be a model of the state capitol building and it’s due tomorrow. He says, “I’m gonna need some tongue depressors, 15-hundred stir sticks and a giant green Styrofoam ball.” Frankie says they’re going to stick a Hoosier flag atop the sugar cube pyramid and pray for a C. It’s class picture time and Sue doesn’t photograph well, as evidenced by her first set of prints. Fear not, she can retake the picture. Unfortunately, Sue gets a blister in her mouth the day of the follow-up photo shoot. She was feeling the sore with her tongue when, you guessed it...FLASH! Third time’s the charm, right?Frankie still hasn’t sold a car which means it’s only a matter of time before she’ll be donning that sweaty, smelly canine costume. When a customer muddies up the floorboard of a car, Frankie lectures the guy about how she has to clean it up. She continues point out other flaws she learned about the guy during their test drive, primarily his indecisiveness. This motherly tough love speech hits home and the customer buys a car. Way to go, Frankie! You found your hook. You’re a mom! The Heck family is still doorless in Indiana. When a deer wanders into the kitchen to get a taste of Brick’s sugar cube pyramid, Frankie’s had enough. She fixes the door herself. Mike can’t believe she didn’t support his stance. Their difference of opinion doesn’t last long once Sue comes home with her third and final school photograph. One look and they both agree that this one’s a keeper. In other words, they lie. But it’s a good lie. A lie that requires mutual support.They further agree that Axl still needs to be punished. Frankie promises she’ll come up with something good. Say, isn’t that Axl standing outside the Ehlert car dealership in a giant dog suit? (ABC TV Network)
(more)Cast
![Patricia Heaton](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/164/116/164116177_e353bc.jpg)
Patricia Heaton
USA
Best series:
The Middle (2009) (series)
Back to You (2007) (series)
thirtysomething (1987) (series)
![Neil Flynn](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/000/276/276838_042c53.jpg)
Neil Flynn
USA
Best series:
Tour of Duty (1987) (series)
Scrubs (2001) (series)
The Norm Show (1999) (series)
![Charlie McDermott](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/000/330/330856_3f7adf.jpg)
Charlie McDermott
USA
Best series:
The Office (2005) (series)
Unbelievable (2019) (series)
The Middle (2009) (series)
![Eden Sher](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/055/126/55126049_1e9322.jpg)
Eden Sher
USA
Best series:
Robot Chicken (2005) (series)
Star vs. The Forces of Evil (2015) (series)
Weeds (2005) (series)
![Atticus Shaffer](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/000/452/452485_2eda09.jpg)
Atticus Shaffer
USA
Best series:
Steven Universe (2013) (series)
My Name Is Earl (2005) (series)
Star vs. The Forces of Evil (2015) (series)
![Chris Kattan](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/000/272/272512_dff157.jpg)
Chris Kattan
USA
Best series:
How I Met Your Mother (2005) (series)
Voltron: Legendary Defender (2016) (series)
The Middle (2009) (series)
![Derek Waters](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/000/359/359201_16cf4d.jpg)
Derek Waters
USA
Best series:
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005) (series)
Spin City (1996) (series)
Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! (2007) (series)
![Brian Doyle-Murray](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/162/713/162713525_34e76e.jpg)
Brian Doyle-Murray
USA
Best series:
Adventure Time with Finn and Jake (2010) (series)
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005) (series)
Life with Louie (1995) (series)
![Peter Breitmayer](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/160/671/160671787_bc9c3b.jpg)
Peter Breitmayer
USA
Best series:
Fargo (2014) (series)
Why Women Kill (2019) (series)
How I Met Your Mother (2005) (series)
Riley B. Smith
Best series:
Clarence (2013) (series)
The Middle (2009) (series)
Hot in Cleveland (2010) (series)
Brock Ciarlelli
USA
Best series:
The Middle (2009) (series)
Glamorous (2023) (series)
![Bob Clendenin](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/066/037/66037400_5aeecf.jpg)
Bob Clendenin
USA
Best series:
Scrubs (2001) (series)
My Name Is Earl (2005) (series)
That '70s Show (1998) (series)
![Aedin Mincks](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/167/181/167181318_974085.jpg)
Aedin Mincks
USA
Best series:
Cobra Kai (2018) (series)
The Middle (2009) (series)
The Sarah Silverman Program. (2007) (series)