The Middle: The Shirt

Changes are a-comin'.
Sue (Eden Sher) and Mike (Neil Flynn) don't realize that the slightest action could have such a ripple effect. All Mike had to do was put on a new, completely different shirt, a Hawaiian one in this case, something that finally wasn't plaid. Frankie (Patricia Heaton) is shocked and it is the punch line for the dinner with the Norwoods and he is super pissed that that was the only thing really discussed at dinner. Later, Mrs. Donahue (Jen Ray) comes over, terrified that she upset Frankie because Frankie threw a party without her. Of course not, why in the world would Frankie throw a party without Nancy Donahue? Simple answer, she wouldn't especially since Nancy brings all the good food. Mike is just going through something. Nancy gives her the sympathy look and informs her that her own husband, Ron, did the same thing by picking up karate. Just when you think that Mike is over with all the changes, because he hates changes, you thought wrong. He buys a cheap motorcycle from his co-worker who is moving. Frankie is completely shocked.
Sue's error could have more severe consequences: she naively tells Devin (Gina Mantegna) that Axl (Charlie McDermott) loves her and it would be, like, the coolest thing ever if they would eventually get married. Devin almost immediately breaks things off with Axl, again. She doesn't want the relationship to move that fast. Sue just can't keep her big nose out of it and goes to the complete opposite end of the spectrum. She says, or sings rather, that Axl won't ever say anything of the sort. I wasn't paying the most attention to that because it was so horribly bad. Whatever, Devin fortunately decides to give Axl another chance and they talk it over. Because Devin has the typical thoughts of a guy, she and Axl both just want to live in the moment and enjoy their time together yet, they will never be around this many hot people of the opposite genders, they should also see someone else, if they want and still gather on Sundays to watch football. I don't think that will work, but at least they are finally in agreement so at least they are getting off on the right foot.
Poor Brick (Atticus Shaffer). He hates being the last kid at home as the chore wheel is useless. He's the only one around to do chores. Frankie doesn't care about his arguments; he is the only one there to use the bathroom, thus, it falls to him to clean it. Frankie, the most helpful mother of the year, tells him where the cleaning supplies are but not how to use them, so when Brick finally goes to the clean the bathroom, it turns disastrous quickly. Brick, being the reader that he is, tries to follow what the cleaning products say, and when that doesn't work, he turns to YouTube and chooses the worst video ever. Something simple, such as scrubbing mildew from the walls turns into something much bigger and before you know it, the tiles on the wall have fallen off. Frankie isn't pleased and tells him, in no small terms, that in the Heck household, you can't get to the root of the problem, the mildew is the glue that holds the family together.
While Brick has his typical Brick plot line, and Sue got some good interactions with Devin, most of the episode just didn't work. I liked what they tried to do with Mike finally breaking out of his comfort zone, but it didn't seem real; it was just something that the writers could eke a plot out of, but it was nice to see him in a shirt that was not plaid. I really don't think that they stayed true to his character which is most unfortunate. At least everyone else remained the same. I wish Axl would grow up and maybe he will, hopefully before it is too late. And though there were some funny moments and great, snappy lines, this is the weakest episode of the season so far. Grade: B
Side Notes:
-Sue's idea of heaven is the ability to sign up for all the clubs she wants without danger of being cut later on. Unfortunately, she spreads herself far too thin.
-She later tells Brick that she understands, at long last, why clubs in high school cut people. She just can't keep up with everything. For the record, her a Capella club was the worst I have ever heard and Sue is not a good songwriter. I can't believe the club went along with her cockamamie scheme.
-Brick informs his mother that the only reason she had children was to have slaves to do all the work around the house. Mike tells him no, the reason they had children was because of the beer.
-Bill Norwood (Pat Finn) ruins the chance for the Hecks to use two coupons at their meal out. He really is the worst liar ever.
-For the second episode this season, Frankie calls back her brilliant acting career in the community production of The Wizard of Oz. Not everyone has her talent but she could have pulled off using two coupons at a combined table.
-Normally Mike's tallness is intimidating to waiters but with his Hawaiian shirt on, that power was lost.
-Axl tries to lure the ants out of his apartment by tossing pizza into the yard.
-I love when Brick holds the two phones together so Sue can talk to Axl and he can overhear everything.
-Sue thought that only two kinds of cheese existed: regular and squeezy. Hopefully that club will change her understanding of cheese.
-For the record, I don't think Axl  will be able to handle having two girlfriends at once, and I doubt that all girls are as understanding as Devin so it will be interesting to see what happens next.