RETURNING: The Middle: Axl Goes to College

This was very much an episode about Axl's independence, but Sue had a small line about her role models: Hermione and Sheryl Sandberg. Hermione comes as no surprise, with Sue being a bookish, out-of-place teen who probably spent nights wishing an owl would deliver her invitation to Hogwarts. Sheryl Sandberg, on the other hand, is a bit of a wild card. For those who are not aware, Sandberg published a book earlier this year to encourage women to achieve their career goals. She has the authority to write on such a subject because she holds two degrees from Harvard, is reportedly worth $1B, serves on the board for The Walt Disney Company, previously served on the board for Starbucks, was a VP at Google, and is arguably the reason Facebook is profitable. Not a bad idol, but still curious as to Sue's connection with her... perhaps it will become clearer later in the season. Now, on to Axl believing that he "owns" the family... 

ABC/Michael Ansell

The Middle "The Drop Off" (S05E01): Axl is beyond excited to move to college, and had hoped that Mike could just drop him off. However, Frankie insists on going along for the 42-minute drive, stopping to buy him some unnecessary supplies (like a mini ironing board) along the way. [haha, Axl "wasn't smart enough" to go to a school farther away.] Frankie also gets Brick a cell phone so that he can text Axl. [but really because she's craving the love of her children right now.] It's less than an hour before he drops it out of the window, and the family can't find it. Fortunately, someone does, calls Mike, and they turn around the car to pick up the phone. [he also manages to swap it with someone else's before the episode is up...]

The trip doesn't get any easier, though! Sue gets a much-anticipated call regarding her status as the Junior Peer Leadership Adviser, but finds out that Frankie never faxed the essay for the application. The Hecks now have to swing by a copy/fax place on their way to East Indiana State, as the paper is still in Frankie's purse. Unfortunately, "purse freshener" has spilled all over it, forcing Sue to re-write part where the ink bled. Axl gets so upset that he grabs a bag and an un-inflated palm tree and sets off on foot for school. His anger is further fueled when he finds out that, when he was born, his grandfather issued him a savings bond, but Frankie and Mike used it during a time of need. [that sucks. I can relate, though. I won a savings bond from a spelling bee when I was in elementary school, and I never saw a dime of that money by the time it matured.] Although Axl is convinced to get back into the car, he still feels as if the family owes him the shirts off their backs. [oh, and Sue gets the position.]

Three separate bathroom breaks later, it took them 5 hours to go that 42 minutes. Mike is happy to leave Axl to get settled in, but Frankie insists they stay, hoping to impart some last motherly wisdom to her firstborn. Axl soon takes off for a party, though, leaving the grieving mother to pass on the tips to Axl's gamer roommate, Kenny. [kind of a weird guy.]

But, the best part? Axl beats the family home because he drove back for his guitar! Plus, like a true college student, he mooches some food off his parents while there.