It’s nearly a week old now, but I loved the latest episode of The Middle so much that I had to share my thoughts.
Brick and Mike were great teaming up again for another shot at the Spelling Bee, where Brick fell short last time around. Brick’s commitment to go all the way to Nationals this year was just what Mike needed to hear, and he really got into the training. I loved Mike’s attempts at shaking Brick’s focus, first slamming the table as Brick tried to spell a word, and then telling Brick that he and Frankie were getting a divorce. Did you see how sad the kid looked?
Brick’s touchdown dance was awesome, and I loved the period to mark the end of it. “Reindeer” was definitely not the same level word as the ones the other kids were getting, but I guess there had to be some twist to it to make it believable that Brick would get it wrong. Oh the egg on Mike’s face!
I don’t agree with Mike and Frankie’s decision to let Brick work his way through his embarrassment in his own way. The fact that Brick had an appropriate emotional response to the situation, and that apparently the “social group is really starting to pay off,” is one thing. But parents still need to parent … the Hecks seem to like to let that slide as often as possible.
Anyway, the story was perfectly book-ended by Mike destroying the Pledge of Allegiance. His version was just fine until “And to the republic, for purple mountains majesty … and, then, lead us not into temptation … land that I love … till death do us part. Amen.” Best version I’ve ever heard!
As silly as Axl’s story was, I loved it. He, Darrin (John Gammon), and Sean (Beau Wirick) trying to run faster than the fifteen miles per hour speed limit that they encountered was hilarious. The aerodynamic attempt, catching air … all good stuff. And it was great when they started doing the bottle flipping. Axl walking into the house afterward and asking Frankie “Any calls for me, or about me?” was a perfect ending.
The weakest link in the episode was Sue’s scrambling for tickets to a Justin Bieber concert. I’ve always been mixed on Sue, although lately I feel as if I’ve been warming up to her very Sueness. But the incessant shrieking was too much for me this time.
Still, she managed to score here and there. Her ideas for finding the cash for the tickets were golden: only shampooing once, rinsing but not repeating, no longer using electricity, and making the tickets birthday, Christmas, and all other presents for three years. And ultimately, Sue’s ability to go unnoticed, thereby allowing her to cut the line and get tickets, was perfect.
But, my God, the shrieking! Too much!
“I don’t care what Axl says; you are the best mom in the whole world.” – Sue to Frankie
“I’m pretty sure he pronounces it Shaq-will.” – Brick
“I’m pretty sure he doesn’t.” – Mike
Clacked by Aryeh S.
on Feb 20, 2012 @ 18:00 EST5EDT
