Mammoth Mouth, Kentucky, this is Mike's (Neil Flynn's) big idea for a vacation over Spring Break. A big order was just placed for the diapers, so for the first time ever, the Hecks have a little extra money and they want to spend it that way. Okay not really, but they go along with it and Frankie (Patricia Heaton) asks the Donahues to come along. Which only sort of goes well.
Nancy (Jen Ray) is worried about Sean (Beau Wirick) and the fact that he's throwing his future away because he won't take the MCATs (aka, the test you need to take to apply to Med schools), so she persuades Frankie to talk to him, which Frankie eventually gets around to. Sean responds more to her lazy parenting, though she claims that it is a choice and later vents to Mike about how much better a parent she is over Nancy. But the Donahue daughter overhears this and that isn't good. She uses good old-fashioned blackmail to try and get even with Frankie. First, a fruitless game of Marco Polo and then, they must switch rooms. But Frankie is desperate for Nancy not to find out her true opinion of Nancy's parenting. Unfortunately, her best efforts are in vain. Nancy has overheard and though she is mad, it doesn't last because she declares that they are like sisters and she can't stay mad at her sister. Nevertheless, she has no problem with nudging Frankie into the pool and that doesn't even make Frankie mad. It just makes her believe that Nancy is human. Oh, and I guess Sean is going to take that test, because Frankie does say that he should take it just so he won't have any regrets later in life.
In the meantime, Axl (Charlie McDermott) needs a jerk so he can pick up women and Sean just isn't interested in the deception thing so Brick (Atticus Shaffer) is up. This does work, at first, only then, Brick gets lucky or decides to stop being a jerk. He finds another fan of Planet Nowhere, leaving Axl out in the dust. Axl is upset that he is going through a funk with girls, despite Brick trying to tell him that Axl is fine on his own. Axl certainly wants to tell his friends at college that he had a good spring break and hung out with someone other than his family. Fortunately, the one waitress overhears that Axl goes to East Indiana State and she tells him that her cousin goes there. Axl doesn't know her cousin but boy, she has fun with Axl trying to guess who that is.
Sue (Eden Sher) doesn't have much to do but it is important. She gets a call from Brad and the two have a good opportunity for a summer job lined up. They will both be working at Dollyworld down in Tennessee. Brad will be a performer, something he was born to do while Sue will be a hostess at Grandma's restaurant. They have condos for the employees to stay in and she will be earning twice as much money as she made at Spudsys. She is thrilled. Mike, on the other hand, is less so. It's too far away and he doesn't know the people. He expresses this and Sue isn't upset or anything like that. Instead, she just politely and maturely tells him that she isn't asking, she's telling. Frankie, for a change, isn't upset. She is glad that Sue is willing to spread her wings without being pushed. Sue is finally growing up and making her own decisions. Mike finally accepts that his little girl is growing up, though he still thinks that she is only eighteen, not nineteen. And Sue is grown up, looking very mature in her red-halter top dress that she wears for the finale dance scene.
While I don't like Frankie criticizing someone's else parenting, especially when hers is lackluster, it was still a good plot line and gave the regular guest star, Jen Ray, a chance to truly shine and she is great in her role. Sue's plot line was the most important though it, ironically, got the least amount of screen time. She was mature and graceful, traits we rarely see from her but, boy, was it welcome. That job will hopefully open up great things for her. And Axl was truly affected by the break-up with Devin and though I'm glad that he does have feelings, I'm also glad that he is trying to bounce back. And he doesn't need any help to do that. Grade: A-
Side Notes:
-Mike is the only one who enjoys the cave and the cannon, the typical vacation stuff. He is thrilled when the tour guide turns the light off in the cave and it is completely dark. Mike just says "Cool."
-There is also a rock which looks like a buffalo. Which Sue likes.
-Mike doesn't want to let Ron Donahue (Sean O'Bryan) drive because he is a man thing, but Mike's manhood is leaking fluid in the driveway and AAA won't come for them anymore.
-Sean isn't fond of his possessions because you don't own them, they own you.
-Nancy may have made a popcorn ball for each person, but Frankie ate most of them and didn't even feel guilty.
-Nancy also talked to Brick about his mystery ailment, something which Frankie didn't even notice. Nancy said it was because he was nervous about starting high school but that he was making a conscious effort to stop it.
-When Frankie does go to talk to Sean, she mentions that she has no clue where her three children are and Sean gets it, regretting the over concern of his own mother.
-Sue wants to eat a huge omelet in an hour because if she finishes it in an hour, then she gets a pin. I don't think she succeeded.
-Axl does hit on a girl successfully, but as it turns out, she has a boyfriend in the Army and Axl just can't do that to the troops.
-I wonder what happened to Doris, is she still even alive?
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