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Season 4 – The Middle

Play trailer Poster for Season 4 – The Middle Sep 2012 Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 5 Reviews 85% Popcornmeter 50+ Ratings
In the Heck family, middle-age, middle-class, middle-America mom Frankie Heck (two-time Emmy winner Patricia Heaton) uses a sense of humor to try to steer her family through life's ups and downs as she tackles her career goals. Her unflappable husband, Mike (Neil Flynn), is a manager at the local quarry. Oldest son Axl is an obstinate young man; awkward daughter Sue cannot seem to find her niche -- despite much enthusiasm in her attempts -- and youngest son Brick is an unusual child whose best friend is his backpack.
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The Middle — Season 4

Critics Reviews

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Alasdair Wilkins AV Club Sep 17, 2013
A
There's an admirable simplicity to how this plot works itself out. Go to Full Review Will Harris AV Club Oct 4, 2012
B+
The real key to the show's success is focusing on the interaction between the core members of the cast. Go to Full Review Robert Bianco USA Today Oct 4, 2012
TV's most underappreciated great comedy. Go to Full Review Ethan Alter Television Without Pity Feb 26, 2014
It doesn't attract the ratings and awards attention of Modern Family, but ABC's The Middle continues to carve out a comfortable place for itself amidst the... um, middle ground of the network's line-up. Go to Full Review Matt Roush TV Guide Sep 26, 2012
The Middle is on as solid footing as it's ever been. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Henry T @RT52434581 Aug 27, 2026 Best season of one of the greatest shows would definitely recommend See more Geronimo K. @RT60838352 Apr 17, 2026 This is the best season of the middle See more Mihad K. @Mihad Mar 23, 2026 My comfort show.... this show just different.. funny comfy with great plot ...I love this season See more Alice K. @GAMERALICE02 Oct 12, 2025 My comfort show. I love the early seasons of the middle more than I like the later seasons. See more Kid R. @Philadelphiagoosebumpsfan Jul 4, 2025 Pretty funny but so far not the best season See more Corey H @RT97622720 May 9, 2025 Four seasons in, and Frankie continues to be the most annoying character on tv. Every episode, just stupid and annoying behavior, followed by crying and playing the victim. Her character ruins the show, despite all the others actually being pretty decent. See more Read all reviews
The Middle — Season 4

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Phil Traill

Director

Blake T. Evans

Director

Alex Hardcastle

Director

Eileen Heisler

Director

John Putch

Director

Lee Shallat Chemel

Director

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Sep 26, 2012 Last Whiff of Summer Mike accidentally reveals that Axl is his favorite child; Brick tries to grow a giant tomato; Sue encourages her father to participate in a variety of activities with her. Details Episode 2 Aired Sep 26, 2012 Last Whiff of Summer Mike accidentally reveals that Axl is his favorite child; Brick tries to grow a giant tomato; Sue encourages her father to participate in a variety of activities with her. Details Episode 3 Aired Oct 3, 2012 The Second Act After being fired from the car dealership and vowing not to take any job that comes her way, Frankie goes to tech school to get a real career; Axl begins his senior year of high school; sophomore Sue mentors a freshman. Details Episode 4 Aired Oct 10, 2012 Bunny Therapy To help Brick's interactions with people, the school therapist urges Frankie and Mike to get him a small pet, but the ill-tempered bunny they give him teaches the family the true meaning of evil; Axl dates two cheerleaders. Details Episode 5 Aired Oct 17, 2012 The Hose A neighbor accuses Frankie of stealing her hose; Sue cancels a road trip to Cincinnati after seeing Mike's paycheck; Brick learns about the birds and the bees. Details Episode 6 Aired Oct 24, 2012 Halloween III: The Driving Sue accidentally runs over Axl's foot while practicing driving; Axl looks forward to voting; Brick binges on Halloween candy. Details Episode 7 Aired Nov 7, 2012 The Safe Frankie does not make a good impression on the first day of dental assistant school; Mike and Frankie ask Axl to get a tutor and improve his grades; Sue and Brick try to pawn an item they found in an old safe. Details Episode 8 Aired Nov 14, 2012 Thanksgiving IV Frankie invites a couple of Marines to share Thanksgiving with her family; Axl gets good news; Sue tries to find the person who stole the chicken head from her uniform; Brick is mesmerized by a book. Details Episode 9 Aired Dec 5, 2012 Christmas Help Mike helps his brother, Rusty (Norm Macdonald), move some furniture into the Heck family's garage, only to realize the furniture is stolen; Frankie hopes to land a part-time job in a department store so she can get a discount on Christmas presents. Details Episode 10 Aired Dec 12, 2012 Twenty Years Frankie worries Mike is tiring of her as their 20th anniversary draws close; Sue tries to get Axl and Brick's help planning a party for their parents; Axl spoils the end of a book for Brick. Details Episode 11 Aired Jan 9, 2013 Life Skills Axl feels embarrassed when he and Sue are asked to work on a school project together; Brick's school therapist (Dave Foley) tries to help him make friends. Details Episode 12 Aired Jan 16, 2013 One Kid at a Time When Frankie and Mike dedicate a day to each of their children, Axl takes them to a paintball range, Sue has them do 17 separate activities and Brick wants to go to a sci-fi convention. Details Episode 13 Aired Jan 23, 2013 The Friend Frankie tries to get Mike to spend time with a new neighbor who shares his interests; Sue demands a cheer-off between the Wrestlerettes and the cheerleaders. Details Episode 14 Aired Feb 6, 2013 The Smile Frankie and Mike worry that Axl may not get a sports scholarship; Sue's school science project involves smiling; Brick wants an iPad. Details Episode 15 Aired Feb 13, 2013 Valentine's Day IV Axl and his friends, Darrin and Sean, offer to help guys break up with their girlfriends; Sue's ex-boyfriend, Matt, invites her to a Valentine's Day dance at school; Mike accidentally sends a romantic text to a co-worker instead of to Frankie. Details Episode 16 Aired Feb 20, 2013 Winners and Losers Frankie is worried when Brick decides to go on a three-day school trip to Chicago; Sue wants to know if Darrin, one of Axl's friends, has feelings for her. Details Episode 17 Aired Feb 27, 2013 Wheel of Pain When Axl, Sue and Brick accidentally break the family room window, they decide to blame the Glossner children -- the bad seeds of the neighborhood; Frankie tries to land a prime dental rotation spot. Details Episode 18 Aired Mar 27, 2013 The Name Frankie's sister (Molly Shannon) offers to help at the house while Frankie studies for her finals for dental-assistant school; Axl tries not to act jealous when Cassidy's ex-boyfriend visits. Details Episode 19 Aired Apr 3, 2013 The Bachelor Disappointed with the finale of "The Bachelor," Frankie mopes for days; when Sue joins the school's tennis team, Mike tries to toughen her up by complimenting her opponents during matches; Cassidy and Axl consider the future of their relationship. Details Episode 20 Aired Apr 10, 2013 Dollar Days Frankie has a difficult time describing herself during a job interview; Sue dispenses unwanted advice to Axl and his bandmates; Brick joins the Prairie Scouts. Details Episode 21 Aired May 1, 2013 From Orson With Love Frankie tries to make Sue appear more popular on Facebook; Frankie's dad (Jerry Van Dyke) makes Mike listen to long-winded life stories; Brick and Axl try to create a viral video. Details Episode 22 Aired May 8, 2013 Hallelujah Hoedown Frankie tells the kids what she wants for Mother's Day so one of them can clue in Mike; after repeatedly failing the driving test, Sue feels resentful when her friends get their licenses; Axl receives stunning news from Cassidy. Details Episode 23 Aired May 15, 2013 The Ditch While dressed in a lab coat for her dental assisting job, Frankie is mistaken for a doctor and receives special treatment; Axl talks Sue into ditching school for the day; Mike and Axl's fishing trip goes awry. Details Episode 24 Aired May 22, 2013 The Graduation Tension builds as Frankie tries to plan a graduation party for uncooperative Axl; Sue tries to get her driver's license for a sixth time; Brick must assemble a slide show highlighting the past four years of school. Details

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The Middle — Season 4

The Middle View more photos

Season Info

Director
Phil Traill, Blake T. Evans, Alex Hardcastle, Eileen Heisler, John Putch, Lee Shallat Chemel, Elliot Hegarty
Executive Producer
Eileen Heisler, DeAnn Heline
Screenwriter
Tim Hobert, David S. Rosenthal, Roy Brown, Jana Hunter, Robin Shorr, Eileen Heisler, Stacey Pulwer, Michael Saltzman, Mitch Hunter, DeAnn Heline
Network
ABC
Rating
TV-PG
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date
Sep 26, 2012
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