The Middle – Who hasn’t stored books in the fridge from time to time?

Sometimes it’s the second try that’s the charm. Or at least it worked out that way for Patricia Heaton. Two years ago she was fresh off of the failed Back to You (fantastic show, by the way), and now she’s headlining the best new comedy of the season, The Middle. What a ride.

And what a season it’s been. We’ve gotten to know the Heck family pretty well, and I have to say that tonight’s finale had each one playing to their individual strengths. Man was I glad that I got to watch the episode early!

It was a bit unusual for Mike and Frankie to be heading to parent-teacher conferences at the same time as the yearbook came out, but whatever. Frankie and Sue’s review of the yearbook was bound to come up empty, but who knew that Sue’s spot would read “No Photo Available?” We saw an entire episode where she got her picture retaken, which is exactly what I loved about this finale … much of what we’ve already covered this season came back to make an appearance. I loved how Sue planned to have people sign the picture with her shoe in it, which actually wasn’t her shoe.

And of course the team/club thing, which has always been Sue’s problem, was what this episode was all about for her. I wonder if that was the same deer that came into the house when they didn’t have a door and ate Brick’s sugar cubes. The no-cut cross country track team was hilarious, and I think it’s a structure that can be used as the dominating force in the character’s life next season. Everything can (and hopefully will) revolve around it and the new things the team introduces into Sue’s life. That was a great place to leave her for the summer, and a great path for growth for her character. And I loved how everyone was chanting the wrong name.

Axl’s story revolved around his stupidity, but it was still mined for laughs in an enjoyable way. Can you imagine if he were academically gifted? I guess it makes sense that Frankie and Mike would have higher expectations for him if he were, but does that mean that if he’s not gifted — which he of course is not — they shouldn’t still push him to excel? Just wondering how they see it.

And Brick, as always, was the superstar. Nice guest spot by Betty White as the librarian, Mrs. Nethercott. I haven’t gotten caught up in the recent Betty White fever, but the lady is funny. And going head-to-head with Brick? They were awesome together. But did Betty have to mimic Brick’s whispering to himself? Low blow, madam.

I loved how Brick was at risk of not moving on to the third grade for not returning library books … specifically, 31 of them. Great job treasure-hunting for them all, although it might have been funny to watch him find a bunch of them in crazy places. And I love how Frankie has no problem with the fact that Brick took a book out of the public library to replace the missing atlas. Her philosophy seems to be, “As long as he’s reading and learning….”

I was surprised to see Andy Milder as a school principal … he can be very dirty on Weeds (as Dean). And did anyone else catch Neil Flynn using the term “Brain Trust.” Nice.

Awesome, awesome show. I loved season one, and I can’t wait until it returns in the fall. Atticus Shaffer’s the man!

“You calling my son a cheater?” – Mike to Axl’s teacher, after being told that Axl scored high on an aptitude test

“Wait; you sound mad. Your tone isn’t really matching the words you’re saying.” – Axl, to Mike and Frankie

“You think you can make it out in the real world without cursive? You can’t.” – Mrs. Nethercott to Brick

“This one’s a little sticky.” – Mrs. Nethercott
“Can you prove it wasn’t like that when I checked it out?” – Brick

Clacked by Aryeh S.
on May 19, 2010 @ 21:00 EST5EDT