Welcome back everyone! I can't believe that next week is the Christmas episode. This season is flying by! This week on The Middle, Mike has a workplace accident, Rita shows up again, and Axl has a shocking announcement.
At the very beginning of the episode, Mike trips over his own feet and falls down the stairs leaving work. He's not seriously hurt just a little embarrassed. His co-workers all discuss his fall, and the safety officer says he has to report it. OSHA shows up and puts signs all over the trailer. Then all the employees have to do this ridiculous safety training where they practice walking up and down the stairs and holding the hand rail. As ridiculous as this was, I'm pretty sure this actually happens in the real world.
The safety officers inform Mike that since his fall happened at work, they did not go 365 days without a workplace accident. This means that the office does not get cupcakes. Mike tries to argue that it wasn't an accident- he just tripped- but no one will listen. Needless to say, Mike's co-workers are not pleased. They wanted those cupcakes!
After a discussion with Brick and a failed attempt at making his own cupcakes, Mike decides to show the tape of him falling to the safety officers. He argues that the fall happened at 5:03 so they did have 365 days without an injury. Mike is embarrassed as the guys think his fall is hilarious, but he thought it was worth it. His co-workers got those cupcakes!
Mike has really impressed me the last few episodes. He goes out of his way for those he cares about, and he was willing to humiliate himself just so his colleagues could have the cupcakes. I also liked that Brick gave him advice. I loved that Mike forgot that the quilt was in the oven! I can't believe they still keep that thing in there.
While Mike was dealing with his fall, Frankie was busy with Rita. Rita always cracks me up- I love her scenes with Frankie. This week Rita just shows up and demands Frankie drive her somewhere. The trip starts out fine (even if Frankie is somewhat annoyed), but then Rita's ankle monitor goes off because she's out of range. Rita just cuts it off like it's no big deal.
At this point Frankie is freaking out. They stop at a mini mart to get Rita jerky, and Frankie runs to two cops. She asks "hypothetical" questions about aiding and abetting and being an accomplice. Luckily, Rita's mystery destination is to see her grandson, Vernon, in Georgia. Frankie is relieved that she wasn't involved in anything illegal and realizes that she has to make amends with Axl. I do wonder: what did Rita do that got her an ankle monitor?
Sue spends most of this episode trying to track down Axl because she wants everything to go back to normal. My favorite part of the episode is when she chases him in the golf cart and screams his name! Then she jumps off the cart and tackles him! This was hysterical.
"No, not the hair! It's my ticket to YouTube stardome!" - Axl
She grabs one of his legs, but Axl is finally able to get away. She begs him to come home for Christmas, but he says he can't be around people that hate his girlfriend. Sue is disappointed, and Axl discusses this with April. It turns out that April's family doesn't like Axl, either, but they decide that they don't care. They are adults and can do what they want.
At the end of the episode Axl runs into Sue's room panicking saying he did something really stupid. He married April! What? How? Why? I am so confused right now. I don't understand why he did that. Frankie and Mike will not be happy about this. So much for Sue's hope of a Merry Christmas.
What did you think about this episode? Were you shocked that Axl married April? How do you think the Heck's Christmas will turn out? Sound off in the comments!
