The Middle - A Heck of a Ride - Review

We're finally here. The last episode of The Middle. I can't believe that this is the last review that I will ever write for this show. I really enjoyed this series finale, and I thought it was a wonderful way to close out this 9 year run.

The finale begins right where the last episode left off: Axl tells his parents that he's taking the job in Denver. Frankie cries in the dark and eats cookies. The next morning she seems okay, but Mike thinks she's still high on cookies. Axl seems relieved that Frankie is taking this well, but then she makes him go tell Sue and Brick. Sue cries hysterically and doesn't want him to move. Brick starts measuring Axl's room, and he already has plans. I cracked up when Sue was crying, and Brick just wanted them to move the conversation to the right so he could finish measuring.

Axl thinks that he doesn't have to start his new job until June 25 so the family has some time. But he confuses May and June, and it turns out he has to start his new job in four days (Do you think they would still have hired him if they knew he thought June is the 5th month?) The family prepares for him to move, and they search for boxes for Axl to use. While Axl steps away, Frankie tells Mike how she really feels. She's upset and freaks out. She thinks she'll never see her son again.

Sue keeps trying to have a moment with Axl, but Axl is more concerned about why Brick isn't sad. I loved that Brick tried to shove that giant bookshelf into the room. That thing was not moving even after Mike tried to move it. Axl then starts a game with his siblings to decide who to give his car to. Sue and Brick answer questions about Axl, but Axl decides to give the car to Sue as her 21st birthday present. I laughed when Mike came in told Axl that if he wanted the car he would take it. Axl says that he paid for the car, but Mike paid for Axl's life. I was happy that Axl gave the car to Sue. He definitely needed to make up for not giving her a birthday present. And Brick did seem okay with it.

Brick and Axl have a moment in the car and Brick explains why he was concerned about the room. He's never had anything that wasn't already Axl's, and he's trying to figure out how his life is going to work without him. But he is going to miss him. Sue finds them in the car and gets mad that they are having a moment without her. Axl tells her that goodbye is hard for him and it might be the hardest to say to her. This got me. But this touching moment is interrupted by Brick realizing that Axl and Sue went places without him. They had a whole life before him, but Sue is glad that he came along.

"The Middle is the safest place to be. You got love on both sides of you." - Sue

"I guess three's a good number." - Brick

This moment between the three Heck siblings was very touching, and I definitely shed some tears. The next morning as the Hecks prepare to leave for Denver, Mike gives Axl Grandpa Mike's watch. The watch is so Axl will always remember where he came from. Axl looks at the living room for the last time before he walks outside where the neighbors, Brad, and Lexie are waiting. Axl and Lexie have a moment together and say that they love each other. Weird Ashley even shows up and tells him it's "Not goodbye. It's see you soon." This was so crazy that Weird Ashley was there, but it was a nice throwback. It was nice that the neighbors waved goodbye the Hecks drove off.

As soon as everyone gets in the car they start fighting just like every other car ride. Frankie is irritated that Mike got Axl the watch and didn't include her in the gift. So Frankie spots peaches, and they stop so Frankie can give Axl peaches as his gift. But the peaches end up having a bee in them so they throw the fruit out the window.

The episode cuts away from the car ride and we now see Sean going through the security line at the airport. His bag gets flagged because of the snow globe. The security officer reads the note from Sue, and Sean says he's not getting on the plane. He runs out of the airport and to Sue's house. Sean's mom tells him that Sue went to Denver.

Sean gets in his car and tracks down the Hecks. Mike pulls the car over and they all get out to see what he wants. Sean shows Sue the snow globe and tells her he gave this to her and threw it in the trash when Axl told him she had a boyfriend. Everything ends up coming out now: Axl thought Sean was there for Lexie; Axl thought Sean was drunk on New Year's Even when he said he liked Sue; and Brick thought the Valentine's Day gifts were from Cindy. Sean needs to be clear about how she feels so she kissed him. Axl covers his eyes, and Frankie pulls out her phone to take a picture.

Sue and Sean tell one another that they love each other. He'll be home in three months, and she'll be there. Then they drop the snow globe and it breaks. But they don't need it anymore since it brought them together. I know I've said for months how I wished Sue and Sean would just get together already. And I do wish we had more time to enjoy them being a couple, but this was perfect. Everything they said to each other was wonderful.

Back in the car the Hecks get an alert that they are at 99 percent on their data. Axl says they can take him off the family plan since he will have a company phone. This makes Frankie upset again, and she makes Mike stop the car. They all get out, and Frankie starts crying. It's the end of an era, and things will never be the same again. Mike says that that's how it's supposed to be. All of the Hecks hug and walk back to the car. Then they drive off without the blue bag.

The show jumps to the future, and we get a glimpse of what happens to the Hecks. Axl moves back to Orson and has three boys just like him. Brick writes a successful book series, and Sue and Sean get married. I have to admit I got scared when Frankie said Sue and Sean broke up. I was going to be so disappointed if that was how the show ended. But then they got back together and had their happy ending so everything is good. At the wedding we see Axl and Lexie kiss, and Lexie is pregnant. I'm glad that we learned Lexie and Axl stayed together.

Frankie talks about how they never won the lottery and never replaced the wallpaper, the hole in the wall, or the washing machine. But they sure had a lot. Back in the present, Frankie looks at Mike, and he winks at her. She smiles. Then they realize they left the blue bag and the arguing starts again. Axl blames Sue for forgetting the blue bag, and Brick says that this is why he didn't want to sit in the middle. "The Middle," he whispers as the car drives off, and the episode ends.

The finale was perfect. I think everyone got what they wanted. I'm glad that Sue and Sean admitted their feelings, and that Axl and Lexie ended up together. Brick got a happy ending, too. And the last car ride was a great tribute to the show.

I'm really going to miss The Middle. This was one of my favorite shows ever on television. It was realistic, and I thought I could relate to the characters. I looked forward to watching The Middle every week, and I've enjoyed reviewing the show for the last two years.

Goodbye The Middle. It was a fun ride.