I'm just going to state the obvious: men are idiots. Okay, enough for the public service announcement, let's get to this interesting episode.
The Hecks are rather lax parents including when it comes to this son's religious well-being. Brick (Atticus Shaffer) should have been confirmed two years ago and despite Frankie's (Patricia Heaton) excuses, the reverend just doesn't care. So Brick is getting confirmed in a week's time and he's not ready. Fortunately, Frankie decides to attempt to get out ahead of it and sends Brick to a wilderness Jesus Jam hosted by the always amicable and welcome Reverend Tim Tom (Paul Hipp). Here, he actually does pretty well at Biblical trivia and meets his nemesis, Blake Ferguson (Kevin Thomas Mitchell) and tells Blake the truth about being switched at birth, something which Blake had no idea had even happened. And then when Brick returns home, Blake's parents arrive, and they are livid. Especially Blake's mother, Anna (Monica Horan). They are clearly appalled by how uncaring the Hecks are while they showered Brick with love and affection, including throwing him a month-one birthday party as he was their first. In order to attempt to compete, Frankie gives Blake Mike's (Neil Flynn) lucky Colts towel which Blake loves. It is a small price they must pay.
In the meantime, Sue (Eden Sher) and Brad (J. Brock Ciarlelli) decide to cheer Lexie (Daniela Bobadilla) up because she's crushing so hard on Axl (Charlie McDermott) and they are still under the impression that Axl doesn't know she's alive. Except for the fact that he does. They are busy making out at the diner right now. But Axl doesn't want to tell anyone as he just ended things with April (Greer Grammer) and he doesn't want his parents to interfere as they did last time, perhaps even ruining his relationship with April and that is not something he wants to happen.
Lexie doesn't really want cheering up; she just wants to make out with Axl but he doesn't even attempt to make a stand until they set her up with a better version of Axl. Chester (Trent Garrett). He's also a business major, taller and nicer than Axl and he's so much better that when Axl tells him that he's actually in love with Lexie and Chester leaves, just like that. And then when someone else shows up, Axl declares his interest in front of everyone. Sue is both thrilled and a little grossed out, but she hugs Lexie nevertheless.
As for Sue's love life, she is also crushing on Sean (Beau Wirick) and he does drive up to proclaim his love for Sue though Axl misinterprets the situation believing that Sean still likes Lexie so while he ends up happy, Sue's happiness might never happen. He doesn't deserve her as a sister.
The show ends with another classic car ride, with Axl declaring that when Sue dies, he will freeze her head. But Brick, while he might fit in better with the Fergusons, he's glad he's a Heck because life is never dull and writers have never had a normal, conventional upbringing. Eventually the whole family will be characters in his books. Life is well.
This episode was directed by Charlie McDermott and he should probably direct more episodes. This is a solid episode, with some great guest performances, including Heaton's Everybody Loves Raymond co-star Horan. I just hope that Axl and Lexie can go the distance. Only time will tell. Grade: A-
Side Notes:
-Apparently straighter is a thing.
-Brick is scared of enclosed spaces and now also being crushed by the upper bunk.
-Going to the bathroom downstream is important.
-Reverend Tim Tom doesn't know how to handle
-Who Begot Whom? is one of the categories of Biblical Jeopardy.
-Swimming with the Savior and canoeing with Christ are two of the activities at the wilderness camp.
-Axl didn't know that there was a business library.
-The Hecks blame the recent flood in the basement for the loss of Blake's baby pictures and videos. It is actually a good enough reason if we didn't know the Hecks as well as we do.
-Brick learns why he really loves classical music as the Ferguson's played it for him in his early days.
-Axl is generic ice cream while Chester is fancy ice cream. Lexie accuses Axl of being the jealous type.
-Sue is a very special snowflake, for the record.
-Sue wants to happy throw up over Axl and Lexie dating.
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