The Middle: Operation Infiltration

Love makes people do crazy things.
First of all, after the miracle of the Hecks getting everything they asked for when it came to Sue's (Eden Sher's) financial aid, she gets to go spend some time with Axl (Charlie McDermott) at his college because Devin (Gina Mantegna) called him out, proclaiming that it would be a deal breaker if he wasn't close to his family because she is super close to her own family.
Sue can't believe her luck, it's a miracle, but then, she figures it out. It's all a show. She decides to push her good fortune. She decides to make an unscheduled appearance at a college party despite having to wake up early the next day for her orientation. But she milks it too far, getting into the creepy territory when they snuggle under a blanket. However, when Axl finally admits the truth and Sue calls him out on it, Devin has the last laugh, it was all her plan for an April Fool's Joke, leaving everyone roughly back to where they started.
Brick (Atticus Shaffer) has machinations of his own, trying to infiltrate a group of friends that is about to lose a member to New York. It's on his field trip with the robotics club. Who even knew he was part of any sort of club? Frankie (Patricia Heaton) goes along as a chaperon. Brick had volunteered her months before, though Frankie insisted that he not sign her up for anything before April because hopefully the school will cut it because of budget cuts. That does not happen. And three boys cram into one tiny bus seat, leaving Brick alone by himself. Frankie flips out at one of the boy's mother, who doesn't seem to think that it is a big deal. As the kids tour whatever they are going to see, she sits outside on a bench and stews.
Then, the guidance counselor, Dr. Fulton (Dave Foley) comes out to talk to her and Frankie gets hit over the head like a ton of bricks. She may know now what its like to have an awkward child, but Axl was super cool and would often overlook other children, ignoring them so Axl would be alone with his friends. She apologizes to the other mom, who then forces her child to sit with Brick but Brick doesn't sit with him long, deciding to go out on a high.
Mike's (Neil Flynn's) plot line has the most potential but ultimately falls flat. His father is out for the weekend so the plan is that he and his brother, Rusty (Norm MacDonald) will slowly weed through and get rid of a select few of Big Mike's hoard. They discover their old room, remarkably untouched since childhood, filled with Mike's trophies for sports and other stuff and Rusty's jars of dirt. Rusty proves that he is the most gullible person, listening to and believing to all of Mike's stupid advice throughout his early years. Giving up on his dream of meteorology because Mike informed him that he would look like a woman against the weather map, other stuff like that. On the other hand, Rusty thinks that Mike has the weirder life, having to go home to that crazy, short lady and having a struggle to put three girls through college. However, when Big Mike returns home before they are ready, Mike finally decides to stick up for Rusty for a change and take the blame for all the microwaves on the curb, all fifteen of them.
Though this show was terribly funny, it was just odd and with the one plot line being a complete joke, it was nothing more than cheap. And though Mike's plot had such potential, it didn't work. Though Mike did realize he should have been more supportive of Rusty in their younger years, that kid was just too gullible to truly gain sympathy for Mike being a jerk. Fortunately, Frankie had one of her strongest plot lines in years, actually making real genuine growth for her character. At least his ended, happily. Sue milked her plot line to the max which is always wonderful and Axl had tons of great stuff to do also and at least she has proof of him being kind to her, treating her like an actual human being. Though I will gladly watch this episode again, it contains too many flaws to be one of the best episodes this season. Grade: B+
Side Notes:
-Keep your eyes peeled for a brief, three second glimpse of Barry Goldberg himself, at the college party.
-Axl glued his underwear to Sue's head. That is just gross. I truly hope siblings aren't that cruel to each other.
-Frankie occasionally served ice cream to her kids for breakfast, either on their birthdays or when there was no milk.
-Mike and Rusty pick up a game risk that has stood the test of time, sitting their collecting dust for thirty years.
-Kenny (Tommy Bechtold) is still glued to his computer, playing video games all the time, ignoring everything around him.
-Dr. Fulton really misses his ex girlfriend and seriously considers breaking up her wedding.
-Big Mike keeps newspapers for such a long time and Rusty is so out of things, that he is shocked that Reagan died.
-Pet dirt is a horrible idea and yet Rusty wasted seven years of his life on that idea.
-Axl gets so into his act of loving Sue, he even kisses her on the head. Not even Devin saw that one coming.
-The beginning is also spectacular, Mike thrilled that they are poor, which means they worked just hard enough for the great financial aid package that Sue was offered. Frankie always knew they were poor and this proves it!