The Middle: The Award

This was a pretty good episode.
Mike (Neil Flynn) is being honored with an award for working at the quarry for twenty years. He doesn't even want to go to the dinner to collect his award. Frankie (Patricia Heaton) is less than pleased with this. She begs him to reconsider, but even if it doesn't mean much to him, it means something to other people. She even helps him write a speech and it is touching, saying that he works with a bunch of a great guys and they make coming to work worth it. But he gets stage fright and stumbles, saying that he had to lay off people and who knows what the future holds. Frankie is embarrassed for him. Mike apologizes and his long time co-workers understand.
Sue (Eden Sher) is having difficulties of her own. She is literally sat upon. Yes, that has been done before, in The Princess Diaries, but at least in that movie the guy realized it and apologized, not so in Sue's case. Brian (Brandon W. Jones) doesn't realize that he sat on Sue's lap and in fact turns the blame on her. Sue decides to take action. She finally follows through with her plan of mix-it-up Mondays, but Brian is assigned to her table and doesn't even recognize her. It's all terribly sad.
The plan may not work for her, but it works for Brad (J. Brock Ciarlelli). Debbie and Courtney (Natalie Lander and Brittany Ross) invite him to go shopping, and Carly (Blaine Saunders) has also made friends with kids who love all things space.
Axl (Charlie McDermott) and Hutch (Alphonse McAuley) set out on a mission to find out who the unknown girl is who left a somewhat nasty message on Axl's phone. Basically the call said that Axl was hot and wanted to have intercourse with him. Naturally, the girl must be found. The quest doesn't go well. And Axl almost gets discouraged.
In the meantime, Brick (Atticus Shaffer) has finally found a hand-me-down from the cousins that he loves: a woman's suit. But it makes him feel jazzy and suave. Naturally, he is mortified when he discovers that it actually belonged to a woman and saw another woman wearing it at Mike's award ceremony.
Also of note, the heat in the Heck house is broken, meaning the family has to bundle up more in the house than outside in the cold winter. Though Sue blames the cold in part for her sudden illness which causes her to miss Mike's award ceremony, I think that she is disheartened by her plan failing for her. But luckily Darrin (John Gammon) comes by to fix the broken heater. He has broken up with Angel, thank goodness and is surprised that Sue and the Glossner boy aren't an actual couple. He and Sue end that plot line, talking catching up on old times.
Axl finally discovers who his mystery caller is. It is Cassidy (Galadriel Stineman). Now, I didn't think she'd be the type of girl who would go out and party at college, much less get drunk and leave bizarre messages on her ex-boyfriend's cell phone, but I'll suspend my beliefs. Axl plays coy and tells her that he knew it was her all along. They, like Sue and Darrin, end their plot line talking also, catching up on all times.
I liked this episode. Mike finally got a good, strong plot line and took full advantage. He truly is a man of few words and that frustrates Frankie to no end. Brick got to show off what he looks like in a suit. And I just felt horrible for Sue, she always gets the short end of the stick and finally lost her upbeat attitude. I'm glad there's hope for her and Darrin, she certainly deserves some happiness. I'm also glad that Axl and Cassidy are finally back on good terms. Now, I know that it is only wishful thinking that both couples will get back together, but a girl can hope, can't she. For now, I'll settle for just one of them getting back together. Grade: A-
Side Notes:
-I love how Mike's co-worker, Chuck (Greg Cipes) calls Frankie Lady Mike and Brick Baby Mike.
-Kenny (Tommy Bechtold) really gets in the zone while playing video games. Axl even stapled a paper to him and he didn't notice until he leveled up.
-When Axl approached one of the girls, she informed him that she has mace.
-I thought that Debbie and Courtney were in Axl's grade but apparently not. I found that odd, but whatever.
-Frankie finds out about the award by reading the local newspaper online, and according to Sue, now the whole world can read it. Mike is unimpressed.
-Axl really can party until he starts dancing with is reflection.