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The Middle season 4 facts for kids

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The Middle season 4
The Middle S4 DVD.jpg
Region 1 DVD cover art
Starring
No. of episodes 24
Release
Original network ABC
Original release September 26, 2012 (2012-09-26) – May 22, 2013 (2013-05-22)
List of The Middle episodes

The fourth season of the funny TV show The Middle aired from September 26, 2012, to May 22, 2013, on ABC. This season continued the adventures of the Heck family, who live in the fictional town of Orson, Indiana. The show is produced by Blackie and Blondie Productions and Warner Bros. Television. The creators, DeAnn Heline and Eileen Heisler, were the main people in charge.

The show is all about the Heck family. There's Frances "Frankie" Heck (Patricia Heaton), a busy mom, and her husband Mike Heck (Neil Flynn). They have three very different kids: Axl (Charlie McDermott), the oldest and a high school senior; Sue (Eden Sher), the super optimistic middle child; and Brick (Atticus Shaffer), the youngest, who loves books and has some unique habits. This season follows their everyday challenges and funny moments.

Meet the Heck Family and Friends

Main Characters

  • Patricia Heaton plays Frankie Heck, the mom who tries her best to keep the family together.
  • Neil Flynn plays Mike Heck, the dad who is usually calm and practical.
  • Charlie McDermott plays Axl Heck, the oldest son, who is a senior in high school and loves sports.
  • Eden Sher plays Sue Heck, the middle child, who is always cheerful and tries hard at everything.
  • Atticus Shaffer plays Brick Heck, the youngest son, who loves reading and whispers to himself.

Other Important Characters

  • Chris Kattan as Bob, Frankie's friend from work.
  • Jack McBrayer as Dr. Ted Goodwin, Frankie's very friendly boss.
  • Brian Doyle-Murray as Don Ehlert, Frankie's boss who fires her early in the season.
  • Brock Ciarlelli as Brad, Sue's ex-boyfriend and good friend.
  • Jen Ray as Nancy Donahue, Frankie's neighbor and friend.
  • Blaine Saunders as Carly, Sue's best friend.
  • Galadriel Stineman as Cassidy Finch, Axl's girlfriend.
  • French Stewart as Principal Cameron, the school principal.
  • Beau Wirick as Seán, one of Axl's best friends.

Special Guest Stars

Season Four Adventures

No.
overall
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Original air date Prod.
code
U.S. viewers
(millions)
73 1 "Last Whiff of Summer" Lee Shallat Chemel Eileen Heisler & DeAnn Heline September 26, 2012 (2012-09-26) 3X7451 9.16
74 2 3X7452
The season starts with Frankie trying to make summer special. Mike accidentally says Axl is his favorite, causing some family drama. Axl has to go to summer school to keep his college sports chances. Brick grows a tomato, and Sue tries to bond with Mike.
75 3 "The Second Act" Blake T. Evans Tim Hobert October 3, 2012 (2012-10-03) 3X7453 7.72
Frankie loses her job and decides to go to tech school for a new career. Axl starts his senior year of high school. Sue tries to help a new freshman, Jenna. Mike gets annoyed when Brick is too busy reading to meet his friends.
76 4 "Bunny Therapy" Elliot Hegarty Jana Hunter & Mitch Hunter October 10, 2012 (2012-10-10) 3X7454 7.90
Brick gets a new habit, so his school therapist suggests he gets a pet. They get a grumpy bunny, which causes more trouble than expected. Axl dates two cheerleaders and isn't sure who his girlfriend is. Sue tries out to be the school mascot.
77 5 "The Hose" Lee Shallat Chemel Stacey Pulwer October 17, 2012 (2012-10-17) 3X7455 8.39
The Hecks' neighbor, Rita Glossner, accuses Frankie of stealing her garden hose. Sue finds out how little Mike earns and decides to cancel her trip to save money. Brick learns about how animals reproduce, and Axl explains it in a very direct way.
78 6 "Halloween III: The Driving" Phil Traill Roy Brown October 24, 2012 (2012-10-24) 3X7456 8.80
Sue gets her learner's permit, and Frankie and Mike try to teach her to drive. Sue accidentally runs over Axl's foot, which could stop his football career. Axl looks forward to voting for the first time. Brick eats too much Halloween candy and changes.
79 7 "The Safe" Lee Shallat Chemel Robin Shorr November 7, 2012 (2012-11-07) 3X7457 9.04
Sue and Brick buy a safe hoping to find treasure, but they can't open it. Axl, with his broken foot, gets a smart girl named Cassidy to tutor him. Frankie starts dental assisting classes and finds it harder than she thought.
80 8 "Thanksgiving IV" Blake T. Evans Tim Hobert November 14, 2012 (2012-11-14) 3X7459 8.79
Frankie invites two Marines for Thanksgiving, but her bickering parents make the holiday chaotic. Axl's feelings for his tutor grow, and his foot heals. Sue tries to find who stole her mascot costume head. Brick becomes obsessed with a book.
81 9 "Christmas Help" Phil Traill Jana Hunter & Mitch Hunter December 5, 2012 (2012-12-05) 3X7460 7.98
Mike helps his brother, Rusty, move furniture, only to find out it was stolen. Frankie tries to get a part-time job for Christmas discounts. Brick gets a part in Reverend Tim-Tom's Christmas play, and Sue bakes cookies for it.
82 10 "Twenty Years" Phil Traill David S. Rosenthal December 12, 2012 (2012-12-12) 3X7458 7.29
As their 20th wedding anniversary nears, Frankie thinks Mike is avoiding her. Sue tries to get Axl and Brick to help plan a party for their parents. Brick becomes unresponsive when Axl spoils the ending of his favorite book series.
83 11 "Life Skills" Lee Shallat Chemel Roy Brown January 9, 2013 (2013-01-09) 3X7461 8.39
Axl and Sue are partners for a life skills project, but Axl delays it. Brick's therapist, Dr. Fulton, tries to help him make friends, and they become close. Mike and Frankie's car is damaged, and their insurance claim is denied.
84 12 "One Kid at a Time" Elliot Hegarty David S. Rosenthal January 16, 2013 (2013-01-16) 3X7462 8.21
Frankie and Mike decide to spend a whole day with each child. Axl takes them paintballing. Sue plans 17 different activities. Brick wants to go to a sci-fi convention. Each day is very different!
85 13 "The Friend" Lee Shallat Chemel Robin Shorr January 23, 2013 (2013-01-23) 3X7463 8.55
Frankie tries to get Mike to hang out with a new neighbor who likes the same things. Sue and the Wrestlerettes challenge the cheerleaders to a cheer-off. Axl asks Brick to teach him about culture to impress Cassidy.
86 14 "The Smile" Elliot Hegarty Tim Hobert February 6, 2013 (2013-02-06) 3X7464 8.21
Axl hasn't received any college acceptance letters, making Frankie and Mike worry. Axl feels pressure as his friends get into colleges. Sue tries to prove that smiling is contagious for a science project. Brick keeps asking for an iPad.
87 15 "Valentine's Day IV" Phil Traill Jana Hunter & Mitch Hunter February 13, 2013 (2013-02-13) 3X7465 7.72
Axl and his friends help guys break up with their girlfriends around Valentine's Day. Brick is upset when Frankie throws out his old school artwork. Sue is excited when her ex-boyfriend asks her to the dance. Mike accidentally sends a romantic text to a co-worker.
88 16 "Winners and Losers" John Putch David S. Rosenthal February 20, 2013 (2013-02-20) 3X7466 8.27
Frankie worries when Brick goes on a school trip to Chicago. Frankie gets distracted by the Oscars on TV and forgets to pick up Brick. Sue wants to know if Axl's friend Darrin likes her.
89 17 "Wheel of Pain" Lee Shallat Chemel Michael Saltzman February 27, 2013 (2013-02-27) 3X7467 7.97
After breaking a window, Axl, Sue, and Brick blame the Glossner boys. Frankie and Mike know they're lying and try to get the truth. Frankie needs to impress her dental assisting teacher, Mrs. Armwood. Sue's 16th birthday is coming up.
90 18 "The Name" Alex Hardcastle Roy Brown March 27, 2013 (2013-03-27) 3X7468 6.90
Frankie's sister offers to help at the house while Frankie studies. Axl tries not to be jealous when Cassidy's ex-boyfriend visits. Sue wants to change her middle name, which is also Sue.
91 19 "The Bachelor" Lee Shallat Chemel Tim Hobert April 3, 2013 (2013-04-03) 3X7469 7.22
Frankie is sad after the finale of The Bachelor. Mike encourages Sue not to compliment her opponents on the tennis team. Cassidy and Axl think about their future together. Frankie finds Brick is surprisingly good at talking about "The Bachelor."
92 20 "Dollar Days" Phil Traill Jana Hunter & Mitch Hunter April 10, 2013 (2013-04-10) 3X7470 7.55
Sue and Darrin cause problems for Axl's band, ending their relationship. Mike becomes an unwilling scout leader for Brick's social skills group. Frankie graduates from dental school and finds a job as a dental assistant.
93 21 "From Orson with Love" Lee Shallat Chemel Robin Shorr May 1, 2013 (2013-05-01) 3X7471 7.41
Frankie tries to make Sue look more popular on Facebook by creating a fake profile and posting compliments. Frankie's dad makes Mike listen to long stories. Brick and Axl try to make a viral video with kittens and bunnies.
94 22 "Hallelujah Hoedown" Blake T. Evans David S. Rosenthal May 8, 2013 (2013-05-08) 3X7472 6.80
For Mother's Day, Frankie wants a gift she actually likes and tells the kids to clue in Mike. Sue asks Reverend TimTom for advice because her friends are getting their driver's licenses, but she keeps failing. Cassidy tells Axl some bad news at prom.
95 23 "The Ditch" Lee Shallat Chemel Roy Brown May 15, 2013 (2013-05-15) 3X7473 6.76
Frankie is mistaken for a doctor at her dental assisting job and gets special treatment. Axl convinces Sue to skip school, but it becomes a terrible day for her. Mike and Axl's fishing trip goes wrong. Brick is upset about starting middle school and refuses his placement test.
96 24 "The Graduation" Eileen Heisler Tim Hobert May 22, 2013 (2013-05-22) 3X7474 7.70
In the season finale, Frankie tries to plan a graduation party for Axl, who isn't helping. Sue tries to get her driver's license for the sixth time. Brick, as class historian, has to create a slide show of the past four years of school.
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