The Middle: Crushed

Well, it is always awkward when Sue (Eden Sher) has a crush on someone. I'll get to that later.
In the meantime, Frankie (Patricia Heaton) laments that she hasn't spent any time with any of the parents of Brick's classmates. She was friends with the people in Axl's grade (back when she cared) but that is not the case for Brick. Mike (Neil Flynn) could care less but Frankie makes a real effort only for her to be shut down. And then Brick (Atticus Shaffer) suggests that they get together with Cindy's (Casey Burke's) parents. Which they do, reluctantly. It is the most awkward dinner ever. First of all, her parents are the worst at conversations and then they have the nerve to ask the Hecks for seven hundred dollars to pay their rent. They clearly don't know the Hecks at all. The Hecks have no money for themselves. To be polite, they say they will think about it, which in this case means no, a big fat no. Poor Brick, he can be naive sometimes too. He believes that this means his parents will actually help her family. He, then, goes on a good rant on how Axl (Charlie McDermott) got to play all these sports and Sue had to have braces while Brick has never asked for anything but he's asking for this. The Hecks just can't do it. Though Cindy doesn't want to move in with Grandma, that's just what they have to do. Her family drives away, giving the Hecks the stink eye and move very far away, just two doors down. Brick doesn't have to lose his beloved, for now.
Sue's mild infatuation with her professor (Josh Cooke) has turned in to a full blow crush, but it helps her do really well with that class, some sort of European history, discussing Stalin and what a gem he was. She wears very nice clothes to class, smiles with her big teeth and asks tons of questions, at least they are good questions and bring up good discussions points. Despite the professor's fears, he still invites his classes over to his place for an informal discussion on Stalin. Of course, Sue is the last one to leave and doesn't even realize it. And then Professor Grant, or Nick as this is an informal setting, says that he feels that she does have a crush on him and Sue hightails it out of there. Of course, he's correct.
She wants to drop the class, though Lexie (Daniela Bobadilla) brings up a good point. There's only about a month left in the semester so it is far too late to drop the class. But she does skip it for a couple of days, that can't be good. And then she blows up at the guy shackled to the tree. He is doing that to make a point, what point exactly I don't know, because I don't feel the tree is in danger of being chopped down. Professor Grant is glad that he has made his point but feels that tree guy is falling behind in his classes but could catch up. He is trying to set Sue up with the tree guy, who does have a real name, Jeremy (Will Green). And by the end of the episode, Sue puts her lipstick back on, but for a freshly showered Jeremy's benefit, not Professor Grant's. She has moved on, thank goodness.
Now, I had issues with this episode, mainly because it is just plain awkward when Sue has a crush on someone. She is awkward around them and does stupid stuff, like sneaking into someone's closet and imagining what it would be like with her stuff in there. It was too painful to watch at times. And what professor has the time to set up two of his students? But whatever, I just want Sue to be happy.
As for the other main plot line, Brick does finally come to understand that seven hundred dollars is a big ask, but he also comes to understand, albeit reluctantly, that Axl does have a point. There are plenty of other girls out there and he will recover from Cindy's move. Their simple conversation is probably the best scene in the episode. All-in-all, this wasn't a great episode. Grade: B-
Side Notes:
-Axl has to nap in Sue's dorm room and she fears that Lexie will instantly develop a crush on him just by looking in his eyes and in order to avoid that, she urges Lexie to study in the library.
-Axl isn't interested in dating Lexie, though he wouldn't say no if she was interested in him.
-Sue confesses to Lexie that she does indeed have a crush on Professor Grant and it gets worse when Axl pops out from underneath her pillows, though he doesn't rub it in her face or hold it over her head in any way. A true rarity for him.
-But why was he under her pillows in the first place?
-Cindy's father finishes Mike's sentences while her mom doesn't get what Frankie means when Frankie mentions how horrible the road construction was.
-Cindy calls the Hecks cheap and clearly blames them for having to move in with Grandma, something she doesn't want to do.
-Sue also foolishly goes into Professor Grant's bathroom and pours his cologne on a cotton ball so she can smell him when he's not around.
-Professor Grant is also fancy. He just throws away plastic plates while the Hecks wash them off and use them again.
-Also, the Hecks risk their lives every time they decide they want toast.
-Axl does mention that he misses Cassidy but then he did move on. However, I still feel that he carries a torch for her.
-All Mike wants to do is watch TV on the big TV. That's not a big ask.