Episode
The Middle: A Tough Pill to Swallow
Overview
Mike tries to help a devastated Sue get back into college after discovering she has been kicked out for not renewing her financial aid, and Frankie attempts to teach Brick how to swallow a pill when he gets sick.
Details
- Series
- The Middle
- Season
- Season 8
- Episode
- Episode 2
- Air date
- 2016-10-18
- Runtime
- 21 min
Episode context
A Tough Pill to Swallow is Episode 2 in Season 8 of The Middle. It aired on 2016-10-18. The runtime is 21 min.
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Episode 1: The Core Group
Frankie and Mike are excited to be introduced to the love of Axl's life, April and the family is surprised when she reveals an unusual personality trait. Sue decides to change her major while Brick begins high school and wants to change his image.
Episode 3: Halloween VII: The Heckoning
As Halloween approaches, Frankie is taken aback when she discovers that, if the circumstances ever arose where she and Mike got divorced, the kids would all choose to live with Mike. Meanwhile, Sue tries everything in her power to get her room back from Brick, and having to be so nice around girlfriend April all of the time leads Axl to lash out at his family,
More episodes from this season
Episode 4: True Grit
A clueless Sue turns to Axl for help in figuring out how she can break up with her boyfriend; Brick's attempts to make friends in high school are foiled by his best friend, Troy; Frankie unintentionally buys underwear with a lewd graphic.
Episode 5: Roadkill
Frankie and Mike's embarrassment over forgetting Brick's birthday turns to fear when they realize it's time to teach him to drive. Sue learns something surprising from Frankie.
Episode 6: Thanksgiving VIII
Frankie decides that April is not good enough to be with Axl and does anything she can to keep her out of the annual family Christmas photo. Frankie must fight for Axl's attention when he announces that he will be spending Thanksgiving with April.
Episode 7: Look Who's Not Talking
Frankie is upset that Axl refuses to answer her calls or texts after she unintentionally admits her true feelings about his girlfriend April. Brick forms a tick in the form of a phrase that causes him trouble; Brad surprises Sue.
Episode 8: Trip and Fall
Trashy neighbor Rita Glossner talks an apprehensive Frankie into taking a road trip to an unknown destination. Mike takes an embarrassing fall at the quarry and has to deal with even more embarrassment when OSHA is called in to investigate. Sue attempts to convince Axl to end his estrangement with the family after learning their true feelings about April.
Episode 9: A Very Marry Christmas
As Christmas approaches, Sue keeps a holiday secret from the family. After agreeing to watch the neighbor’s three kids, Brick finds himself trying to hide from them as they had such a good time that they keep wanting to come over and play. Mike doesn’t know how to react when Bill Norwood gives him a Christmas gift for the first time ever,
Episode 10: Escape Orson
The Hecks find themselves spending New Year's Day attempting to stave off a zombie apocalypse in the Orson Escape Room, desperately trying to beat the Donahue's record of getting out with more than one minute, eight seconds to spare. Meanwhile, Brick is convinced that the mild-mannered man assigned to the family's Escape Room group is really the famous author of the "Planet Nowhere" books; Sue divulges a secret about herself to Axl that's she's been keeping since childhood; and Mike is stunned when Frankie reveals that she had a romantic dream involving Frank Sinatra.
Episode 11: Hoosier Maid
Frankie wins a free maid service for a month and is excited for the break, but the Heck household might pose a bigger challenge than she expected. Mike and Rusty's dad, Big Mike, begins to have trouble taking care of himself.
Episode 12: Pitch Imperfect
Axl begins to panic when he realizes that he only has four months of college left before he graduates, and he hasn't sent out any job resumes - something he should have started when he was a junior. Meanwhile, Brad agrees to lead Sue's no-cut a cappella group as they enter a music competition, and Brick desperately asks for Frankie and Mike's advice when girlfriend Cindy tells him that he reads too much, and if he doesn't stop, she'll break up with him.
Episode 13: Ovary And Out
Frankie becomes sad when her doctor informs her that her ovaries are shriveled up, which means her days of having kids are over. In an attempt to cheer her up, Mike offers to have him and Frankie babysit the neighbor's baby overnight, which puts some perspective on being an older parent. Meanwhile, Sue and Axl are a bit shocked when romantic sparks fly between Sean Donahue and Sue's roommate Lexie; and Brick tries his best to hone up on his font knowledge when he meets Gibson, a worthy font opponent.