The Middle – People do meth

If you followed the NFL even remotely this past season, you’d know why Mike was such a “Super Party-Pooper Bowl” on last night’s episode of The Middle. His Colts got rocked this season, while Peyton Manning sat on the sidelines following multiple surgeries. Some have speculated that Manning should be a lock for this season’s MVP; no other player could be pointed to as the difference between his team’s ten wins (last season) and two (this season). Grumpy Mike is fun.

This episode was a little light on the content. I enjoyed seeing everyone’s personality shine through the shared experience of stealing the Donahues’ car, but the idea that they “Heck everything up” was weak. Nevertheless, The Middle never shortchanges us on laughs.

First of all, I must say that I couldn’t stop laughing when Sue received her driving manual in the mail. Not because the idea of her driving is so funny, but rather because my wife just started driving school this week. Oh, the life of Manhattan natives; you find yourself an adult, learning to drive alongside a classroom full of fifteen year-olds. Ha!

Anyway, to the car. Nancy Donahue (Jen Ray) asks Frankie to move her “brand new car” into the garage … which Frankie does do, albeit into her own garage, not the Donahues’. And thus began the great week of “Hecking it up.”

For Frankie, the car just gave her a little more self-confidence. Which I’ll grant her she needed, after getting assigned to work the satellite parking lot in French Lick, Indiana (onetime home of Larry Bird!). With the car behind her, she garnered enough attitude to get reassigned to the stadium itself. She might have been working the porta potties, but at least she could hear the roar of the crowd.

Brick used the car both as storage for his library and as a conversation partner. Good luck to that GPS trying to figure out how to get to Europe!

Axl used it to make at least one chicken run, while Mike sought out peace and quiet in the car. Personally I think Mike should be able to ask the Donahues if he could continue using it for that purpose. As long as they’re not using it, it doesn’t cost anyone anything in gas or wear and tear!

Sue wisely used the car for some driving practice. But, for future reference, keep the car in park even if you do want to turn on the engine! I loved after she read the part about left turns, and then got all worked up: “What if I have to turn right?” Oh yeah, the right turn signal!

I’m also kind of enjoying Wrestling Matt (Moises Arias) — good one, Mike! — even if he does have rather odd mannerisms. And now that Sue has a captive audience in her cheerleading squad, plan on witnessing some rather hilarious gab sessions between the girls. The writers put together a riotously eclectic team in that gang.

Not building any rockets or anything like that, but this episode got the job done: it had me laughing from beginning to end. How about you?

Clacked by Aryeh S.
on Jan 19, 2012 @ 17:00 EST5EDT