The Middle on ABC

By catherine Nailog

ABC’s broadcast of The Middle on Wednesday, January 4th at 8 p.m. (ET) has been chosen for the Best TV Show of the Week for its humorous portrayal of the making and the keeping of New Year’s resolutions. It’s the beginning of a new year, and resolutions are rampant even in the Heck household. Frankie had each member of the family make a resolution for another member of the family.  As incentive for the family to stick to their resolution for one week, the Hecks will get to feast at the mall’s all-you-can-eat King Henry’s Smorgasbord.

Axl’s resolution was to clean his bedroom.  Brick’s resolution was to stop reading all the time.  Sue’s resolution was to stop trying out for things.  Mike’s resolution was to smile more, and Frankie’s resolution was to spend more time with Brick.  Frankie felt guilty about her resolution.  She admitted to Mike that she had neglected Brick as a child and really didn’t know him.  She labeled herself a “lazy mother.”

The next day, Sue arrived home with her friend, Brad, who’s just joined the wrestling team.  Sue wondered why her resolution was not to participate in things.  She reasoned that the resolution was for her  to make the opportunities for herself.  She decided to create Wrestlerettes, the cheerleading squad for the wrestling team.  Sue was thrilled when the wrestling coach approved of her plans for the Wrestlerettes.

Brick was extremely anxious and irritable for not having read anything in ten hours.   In fulfilling her resolution, Frankie wanted Brick to help her set ant traps, and Brick reluctantly agreed to do so.  While at work, Mike gave his workers an awkward smile after giving them work instructions.  The smile didn’t go over well with his workers who reacted with uncomfortable expressions on their faces.  Mike returned home wanting out of the deal, but Sue persuaded him to stick to it.

While cleaning his room, Axl found a fifth-grade homework assignment tacked to a bulletin board.  He showed the paper to Frankie and Mike telling them that they owed him a cookie.  While Axl was in the fifth grade, the deal was that if he had gotten an A on a report card, his parents would buy him a Mrs. Gooch’s cookie from the mall.  Axl neglected to turn in the paper, which caused him to receive a B in the class.   Axl argued with his parents that he still deserved the cookie.

Brick was doing well on his resolution, and his irritability had subsided.  He asked Frankie on how she was doing on her resolution, which prompted Frankie to have Brick help her scoop the laundry detergent.  Brick suggested on spending time together on Friday, a day he had no school.  Frankie had to work, so Brick thought of spending time with Arlo and his mom who were going to go play laser tag.  Feeling guilty, Frankie offered to take Brick to work with her so he could see why she was always tired.  Brick agreed that Frankie was always tired, particularly for a woman her age.

Sue agonized over Wrestlerette selection, but then decided on admitting all the girls who were interested.  The next day she informed the group that they were all Wrestlerettes and needed to practice for the meet on Friday.  Realizing that the time commitment would take her away from watching Phineas and Ferb, Ashley (Axl’s former prom date) and another girl abandoned the team.  The remaining member then told Sue that she, too, would not be able to stay on the team due to her religion’s prohibition of wearing short skirts.

Axl was intent on getting an A on his fifth-grade paper.  He decided to go to his fifth-grade teacher’s classroom and have her grade the paper.  The teacher began to correct the paper and found errors.  He had to prove to his teacher that he knew the different meanings of “their,” they’re,” and “there.” Axl didn’t know the answer even with prompts from the students sitting in the classroom.

Brick had a great time with Frankie at the car dealership.  He played with an office chair, mimicked the inflatable man used to attract customers to the dealership, and wondered at his mom’s not having to ask permission to use the restroom.  Frankie was pleased to discover that Brick’s favorite color was yellow. 

Sue attempted to save the Wrestlerettes by convincing Ashley that she could record Phineas and Ferb during meets.  Sue also had to add that Axl would be around as they practiced cheers at their home, which persuaded Ashley to return to the group.  Sue successfully had a squad to cheer with at the wrestling meets.

Axl finally proved that he knew the meaning of “there” and received his A.  Mike arrived home annoyed after spending twenty minutes with a teller all because of a smile he gave her.   Frankie told Mike of a wonderful day she had with Brick at work.  She told Mike that she made Brick understand that he wasn’t “the forgotten third kid.”  Then she realized she left him behind at work.

While racing to the dealership, Frankie was stopped by a police officer.  Frankie started to ramble with the police officer, and Mike interrupted Frankie and offered the police officer a smile. They arrived at the dealership with Brick sitting outside.  He initially thought Frankie had left to get him a present, but after being gone a while, he realized that she forgot about him.   Frankie was touched that Brick knew her so well. 

As a reward in fulfilling the week’s resolutions, the Hecks ate at the all-you-can-eat smorgasbord.  Frankie thanked Brick for her resolution, but Axl admitted that he was the one who wrote it so that he wouldn’t be bothered by Frankie, and Frankie would in turn bother Brick.  Mike wrote Sue’s resolution, Brick wrote Axl’s resolution, Frankie wrote Mike’s resolution, and Sue wrote Brick’s resolution.  Frankie noted that 2012 would be the year of the Hecks.  The family cheered to this declaration as their car was scratched by another car being towed outside of the restaurant.

This episode deserved to be the Best TV Show of the Week because it showed that a new year brings opportunities of improvement.  As depicted in the Hecks’ New Year’s resolutions, one can improve a relationship just by spending time with a person as seen in Brick’s and Frankie’s resolution.  Though Mike’s intent was to save Sue disappointment in not making it into groups,  Sue was even more resolute in creating the Wrestlerettes, a group that she proudly represented.  Axl and Mike may have not taken a liking to their resolutions, but an effort was made and that in itself was commendable.  Whether one’s resolution is to lose weight, to mend an estranged relationship, or to save more money in the New Year, have faith and be persistent.  Or maybe have someone else suggest a resolution.  It could be an enlightening or at the least a fun experience to be had.

Best TV Show of the Week

The Parents Television Council - www.parentstv.org