MIDDLE, THE: THANKSGIVING II (TV)
Summary
One in this comedy series about an "average" middle-aged wife in a small Indiana town who struggles with her husband, an often-frustrating job, and the raising of three children.
In this episode, Frankie is upset to learn that her mother will not be coming for Thanksgiving; she pushes Mike to invite his notoriously difficult father, determined to bring the family together. Frankie is surprised when Bob announces that he is bringing his new girlfriend to dinner, and Sue excitedly suggests that she and Frankie make a pie from scratch as a new mother-daughter holiday tradition. Brick is alarmed to learn that Bob's girlfriend is a librarian, feeling that he must work extra-hard to impress her. Mike discovers that his father broke a hip three weeks ago and did not tell anyone, not wanting to be a "burden." He visits him at the hospital and pleads with him to attend dinner. At Frankie's urging, he next visits his brother Rusty and, finding that his house recently burned down, manages to lasso him into Thanksgiving as well.
Axl is exasperated as Brick attempts to "librarian-proof" the house, and Sue's culinary efforts turn dangerous as she repeatedly injures herself while baking. Frankie tells Mike to "be the sane one" and convince Rusty to move in with Big Mike for both their sakes, though he finds them hard to persuade. On Thanksgiving, Bob arrives with the awkward Lisa and Brick immediately attempts to win her over; dinner is an uncomfortable affair. Sue is forced to serve a frozen pie when hers ends in disaster. Frankie is pleased when her mother calls and asks to meet her for Black Friday shopping. Rusty overhears the ladies' "gushy" conversation and muses that his own father has never expressed his love so plainly. Frankie becomes determined to "unlock" the unemotional Heck men and get them to share their feelings. Axl is amused when Bob grows jealous over Lisa's unexpected bond with Brick. The other family members blurt out their love for one another at the table, though Big Mike and Rusty seem unmoved. Later, however, they bond over a triumphant football game and decide that they should live together as father and son after all. Mike declares the dinner to have been an unpleasant affair, but Frankie is overjoyed by any small steps toward emoting. Includes commercials and promos.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: November 24, 2010 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:29:58
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 104837
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; Families; Thanksgiving
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 2009-2018
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - Android Evo 4G cellular phones
- TV - Commercials - Campbell's soups
- TV - Commercials - Charmin Ultra Strong toilet paper
- TV - Commercials - Ford automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Girl Scouts of America organization
- TV - Commercials - J'adore Dior perfume
- TV - Commercials - Kia automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Lexus automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Macy's stores
- TV - Commercials - Planters Nuts
- TV - Commercials - Sears stores
- TV - Commercials - TomTom GPS devices
- TV - Commercials - Tonka toy trucks
- TV - Commercials - Toys 'R' Us stores
- TV - Commercials - Unicef charity organization
- TV - Commercials - Victoria's Secret stores
- TV - Commercials - Wal-Mart stores
- TV - Promos - "Better With You"
- TV - Promos - "Celebrity Plastic Surgery: Gone Too Far?"
- TV - Promos - "Modern Family"
- TV - Promos - "Skating With the Stars"
- TV - Promos - "Wipeout"
- TV - Promos - Beyoncé's I Am... World Tour
CREDITS
- Deann Heline … Executive Producer, Created by
- Eileen Heisler … Executive Producer, Created by
- Rob Ulin … Co-Executive Producer, Writer
- Tim Hobert … Co-Executive Producer
- Jana Hunter … Co-Executive Producer
- Mitch Hunter … Co-Executive Producer
- Alex Reid … Co-Executive Producer
- Vijal Patel … Producer
- Werner Walian … Producer
- Leslie D. Waldman … Co-Producer
- Ashley Korman … Associate Producer
- Korby Siamis … Consulting Producer
- Ken Whittingham … Director
- Joey Newman … Music by
- Patricia Heaton … Cast, Frankie Heck
- Neil Flynn … Cast, Mike Heck
- Charlie McDermott … Cast, Axl Heck
- Eden Sher … Cast, Sue Heck
- Atticus Shaffer … Cast, Brick Heck
- Chris Kattan … Cast, Bob
- Norm McDonald … Cast, Rusty Heck
- John Cullum … Cast, Big Mike
- Laura Heisler … Cast, Lisa Gibbs
- Jeanette Miller … Cast, Aunt Edie
- Frances Bay … Cast, Aunt Ginny
- Mike Muscat … Cast, Mailman