The Middle

Life may seem average in the middle of America, but it's anything but for Frankie Heck and her family. In the premiere episode, Frankie is struggling in her career as a car salesperson because she has failed to actually sell a car. Sue has auditioned for the show choir and, to everyone's shock, makes the team but fails to mention that she's part of the stage crew.

Facing financial disaster, Frankie tries to save her job by organizing a publicity stunt involving a car filled with jelly beans; Sue fails swim team tryouts, and then learns she needs glasses; and when Brick can't check books out of the library because Frankie can't pay a $200 library fine, he starts reading his mother's steamy romance novels.

Frankie and Mike's romantic plans for their anniversary are thwarted by a sick Brick, a lovesick Sue, a learner's permit-toting Axl, two crazy aunts and their diaper-wearing dog.

Meek daughter Sue finally succeeds in doing something right by selling thousands of dollars' worth of sausage and cheese samples for the school, which makes her eligible to travel to the state capitol. But when the school fails to recognize her achievement, Frankie urges her daughter to fight for her right to collect her well-deserved prize.

Brick's teachers tell Frankie and Mike that Brick tested as "socially challenged" -- so Mike thinks basketball is the answer to help Brick interact with others. When that fails, Mike enters the neighborhood block-party lawnmower contest and discovers that Brick has a talent for souping up machines.