The Middle

- Season 3

(2011)

When Mike proposes a camping trip for a family summer vacation, all Frankie can think about is the disastrous camping trip they had for their honeymoon.

While Frankie recalls more bad memories from her camping trip honeymoon, Sue continues to get on Axl's nerves with constant questions about high school, and Brick continues to read about nature instead of actually experiencing it.

After Axl plays a trick on Sue at school and doesn't come to her defense, a debate ensues over who's really in charge in the family, causing Mike to attend a parent-teacher conference with Brick's new teacher.

Frankie gets fed up with the kids and leaves to spend some time with her mom, leaving the kids with Mike to figure out what they did wrong and how they can change.

Frankie helps Axl prepare at the last minute for the PSAT, Sue tries out for the cheerleading team, and Mike tries to get Brick to stand up to bullying.

The Hecks consider moving into an apartment, Axl plots to miss a test at school but still go to a party, Sue and Brad prepare a skit for school, and Brick begins quoting Shakespeare.

Mike convinces Sue to update her wardrobe, but he is scared by what he sees. Meanwhile, Frankie takes Brick's social group to trick or treat, and Axl takes his friends are not sure if they want to let go of trick or treating.

In the aftermath of a visit to Axl from a college football recruiter, Frankie decides to try harder for her family. Meanwhile, Sue and Brick find Aunt Edie's ancient cell phone and decide to keep it for themselves.

Frankie and Sue decide to act together in a play, but Frankie refuses to quit after Sue is removed. Meanwhile, Uncle Rusty tries to make up to Brick for missing the special school lunch he was invited to.

Frankie's parents, Pat and Tag, invite the Hecks to spend a few days at their house to celebrate Thanksgiving together. But the festivities begin to fall apart quickly when Frankie's sister, Janet, and her family also join in, and soon the siblings are at each other's throats over their widely differing parenting techniques. Meanwhile, Mike tries to offer some advice to Axl on how to pick up girls when he witnesses his son trying to impress a pretty mini-mart cashier - and fails miserably; Brick attempts to prove his innocence when he is accused by Janet of damaging ...

Mike tries to surprise Frankie with a dishwasher on Christmas Day, Sue tries to get Reverend TimTom to help Brick, who is struggling with believing the Bible, and Bob tries to befriend Axl after Axl gets a job for Christmas.

Frankie randomly assigns New Year's resolutions to each family member, but chaos ensues when everyone tries to live up to her expectations.

After attending Aunt Ginny's funeral, Frankie begins to fear that the family is missing out on important life milestones and vows to begin celebrating all of them. Meanwhile, Axl accidentally eats Brick's Indiana dough school map project and is tasked with creating a new one, and Sue discovers that one of the boys on the wrestling team has a crush on her.

The Hecks help themselves to the Donahues' new car while they are away at the Super Bowl, and Sue decides to tell her new boyfriend that she loves him.

Axl and Brick have trouble writing papers for school, Frankie and Mike go out with their friends and Sue is upset when Matt puts his tongue in her mouth.

Frankie helps Sue get tickets to a Justin Bieber concert, Brick is too embarrassed to go to school after losing a spelling bee, and Axl tries to break the speed limit on foot.

Frankie and Mike decide to stop nagging and punishing the kids and let them begin taking responsibility for themselves.

Sue anxiously awaits a Leap Day surprise birthday party that isn't coming, Brick tries to save the social skills group after a girl joins it, and Mike is saddened after a cat he took care of at the quarry dies.

Sue tries to keep a long-distance relationship with her boyfriend when he moves away, Brick decides to take a paper route to make money for night vision goggles, and Frankie discovers that Mike is keeping an odd secret.

A new church convinces the Hecks to "get their business done," but the results that stem from their new-found inspiration are mixed.

Sue bonds with her high school guidance counselor, Mike and Frankie fight when it comes time to buy a new bed, and Brick struggles with the president's physical fitness test.

Axl is going to the prom with Weird Ashley and is horrified when his friend Darrin asks Sue. Brick finds a 4-leaf clover and it brings him anything but good luck. One of Frankie's aunt accidentally starts a fire. Mike is too soft on Brick.

Mike gets the unwelcome task of signing up to volunteer at Brick's school because Frankie is stuck at work, while Sue blackmails Axl to get free rides around town for her and her friends.

The Hecks discover at the last minute that they are hosting Mike's brother Rusty's wedding, and Axl and his friends decide to start their own summer business.