THE MIDDLE “Homecoming” Season 2 Episode 2 - Sue’s first cross-country meet falls on the same day as Axl’s first homecoming game, making for a very unhappy Frankie in the “Homecoming” episode of THE MIDDLE. While Mike teaches Brick the finer points of leaf-raking, Frankie eventually finds her way onto the football field with Axl.
Poor hapless Sue. She tries so very, very hard, but no matter what she does, she’ll always be the one who gets attacked by a raccoon while in the middle of a race. She’ll also always be the one who thinks she might be winning because she can’t see anyone in front of her and the one who understands how much her mom needs some affection from her brother, and that’s not at all a bad thing. So many of the “touching” moments in family comedies can ring false or corny, but I actually really love Sue’s quiet “Okay, mom, let’s go get your moment” after Frankie’s rant about Axl’s teenagery stand-offishness.
The Frankie-Axl stuff is a bit more over-done. It’s rare I’m embarrassed for a fictional character, but Mike’s right: not running onto a field to check on your injured son really is too obviously wrong to need to be a rule. “Please tell me I’m dead.” Heh. Frankie trying to get Axl to guilt Sue into letting Frankie skip her meet is pretty darn funny, but I could have done without Frankie’s voice-over about not needing the big public moment as long as she gets to give private affection. It oversells the point.
Brick is a bit too quirky in this episode. Picking up leaves one by one, organizing them by color, and wanting to set them free–okay (“I don`t think I`m ready for leaf-raking, but thanks for your confidence.”). Not being able to blow his nose? Too weird and icky. Sorry, Mike, it’s going to be a very long time before he grows up and becomes a man.
“There’s not much you can’t accomplish in this town with a case of beer and a wheel of cheese.” That’s the essence of American politics right there. Love Mike’s lecture about doers versus thinkers that ends with Brick in a trash bag. Also love Axl wiping up the milk dribbles on his stomach with a piece of bread and Mr Ehlert making the homecoming queen drive while he waves to the crowd. Bob is becoming creepier and more and more pointless. Tonight his big contribution is to look like a mutant smurf because he painted his face for the game. O-ookay.
“Homecoming” is a pretty good episode of The Middle. It’s not quite as satirical as usual and there are more smiles than laughs, but it’s a fun little show.
What did you think of the episode? Do you think Sue will ever find something she’s really great at?
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