Ep 4. The Trip

The Middle Season 1 Episode 4: The Trip

In this episode of The Middle, Frankie tries to convince Mike to take the family on a joyride to Chicago for a family trip during the weekend. Mike is completely against the idea as he has plans to take care of the lawn and watch an important football game. However, Frankie manages to convince him and they pile into the car for a road trip.

Meanwhile, back at home, Axl is left in charge of the house and his siblings. He relishes the opportunity to have the freedom to do whatever he wants, but things quickly spiral out of control as he struggles to hold everything together. He finds himself in a dilemma when his sister Sue believes that she is pregnant and needs his help in keeping the news a secret from their parents.

On the road trip, the family faces a series of mishaps. Sue keeps calling Frankie, posing as the school nurse to keep her updated on her pregnancy, which stresses Frankie out. Brick misses his favorite book and starts listing everything he has ever lost, which causes Mike a lot of frustration. Axl brings his guitar along on the trip, much to Frankie's dismay, and ends up singing a song he wrote about their family and their trip to Chicago.

Upon arriving in Chicago, the family is initially excited to explore the city, but their experience does not quite live up to their expectations. They are forced to stay in a run-down hotel and their sightseeing tour is conducted by an easily distracted tour guide. However, they are eventually able to turn their trip around when they stumble upon a neighborhood block party and have a great time dancing and mingling with the locals.

Overall, The Trip is a hilarious episode that perfectly captures the chaos and unpredictability of family travel. It underscores the challenges and rewards of spending time with the people you love, no matter how imperfect the circumstances may be.