The Middle: Thanksgiving IX

I always love Thanksgiving episodes for the Heck family and this one was no exception.
Here, we have Frankie (Patricia Heaton) actually cooking in the oven, pulling the far too burnt quilt out of the oven to bake her double marshmallow baked sweet potatoes.
Mike calls up the credit card company over a five dollar charge which turns out to be legit as she wanted some fancy coffee.
In the meantime, Edwin (Jimmy Bellinger) is back and can't decide who to fire as all three Hecks are now working there and one of them must go. Which leads to an awkward road trip. Typical arguments ensue and Mike (Neil Flynn) decides that Brick (Atticus Shaffer) should be the one to go, even Axl (Charlie McDermott) doesn't store the sour cream properly. And Mike decides to be nice and pay the ridiculously low toll for the car behind them and that car doesn't even acknowledge that gesture.
Then they run out of gas and the card isn't working, and no one has any cash. So Sue (Eden Sher), Brick and Axl walk down to the wall and beg the Spudsys guy to spot them some money which doesn't happen. Somehow Axl gets the trivia question right of revealing the ingredients of the secret sauce and they get the some amount in the tip jar and then stole from the mall fountain. Which means that they are back on the road, moving forward. They again pass the car whose toll they paid but are flicked off.
And then they run into a traffic jam. By this time, they are pissed off at humanity and Frankie calls it. They are never going to make it to her sister's in time so she whips out the sweet potato casserole and then others join her with their offerings.
Even the mom from the other car offers cranberry sauce and Frankie learns the real reason they were rude. Turns out they thought the Hecks were shady following them around and turns out, the toll booth clerk pocketed the extra money so the other car paid their own toll. They were just like the Hecks and had given up their faith in humanity. Fortunately, it is all restored as they have a tailgate Thanksgiving.
Given how bad the highway can get backed up after an accident, this tailgate doesn't surprise me. The only time I was backed up on an interstate, people do come out of their vehicles and talk to each other, offer others what food they have in their vehicles. Frankie said it best, there is a lot wrong with society but also a lot right with it.
By the way, Brick wins the wishbone contest but lets Sue keep the job as it means to her than to him and he licks the potatoes, which is beyond disgusting.
Again, this was a solid episode, though not my favorite Thanksgiving episode, this one was still solid and drove home a great message. This show will surely be missed. Solid performances and great plot lines and twists. When Frankie got out of the car, I thought she was going to tell off the other family but instead she dives into the casserole. I love when the unexpected happens. Grade: A-
Side Notes:
-Frankie needs the warm quilt from the oven to help her neck, from sleeping on a thirty year old pillow. Mike retorts with a fifty-year-old neck and Frankie tells him to slow down as they have a long way to go.
-Edwin apparently does a great impression of the mall janitor.
-Brick would be able to see over the counter if Axl stopped moving the step stool.
-Brick has a horrible lead foot so much so that Mike sees his life flash before his eyes.
-Brick has no shame in taking thirty bucks from his dad's wallet just to pay Cindy (Casey Burke) to get back together with him.
-Axl is a child when he's with his parents and this child wants chips and a cold beer.